Whether you’re a collector or a vendor, Wizard World Chicago is definitely the best place to be this weekend. As I was observing all of the vendors today, the first day of setup, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and how much of it that I was seeing. Not to mention the actual size of the convention center here at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center here in Chicago, Illinois. I got the impression that this place was built to house the gods that America created. Of course I’m talking about superheroes. The Greeks had Zeus and Ares, and in our modern-day, we have Thor and Captain America. I have the amazing pleasure of tagging along with the crew of Heroes and Games here in Columbus, OH. And while we took a break from setup, I had a chance to take a few shots of what a Wizard World Convention looks like without all of the frills and pomp. I kinda hate that I used the word pomp right there, but you get the idea. Brace yourselves, folks, it isn’t pretty before the doors officially open.

I told you that it wasn’t pretty. But I can’t wait until the lights go up and the carpet is rolled out. If today is any indication of what we can expect for the next four days, I’m not going to be able to contain myself.

You really need to check out the guest list for this year’s con. Here, let me grab the guest list for you guys. It really is impressive. Some of my idols are going to be there. And of course, Stan “The Man” Lee will be in attendance. Here’s some more pics real quick:

Well I don’t want to take up too much of your time with daily con recaps if I don’t have a ton of info, that’s why I’m keeping this one short and photo heavy. I just want you folks to see what the transformation from setup to day one is. It’s a quick and almost violent transition. That what we’re all waiting for, and I promise you’ll be able to find it here at CB.

And make sure that you pay the guys from Heroes and Games a visit over at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. If you need to know anything else about the store, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the father and son team of Doug and Cory Simms who own and manage the shop. Check it out here.

I’ll end with some photos: