Check out our original photos from C2E2 2012 Saturday above
R2D2? No....C2E2!!!
Yeah, OK... maybe both. R2D2 @ C2E2
Du-Jay & Sagezilla dug C2E2 and can't wait for 2013
It's bigger on the inside....
This year's Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) will be their biggest by far. Tickets are selling earlier and faster than ever. As of the final week of February, VIP tickets are sold out; 1-Day ticket sales are up 65%; and 3-Day ticket sales are up 78%. This is an overall increase of 64% compared to last year!
**Meanwhile, their exhibit space is also growing...at this point, they are 25% larger than last year.**
This is great news as it means that the Midwest - and Chicago, in particular - is becoming a center for pop culture enthusiasts similar in scale to New York and San Diego.
Have you gotten your tickets yet? Don't miss out. Click here and order your tickets as soon as possible. ChiIL Mama will be there...will YOU?! We'll have photo filled recaps, individual features, hot new releases, reviews, and free downloads for you. So check back with ChiIL Mama/ ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often!!
C2E2 2013, April 26-28, 2013 at the West Building at McCormick Place.
Check out their main site here for special guests and more.
Our ultra favorite thing about C2E2 isn't one show or genre even...it's mash ups and context! We swung by Micky D's on the way out and it was beyond amusing to see the comic book world superimposed on reality. It's all about context. As realtors are fond of saying...location, location, location.
"Welcome to McDonalds, may I take your order?"
We also love to see the colorful mash ups that organically happen in the crowd as everyone's story lines intermingle.
Steampunk was a growing presence at C2E2 12, and we bought a fabulous corset & a wooden mustache monocle.
We also bought a unique ocarina necklace & a "teacarina" musical, pottery tea cup/instrument among other finds.
Sagezilla and Du-Jay enjoyed the show, and it's fairly family friendly. There were a ton of kids of all ages there, and there was plenty for kids to see and do, particularly for tweens and teens.
Kick Ass fam friendly fun at C2E2
Sure, there's a plethora of the usual comic book boobs n gore...so skip it with the littles if they're very young and easily freaked out, or if you're uber conservative. Otherwise, dress up and come on down!
Of course we're suckers for any excuse to play dress up, and enjoy seeing adults who are reeeeeally into what they're into, and we dig comics, anime, Dr. Who and games. That means C2E2 is right up our alley.
First time we ever quoted Mr. T around Sagezilla, she thought we said "I'm Winnie the Pooh", and used to repeat it in a booming Mr. T impression. To this day I still can't hear "I pity the fool" without laughing.
We saw many fun freaks, and even derby zombies from The Outfit!
There were loads of graphic artists, actors & writers about.
Promises...promises
We're a little bummed. These Romanian artist guys took a steam punk photo of Sagezilla & Du-Jay and said they'd anime the kids and send us the sketch via e-mail after the show, and it never happened. Was that supposed to read get your sketch a year from today?!
We're coming back to find you for C2E2 2013, so start sketching... long haired boy and tiny but mighty grrrrrl, or they'll kick you in the kneecaps!
You can even get inked up permanently, with some new scars, if you're brave & of age. I do have 4 tattoos, but not from C2E2. We just stuck with the kind of ink you turn the pages on!
We also saw another of our big favorites--Threadless--and stocked up on more, cool, artist designed t's! They give back to the community and work with kids for free, at Girls Rock Chicago camps, 826Chi Writing Workshops and more.
Sage spent her "helpful works" cash on a bunch of seriously rockin' handmade fimo necklaces another kid had made. They were one of a kind and one of the coolest thing we saw at the whole show because they were so creative. She also bought a Shawnimal Ninja necklace.
Du-Jay bought Activision Skylanders, one of his Wii favorites.
We also ran into one of our favorite author/artist duos... Kim & Dino, of Traegonia fame.
We gave away a set of their excellent books to one of our lucky readers in December, as part of our huge Holidaze Giveaways.
The Traegonia books are a middle grade, eco-friendly fantasy series our family really digs!! Highly recommended. Check out their main site right here.
Come on out and play. C2E2's a must see for geeks, gamers, pop culture enthusiasts, families and YOU!
Photo by Jason Brown; L-R: Phaedra Black as The Penguin and Crystal Paradise as Robin and Marie Curieosity as Batman
Wanna monkey around after Chicago Comic Con? If you're 18+ you'll go ape for Gorilla Tango Burlesque. Didn't get your fill of spandex and scantily clad super heroes at Wizard World? Then Gorilla Tango's talent are your go to gals for a flirty & nerdy, wicked & witty night out.
Check out ChiIL Live Shows Gorilla Tango Reviews here:
Dark Comedy Full House Musical Horribly Wrong In All The Right Ways
ChiIL Live Shows had a chance to check out Superboobs: A Superhero Burlesque Adventure and also Attend The Tale of Danny Tanner: A Full House Musical.
Their Burlesque is playful, grrrl powered fun for couples or a night out. All body types are represented, not just sleek, airbrushed Barbie types. Most of all, the actors look like they're having a great time, thoroughly enjoying their campy parodies. Seeing a Gorilla Tango Burlesque show is kinda like spying on a girly slumber party or 21+ kids playing R rated charades with a costume bin.
