Wizard is re-branding the Chicago show. Not sure if it's to be more like San Diego or trying to distance it from the Wizard name, which has been tied to more than a few lackluster shows.

Whatever the reason, they are going all out on the guest list this year. Not only with the normal huge comic related guests, but a lot more media guests than previous shows. Guest list posted below

I know there will be at least 4 card dealers there; Scifi Cards, Dave Moulder, K and J, and Looky Here. There are bound to be several other dealers with some cards available along with other items.

Looks like a great show. Anyone else going?

Ed

Media Guests

Maria de Aragon
(Actress - Star Wars)

Dave Barclay
(Puppeteer - Star Wars)

Todd Bridges
(Actor - Diff'rent Strokes)

Cameron Bright
(Actor - Twilight: New Moon, X-Men: The Last Stand)

Jeremy Bulloch
(Boba Fett, original "Star Wars" trilogy)

Jake Busey
(Actor - Starship Troopers, The Frighteners)

Luciana Carro
(Capt. Louanne "Kat" Katraine, Battlestar Galactica)

Emma Caulfield
(Actress - Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Gary Coleman
(Actor - Diff'rent Strokes)

Alana Curry
(Actress - Terminator 3)

Taylor Dayne
(Multi-Platinum Recording Artist)

Nadia Dawn
(Actress)

Donna D'Errico
(Actress - Baywatch)

Erika Eleniak
(Actress - Baywatch, The Beverly Hillbillies)

Lou Ferrigno
(The Hulk, Incredible Hulk TV series; I Love You, Man)

R.W. Goodwin
(Director - X-Files, Alien Trespass)

Luke Goss
(Actor - Blade 2, Hellboy 2)
*Appearing Saturday Only

David Harris
(Actor - The Warriors)

Herb Jefferson Jr.
(Lt. Boomer, original Battlestar Galactica series)

Ernie Hudson
(Actor - Ghostbusters)

Doug Jones
(Actor - Fantastic Four, Hellboy, Pan's Labarynth)

Tom Kane
(Voice Actor - Star Wars: Clone Wars, Wolverine and the X-Men, Kim Possible)

Margot Kidder
(Actress - Superman)

Martin Klebba
(Actor - Pirates of the Caribbean, Hancock)

Kynt and Vyxsin
(Personalities - Amazing Race)

Sheila Larken
(Actress - The X-Files)

Richard LeParmentier
(Actor - Star Wars, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?)

Kristanna Loken
(Actress - Terminator 3, Painkiller Jane)

Daniel Logan
(Boba Fett - Star Wars: Episode 2)

Peter Mayhew
(Chewbacca, original "Star Wars" trilogy)

Leyla Milani
(Deal or No Deal's Lucky 13)

Rhona Mitra
(Actress, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Nip/Tuck, Boston Legal)
*Appearing courtesy of Celebrity Authentics

Michael Papajohn
(Actor - Spider-Man, Transformers 2, Terminator: Salvation)

Ray Park
(Darth Maul Star Wars: Episode 1, The Toad X-Men, Snake Eyes GI Joe)
*Saturday/Sunday Only

Lori Petty
(Actress - Tank Girl, A League of Their Own)

Roddy Piper
(Wrestling Legend, Actor - They Live)

Michelle Rodriguez
(Actress - Fast and the Furious, Lost, Resident Evil)
*Appearing Saturday/Sunday Only

Chanel Ryan
(Actress - Hobgoblins 2, BASEketball)

Orli Shoshan
(Actress: Star Wars Episode II Attack Of The Clones)

Sandra Taylor
(Actress: "Batman & Robin", "Under Siege 2", "The Princess Diaries")

Cerina Vincent
(Actress - Not Another Teen Movie, Power Rangers, Cabin Fever)

Doug Wangler
(Model - Master Jedi Quinlan Vos)

Billy Dee Williams
(Actor - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Batman)
*Appearing Saturday/Sunday Only

Mia St. John
(WBC International Boxing Champion)
*Appearing Saturday/Sunday Only

Traci Brooks
(TNA Wrestling Superstar)

Bushwacker Luke
(Professional Wrestler, WWE Legend)

Demolition (Ax & Smash)
(Superstar Wrestling Tag Team)

