As others have said, this convention is a mixed bag. While it does have the promise of bringing together lots of of your favorite actors, actresses, and writers in one spot -- it really is very commercialized. If you don't intend to pay for pictures, memorabilia, signatures, etc. the appeal can be quite limited as this isn't just a place you can walk in and take lots of great selfies. What helps to counteract this though is the great fans of these franchises who really make the conference fun. Probably worth a visit at least once in your life, but not exactly an event which needs to be attended every year. Make sure you pay attention to the schedules for when certain people will appear as the most famous guests are only there for a limited time. read more

See all

If you want to go to a true comic convention, one that feels it is about the comics and the fans.... atleast close to how it was when comic conventions began hitting the scene... this is the one you may want to attend. I've been here as attendee and exhibitor for different capacities through the years. This year I am here as an exhibitor supporting a Game of Thrones Illustrator from Hawaii. We are welcomed with as much Aloha and are appreciative. The con has been around for awhile. The years of experience has allowed maturity to settle in becoming one if the best comic cons in the country. We decided to check in a day before the 1st day. This allows us to avoid some of the confusion that occurs when the masses appear. Also helps to correct any mishaps that could happen and do with a large event like this. The time is also used to check our displays and setups to conform to the rules and regulations, not interfering with other artists and we have a way of getting in and out. It is a well run show. Security here is not relaxed. They are very strict in enforcing their policies especially making sure attendees can get to areas where they are allowed. They do a security sweep at the end of the day which I really like. Staff is well informed and know their job. They provide a hot text line in case you need immediate attention to getting a resolution during the show. The contact agent, Alex, came by a few times checking to make sure we were doing okay and even gave us a complimentary godie bag. Inside were post its and a pen. Those came in handy. The show itself is filled with star studded actors and actresses from some of the hottest shows currently running and from the nostalgic past. Some of the best artists in the comic industry were also there easily accessible for photos and autographs, and if you had a few questions loved answering them. Cosplay, like many related conventions, is big here. Abounding from everywhere donning some of the most elaborate costumes I've seen ever. Creating those outfits and costumes truly is a work of love. Taking pictures with them was so much fun. Hence several pics of. The numerous panels held were so exciting to go to and learn more. I wish we had time to attend more. They featured some of the guests attending, some were informative on how to get started in the industry, how to do something or gain a skill, and some gave a good insight into the industry. There is money to be made in these industries people, lots of it too, if you know how to tap into it. It was great to meet fans from Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Philadelphia and Vermont to name a few. We had a great time and look forward to returning again next year. read more

See all

I hadn't been to a con in...well, so long that I don't even remember how many years, and it wasn't in Chicago in any case. So when my favorite fanboy and I realized last week-end that Chicago's big con was coming up, we snagged some one-day tickets and headed over to wrap up the celebration on Sunday. Just because it was the last day does not mean that there was nothing to do. The place was MOBBED, which is the way it should be: great people watching, and lots of shopping! (Though some spatial awareness would be nice: some guy was dressed as a video game character with a giant foam sword, and somehow we kept ending up near him; he hit me several times with the damn thing when unsheathing it for pictures just because we were trying to pass, and clearly didn't notice that anyone was in his path.) To break it down by bullet points: - This place is BIG. It's held in the Rosemont convention center, which conveniently has its own covered parking and an enclosed walkway (nice since it was raining outside). The staff that we interacted with was all really peppy (it's probably more fun to check out all us cosplay goofballs, versus the boring business people that usually have their conventions there). - Because of the sheer size of the place, there was a lot of variety of merchandise and art, though of course there was some repetition. Still, not the same old thing, and definitely more exciting than your average trip to the comic book store. - Regarding the merchandise: Beyond the back issue comics and some original concept art by some artists, and various officially licensed things like toys and t-shirts, this is one giant copyright infringement: you'll find paintings, buttons, found-object sculptures, handmade toy and other goodies featuring your fave sci-fi, comic and video game characters. You can find everything from a Tetris quilt to Dr. Who amigurumi to pinup posters of your favorite superheroines. The Artist Alley is really fun to check out: you'll definitely find someone whose work matches your taste. - In addition to this stuff, there were extra-cool things like mini-drones, 3D printed figurines of you, caricatures, face painting and a photobooth in a vintage trailer! - Cosplay ahoy! We saw more than 30 Harley Quinns and nearly as many iterations of the Joker (though oddly not a single Batman the day we were there...), a handful of Deadpools (the movie is coming out soon...), MANY guys in Jayne's cunning knit hat from Firefly, and quite a few versions of Daenerys from Game of Thrones (none with a dragon that I saw...), plus several female versions of Han Solo, Indiana Jones, and the assorted Doctors Who. You'll see characters from comics, anime, video games, Disney, and so on. It's really fun to see the variety: some people have professional-quality latex bodysuits and masks molded to their faces, and others clearly cobbled together their costumes at the thrift store (which I find endearing). Everyone's so invested in it and eager to share what they love. - Autographs be $$$ at this sort of event, but honestly this shouldn't be a surprise. We didn't partake, though we did walk through the autograph area and glimpsed some of our faves (so if you want to breathe the same air as Nathan Fillion, now's your chance). - The layout was well established with good signage, and as stated the staff had a good attitude. There were also helpful announcements when certain events were starting or it was last call for different celebrities. - The food in the restaurant (vs. snack bar) was surprisingly good, though they gouge the hell out of you on things like water ($4.50 a bottle? Damn). Overall, this was a HUGE event with a lot going for it. Location was good, lots of interesting events and worthwhile celebs, and great shopping and people watching. One day was plenty for us, but depending on how hardcore you are yu might invest in more. Certainly worth it, especially if you already live in Chicagoland. See you next year!! read more

