Dorkgasm Gonzo Is God

In the past, every time I’ve thought of a comic book convention, the image that came to mind was always of a bunch of nerds dressed up in costumes. I expected to see at least one Superman, Batman, or Spider-Man. Having been a comic-con virgin, I had only image searches on the internet to go by. Those, of course, are full of the most interesting moments from these conventions: the costumed fans or the actors and artists. I went to Chicago on Sunday, August 9, a little nervous, expecting to find loads of costumes, and hoping to see a few beloved actors from my childhood. Only one part of this stayed the same as I walked into the convention hall.

If you pay too much attention to the mass media, you might think that the San Diego Comic Con is the only show in the country. You’d be wrong, of course, as my family and I can attest. We checked out this year’s Chicago Comic Con, also called Wizard World Chicago in some circles, and it left us with mixed feelings.

            When Fangoria Comics closed its doors last year, several promising titles went the way of the dodo, or so it seemed. Several months ago, a new comic book publisher with a strikingly similar logo started hawking titles on Myspace, chief among them a movie tie-in for the much anticipated genre bender Death Walks the Streets. Soon, we began seeing familiar titles promoted by this new company, including BUMP and Strangeland: Seven Sins. The creator-owned properties left unfinished by the demise of Fangoria Comics had found a new home called The Scream Factory.