C2E2 My Day 3 in Review

Sunday was Day 3 of C2E2. It was a bit of a calmer day. I went as the Ohila the High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Karn. Though many people thought I was a wizard from Harry Potter instead which was fine. Personally, I have very flexible in my cosplay. I can be whoever you think I look like.

It was interesting though because I realised this is one of the very few female characters I cosplay as. For me, it is more an issue of male characters having more clothing bits in common. You have one men's shirt and a jacket or two and you are all set to play 1/2 of all male characters.

Sunday ("Kids Day") highlighted for me the fact that there are more characters for both women and girls to play than ever before. There were many very cute Rey(s) and Wonder Women(s) and this year many wonderful Moana(s).

I went to a few panels but nothing really stood out to comment about here.

Random Highlights From day:

• Going and getting Robbie Thompson to actually sign my Tardis Autograph book. 

• So now with Robbie Thompson, in addition to Niel Gaiman, my book has 2/5 of my current "Best of Writer's Best of Dreamers" So Graham Moore, Lin-Manual Miranda and Benjamin Alire Saenz some day you will join them. :) 

• Being hit in the Face by Castiel's wings. 

• I was at the SPN fan panel and a cosplayer came in with a costume which included fully extended wings for Castiel which hit me in the face. They were soft and I think it is a great story lol

Sunday was a good day for books. I got 9. Some new releases, some used. Many were from an organisation called The Science Fiction Outreach Program. 

Each came with a bookmark highlighting upcoming Science fiction conventions (And completely randomly the first listed is in Puerto Rico an area I am hyper-focused on right now and the second is Finland which is where my mom once taught nursery school. Another it's another it's a small world moment). 

The fun thing is I will read these books and share with family or with the free take a book library at the social service centre at the organization my roommate works for. 

C2E2 My Day 2 In Review

Another good day at C2E2. Today I went as The Doctor. I saw a bunch of Fun Cosplay including a wonderful Moana and a gorgeous Te Fiti and a giant HeiHei. Another random highlight was when I saw someone with an SPN bag and I said great bag and she actually gave me a pin which is pretty amazing.

So the Panel I was planning on starting with today filled up so I went to an alternative which was cool. Glad the universe pushed me into going. It was called Gender Identity: Understanding Through Art. I love the below slide they have which explores some of the complexity around these issues. I love how both Aces and Aros are included.

The takeaway was a searching for characters who are non-gender normative and have unrelated superpowers Ex Someone who is trans who happens to be able to create fireballs instead of be a shapeshifter. Like around all issues of including some comics do it well, especially those with non-gender normative individuals on their staffs, and some don't. A bunch of recommendations were given one which stood out was a Web Comic Oh Human Star (http://ohumanstar.com/comic/chapter-1-title-page/) which deals with Transgender issues with the added wrinkle of what does it mean to be transgender when you are an android. Look forward to checking it out. 

Also, it was pointed out that as writers we will fail and in those cases, we need to listen to the criticism and apology and do better in the future. 

Next up was a panel on Queer Women Making Comics. A few takeaways when writing about communities root it in lived experience to keep from creating stereotypes, and never speak for the whole community, Also readers seek interesting storylines, not tokenism.  

I also saw the Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) Panel. She discussed how she felt imposter syndrome when she started in the films. That acting is not about Nailing it but playing it. As she said "Luna teaches you don't have to belong, just be you" and that her favorite line to say was a line to Harry "You are just as sane as I am". 

My last panel of the day was The Value of Mental Illness: Finding Resilience in Pain which ended up being completely full. I was one of the last people to sneak in. There were a few people who are involved with a site called "Geek Therapy" which I will have to check out. Robbie Thompson also was included on the panel for his work on "Silk" which was great. 

Superheroes and the trama of their origin stories were discussed and how their experiences can be used to understand other mental health issues ex Spiderman's spider sense is like Anxiety. There was also a lot of discussion around Therapy. "Silk" was praised because it showed an honest portrayal of the process which is therapy. 