There's even a lobby bar! Gorilla Tango is not just hooters.....their shows are a hoot....clever, smart, sexy spoofs. Come check 'em out. Highly recommended adult fun.
We're super stoked Attend The Tale of Danny Tanner: A Full House Musical has been extended yet again!! Check the below for show dates and times. This show was horribly wrong in ALL the right ways. I haven't laughed this hard in ages. The audience was on the floor laughing from the time the opening number echoed forth.
The actors' parodies were so funny I can't believe the cast actually made it through the whole show without cracking, though I saw a few tell tale facial twitches. Attend the tale....before it's too late. If you drove, you might want to forgo the lobby bar on this one...lest someone in the audience gets any ideas! There's always the blue line el--Western stop a short walk away. However you get there, go already. Check out more details about Attend The Tale of Danny Tanner here.
Completely sold out since it hit the ground running in May, ATTEND THE TALE OF DANNY TANNER: A FULL HOUSE MUSICAL has been extended yet again! It will perform TUESDAYS at 7:30pm, August 14 & 21, and September 4-25,2012. Tickets are $15; on line HERE or 773-598-4549 for tickets and more info.
Gorilla Tango at Wizard World Comic Con
Looking to hang with your favorite Gorilla Tango Burlesque (GTB) performer? Want an awesome picture of you and your best buddies with The Joker, Obi Wan Kenobi or Princess Peach? Drop on by and visit GTB at Chicago Comic Con Wizard World Convention! Gorilla Tango Burlesque will be at the famed comic and entertainment convention all weekend long and will feature a ‘photo booth’ where you can take free photographs with your favorite scantily clad superhero or fantasy character! Look for us on the convention floor – we’ll be the ones with the bright lights bouncing off of sexy C3P0s! Come by for free autographs, free photographs and free fun!
Also to note: during the convention the following Gorilla Tango Burlesque shows will be performing:
HOOTER RANGERS: A SPICY MORPHIN' BURLESQUE - performing Fridays at 9pm (Bucktown Venue)
TEMPLE OF BOOBS: AN INDIANA JONES BURLESQUE - performing Fridays at 10:30pm (Bucktown Venue)
Photo by Greg Inda; Diva LaVida as Obi Wan Kenobi.
A NUDE HOPE: A STAR WARS BURLESQUE - performing Saturdays at 9:00pm (Bucktown Venue)
Photo by K.Leo: Slightly Spitfire as Superman/Clark Kent
SUPERBOOBS: A SUPERHERO BURLESQUE ADVENTURE - performing Saturdays at 10:30pm (Bucktown Venue)
and
Photo by Jason Brown. Kali CandyKiss as Catwoman
HOLY BOUNCING BOOBIES: A BATMAN BURLESQUE – performing Saturdays at 9pm (Skokie Venue)
Tickets are $20; must be 18 or over. For tickets or more info click HERE, visit or call 773-5984549.
MORE ABOUT GORILLA TANGO BURLESQUE
Over the past year and a half, Gorilla Tango Burlesque has gone from the debut of the surprise hit “Boobs & Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque” in Ocotober 2010 to a local burlesque/comedy powerhouse with literally thousands of audience members through the door to see unique burlesque parodies of everything from Star Wars to Indiana Jones, from superheroes to 1990s pop-culture phenomenon -- and that's just a small selection of what they have available for-- as their slogan states-- "the Discerning Nerd." GTB will be debuting HOLY BOUNCING BOOBIES: A BATMAN BURLESQUE at its new venue, Gorilla Tango’s Skokie Theatre (7924 Lincoln Avenue, Skokie IL 60077) on Saturdays at 9pm beginning August 4th and continuing through September. Also, look for A Walking Dead burlesque parody coming this Fall!
MORE ABOUT Chicago Comic Con Wizard World Convention
Wizard World, Inc. produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premiers, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests. Wizard World, Inc. also produces Wizard World Digital, an online publication covering new and upcoming products and talents in the pop culture world, is distributed on a weekly basis to online and iPad users worldwide. Chicago Comic Con will take place August 9-12, 2012 at Donald E. Stephen Convention Center (Rosemont). For more information, click here.
Gorilla Tango Theatre (GTT) provides year-round theatrical venues where audiences of all ages can consistently go to see a wide variety of talented artists. GTT exists to provide artists with an opportunity to produce their work in professional environment. GTT was created by Dan Abbate and boasts two venues: an 80-seat performance space in Bucktown and a 150-seat performance space in Skokie.
GTT Bucktown is conveniently located at the intersection of Western and Milwaukee in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. Easily accessible by public transportation, GTT is steps away from the Western Blue Line stop and the #49 Western, #73 Armitage and #56 Milwaukee buses. Street parking is readily available. Gorilla Tango’s Skokie Theatre is located in the heart of Downtown Skokie; street and lot parking available. With shows for all ages, all GTT performances are on a rating system, similar to the one used in movie theatres. GTT offers a variety of affordable beer and wine for purchase. Consult the website for show details, rating information, tickets, and more.
Photo by K.Leo: L-R, Lacey Lay (Fish), Coco Rufus (Goomba), Lily e'Claire (Luigi), Sweet Ginger Rose (Princess Peach), Coo d'Twat (Mario), Hazel Hellbender (Chomper), Diva LaVida (kneeling - Toad), and Penelope Paddedbustle (Turtle).