I can't even begin to explain the awesomeness that was Comic Con. In other words (to quote Molly), it was amazeballs!! It was my first and I actually went by myself. I had a blast and I think part of that was because I didn't go in expecting anything and I didn't take it all too seriously (cough, like some of the other reviews here, cough cough). Thanks to the Yelp deal not only did I get a discount on my 3 day pass but I got my own line to check in and a goodie bag. I'll admit I was a bit nervous thinking about what I was walking into but as soon as I entered the massive room filled with comics and so on, I light up like I was 9 again waiting to go to the comic shop with my dad on a Saturday morning. A room filled with actors, artists, toys, comics, film, people dressed up, and so on. How can you bitch and moan with all of this around you?!? What really made the event for me was how nice the artists and actors were. Like unbelievably nice!! I had great conversations left and right. Let's just say that you could have walked the place in two hours I spent four and a half there. I met local artists, the Suicide Girls (see photo), Chicago Steam Punk peeps, Chicago Roller Girls, and just about everyone. As for the super nice actors (ok, I wasn't expect this at all), you could walk right up and talk to most of them. I met and talked to Lou Ferrigno, Mimi Rodgers, Louis Gossett Jr (I'm a major fan now), Torchwood guys Kai Owen (Rhys) & Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto), a few Walking Dead cast, and actually had a great conversation with Sean Patrick Flanery (Boondock Saints). Not to mention chatting with a few of the costume people around. Kind was flying high after all of that! Though I really just wanted to meet Julie Benz (hottie). Yes, price were high on a few things but I think there was a lot of deals around. Yes, there were traffic jams but have some patience there is a lot of people there. And yes, the food was all kinds of disgusting, fatty, heart stopping, and expensive... so don't eat it. Oh and parking was a bit of a pain but it all worked out. Thanks Yelp for letting me get my nerd on. I'll be back next year. read more

See all

I've gone to this con a few times over the years and the quality definitely seems to be getting worse and worse. This past year seemed much smaller. If you're thinking about going to a convention, save your money on this one and attend C2E2 or one of the smaller ones. Compared to C2E2, this Con is more expensive and for the price didn't seem to bring in many names. They usually bring in a few big names but they don't seem to attract many artists like they used to. It's a bit easier to get in and out of since this one is located at Rosemont which is nice but I think I'll try them again in a few years and see if they improve. Overall, save your money and try ACE or C2E2 instead, prices for all items tend to be cheaper at those locations as well. read more

This place is for all you geeks and nerds (including myself). Second time to the Chicago Con -Want to save money but get all the cool experience? Get the Saturday pass. It's the day with the most attendance and biggest celebrities and panels -They have water/cups available. But do get some snacks Got here around 11:30am (better to get here even earlier, since there's so much to do). Last year I got to see to the Star trek cast (old), Guardians of galaxy, Gotham, Arrow, walking dead panels. This year it was: Firefly, Arrow, Evil Dead, Supergirl and other panels. All on Saturdays. (Don't have the patience for a whole weekend thing) Excellent, creative costumes all around. Really shows their dedication and talent! (Get those pictures) Last year's con was definitely more fun. It seemed like they were cutting cost this year due to the quality of panels and guests. Oh well, I'll still be back again in the future read more

Really fun convention, however kind of ridiculous that there wasn't a cap on VIP tickets for Bruce Campbell. Us four day pass-holders couldn't even get close to him, much less pay him to sign stuff or take a photo with him since the VIPs were first and in hordes. Give Ben Templesmith a better location for his booth. He's awesome. Maybe WW can become more about the fans and less about money. (In my dreams, yeah?) Next time, Gadget. read more

