Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Feb 19, 2015 9:57:03 GMT -6
Wizard World Comic Con comes to Cleveland this week, with guest appearances by William Shatner, Taryn Manning, and maybe some comics folks too. “Comic Con is the generic term for the kind of show that we do,” explains Wizard World Comic Con Public Relations Manager Jerry Milani. “It’s a celebration of pop culture. So while the term at first makes people think of just comics, and it’s still certainly about comics, it’s all elements of pop culture.”
www.sanduskyregister.com/entertainment/attractions/7657651
Wizard World Comic Con makes Cleveland debut this weekend
Pop culture fans from all walks of life will enjoy this one of a kind convention.
JOHN BENSON
CLEVELAND
FEB 17, 2015
For older folks, the notion of pop culture celebrities coming through Northeast Ohio was limited to meeting Adam West from “Batman” or a soap opera star of the day at the Auto-Rama.
Today, most fans know that Comic Con in San Diego is the epicenter of Hollywood, gaming and comics, where fans can meet actors, directors and creative visionaries.
It’s this same mindset that organizers of the national Wizard World Comic Con events are hoping to create at its Cleveland debut, which takes place Feb. 20 through 22 at the Cleveland Convention Center.
“Comic Con is the generic term for the kind of show that we do,” said Wizard World Comic Con Public Relations Manager Jerry Milani, calling from Madison, Wis. “It’s a celebration of pop culture. So while the term at first makes people think of just comics, and it’s still certainly about comics, it’s all elements of pop culture.”
The Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland includes guest appearances by Ian Somerhalder (“The Vampire Diaries”), William Shatner (“Star Trek,” “Boston Legal”), Bruce Campbell (“The Evil Dead,” “Burn Notice”), Karen Gillan (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Doctor Who”), Taryn Manning (“Orange is the New Black,” “Sons of Anarchy”), Cory Feldman (“Stand By Me,” “The Goonies”) and Drea de Matteo (“Sons of Anarchy,” “The Sopranos”).
“Sure there will always be a place for the sci-fi fan and comic fan, because a lot of those genres have become mainstream in themselves, but you also have the expansion of fans who come out just because there are some celebrities they want to meet or they want to dress up as their favorite character,” Milani said. "You don’t have to dress up but we encourage it.”
Part of the Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland experience is to excite movie fans and also the local filmmaking community.
The event even includes a panel of directors, writers, producers, an intellectual property attorney, a fight choreographer and a casting director discussing the process of making fan films.
One such participant is Cleveland-based Johnny Wu, who over the past decade has made numerous fan films – “A Joker’s Card,” “S: A Superman Fan Film” and “T.R.A.C.E.” The latter is a series of “Doctor Who” fan film webisodes.
"We are honored to be part of the Wizard World Cleveland, it shows that the organizers acknowledge our community,” said Wu, who has booth space displaying his movie props. “Although we are not celebrities, we are fans. We are honored and looking forward to provide some insight in how to make fan films the right way. How to pay homage to movies or TV shows that we've seen and be able to share that to other fans with similar interest.”
Overall, Wu feels the fact that Wizard World Comic Con brand has branched out to include dates in Northeast Ohio means something more. Specifically, that Cleveland is on the national map.
“Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland 2015 coming to Cleveland for the first time demonstrates that Cleveland is no longer a sub-city,” Wu said. “Having also been the backdrop of many Hollywood films, it shows that Cleveland is among the other cities that embraces comic books and superheroes.”
Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland 2015 will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 20, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 21 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 22. at Cleveland Convention Center, 300 West Lakeside Ave., Cleveland. Tickets are $35 to $45, with multi-day packages and autograph sessions available.
For a full list of featured guests, event schedule or to purchase tickets, visit wizd.me/ClevelandPR
www.sanduskyregister.com/entertainment/attractions/7657651
Wizard World Comic Con makes Cleveland debut this weekend
Pop culture fans from all walks of life will enjoy this one of a kind convention.
JOHN BENSON
CLEVELAND
FEB 17, 2015
For older folks, the notion of pop culture celebrities coming through Northeast Ohio was limited to meeting Adam West from “Batman” or a soap opera star of the day at the Auto-Rama.
Today, most fans know that Comic Con in San Diego is the epicenter of Hollywood, gaming and comics, where fans can meet actors, directors and creative visionaries.
It’s this same mindset that organizers of the national Wizard World Comic Con events are hoping to create at its Cleveland debut, which takes place Feb. 20 through 22 at the Cleveland Convention Center.
“Comic Con is the generic term for the kind of show that we do,” said Wizard World Comic Con Public Relations Manager Jerry Milani, calling from Madison, Wis. “It’s a celebration of pop culture. So while the term at first makes people think of just comics, and it’s still certainly about comics, it’s all elements of pop culture.”
The Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland includes guest appearances by Ian Somerhalder (“The Vampire Diaries”), William Shatner (“Star Trek,” “Boston Legal”), Bruce Campbell (“The Evil Dead,” “Burn Notice”), Karen Gillan (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Doctor Who”), Taryn Manning (“Orange is the New Black,” “Sons of Anarchy”), Cory Feldman (“Stand By Me,” “The Goonies”) and Drea de Matteo (“Sons of Anarchy,” “The Sopranos”).
“Sure there will always be a place for the sci-fi fan and comic fan, because a lot of those genres have become mainstream in themselves, but you also have the expansion of fans who come out just because there are some celebrities they want to meet or they want to dress up as their favorite character,” Milani said. "You don’t have to dress up but we encourage it.”
Part of the Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland experience is to excite movie fans and also the local filmmaking community.
The event even includes a panel of directors, writers, producers, an intellectual property attorney, a fight choreographer and a casting director discussing the process of making fan films.
One such participant is Cleveland-based Johnny Wu, who over the past decade has made numerous fan films – “A Joker’s Card,” “S: A Superman Fan Film” and “T.R.A.C.E.” The latter is a series of “Doctor Who” fan film webisodes.
"We are honored to be part of the Wizard World Cleveland, it shows that the organizers acknowledge our community,” said Wu, who has booth space displaying his movie props. “Although we are not celebrities, we are fans. We are honored and looking forward to provide some insight in how to make fan films the right way. How to pay homage to movies or TV shows that we've seen and be able to share that to other fans with similar interest.”
Overall, Wu feels the fact that Wizard World Comic Con brand has branched out to include dates in Northeast Ohio means something more. Specifically, that Cleveland is on the national map.
“Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland 2015 coming to Cleveland for the first time demonstrates that Cleveland is no longer a sub-city,” Wu said. “Having also been the backdrop of many Hollywood films, it shows that Cleveland is among the other cities that embraces comic books and superheroes.”
Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland 2015 will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 20, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 21 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 22. at Cleveland Convention Center, 300 West Lakeside Ave., Cleveland. Tickets are $35 to $45, with multi-day packages and autograph sessions available.
For a full list of featured guests, event schedule or to purchase tickets, visit wizd.me/ClevelandPR