Jay Snook attended this year’s Wizard World in Sacramento, and it was one for the record books
This years’s Wizard World Comic Con has come and gone in Sacramento, and man was there so much to see and do for fans of all ages.
I had the chance to be there all three days, and there was so much to see and do that it was tough to get to experience everything. There was a press event on Thursday at the local Imax theater, and there was an early opportunity to meet some cosplayers, get photos with a few celebrities like Jason David Frank and Sean Patrick Flannery. It was a wonderful event where I also got to meet the person in charge of this Wizard World and some upcoming ones. After that there was a chance to get a few free drinks and then watch Jurassic World in 3D. I had seen it before but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t an amazing experience. This is the way this movie was meant to be seen, and the 3D only helps it jump off the screen more and adds intensity to many different scenes.
On Friday, I saw a few celebrities that day like Henry Winkler, Danny Trejo, Kevin Conroy and David Yost and also visited a few panels. I got to see The Simpson Trivia, went to the Cosplay: So What Does That Actually Mean and Stand-Up Nerdity. The Cosplay panel was very informative and gave a lot of insight into this hobby and even had advice on how to do it in an affordable price range. The Stand-Up Nerdity was hilarious and had everyone rolling in the aisles. These comics knew their audience and made sure the jokes were clever and funny that brought a comedy show that I am glad I didn’t miss out on. This day ended on a good note and made me look forward to Saturday.
Saturda
y was a busier day as was expected.The line was about double the size and much of the talent was only going to be here Saturday and Sunday. I had the chance to meet Alfonso Ribeiro and Giancarlo Esposito. There was also the live podcast that night of Jay and Silent Bob Get Old. There were a ton of panels going on and also that night had the costume contest. I made sure to take a close look at all of the vendor booths and decided to buy a few T-shirts that were cool and unique to this comic con. I took a lot of photos and saw people of all ages in cosplay outfits that were amazing and many were one of a kind.
I attended a ton of panels like Dancing the Carlton with Alfonso Ribeiro, ConTV presents Power Rangers: Jason David Frank and David Yost, and Supervillains and Psychology: When Being Bad Looks So Good. The panels with Alfonso was very informative and gave fans a chance to get to know him better and learn of some upcoming projects he has and he also gave some advice to those who want to pursue a career in acting. Jason and David were happy to answer any questions their fans had and let them know what it was like to work in that revolutionary field at the time and how it has changed their lives. The Villain panel was very interesting and looked into comic book evildoers from a new perspective and helped give fans some insight into why these characters may choose such a life and what brings them to the decision to pursue it.
But the highlight of the day was the live podcast of Jay and Silent Bob Get Old. This was gut busting from start to finish and gave people a view into these stars personal lives and what they have been up to lately. There were serious moments and times that the audience couldn’t stop laughing. It was such a great show and one that you must not miss if it ever comes to your town. It was after this show that I got a chance to chat a bit with Jason Mewes and got my photo with Kevin Smith. These were two of the nicest people i have ever met, they are so kind and loyal to their fans. By the end of the day I was tired but enjoyed every minute of what had transpired.
Sunday came quickly and there was still so much to see on this final day of the comic con. I got a great photo with Jason Mewes and Tim Russ and took a good amount of photos of people in costume as well as attended an early screening of a new show called Rellik that should hopefully get picked up soon. Much of this pilot was shot in Sacramento and gave jobs to many local workers which was awesome.
I also attended Jumping the Shark with Henry Winkler and The Joker, Catwoman and Robin: How the Clown, Cat and Kid changed everything. The Henry Winkler panel was informative of his past and also had its special inspirational moments. Henry is a man who has accomplished much and he is not planning on stopping anytime soon. The panel on the Joker, Catwoman and Robin was interesting because all three of these characters were made shortly after Batman was created and each one changed the way not only Batman acted but altered his universe in dramatic ways. Robin also changed the way some other comics were for a while, but this trend only lasted for a few years. The day ended with the kids costume contest and brought this wonderful convention to a close.
There were some new features that made this convention memorable. At most of the celebrity booths there was a new option called a Selfie where people could get a photo with their phone or camera, and was affordable and was a nice addition to Wizard World. Epic Ink was also there putting tattoos on people at good prices. They also gave out free bags that were perfect for holding all of the memorabilia that I bought. There was also a ConTV booth where some talent did interviews and gave people some insight into this new station. There was also a chance to win some fabulous prizes if you downloaded their free app on your mobile devices.
But this convention did have a few flaws. It was tough to see all of the panels because a number of them were stacked at the same day and time, which meant fans missed out on some one of a kind experiences. This year also had a lot of talent back out from attending which was unusual. It was strange to see this happen and changed the tone of the convention from last year.
But the upside was that they worked this out and ended up bringing a convention that was better than anyone could have expected. The addition of some extra shows and the added vendor booths made for an experience that no fan should ever miss. Because of these reasons, Wizard World Sacramento gets 8.5/10. There were some flaws, but not enough to make it a waste of time and was well worth the price of admission. The talent was nicer than last year and were more than happy to go the extra mile for their fans.
And there is great news in case you missed it this year, there is already the dates for Wizard World next year. It is June 17-19. Everyone in Sacramento should attend, there is something there for all ages to enjoy.
If you are looking for something fun to take your kids to, you must take them to this convention. If you are a nerd yourself and want to meet some of your favorite stars, buy tickets for this convention now. There are plenty of shows left this year, and the next show may be coming to your town. Go to http://www.wizardworld.com/ now and get your tickets. It will be a blast and is like nothing you have attended before.
—photos courtesy of the author
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