This past weekend, Wizard World Comic Con was held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The convention began late Friday and ran until Sunday, allowing fans to greet the celebrity guests, shop the dealers’ tables, and attend panels for three days. Located across from the CNN Center with its convenient food court, and the Omni hotel, the Congress Center proved to be a great location for Wizard World.
But was it worth attending? For me, the answer is an undeniable yes. One of the celebrity guests happened to be none other than Sean Patrick Flanery (“Young Indiana Jones,” “The Boondock Saints”), so of course I didn’t pass up a chance to have my picture taken with him. Again. Though his line moved slowly, it was great to see how he really took time with each attendee, answering questions and posing for pictures.
Norman Reedus (“The Boondock Saints”, “The Walking Dead”) had his table next to Sean’s, and women jostled each other as they tried to get closer to get a picture of him. It’s a well known fact that fans will revolt if his character is ever killed off “The Walking Dead.” Fans of “The Boondock Saints” also had an opportunity to buy tickets for a VIP experience with which they were able to get ahead in line to meet Reedus and Flanery, as well as David Della Rocco. It also guaranteed seating at their panel and allowed guests to get a photo with all three actors.
Two of the other big name guests were Karen Gillan (“Doctor Who”) and Stan Lee, whose very name brings joy to the hearts of Marvel fans everywhere.
One of the most entertaining panels I attended was presented by Retroblasting, in which they celebrated the 30th anniversary of “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” They shared a video that counted the number of times Willie Scott screamed throughout the film (I believe it was 30) and made comparisons between “Doom” and “Gunga Din.” It was an informative and interactive panel, and I actually didn’t want it to end.
The convention center offered plenty of space for the dealers’ tables and artists, and it was easy to navigate the large room. The aisles were wide and made browsing easy, and I returned home with more art prints than I’ll ever hang on my walls and some Yoda necklaces.
There were also costumes seen on the convention floor, though not as many as I might have expected. And those that didn’t quite dress in costume still showed the love for their fandoms. I wore my brand new Rebel logo skirt from Her Universe, and another fan came up dying to know where I bought it.
And while it was great to see Sean Patrick Flanery again and buy Yoda merchandise for my collection, the best part of the convention was spending time with my friends. Regardless of which celebrity guests are signing or what the panels are about, a convention is so much better when you have your friends with you, pointing out things you might have missed or teasing you about your celebrity obsessions.
And it would seem that enough people attended and had a good time that Wizard World Atlanta will be held once again at the Georgia World Congress Center in 2015, dates to be determined.