"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
(Wrestling Legend)

Jackie Gayda Haas
(WWE Tough Enough Season Two Winner, WWE and TNA Superstar)

Christy Hemme
(TNA Wrestling Knockout, former WWE Diva)

The Honky Tonk Man
Former WWE Superstar and Wrestling Legend

Jerry "The King" Lawler
(WWE Hall of Famer, Headlocked cover artist)

Rachelle Leah
(UFC Ring Girl)

Dawn Marie
(wresting diva)

Kevin Nash
(Wrestling Super-Star)

Nasty Boys
(Wrestling Tag Team)

Nidia
(WWE Tough Enough Season One Winner)

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Former WWE Superstar and Wrestling Legend

Virgil
(Wrestling Super-Star)

Taylor Wilde
(Female Wrestler)
*Appearing Saturday ONLY!

X-Pac
(Professional Wrestler)

And Comic/Artist Guests

Jason Aaron
(Scalped, Ghost Rider, upcoming Wolverine: Weapon X writer)

Eric Adams
(Lackluster World creator and self-publisher)

Mike Allred
(Artist/Writer - Madman)

Robert Atkins
(Artist - G.I. Joe)

Franco Aureliani
(Tiny Titans writer)

Brian Azzarello
(100 Bullets, The Joker writer)

Jeff Balke
(Colorist - Secret Cross, Dead Hedz)

Art Baltazar
(Tiny Titans Artist)

Andy Brase
(Illustrator)

Elizabeth Breitweiser
(Colorist - Skaar)

Mitch Breitweiser
(Captain America: Theatre of War, Uncanny X-Men Annual artist)

Patrick Brower
(Inker)

Chris Burnham
(Artist - X-Men)

Jim Calafiore
(Batgirl artist)

Tommy Castillo
(Grimm Fairy Tales, Kong: King of Skull Island artist)

Michael Champion
(Artist - Tex-Shield)

Jim Cheung
(Secret Warriors cover artist, New Avengers artist)

Frank Cho
(Hulk, Jungle Girl artist)

Mike Choi
(X-Force artist)

Christian Colbert
(Illustrator - Raven's Hollow)

Chris Copeland
(Artist - Wizards of the Coast)

Justin Copeland
(Illustrator)

Brian Crowley
(Artist - Hamster Rage)

Shane Davis
(Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns artist)

Scott Dillon
(Writer - Johnny Recon)

Dan Dougherty
(Artist/Writer - Rotten, The Apocalypse Plan)

Alan Dyson
(Pencil Artist - Bench Warmer, d20 Role-Playing Games, Concept Artwork)

Alan Evans
(Artist/Creator - Rival Angels)

David Faught
(Artist)

Sean Forney
(Illustrator - Scarlet Huntress)

Jay P. Fosgitt
(Dead Duck creator)

Franchesco!
(Cover Artist - Vampirella )

Gary Friedrich
(Ghost Rider Creator)

Jenny Frison
(Illustrator - Hack/Slash)

Mitch Gerads
(Illustrator - Johnny Recon)

Michael Golden
(Wolverine: First Class, New Exiles cover artist)

Diana Greenhalgh
(Editor in Chief - Ronin Studios, Inker)

R.D. Hall
(Writer - NBC's Heroes GNs, Arcana's American Wasteland, Image's Horror Book)

Chris Hebert
(Artist - LAZERMAN, Writer - Vindication, Co-owner of "HBComics")

Mark Heike
(Artists, Writer, Publisher)

Stephanie Heike
(Writer, Artist, Publisher - 21st Centurions)

Bryan Hitch
(Artist - The Ultimates, Fantastic Four)

Tom Hodges
(Artist - Clone Wars)

Eric Jimenez
(Artist - Warhammer; Temporal)

JG Jones
(Final Crisis Artist)

Mike Kingston
(Headlocked writer/creator)

J. Anthony Kosar
(Artist - The Spider; Cover Artist - Buckaroo Banzai; Owner of Kosart Effects Studios LLC)

Alvin Lee
(Artist - Agent X, Deadpool)

David Mack
(KABUKI Artist/Writer, Daredevil: End of Days Writer)

Alex Maleev
(Daredevil: End of Days, Halo Artist)

Sean McKeever
(Teen Titans, Terror Titans writer)

Mike McKone
(Artist - Punisher, Deadpool)

Angel Medina
(Venom: Dark Origin artist)

Jason Metcalf
(Penciler - Eternal Descent, Wrath of the Titans)

Mark Millar
GUEST OF HONOR
(Kick-***, Fantastic Four writer)

Clayburn Moore
(Sculptor, Founder CS Moore Studio Ltd.)