Let me preface my review by saying that this year's Wizard World was my first comic book convention. Yeah, I'm a convention n00b, so cool your jets if you don't necessarily agree with me. THE GOOD: I think it was cool how many nerds showed up and proudly and enthusiastically pursued their geek-dom. I totally felt at home among all the weirdos dressed up as super heroes, girls with esoteric t-shirts that I totally understood, and guys that looked like they hadn't taken a shower in months. Okay, maybe not so much that last one. But the crowd was pretty cool. I also loved walking past the artists booths. There are so many talented artists out there making a living being super creative and imaginative. It made me want to pick up my sketchbook and start drawing again. The lego sculptures (especially the Arrested Development house/stair car/banana stand) were also favorites of mine. THE BAD: Less impressive were the celebrities you could walk past and gawk at for a few seconds. I was not too interested in waiting in line to "meet" them and pay a premium to have my picture taken or get an autograph. Maybe it's because I didn't really consider any of the celebrities as a personal hero or idol. And you can't even take a picture of them from afar.... But I'll admit, it was kind of neat to have seen and stood a few yards away from Patrick Stewart, Levar Burton, Felicia Day, Bruce Campbell, etc etc etc. I feel obliged to quote Community, just having stood a few feet from LB: "I NEVER WANTED TO MEET LEVAR IN PERSON! I JUST WANTED A PICTURE! YOU CAN'T DISAPPOINT A PICTURE!" Moving on... another thing I love-hated about the convention were all the wares being sold. There were a lot of cool shirts, posters, and toys being sold, but a lot of them were pretty expensive. And I don't think I'm the type of guy to keep *too* much kitschy shit in my home, so I was not that interested in picking up some more toys/posters/etc for my collection. But there was a lot of neat stuff being sold to just look at and take stock of. I think I would have paid at most $10 for admission and not the $25-35 (plus parking) that I paid to get in for the day. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was not impressed. THE UGLY: I didn't see a costume that truly impressed me. Come on nerds, step up your game! One or two guys walked past me and the funk that lingered behind them was truly offensive. Really? read more

Wah Waah.... I wasn't too impressed. The convention area was way too small and there were a lot of traffic jams throughout the isles. I also thought it was lacking panel discussions with complete casts of shows and movies. But, I did see a lot of celebrities and it was neat to chat a few talented people like Lego sculptors, comic book artists, and game designers for free. Overall, I'm not sure if it was worth $25/35 (plus an additional $13 for parking) for an average pop-culture/comic book fan. I'm giving it a 2 because even though it was my first Comic-Con, I've experienced another similar type of convention that was better. I guess I was just expecting a lot more. As a side note, I went with a few others that have been to Comic-Con before, and they were just as disappointed as I was. read more

I've been going to Wizard World for over 10yrs now. I've also gone to C2E2's first two years. And now that Wizard World has some competition, their prices have actually gone down, and they charge less than C2E2 - so all you newbies can quit your bitching. Unfortunately, because Wizard started becoming all about the money, the major publishers like DC and Marvel have jumped ship and swam over to C2E2. And this year at Wizard, they moved the Q&A panels upstairs because of some dumb money convention going on at Stephens the same weekend. So the panels were a total cluster fuck because Wizard was not prepared for this move and they didn't prepare the volunteers. At all. But I did make it into the Felicia Day/Jeff Lewis "Guild" panel, which was awesome. Another great thing was that you didn't have to pay just to talk to any of the celebrities. It was much more casual than C2E2 (where you have to pay $40ish just to get in line to get within 20 feet of the celeb's table to say hi or shake their hand, let alone get an autograph or picture). So, while you did have to pay for a picture or autograph from most of the celebs at WWCC, it was free to go up and just talk to them, shake a hand, maybe get a hug. Or you could hang out with the celebs who smoked outside for free (no place to do that at C2E2). And most were only charging $10 to take a pic with them at Wizard, much much cheaper than C2E2. And I got to meet some of the biggest celebrity crushes of my adolescence (Xander hugged me!!! *swoon*) read more

What a experience, Super cool, fun, just having a blast every second I spend there! read more

See all

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con was pretty cool, but it's no Anime Central. I guess I should preface the bulk of the review by saying I'm actually not that into comics. In my defense, I'm not as into anime as other people as well. I still feel I can make somewhat of a comparison. The timing of the event caused parking to be a clusterfuck. Normally, when I attend conventions, I can find parking. They had this the same weekend as a few other conventions in the area, so finding a spot that wasn't incredibly overpriced was damn near impossible. The security guards at this event were very nice. They weren't pushy or had a power complex. You could tell they'd be serious if they had to, but they seemed like they were genuinely having a good time and enjoyed being part of the action. I like the setup of the show, but it was clearly geared more toward the comics with less focus on costumes. I saw a number of good costumes, but they seemed few and far between. There weren't as many cosplay vendors as I would have liked to see. Honestly, I lost interest pretty quickly. Again, probably since I'm not that into comics themselves. I almost always come for the costumes. One thing I did like was how the vendors were mixed. Costume shops were in between artists and sprinkled among the different comic book sellers. I actually wish ACen would set things up this way. Even though I might not be as interested in buying books, at least it encourages people to check out the entire floor instead of gravitating solely toward art or costumes or books. read more

Badly organized. Complete letdown in regards to vendors and panels. The one panel that was worth attending with the X Files cast had a volunteer asking people to move out of the first six rows for VIP members. This would have been perfectly acceptable if the chairs had actually been marked. Instead they waited until all of the other seats in the room were filled before the announcement. Holding out for C2E2 in the future! read more

