There’s a bit of insanity that ensues when considering the evolution of comic cons over the past 40 years. The early days of comic fans sifting through milk crates and random 2nd-hand boxes (long boxes in the 1970s?) for that prized issue of Steve Gerber’s Howard the Duck #1 seem distant. Yes, that seminal issue was procured in 1973, but I still recall aggressively nudging myself against a sweaty 40-something wearing a Van Halen concert t-shirt cut like an Italian-tee in 1980. Yes, Dance the Night Away was top of the charts on the south side of Indy. I listened to that melody like it was gospel in my teens. Young and old wannabe beefy studs cantering around in trimmed heavy metal muscle shirts was commonplace were I grew up.
Now 2019, I still find fascination in these “sullied” encounters. C2E2 is more than mainstream, it’s the standard. And, in this present place, there feels a bit more directness in terms of what is conveyed and experienced. Walking the floor, there was the usual fervent energy felt as kids glanced about at the overload of visual play illustrated in the signage, towers of toys, and overly produced art that was plastered on any standing object or wall space. Drag queens sporting Wonder Woman costumes pranced alongside families dressed as the Incredibles, complete with stroller. The atmosphere felt curiously healthy in the most humanist of ways. Most of us love to people watch and there was plenty of eye candy to be had last weekend at McCormick Place.
There has been shift in terms of overall content presented over the cons 10 years. Here, the role of video gaming took over more space due to being positioned in the center of the convention hall. Comics representation, though not fading, appeared to be missing that small shop charm. These outlets just financially cannot compete with the larger book sellers. There were high-end pages by Jack Kirby starting at $30,000, while $1 bins were hard to be found. There was clearly a shift in the voice of commodification of entertainment tastes underhand. The current trend is for more manga…while the nostalgia for western comics appeared linked more so toward the blockbuster movie formula. The printed page is certainly not dead, but seemed tertiary in this iteration.
Another area taking a more visible presence was board gaming. This type of engagement looked to be in a healthy place (the people present looked to enjoy the random encounters). The table-top gaming section was filled throughout the weekend, with a variety of players playing Magic the Gathering and Keyforge. Newcomers were walked through the experience with kid-gloves by experienced practitioners. Die-hards took to the competition with a focus to be champion. In one instance, a clear positive energy was felt when watching a grizzly looking man sporting white beard and Captain America t-shirt was being instructed by a young lady, around 13. Her clarity in describing deck play was succinct. Sadly, I did not make that image, though I did stumble across an odd Golden Girls board game.
Artist’s Alley appeared larger, easier to navigate due to increased aisle size, and in speaking with a number creators the sales appear to have been brisk. This space is central to the C2E2 experience. The dedicated and casual reader has the opportunity to meet the artists who produce the comics they read face-to-face. This is what is special about comic cons. Plus, there were those discoveries to be found. For instance, Matt Lesniewski was not on the radar and his book, The Freak, is something to be sought out. Often focused on rendering commissions, the creators nevertheless are consistently gregarious and responsive. My recommendation is to note your appreciation of their work. You will find this to be, more often than not, warmly received.
Transformation in noting comics and entertainment trends has been a hallmark for C2E2. This is the spring mainstream comics and entertainment flagship. Over the past decade the fair has offered glimpses into what’s dropping while affording a space for those interested in the various aspects of comics, entertainment, and gaming. This year’s gathering felt to hold more emphasis on personal identity. This visual vocalization is only beginning to come into focus. The varied entities defining this transformation are an amalgam of the next generation. Time will play out the relevance of new trends. The opportunity to wander the hall and note this shift is worth a tour. So, if you find impulse, go check C2E2 out in 2020!
McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, 2019
Additional images from C2E2 2019:
Photographs and writing by Chester Alamo-Costello