There was talk about finding power in what you are scared of. Like superheroes when we deal with our Mental Illness we need to remember we can't do this alone, we need support systems, and how it is easier once we share our secrets. Therapy was shared to be a process of learning to trust others and yourself. It is not easy to share your experiences but it is important.  There was also a suggestion that individuals can bring characters to Therapy Today I feel like this character.... Also, it was stressed while it is vital to provide space for others you can't push someone if they are not ready, You can't make people do what they are not ready to do.

Finally, I got up the nerve to actually go over to Robbie Thompson's Table and chat a while and ask a few questions. He was amazing and he gave me an autographed copy of his copy Venom. So Now I have two autographs. (One from an SPN Conference 2 years ago). And he even liked my tweet.

I am glad I got up the courage to go over and say Hi and not just watch from across the room. :)

Today's Book Total:  5 Books cover value $48

Today I also bought a comic book. Love is Love which is the multi-author comic creator response to Orlando whose profits goes to Equality Florida. I started to read and of course started to get teary eyed.

C2E2 My Day 1 In Review

Today was the first day of C2E2 (or The Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo so you can understand why everyone calls it C2E2 instead :) )

This year I am tackling C2E2 a bit differently than in the past: I'm just enjoying it and stressing less about what panel's I "should"go to and focusing on just those I want to or feel up too. I don't have to go to a million panels to make C2E2 worthwhile. Here are the highlights from today.

Today my cosplay was Alexandar Hamilton which was fun.

"Are You Iron Man Sir?" (1)

Are you "One Punch Man" Sir (2)

"There is a million things I have not done but just you wait, just you wait"

My first panel was probably the highlight of the day. It was the Will Wheaton Spotlight.

Now I have to admit going in my familiarity with Will was very sketchy:

1. A vague idea he was one of those online people who says wise things
2. A vague connection to TNG (The Next Generation)
3. Knowing he is friends with Felicia Day and remembering they had done some project together

Well, he was amazing. Super friendly and super kind. 

I loved his response to a comment, (and the applause which followed), from a fan who said that his openness about his own mental health challenges encourages them with theirs:

"You hear that clapping, remember that. It (Mental Illness) often can make you feel like you are all alone but this is proof you never are" 

(I find it simply amazing how many of us collectively struggle with mental health issues and when I just now looked up Will's story I found this clip of him which I would recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6ACzT6PCDw.)

I also loved his highlighting of the fact:

"Being a nerd is not about what you love it is about how you love"

And his love of fandom itself was shown by how excited I got as he talked about table top gaming which is not one of my fandoms but I was excited because he was excited and the excitement was contagious. So a) Will Wheaton Great b) I know kinda want to play table top board games

Next Panel I went to was CBLDF (Comic Book League Defence Fund), State of Censorship 2017 which was interesting but also depressing. I also now have a few new comics to read since when a comic is censored I have a gut reaction I must read it. I find often the best graphic novels and comics are those which have been banned somewhere.

• This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki
• Drama by Raina Telgemeier
• Mangaman by Barry Lyga

I know there were more but I lost the notebook I was taking notes in somewhere at the con. Oh well

Next was IDW Entertainment Spotlight On: Wynonna Earp which was a fun panel with cast and crew from the show. It was odd when they talked lovingly about the fans since I have been a fan a week as of yesterday. I binged all 13 epasoid this past weekend. I did like one fan who said they were drawn in by a friend who said it was "A wild west Grown up buffy"

Then it was a panel on contemporary storytelling which was ok but I was hoping there would be more writing suggestions and tips and instead it was more this is what I am working on, and this is why it was dark.

And finally, it was a mini interview/panel with Will Wheaton. Which I enjoyed

Another Highlight is the fact that one of my "Best of Writers, Best of Dreamers" Robbie Thompson is at C2E2.

Also this year there are fewer groups handing out books but I found the ones I got were more interesting than in past years.

Today's Total: 4 Books 

Cover price $73 + the fourth book which was a collection of short stories which I can't find online to find a value for :)

So I have already made back what I paid for my badge for the weekend.

It was funny when I was heading home since I was tired and I was like well that was good and then remembering I still have 2 days to go. :) 

Tomorrow I will review Day 2

(1) "Are you Aron Burr Sir?" is a line from the musical Hamilton. 

(2) I don't know who One Punch Man is but it was a silly photo so I went with it