C2E2 Recap

This year I went to the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) for the first time.  I hadn't planned on going, but my friends over at Space Gypsies convinced me to go as the Clockwork Droid, and since I love the attention I get in that outfit, I agreed to go.  Plus, John Barrowman, otherwise known as Captain Jack from Doctor Who and Torchwood, was going to be there.  Last year at Dragon*Con I got my picture taken with Gareth David-Lloyd, who plays Ianto Jones, so I thought it would be nice to have a photo of the Clockwork Droid with John Barrowman as well.

What a long day!  We went to the John Barrowman Q&A, where he was incredibly charming and entertaining.  Later, when I attempted to get in line for his autograph, they were capping the line due to the very small area set aside for the autograph queues.  They said to come back later, so I went to walk around and terrify people.  I couldn't believe how many people knew who I was.  Usually at Dragon*Con I'm mistaken for V from V for Vendetta, but I don't think a single person thought that at C2E2.  One really surprising thing was that about a quarter of my fans were African-American.  I had quite a few kids pose for pictures, too.  Two little girls ran up to me and said, "we have your doll!"  I had at least one person tell me they were a huge fan.  All in all, I posed for almost 300 pictures.  (However, that was nothing compared to the attention that my friends the Snowths got.  People LOVE those costumes!)

I also managed to get over to the Artists Alley and see my friend Jaysin Osterkamp, who I went to college with.  When we were a school, he wrote a strip called Northern Highz, and I loved reading it because his characters were students in the Communication Department.  After school, he drew the graphic novel Lost, which his friend Derek Glascock wrote.  When I got to their table, Jaysin was busy drawing, so I just stood there looking down at him.  When he glanced up and saw me, he jumped.  We chatted for a bit (as much as I can under that stupid mask), and I finally purchased Lost (it's really good so far, so if you like comics, check it out!)

I was finally let into the John Barrowman queue, along with Alyssa, one of the other Space Gypsies.  We were in line for a good hour and a half before it was our turn for autographs.  When he looked up and saw me, he jumped a little and said, "uh oh, am I in trouble?"  Well, I can't talk in that mask, so I just stood looking at him in what I can only hope was an evil stance.  He said, "who should I make this out to, 'V'?"  I almost died.  Meanwhile, his agent or whoever was sitting next to him asked if I was actually a person, or if he'd find gears under my mask.  At least he knew who I was!  Just then, Barrowman said, "lean in."  I had no idea what he meant, and he said more loudly, "LEAN IN!"  Ah, it was so that Alyssa could take our photo.  We left to meet up with the Snowths, and I have to say, I was really disappointed in my encounter with Barrowman.  I know he wasn't in that season, but he claims that David Tennant is his Doctor, so you'd think he was familiar with the series.  Everyone else knew who I was, but not the guy actually in the show?  I keep trying to chalk it up to the fact that he was inundated with fans all day and was probably just really tired.  Plus, he's gorgeous, so I forgive him. 

After that, we all signed up for the costume contest.  They were only letting the first 30 people in; I didn't think we were going to make it, but we were numbers 26 and 27.  The Snowths killed!  I went onstage and did my clockwork thing, and I think the audience loved it.  Then they brought us all back on stage and said that the audience would vote on the finalists - they had everyone just shout out the names of who they wanted as a finalist.  That was really bizarre.  I was pleased to hear a section of people chant "Clockwork! Clockwork!"  I wasn't chosen, but the Snowths were finalists.  The winner, however, was some guy who was apparently from Dragon Age but looked like a professional wrestler.  There was barely anything to his costume, and that always bothers me when someone wins with something that's not really a huge effort.  Oh well.  The Snowths got goody bags with all kinds of crazy stuff in them, including several copies of an anime film and underwear.  Weird.

After the contest, I had a lot of people come up to tell me that they had been shouting out "Clockwork!"  One guy walked past and he said, "don't touch me, but I thought you should have won the costume contest."  I think I must have misheard him - "don't touch me"?  Oh well.

At the end of the day, I realized that that was the longest I'd ever worn the costume - a full 12 hours.  I also need to work on my pose in this newest mask and wig, because they make my posture look all weird when I stand straight.  My feet were raw, my chest was killing me from being bound down all day, and when I got home, I just collapsed on the couch.  It was a lot of fun, but I'm not sure I'd want to go again.  I felt like I missed so much - I can't really see too well in the costume, and I'd have liked to spend more time in Artists Alley.  I'm not into comics, but I really love looking at all the different art, and last year at Wizard World I found gorgeous Doctor Who prints.  I think I prefer Dragon*Con, where you can be in costume for a few hours and then change.  But, I had a great time, spent the day with some wonderful friends, and it definitely helped quell my Con Fever for a while.  Next up - Labor Day Weekend and Dragon*Con!