Last year my plan was to head to Wizard World and be a part of one of the biggest comic book events of the year. Due to complications beyond my control, I didn't make it, I had a whole video series up on You Tube entitled the Road to Wizard World and everything, but it just didn't happen at that time, which is probably a good thing.
Because this road trip turned out to be pretty fantastic, but it did require some research in order for it to get there. There is a formula to every great road trip film and we followed the formula as best as we could making sure we fulfilled key moments that needed to take place in order for the road trip to reach its full potential.
We had the main character on a quest, the best friend, the comic relief, and having two characters have a romance. We had one character left behind at home, a disaster slightly averted, we stopped at the casino to gamble $5 because then we filled that quota. Most of this wouldn't have even been possible if we had gone last year as the participants would have been different and age requirements would not have been met.
So we make it to Wizard World, and in my head I expected this gigantic mecca to comics and pop culture, however it wasn't, but thats fine because that fills the formula of road trip rules - #3 the trip turns out to be something you didn't think it was.
The show was definately geared more towards pop culture and celebrities than it was comics, the comic book portion was a bit small but the celebrities and the ease of getting to them far made up for the lack of books and comic all stars.
We walked in and immediately were in awe of some of the art we got to see and they had on display it was so cool, giant prints framed and just looking fantastic.
Alex Ross prints, Jim Lee, just great, great stuff.
We took not 20 steps and there was Mr. Ernie Hudson, Winston of Ghostbustuers and only about 100 different things from movies, and TV including The A-Team, Dukes of Hazzard, Batman the Animated Series, Superman the Animated Series, and so much more. I wanted so much to walk up to him and say "Tell him about the Twinkie" but I contained myself. I had hims sign my copy of The Crow and he talked about how it was a very emotional time for him and that he'll never forget that day. He was so nice, so and down to Earth and just not snobby celebrity at all.
The rest of the day just got better, between talking to the legendary Honky Tonk Man for 20 minutes or so about the Twilight movies, his life and his daughter and how she's talking to one of the actors in the twilight movies. Meeting Melody Anderson aka Dale Arden from the 1980 cult classic Flash Gordon, her I gushed over and told her I must have seen her movie about 100 times, and I did the little 'go flash go' and she gave us a little behind the scenes knowledge of the movie, that football scene that took place wasn't originally in the script. We met Hacksaw Jim Duggan, The Iron Shiek, Bushwaker Luke and Virgil all the legends of wrestling that I grew up with so cool, Duggan had hands like a catchers mitt and he couldn't have been nicer.
Another fantastic person we got to meet that day, movie star Doug Jones. He's been in so many huge projects and major motion pictures its just ridiculous. Pan's Labrynth, Hell Boy, Men in Black, Benchwarmers, Legion, heck he was Mac the Night from the old McDonalds commercials! He was just so nice, talked to us, was greatful for us loving his movies, and even gave big hugs! What a guy, truly just a nice person and was having a great time being there.
So while this was a fantastic trip, I'm looking it as the dress rehearsal, we are going to head back up to Canada in August and truly make a great road trip movie. In fact we are thinking of actually making it a You Tube movie, so stay tuned, who knows you may be in it.
