Wizard World Chicago

Entering Wizard World is like stepping into a sprawling city. Comic book enthusiasts, video gamers and self-proclaimed nerds find themselves at home during this yearly event - Wizard World Chicago, held at the Rosemont Convention Center. This year's event, held from Aug. 9-12, was host to countless celebrity appearances, product premieres, vendors selling everything from clothing to Japanese toys to DVDs and, of course, comic books of all genres.

Video gamers could hang out at the Sony PlayStation area where attendees sampled PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable games. Participants of all ages (and skill levels) stopped by for the "SingStar Pop," a PS2 karaoke game, competition. Prizes were awarded several times a day, and the competition stage was surrounded by waiting competitors and curious onlookers from open to close all three days. Andy Denst, a sophomore majoring in computer graphics design, took a break from perusing comics on Friday to join in the competition during his fifth consecutive year attending Wizard World.. "It's my vacation," he said.

For video gamers looking to preview new games, a stop by the "Bioshock" booth yielded a look at the survival game for X-Box 360 and Windows which was released Aug. 21. "Bioshock" producer Anthony DeLuca defined the game as "a mix of first-person shooter action and story." Wizard World was the public premiere of "Bioshock."

"People are enjoying the game, it makes [the effort] worth it," said DeLuca. According to DeLuca, the game is fun because of the story and the accessibility for the player. "You have choices, [the game is] concentrated on using your environment to your advantage," DeLuca explained.

Ashley Kroc, a senior majoring in psychology, worked at the "Bioshock" booth during the convention. Kroc said her first impression of "Bioshock" was positive. Kroc recommends the game to "people who have an appreciation for the supernatural. [In the game] you can make bees come out of your veins."

While Wizard World is host to the premiere of many products and comic books, many who attend the convention seek old, unique and/or collectable comic books. Vendors from around the country sell individual issues, collections and bound collections (known as trade paperbacks) at the convention. Denst explained he enjoys his yearly visit to Wizard World because he can shop around the vendors to get good deals on comic books and related items. "This year, mostly I've been looking for collections," he said.

Large companies, such as Marvel and DC, have booths with their writers, artists and products, but Wizard World is also hosted to many other comic book publishers. Deeper inside the "city," smaller up-and-coming publishers were represented as well. Small press Legion Studios sold copies of the newest issue of "Queen of Sin," published Aug. 7, as well as their older books and a special convention edition called "Warring With Wolves."

Scott C. Guffey, a graduate student in English, is the managing editor of Legion Studios. After attending Wizard World for years as a participant, Guffey attended this year as an exhibitor for the second time. Writing comic books is Guffey's passion. "I returned to college so I could improve my ability to write so I could go back to doing comics," he said.

The main character in "Queen of Sin" is modeled after the historical and mythological character Lilith. "We've retold her origin and given the story of where she is today," said Guffrey. In addition to the historical and mythological aspect of Lilith, Guffey explained the importance of the psychological premise in which Lilith is part of every woman, rebelling against submission and craving power. Guffey said Legion Studios plans to continue the "Queen of Sin" book, begin a new series called "Sadistic Stories of Suburbia" (by Nov./Dec. 2007), and publish Part 3 of the "Book of Legion" trilogy (in early 2008). Legion Studios will also be at Wizard World in June 2008, said Guffey.

Rosemont Convention Center has been host to Chicago's Wizard World in August for the past few years, but the convention is scheduled earlier next summer, with preview night on June 26 and the convention running from June 27-29. Robert Felton, Vice-President/Associate Publisher of Wizard Entertainment, said the convention - established in 1997 -originally started in an earlier time slot.

According to Felton, the convention will return to an earlier spot because exhibitors requested space between other shows. The new dates are already planned for the next five years. With the convention earlier in the summer - and further from the start of the semester for students - Felton recommends a first time or return visit. "There's so much to do. It's worth the trip; you can't possibly see everything in one day," he said.

For attendees seeking amusement other than comic books and video games, there are many activities. The Wizard booth hosted the Wizard Wheel of Doom, a trivia challenge where participants could choose a category, receive a question and - if their answer was correct - spin the wheel for a prize. Participants who answered a question wrong were faced with a physical challenge followed by their chance to spin.

Attendees were able to meet and receive autographs from celebrities including Tricia Helfer ("Battlestar Galactica"), Lou Ferrigno (TV's original "Incredible Hulk") and Michael Madsen ("Kill Bill" and "Sin City"). From the premiere of the Marvel stamps by the U.S. Postal Service to talent searches for new writers and artists to Wizard School - hour-long educational sessions on how to write, illustrate, color and pitch comics - the weekend offered a myriad of comic book related activities.

While fans were busy seeking out collectibles, aspiring writers and artists were able to learn about the trade and network. Art devotees strolled through Artists Alley for a peek at the wares of artists from around the country -and sometimes around the globe - often purchasing prints or commissions (personalized pieces). Whether you're looking to buy, look, learn or play, mark your calendars for next summer's Wizard World Chicago.

Originally published in The Chronicle in August 2007.