It used to be great! Now it's way overpriced and kind of a drag. How it used to be 5+ years ago: Tickets used to be $25 for the day (plus a $2 fee), parking was $8, autographs used to be about $20 each, you used to be able to walk up to and / or chat with the celebs for a few minutes, it was a good mix of sci-fi / action celebs, you could take pictures of anyone, the vendors had stuff you could only find at the Con and it was reasonably priced, you could get a Pepsi and a hot dog for $5, it was a good mix of comic artists, celebs, and vendors. How it is now: Tickets are $50 for the day (plus a $6 fee), parking is $14, autographs run $40 to $180 (depending on the celeb), you now get about 20 seconds with the celeb and the booth nazis push you through, you can't take pictures of anyone without a booth nazi or Wizard World rent-a-nerd hassling you, there's really nothing the vendors bring that you haven't already seen on-line and they want twice the market price, a Pepsi and a hot dog are now $12, the comic artists area has shrink considerably, half the celeb area is filled with wrestling dudes and underwear models, and there are now lots of unrelated companies there with booths just to advertise themselves. I did the math and to take my 2 boys this year will run $185 in tickets, fees, and parking just to get in the door. Feed them and I'm in $225. Any we haven't bought any overpriced toys or got an autograph yet. That's a lot for an afternoon. I can't afford that anymore... read more

Wizard World has really changed, but not for the better. Not a show I would recommend to go if you planning on just going to one show this year. There are better shows in the area, ie C2E2. The show hopefully will make a comeback but as in now not one I would throw my money at. If your in the area I would stop by but no need for a weekend pass, one day would be perfect. read more

The set up this year was SO much better. In the past everything was packed into one floor with no room to move. This year thanks to another event, it was spread out to two floors. It made walking around so much easier and less congested. In the past you could barely walk at a snail's pace and had people walking into you every 30 seconds. This was more spread out, more room to walk and honestly was a lot more manageable. I thought the guests were better than those at c2e2. Everyone I encountered was nice and polite. read more

I have been attending Wizard World Chicago since 2013. After three years, I can tell you, it's a wonderful and magical experience. I truly believe there's something here for everyone. I don't care what kind of nerd you are; there's something here for you. I have never had a complaint at these conventions. People in other reviews complain about costs and having to pay for photo ops and autographs, I feel like you have to know what you're signing up for. Comic conventions are businesses. Celebrities who are there are spending time there instead of filming, where they could be making tons of money. I have never walked away thinking, "whoa, that was an outrageous price!" I think compared with other comic cons out there, Wizard World is very reasonable and affordable. I also really like that the CEO always has a physical presence. I have talked to him at the last 3 Wizard Worlds I have gone to (I've been to 6 total). And he always welcomes you to chat and listens to what you have to say. I think that's rare and it's something I value. read more

I stopped coming here. There were a lot of problems: - They started to recirculate the air after 1 hour of AC. So I saw surrounded by bad BO around me and then above me from the vents. - They put all the TOP celebrities (anyone that was not a wrestler) at the front entrance. They keep saying that they were not going to do that, LIE. So there was a huge traffic jam of people in front and not one could get to the exhibitors and artist alley. When they did, all their money had been spent on autographs. - Ticket prices keep going up and the staff don't seem to be happy. - Everything is difficult to navigate especially if you want to see panels. - DC and MARVEL don't go there any more. (Wizard messed that up for all of us) People have to stop going. Unless Wizard World stops being a signing fest and go back to comics, its they shouldn't claim its a comic con. read more

Let me preface this by saying that I've been to a LOT of conventions, but this was my first WWCC. I attended under a press pass with two others who write for the same website. Picking up our badges was very fast considering it's a big convention. So kudos there. However, that's about where the fun stopped. The guest list was impressive, but NO MENTION was ever made on their website that Bruce Campbell photo-ops (and until late Sunday, autographs) were limited to VIP ticket holders only. That made for some very disappointed fans. The programming could have been better, but there were some interesting panels. What was terrible was the location of the panels, which I understand was different than previous years. The small hallways were crowded and NONE of the volunteers knew what to do. Our line for Bruce Campbell moved no less than three times as various volunteers thought they were in charge. While most of the volunteers were very friendly (and apologetic), there were a few that were downright rude. It's not unreasonable to ask the volunteer supervising the lines for a celebrity panel if there was anyplace they wanted press to wait, and if the panel was full if it was okay to stand on the side to film. No one really knew what to do with press anyway, but the response I received from the volunteer was exceptionally rude and uncalled for. Overall, the volunteers were very nice, but there was definitely a lack of coordination, organization, and communication among them. The volunteer teams at other large conventions like C2E2, Dragon*Con and San Diego Comic Con could teach them a few things. The vendor area was quite impressive and the diversity of the vendors was awesome. My favorite part was that they made the aisles in the vendor area nice and wide! There wasn't a lot of cramming through a crowd to get to a table. After picking up our badges no one had any idea what to do with press. At other conventions there is usually a Media Relations room and sometimes even a separate room for interviews. Press also usually is accommodated so they can make sure to get into the bigger panels. No one, including us, knew if our badges should be treated like regular general admission passes or VIP passes as no clear "this is what your press badge provides" was ever given. Even the volunteers didn't know! Overall, I'm not sure if I would go to WWCC again. I might...but only if there was a guest or event I really wanted to see and it wasn't something I could see at another con. Given the amount of people that have gone year after year I want to believe that 2011 was a fluke. Maybe 2012 would prove me wrong? read more

