In setting out for my first Wizard World, I had only a vague idea of what to expect – and what I actually found went far beyond my expectations. The Convention Center in Philadelphia was veritably under siege by costumed fans and excited con-goers, with the line in the morning on Saturday stretching almost completely around the block. Once inside the Convention Center itself, Wizard World staffers kept smiles on their faces and check in lines moving smoothly; it wasn’t too long until my fellow attendees and I were inside and (in my case) awestruck. There were hundreds of vendors and booths, in at least one case a booth two stories high!
The guest list was stellar, with lots of Star Trek alums (including two captains), the inscrutable Bruce Campbell, Adam West & Julie Newmar, James Marsters (Rawr!), Brent Spiner (Swoon!), Clare Kramer and Ernie Hudson! I was so thrilled to see many of these talented individuals that I was nearly unable to speak coherently when meeting them. When I got Patrick Stewart’s autograph it was one of the best moments of the weekend, without a doubt.
The panels were a lot of fun, with Adam West leading the pack with a humorous and surreal talk. Patrick Stewart’s talk was hilariously gatecrashed by the always-amusing Brent Spiner – which in itself was worth the price of admission for the whole weekend. It was an interesting and informative time spent in Bruce Campbell’s room as he spoke about his varied background in the many, many projects he’s been a part of and we’ve been privileged to watch over the years. I couldn’t begin to pick a favorite!
I can also say that the atmosphere of the con was also great for kids. On Friday I brought my 3-year-old niece along to meet Ernie Hudson, as she is a huge Ghostbusters fan. She was amazed and enthralled by all the things there were to see and do at the convention. Our only disappointment in the weekend was the absence of the Ecto-1, which we’d both been psyched to see. Ah well! Hopefully, Wizard World will be able to bring it in some other time!
Ripster – Mary Frances Shuman
Josie’s Comments on Wizard World 2010, a 3-Year-Old’s Review
Interviewer: Did you go to Wizard World?
Josie: Yes I did! It was great. I got to see the Ghostbuster and took my picture with him. It was Winston – he did not have his uniform on. I was wearing my Ghostbusters shirt. There were so many guys dressed up in costumes! The Philadelphia Ghostbusters had a real ghost trap, but it was empty. There was not a single Slimer. I got to see a car, it was the Batmobile. There was a shirt with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man on it. I hope next year there is more.
Interviewer: Is there anything else you have to tell us about the convention?
Josie: I got to see somebody dressed up as Spider Man too! And we rode the train – I had a great time.