ComicUI is going back to the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo! This marks 5 years that at least one of us has visited the comic-con and every year, we’re only more excited to visit. In 2011, Chris Hemsworth was the big attraction before Thor was released and some of the industry’s then heavy hitting writers were on panel to discuss comics, stories, and just have a good time. Prized collections from that trip include a SHIELD ID card and signatures from Joe Quesada (Marvel’s CCO), Jeph Loeb (not that exciting actually), and Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man). The following year I was lucky enough to see Marvel’s THE AVENGERS 3 weeks early! It was something unforgettable and spoiled us in hopes of seeing more early releases. In 2013 we stayed at the Red Roof Inn with lots of space and superior wiring for the electronics (sarcasm). It was so much fun, Brian stayed in and got real up close and personal with the bathroom tile, aka he got sick. That leads us into last year where both of us got to meet Stan ‘the man’ Lee with photographs to prove it. He was missing the classic ‘stache, but thats ok. He called me a good man.
As 2015’s C2E2 approaches, ComicUI is upping the ante in all sorts of ways. For the first time ever, we’ll be sharing a booth in Artist Alley with Brian Lau, the mastermind behind Staunch Ambition, a graphic novel we’re helping sponsor through its release. If you’re lucky enough to be in attendance, come by table R12, buy yourself a special convention version of Staunch Ambition and you can get it signed by us! No charge! Brian will be selling some of his Hippo prints as well, so make sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook this weekend to see what we’re up to exactly.
Beyond ourselves, we’re planning on interviewing all sorts of people! We have scheduled time with Adult Swim, including Dave Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force) and Brad Neely (China, IL), touring Insidious (the movie) in 4D with Oculus Rift technology, chatting up Magnetic Press about their offerings (including one by Tom DeLonge of Blink-182), and hopefully sitting down with Jonathan Hickman of Avengers comic book fame. We’re hoping to offer these up in video format, as we have a ComicUI posse this year, including our favorites: Adam and Greg, joining us again from last year’s C2E2.
Other famous faces at the show include Chad Coleman (The Walking Dead), CM Punk (Thor comics), David Ramsey (Arrow), Hayley Attwell (Agent Carter), Jason Mewes (Jay and Silent Bob), Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones; Aquaman), Jewel Staite (Firefly), Kevin Smith (like…everything), Ming-Na Wen (Agents of SHIELD), M. Night Shyamalnanadnadnx (6th Sense), and Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who; The Hobbit) from media.
Comics industry guests include Bill Willingham, Dan Slott, Gail Simone, Humberto Ramos, Jerome Opena, Jonathan Hickman, Max Brooks, Rick Remender, Ryan Stegman, Scott Snyder, and of course, the venerable Stan Lee yet again! Other names you may know from comics are: Al Ewing, Art Baltazar, Charles Soule, Chip Zdarsky, Christy Blanch, Dirk Manning, Jason Latour, Mark Waid, Mike Norton, Skottie Young and Terry Moore. For a full list of guests, check out C2E2’s website.
Although this may be a lot to take in before the floor officially opens up, we again want people who can’t make it to feel like they’re with us. Follow us on Twitter @ComicUI, @Valdan for Chris and @picketfence14 if you want the musings of Brian. For most of our pictures, albums, and fun stuff, you should totally like our Facebook page too! We’ll be covering everything possible over all 3 days. If we’re lucky, we’ll also be watching Guardians of the Galaxy as part of our Countdown to Ultron with more live tweets than ever! Be sure to check back periodically as C2E2 goes on and we hope to see you there!