Every year is different in terms of layout and vendors. There are a ton of cosplayers which makes things fun and visually interesting. The location is great, security is reasonable, there are plenty of beverages to be had, tons of ATMs (because you will need more money), and they do a good job of separating components so if you never want to see a celebrity or attend a panel, you don't have to. I'm not being snarky, I really appreciate this! I just want to look at comics and all the other vendors. read more

Wizard World is run by the shadiest group of individuals I have ever had the displeasure of working with. They ignore their vendors and customers for months, have 0 forms of consistent communication, and above all a total lack of professionalism. They are currently stealing money from their vendors consisting of small business owners and local artists by refusing to refund their $400+ booth costs from a cancelled event and lying on social media about the entire situation. Wizard World should be cancelled as a whole until under new managment or until the current operators learn how to conduct business properly. read more

This is always a fun event, but they need to consider moving it to McCormick Place as this Con has clearly outgrown DES. The events would likely be more available and hopefully run on time. The Stephen Amell panel was already about 10 minutes underway before they started letting people in because they were trying to get people out of the previous one. And the Firefly panel had a line that wrapped around the main room about three times. McCormick has the capability to handle larger crowds like this. While not perfect, McCormick is nearly exactly the same size as SDCC and would, in my opinion, be a better choice. That being said, it is still fun and I do recommend it. As others have said, you really need to get a multi day pass. Too much to see and do in one day, which is a good thing. :) read more

Meeting Christopher Lloyd.... Patrick Stewart (possibly the best actor in the world).... Levar Burton...... Erin Gray..... It was 100% AWESOME!!!!! :) Plus the community of like minded folks was great as usual. read more

First time time here, the experience was as great as I expected it to be. I purchased the 4-day pass, and actually was there from open to close. If your a collector, like myself, this is a great place to go. I found many Marvel and DC collectables at a reasonable price. Some of the sellers are willing to give you some deals. You will also find hand made things such as jewelry made with pennies and figures made with scrap metal. A lot of people dressed up very well, but you could find a lot of repeat costumes such as Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Harley Quinn. Some people even where a little to comfortable about how they looked in certain outfits. Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival was amazing. I didn't see all the films but was fortunate to see "Tales of Halloween", "Bubba Ho-Tep", and "Contracted: Phase 2". All great films, my personal favorite was Contracted: phase 2, I even was lucky to sit unknowingly on the same row as the cast of the movie. In all the fold I attended there was a Q&A with the detectors and some actors. I was even lucky to see Bruce Campbell up close. Overall, this was the first of many Conventions I will attend. read more

I've gone twice now. Once in 2010 and just this past year, 2013. My main point, advice for newbies: -Bring cash, not everyone accept's credit cards. -Bring your own water & snacks in a bag/backpack - will save your major $$. -Make sure you're with people you do well with in terms of being around for hours. -If you are buying your tix on site it is actually quicker to pay in cash. Virtually no one paid in cash and all used cards, so the line was so much quicker! -If you have to choose between a photo op or an autograph with a celeb - choose the autograph. You will actually get to meet them and talked to them. When we met John Barrowman we didn't even get a hug (I asked for one) because the photographer was bossing him around and made him ignore his fans. -Make sure you get plenty of rest and get their early to get good parking. -Cell service is limited when inside depending on the quality of phone you have! I had an android and was struggling. It is a GREAT experience, even on the crazy busy Saturday. :) read more

Went dressed up as Deadpool and trolled around. Good times ;) The convention center is clean and organized. The only downside was that it seemed a bit small, and the rooms with the kid costume show was FREEZING. My nuts shrank into raisins, for real. Plenty if cool Merch, DDR machines, Arcade machines with classic fighters, etc. all good! read more

This was my first year going and my first convention ever and I had a great time, the floor space was evenly spread out with vendors on the top and artists and autographs on the ground. Event staff was very friendly especially Wolverine guy. Water was provided very well in the panel hallways to fill my bottles and staff did not mind the use of outlets to power up devices in rooms. The artists and vendors were all friendly and personable and I was able to move freely on the floor. Only annoyance for me was the escalator being broken on Friday but it was repaired by Saturday. I heard there were issues with meet and greets and autographs but I didn't do autographs read more

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con - Festivals Near Me - Rosemont, Illinois

See all

Awesomeness check out Spicy Panda Creations!! We were there today as the big hero 6 crew! read more