Eric Mullarky
(Founder - New Baby Productions)

Raf Nieves
(Writer - Vampire: The Masquerade)

Mike Norton
(Green Arrow/Black Canary, Trinity artist)

Dan Parent
(Artist - Betty and Veronica)

George Pérez
(Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds artist)
*Courtesy of the Hero Initiative

Brian Pulido
(Writer - Lady Death)

Khary Randolph
(Illustrator - Chaotic)

Bill Reinhold
(Artist - Badger, Silver Surfer, Punisher)

Esad Ribic
(Artist - Moon Knight, Wolverine)

Rachelle Rosenberg
(Artist - HACK/SLASH; Mayhem!)

Craig Rousseau
(Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Perhapanauts artist)

Chris Samnee
(Artist - The Mighty)

Tim Seeley
(Weapon X: First Class, New Exiles artist)

Sean Shaw
(Artist - Grimm Fairy Tales, Return to Wonderland, Shi, Gen13, Vampirella)

Dan Slott
(Amazing Spider-Man, Mighty Avengers writer)

Luke Smarto
(Creator - Pillow Fight)

Dirk Strangely
(Macabre Artist)

Billy Tan
(New Avengers artist)

Mark Texeira
(Moon Knight artist)

Greg Titus
(Artist - Marvel, DC)

Jim Valentino
(Image Comics Founder, Shadow Hawk Artist)

Matt Wagner
(Zorro writer, Mage and Grendel creator)

Freddie E. Williams II
(Robin artist)

Renee Witterstaetter
(She Hulk editor, Avengers colorist)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Scifi Cards,

I think Wizard is beginning to realize that they've practically run the show into the ground. A lot of people believe the show was better when it was Chicago Comic-Con (before Wizard took over).

I also believe they're trying to beef up this year's show because of next year's C2E2 show (run by the same outfit that runs the New York Comic-Con). It's expected that this show will make Wizard World/Comic-Con look ridiculous by comparison.

Yes, this year's Wizard World/Comic-Con has a lot of celebrity guests, but they still pale in comparison to the guests that show up at the Motor-City Con. (And what's up with Wizard fascination with wrestling??)

I predict that Wizard World will dump the Chicago show either next year or the year after. They're simply not capable of putting on a good show.

By the way, I am stunned they got George Perez to be at the show! While he wouldn't elaborate, George told me that Wizard treated him VERY badly at a previous show and he'd never attend another one of their shows. I guess they made nice with each other. I might go to the show now simply because of George!

Yeah, the C2E2 show might be real competition. However, I'm not sold on the idea of having a show at a high dollar hotel right smack downtown in Chicago. I'm still waiting to hear specifics, but I'm not sure I'll be there for their first show.

The facination with wrestlers is not just Wizard, Motor City always has half a dozen or more. I've heard somewhere that the president of Wizard also has a stake in wrestling somehow. Plus, the wrestling groups understand marketing like nobody else and actually promote what they do aggressively.

This year is probably a make-or-break year for Wizard. And I actually hope they make it because it's a decent show from the dealer's standpoint.

Ed

I am all on board for C2E2! I love Chi-Town! I am a sure Chicago Bears Fan anyways! I sure hope they can get some west coast representation at the show unlike previous wizard worlds. It seems all east coast shows lack Hollywood stars! I just wish Artbox would travel more than just SDCC.

Wow, they are still adding to this guest list all the time -- I just looked a few days ago and there are new names from even then. . . Todd Bridges and Gary Coleman -- AWESOME!

I think reports of Wizard Chicago's imminent demise are exceptionally exaggerated -- the attendance at this show reportedly tops 60,000.

Besides San Diego (which is well above this figure), I don't think many other shows come close -- at least none used to.

