Wizard World Comic Con

You had to wear this at all times, except could remove it for the photo

Entire photo

I cropped it in my phone to send to a few people

I may have mentioned a time or two before that I have turned into a geeky nerd with age. I call it growth. Others may call it dementia or senility. Potato, Pototo, whatever.

Last February, on Valentines Day, I saw an announcement from Wizard World that the 2015 Comic Con in Chicago was going to have Nathan Fillion as a guest. Chicago is my hometown, I know my way around kind of, and this was just too damn enticing to pass up. I debated for a few hours, then ordered a VIP pass. This pass entitled me to enter the Con for all four days in was there, but on Saturday I would be issued coupons that I could redeem for a) a photo with Nathan, and b) an autograph. I would also have priority in seating for the Q&A panel in the afternoon. More on that later.

I also immediately booked a hotel, The Westin, for two nights. I knew the hotels around the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont would fill up fast, and they did. I heard, while standing in the line to enter early, that the going rate for Saturday night was $450. I paid $125.

As the time drew near, my friend Pat began to bug me on what I was going to wear to meet my idol. I had ordered that red t-shirt off of Amazon, and it was super big, more so than I anticipated. I had rejected the idea, but Pat convinced me to wear it like a tunic with skinny jeans, and it would be just fine. So, so very glad I did. Nathan notices when fans wear t-shirts or sweatshirts with his image on them, or anything referring to the shows he has performed in. He complimented me twice on the shirt. For those of you who are not geeks or nerds, that is his photo on the front from Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog.  It was a web series he did in 2008 with Joss Whedon, Felicia Day, and Neal Patrick Harris. AND it's a musical. If you are interested, go to YouTube and watch a bit.

I had no idea that going to a Con was basically standing in line to get whatever your pass allowed. On cement. We started in the autograph line around 10:15 for the 11:00 session, and I was about number 60. Went directly from that upstairs to the photo line around 11:45, and got out of that about 12:45. I had already stood in a long line of other VIP pass holders for early entrance at 9:30. Happy I did that, which allowed me to shop without the larger crowds.

By the end of the photo shoot, I had grown wiser. Went directly to the area for the 3:00 panel, outside of a large conference room that seats about 2,000. Two screens had been set up in the front, because the panel is filmed and projected so that everyone can see. The panel at 2:15 was Burt Reynolds. (yeah, I don't know why he was there either). We were told that if we wanted to attend that, for free, we could sit between rows 4 and 14. Rows 1 to 3 were reserved for Burt Reynolds VIP pass holders. I landed in row 5, on the aisle. A very nice young lady from San Diego sat down next to me, also wearing a Nathan pass. "What's the plan?" she asked. Yep, it's that kind of gathering. Told her that as soon as Burt was done, I was diving for the front row. She was with me. We were cool.

Unfortunately, we weren't the only ones with that plan, but we did make it to the second row, right in front of one of the big screens. Very good seats. The panel was Nathan, Adam Baldwin, and Summer Glau, all from Firefly. I was in heaven.

Would I do this again? Probably. I was sore, exhausted, and sitting in my hotel room by 5:30 Saturday. Totally done. But I am still on the high of meeting Nathan, and loved every minute. I was in pain, a lot, but the end result made it all worth while.

And just in case you do watch Castle, he is not only ruggedly handsome, but better looking in person than he is on television. Don't know how he does that, but yeah. Sigh.

Thanks for stopping by.
Linda