See all

I started attending this convention back when it wasn't affiliated with Wizard. It was run by Larry Charet, of Larry's Comics, which closed a number of years ago. What a wonderful store that was...but that's a story for another review. I think my first Chicago Comic Con was the summer of 1983 but I can only find my show programs from 87 and later. Back then, the shows had no non-comic related celebrities. People like Stan Lee were guests of honor and any of the few thousand people that came through the doors could easily meet, chat with and take photos with anyone they wanted. There was a feeling of kinship. These were the people reading the comics and writing those letters in the back of the comics. When Wizard bought the show and moved it across the street to the current location at the Rosemont convention center, the show immediately took on a different feeling. Those early years of the Chicago Wizard World conventions in the 90s were fantastic. Really wonderful experiences! There were a lot more people attending but Wizard clearly cared about comics and while there were some celebs at the show, it was still mostly about the comic books. Some years later, maybe around 2004, someone must have gotten the idea that they were leaving a lot of money on the table because all of a sudden things got expensive. I'm not talking about the $6 hotdogs or $4 water; I'm talking about the way ticket prices jumped up by at least 25-40% every year or two. (You used to be able to buy a weekend pass for $25 and I think they are currently $100.) Autograph and photograph services became a mainstay, so the same photo that cost you nothing a few years ago was now $50 or $100 dollars. And once you've agreed to buy the photo, they ask if you'd like to purchase a Jpeg of the photo for an additional $15. (They email it to you weeks later, if you're lucky enough to get the correct photo and not some stranger) And what's worse than charging for the photo's, the way the people are herded through the "photo booth" allowed for approximately 14 seconds with the celeb. Even if the celeb wanted to chat for an extra 20 seconds, the people working the booth usher you out quickly. Also, at some point the show became less about comic books and more about "everything." In an obvious attempt to appeal to more con goers, the show started featuring a lot of wresting stars. Which is fine for a pop culture show or a wresting convention but this is called a COMIC CON. Ten years ago I met Stan Lee at Wizard World for the millionth time and he was behind the Marvel booth happily signing and taking photos with anyone that asked. At this year's show, a Stan Lee photo and autograph will run you $180. So if that's all you wanted, you'd get 20 seconds with Stan, a photo with him, an autograph and all it would cost is $180 + $60 one day admission + $13 parking. Another big problem with this show is that very few publishers are attending now. No more Marvel or DC. No Image or Dark Horse. It's like a big comic-centric flea market with a bunch of C-level celebs. And with no big publishers, you lose most of the talent that comes with them. Without the A-list publishers and artists, the show becomes a giant vendor comic book store. And those vendors are charging prices they could never get on ebay to cover the cost of their expensive tables. I guess I'm just one of those guys that says, "It used to be so great." If you've never attended a comic show, I'd recommend C2E2 over this any day. C2E2 is geared towards comics, not catering to vendors. But if you have never been to a show and this is the one you're going to attend, I have some advice for you: 1. Bring a sketch book and spend a lot of time with the "no-name" artists in artist alley. You can spot real talent there and you'll get a chance to meet the stars before they become stars. I have an entire sketchbook full of awesome sketches and autographs from BIG name people because they started out in Artist Alley. 2. Bring a PB&J or something else to eat. And a candy bar for a quick pick up. The food is awful cafeteria food. 3. Bring (or buy at the show) a sketch book or a stack of comic boards. When you see an artist you like, respectfully ask for a sketch. They rarely say no and you'll have a wonderful one of a kind keepsake that you can cherish for years to come. 4. Bring a ton of extra cash. You'll see. 5. When you get your program, look at it and figure out what you want to do first. Don't wander blindly. Get right to the celebs, or artists right away. You might meet them before the crowds start to form. 6. Wear comfortable shoes, it's a giant cement floor and your dogs will be barking. read more

Holy smokes, Batman! The tickets are really expensive compared to other cons, but Wizard World is fantastic at bringing in a ton of stars and allowing fans a chance to fawn over their favorite people. You also get freebies for going such as a lanyard, pins, and for 2013, I got a Walking Dead comic in my bag. Hooray for free stuff! This year (2014) they will have the entire Star Trek TNG cast, doctors from Dr. Who, and much more! Excuse me while I empty my savings and stare with a gaping jaw at being able to stand next to Stan Lee and take a photo with him. I went during 2013 and some big names were the granddaddy of Marvel - Stan Lee and Captain Kirk (William Shatner). You have to pay extra for photo ops and even more for meet and greets, but for die hard fans, it's totally worth it. I mean, come on, I met Stan Lee! That in itself justified the ticket price. :) Since it's Comic Con, it's centered on comics rather than anime/manga, but you'll see a sprinkle of Japanese items here and there. There are still tons of people cosplaying and it's always fun to see the Deadpools interact. At the artist alley, I noticed the prints are a lot more expensive than the ones found at Anime Central; prices start at $10/print for small ones, and start at $20+/print for bigger, more detailed prints. I assume this is because the artists are legitimate comic artists and have actually worked for Marvel or DC, so they can charge more than your typical internet artist. However, they do give deals if you buy more artwork and their artwork is fantastic! Sadly, you'll have to find the smaller, independent artist booths to get smaller trinkets like stickers or cards because the bigger artists tend to only sell prints/posters. The dealer room was huge and they offer a lot more items than Acen - you can find tons of witty shirts, comics, DVDS, figures, costumes, toy props (wanna buy a phaser or sonic screwdriver? look no further!), etc. As usual, artists and sellers tend to accept cash, so there are ATMS along the walls to serve you. Comic Con has a good number of events going on all the time, but I found it difficult to navigate the center and arrive on time because it's so big. Surprisingly, despite the traffic, the security is really nice and does a wonderful job guiding people around and maintaining the crowd. I checked out events like the gaming room, which wasn't too packed but had a friendly crowd of people and many open play games. There's also speed dating, which looked cute when I stopped by to take a look. Another panel I went to had Zachary Quinto speaking, which was exciting! For the photo ops, the staff were pretty fast (10-15 minutes) in developing, printing, and giving out the pictures. Advice: bring a folder or those plastic photo protectors for the art and photos you'll get. They'll protect your stuff from being ripped, smudged, or otherwise damaged! Also, I recommend getting there early to get your badge because the lines are insanely long and the wait is brutal. Food is also pricey and you have to wait a while to get it, so if you can, pack your own food. My only pet peeve was there didn't appear to be many places to rest and I noticed a lot of people ended up sitting on the ground, which sometimes impeded traffic. I wish they'd get a larger bean bag area or provide more designated locations to sit and rest. Otherwise, it's family friendly and I'd definitely go more than once! Edit: Forgot to note, kids 10 and under are FREE with each adult ticket (apologies to any teen titans). Hooray for family friendliness! read more