All that said I totally agree this was a better show before Wizard took over. . . It's still a good show though, and I wouldn't miss it.

Jon

As far as C2E2. . . I'm taking a wait and see approach. . . it's going to be an EXPENSIVE show to attend, even for locals. It's not close to air ports, transportation, parking, rooms, food, etc are all going to be expensive. . .

We'll see what happens. . .

I am going this year too. I have been going along time. Would like more TV Show stars of the 50's-present. Now they need Hulk Hogan,Sting,Macho Man,Ric Flair. That would be neat.

Additional Guests:

Emma Caulfield

Margot Kidder

Kristanna Loken

Doug Jones

Roddy Piper

Ernie Hudson

Jake Busey

Edward James Olmos

Michael Hogan

Luciana Carro

Alana Curry

Donna D'Errico

Erika Eleniak

Peter Facinelli

Erin Gray

David Harris

Julie Newmar

Greetings friends. I'll be there Saturday and Sunday. For anyone wanting autographs from Rhona Mitra and Michelle Rodriguez, or Cameron Bright you can pre order your tickets here.

http://celebrityaut911.corecommerce.com/cart.html

Jewel

I'll be there for a few hours on Saturday and then most of Sunday.

I've done the preorder for Rhona and Michelle but that company doesn't respond to emails or send out order confirmation. I'm hoping everything goes through in time.

Mike, they're really good. I got mine very quickly. I'll see you in line for Rhona Mitra then....LOL They told me that if they don't sell out online, there will be tickets available there for the same price.

Jewel

I've gone every year since 2002 and always have a blast, but they are getting out of control with some of the prices for these guests. $45 for Rhona and Rodriguez, plus you have to provide your own item to get signed, you don't even get a photo with that. I won't argue with their business model if they can sell enough autographs at that price, so I won't criticize them, I'll just say that I have been getting turned off by the pricing the last few years. Kristen Bell in 2006 was a little pricey but Thomas Jane was a bargain, so I don't know what to make of it.

2009 has SEVERAL people I'd like to get signed photos from but I'm going to be conservative and just limit myself to the Star Wars guests I don't already have.

quote:

Originally posted by hippiejewel:
Mike, they're really good. I got mine very quickly. I'll see you in line for Rhona Mitra then....LOL They told me that if they don't sell out online, there will be tickets available there for the same price.

Jewel

That's good to hear. I ordered a Fast & Furious photo from them for Michelle and the Underworld mini-poster for Rhona. I've got a magazine for Rachelle Leah to sign and I'm hoping Ray Park has a nice GI Joe image. Would love to get more Wrestling autographs but budget will be tight with Paul's show and Fan Days coming up soon.

You're telling me??? I've got Paul's show right before I go to Hawaii........Talk about tight money......LOL

Jewel

I'm afraid with this many guests that there might not be any money left to spend with dealers.

Hopefully such a lineup will attract enough additional people to make it up, but I'm not betting on it.

I'm still waiting (less than an hour until it's Tuesday in Chicago) for their "major guest" announcement on Monday...

Ed

Ed, was the Twilight guy the "major announcement" ?
I don't see it as one, hahaha.

That's a good question. . . the lead story on the Chicago Comic-Con page is still "HUGE guest announcement on Monday". . .

Is it the Twilight guy? Emma Caulfield? I dunno.

I think great guests will be good for the show, it should attract more people, and hopefully will be good for dealers. I'll still be focusing on dealers and artists as always.

Looking forward to the show.

Jon

I'm guessing it's a wrestler only because of the shadow outline......LOL

Jewel

According to Wizard's Comic-Con Facebook page they haven't made the announcement yet. . .

There are only two wrestlers that would impress me. . . Hulk Hogan or Andre the Giant. . .

(Yes, I know the Giant is no longer with us -- all the more impressive, eh?)

Perhaps Wizard's "Monday Morning" announcement will be posted on Wednesday. I looked on the Wizard message board and can't figure out why people are surprised by this. After all, it's Wizard!

By the way, I'm thinking that this mystery guest isn't a wrestler nore a man. I'm most likely wrong, but I noticed something on another web site that makes me wonder if the mystery guest might not be a VERY well known actress. We'll see....someday.