Wizard World Philadelphia 2012 – The Rest

Trip Report: Wizard World Philadelphia Part 1 | 2 | 3

Another thing I didn’t realize going into the event was that dressing up has become a major industry.  I noticed a lot of vendors selling very professional costumes and accessories.  The Storm Trooper has got the costume down to a science, you almost don’t want to stop the guys anymore because they all look so good that it feels like nothing special.  I saw a vendor that also had really high quality rubber Batman and Robin outfits.  If your dream is to recreate Arkham City in real life, one hundred dollars can make that a reality!

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Another cool section they had tucked away in the corner was the different cosplay groups.  I had no idea there was a Ghostbusters group that built realistic proton packs and traps and such.  If nothing else you have to admire the dedication these guys have to the craft, they had some amazing work on display including the traps, PKE meters, and proton packs.  I wish one of them had made a slime blower though, I saw five guys in jumpsuits and regular proton packs … they aren’t going to make the Statue of Liberty walk unless the broaden their horizons!

I recognized the Star Wars Collector society from way back when I used to collect Star Wars.  It’s nice to see those guys still doing their thing.  Also a pretty neat Lego Building group, they had a cool display of Lego houses, and the famous monorail was on display!  That monorail was a childhood dream of mine to get, I even went over to a kid’s house I didn’t like just because he had one.

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Artist alley was as usual empty, which is a shame.  I tend to try and find something to buy each year if something looks cool so I picked up a few books from some local artists.  I was a little surprised to not see an Image, Marvel, or DC big booth anywhere in the show at all.  In such a super-hero centric summer you would think they would want to get out and pump their product.  I guess the comics are mattering less and less, even to the comic creators.  It’s all about the big movies nowadays.

I also remembered: comic convention goers LOVE swords.  I don’t understand it, but if you like swords come here because there are many to be bought!  I was impressed by a really good looking Legend of Zelda sword and shield combo made of wood.  It was pretty cool to see a bunch of kids playing around with the vendor’s unpainted samples and them being cool with it.

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All in all, Wizard World Philadelphia was a good show.  For a guy like me who was looking for something cool from the toy makers it was a bit of a disappointment in that respect.  I’m not really big on the celebrity panels, pictures, or autographs so I find entertainment in checking out what is being sold and the people perusing the floors.  I do kind of miss those days where there would be the mile line for the latest HeroClix exclusive, or Palisades doing it up big time.  Things just change in time I suppose, and company’s priorities change as to where and how they want to show off their stuff.

I’d love to see next year at least for the show to grab some exclusive toys, comics, or something like that.  I think it just makes the day or weekend a little more special and memorable.

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