My review of Wizard World is from the perspective of having attended on & off over the past 15 years and seeing how it has declined somewhat. Let me explain because for many, and especially first-timers to a Comic Con I'm sure most if not all will find it a great event. And if you are just there to people-watch or buy collectibles/unique art, and attend panels then you will most likely be quite happy with the large selection. There are a ton of dealers selling all things comic related from collectibles, toys, amazing artwork, sculptures, t-shirts, comics and anything else you can put a logo on. They also have a decent variety of panels to attend on each day with a variety of guests/celebrities and many artists/writers for the comic book companies in attendance as well. The reason I am giving them 2 stars is because they really aren't pulling in the major main/source vendors any more...no Marvel, DC or Lego company booths or Diamond Select toys or McFarland, etc...not even DarkHorse Comics had a booth this most recent time we were there. Sure, you will find the wares of those companies in the various independent dealer booths but the thing I really enjoy most about these types of events is the amazing big displays those main vendor companies create for the shows. Of course, no show is going to top the San Diego Comic Con as it's the crown jewel of these events...but in my opinion C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo) that is held in the Spring each year has overtaken Wizard World as the best overall Chicagoland Comic Con. Especially considering the ticket prices (as of 2016) of $40 on Thursday, $60 for Fri or Sat and $50 for Sunday (plus parking)...without those big companies there I think those prices are a bit steep. I'd say the only way I'd find the pricing okay is if you are going to attend many panel events and you bought a multi-day pass. read more

The aura of this event is definitely shifting colors. And not in a good way. Since the first time I visited Wizard World, back in 2005 (don't quote me on that), the convention has diminished in its scope. The rumors of the Chicago comic convention scene are whispered, and if they're true, we've been saddled with a dying horse. Wizard TGTC, the magazine organization was the authority on all things comics. It evolved into a printed pop culture blog. It further evolved into a digital magazine, and to be honest after that I lost interest, so I couldn't even tell you if it's even a thing anymore. In it's prime, the organization put on an amazing show. The big guns were around, Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image. Everyone had big booths and large presentations. The Artist Alley was full and filled with talent from all over the country, and it didn't matter what day you went, you were shoulder-to-shoulder with the fans. Fast forward to 2012. Marvel and DC are no longer participating. Unless I missed them, Aspen, Image, and Dark Horse also are absent. They all decided that there's no point to do two shows in the Windy City. The rumor of what happened is that when C2E2 flew into town, the plan was to buy the WW setup, and have one GIANT show, to rival SDCC (San Diego Comic Con to the un-initiated). The details are scant, but the deal fell through. Unfortunately for Wizard, Marvel and the rest of the big names had already signed with C2E2, and presumably saw no reason to show twice in the same city in one year. On top of that, WW is less than a month after SDCC, and really...who wants to ship all those booth materials across country and create a unique and exciting experience for something that for most of these companies ends up -costing- money, rather than a huge profit driver. With the absence of the big fan attractions, Wizard partnered with an entertainment group to bring more celebrity presence to the shows. Due to that, what we ended up with this year was a huge area in the middle of the floor that had all the celebrities with insurmountable lines and "No Photos In This Area" signs. A lot of people I spoke with during the show didn't even know where the celebrities were, as most shows set them up along a single edge of the show (including Wizard in previous years), and some didn't even know how big Artist Alley was! That, was a shame. The front end of the building had a good chunk of AA, with tons of people, and the back end, which you really couldn't even see from the front end, saw half as many people. Poor execution. The Good : I could spend -obscene- amounts of money in Artist Alley. There were some big names, and I have vowed in the future to check the damn guest list! I missed a few signatures because I didn't have anything for them to sign! I finally got my game together Sunday, but a few people had already done the disappearing act. The big thing to note for parents bringing younger children: Most artists have stumbled on to the secret formula : Sex Sells! Things that little children should not see (IMHO) are displayed for all to see. ...The More You Know... The deals! C2E2 seems to bring out the money-grubbing nature in people, and the comic shops that come try to just gouge, if I'm being honest. By Sunday, I saw 50% off signs all over the place, and vowed to save money for the next show starting now. The people. Everyone, from the artists, to the vendors, and the fans -were great! Some years, and some shows, you see some attitudes or off-putting personalities, but I am glad to say this was very friendly and chill. Of course, I'll go back. I can't stay away. For less than 10 bucks I filled up a couple gaps in my X-Men collection! How could I say no?! Note for next year: Read the guest list! Mo Money! read more

No I do not have any interest in comic books, movies etc. Yes I went since I was asked to be a companion & like to try new things. Was it enjoyable to me? No. Was it enjoyable for my companion who wanted to be there? Surprisingly no as well. Why? It's an overcrowded cluster f**k. Also you have to $$$$$ for pretty much everything there. Try $40-100+ for just an autograph. $100 + for a pic. Don't bother trying to take a pic while someone's signing autographs b/c they will just yell at you. If this is for the fans it sure doesn't feel like it. The admission should be waaaaay lower if you have to pay so much for everything else. Sure there are vendors with stuff to look at but why should you pay so much $ to go shopping. Also, There's no where to sit & food there is disgusting. I'm lucky I brought bananas. If you're not a comic fan & a friend asks you to go, take my advice & just say no. read more

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con - Norman reedus in hat. Line for autographs. - Festivals Near Me - Rosemont, Illinois

See all

I would normally give this event a five star. I have been going to Wizard World for over 10 years but they and the celebrities has priced me out. As a middle class family it's sad that we can't afford to go. A four day pass per person is $100 parking is $20 unless you park at the Metra Station. You can't get a picture with a signature without paying for both. They have this company Froggy that charges outrageous prices for their pictures. I like using my camera. The VIP are not cheap and some of this "celebrities" think they can charge over $150 each for signature and picture. The four people I wanted to meet this year would have cost me over $1200. You don't have DC or Marvel there any longer. It's just sad. read more

I had never been to a Comicon convention before, but my friend really wanted to go, so I went along. I heard from some other attendees that this convention used to be much better, but has gone downhill. The people here are very friendly. Many people dress up and are very willing to take pictures with you. There are plenty of places to buy comic books, t-shirts, figurines, art, and any other memorabilia you can think of. They seem to get repetitive. They also have washed up actors/actresses, wrestlers, models, etc. You have to pay a nice sum of money to get their autograph or a picture with them. Lame. They aren't even famous anymore. They also have events and panels, which are good. Needless to say I was mildly entertained for the first few hours, but then it got old. They also had Rod Blagojevich there in 2010....what does he have to do with comics?!?! I heard he replaced someone else, which is just stupid. Needless to say I don't have much to compare this to, but I don't know if I could go for 4 days of this. If I were going to go to another convention, I think I would try a bigger, better one. read more

having been going to wizard world since 1996 (when it was still called the Chicago Comic-con) the show has been a ride of ups and downs. previous posters have pointed out that its no longer about comics as its now pop culture. this past year they had Joey lawrence, a bunch of has been pro wrestlers, two or 3 current wwe guys (including John cena), and a whole slew of actors and stars. but its damn near impossible to get comics anymore. and that was originally the wholepoint of the show. now its great if you want to meet stars, but be ready to pay out the a$$ for autographs, and god help your wallet/purse if you want a picture with them. you have to pay money for that, and go through the on site photographers (no more posing for your own cameras) and thats like another 50.00 and now its gotten out rageous for prices. it used to be 30.00 for the whole weekend, now its like 40.00 a DAY and its 4 days long its still a fun time for sight seeing, hobby collecting, and autograph hunting. if your out for good art, theres plenty of that as well. they should just get back to COMICS, and less crappy 1hit nobodys. read more

If you're looking for a great time out with the kids. There is no better place to go. Comics / Celebrities / Booth Babes OH MY!!! Perfect way to make a groan man a kid again. read more

Comic con is always great times. This year they did a great job running the line. Went on Saturday which is always the most crowded day. I was surprised how fast the really long line moved to get into the con. As always the con has lots of great stuff to empty every nerds wallet with ease.Always great looking at the different stuff vendors have here. Also many people come in costume so always great costumes to check out here. The crowd is as much part of the show as the celebs. Be prepared to spend big bucks for autographs and pictures with celebs as they charge for each separate. A autograph and picture with Zach Quinto will set you back $160 och... Also seems entry fees keep getting more expensive each year. $60 for a single day is steep. All and all good times but very expensive. C2E2 has almost the same vendors and is much cheaper. read more

I had a fun time in 2013. Nice group of celebrities of both comic and TV/Movie variety. Only downsides I see are that it is on 2 floors of a convention site and that the programming is severely lacking. But if you enjoy the convention floor, then it's pretty good. I had a lot of fun. read more

All the money in the world couldn't buy all the celebrity 8x10's for sale @ Comic Con. Talk about crushing my childhood dreams when I had to shell out $20 for an autograph and photo with Atreyu from Never Ending Story. And forget even breathing the same AIR as Patrick 'Diva' Stewart, that'll cost you $70, and you'll have no proof (no pictures). The only star who looked like he put some effort into the afternoon was Anthony Michael Hall ,all decked out in his suit and tie- STANDING and greeting fans, and being geniune. Anthony Michael Hall is a gentleman and a scholar. And he said hello to me-pretty sure we're dating now. I digress. Tthe real stars of the convention are the artists tables. What a talented bunch! I could spend all day checking out those crazy imaginations & anything you can think of turned into a zombie. Neat! Worth the ticket price IMO, and I'll be back next year, with my zoom lens for that prissy pants Stewart. read more