Wizard World Chicago Comic Con 2012: Superheroes, Vampires, Jedis, and More!

With August right around the corner, it’s time to start gearing up for this year’s Wizard World in Chicago, Illinois! For those who are unfamiliar with Wizard World, it is a convention that runs in various cities all over North America with the sole purpose of bringing fans, creators, authors, and actors together. Each convention boasts special guests from comic book artists, to TV and movie celebrities, to games, contests, and more!

This year, HRC will be attending Chicago’s Comic Con (August 9th-12th), where you can expect the standard panels and Q&A sessions we’ve come to love so much at these conventions. Among those included are: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (with James Marsters, Juliet Landau, Amber Benson, Camden Toy, and Doug Jones), The Boondock Saints (Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery, and David Della Rocco), The Vampire Diaries (with Paul Wesley and Torrey DeVitto), Star Trek (with William Shatner, Scott Bakula, and Avery Brooks), NCIS (with Scottie Thompson and Lauren Holly), and WWE® Superstar CM Punk®, among others. Of course, we can’t forget the individual panels as well, where we can expect to see Tom Felton, Hayden Panettiere, Jon Bernthal, James Marsters, Sam Trammell, Bruce Campbell, Stan Lee, and many more.

For those looking for some fun – or even love – Comic Con attendees can also look forward to Jedi Lightsaber classes, speed-dating, and the highly anticipated costume contests. This year, Wizard World Chicago will also be hosting a screening of Contamination, a new film about the people who attend conventions – including celebrities, artists, and, of course, fans. Let’s not forget, Comic Con would not be Comic Con without Artists’ Alley, where you can stop by and see some of your favorite comic book artists, and even pick up some artwork for yourself! Check the Wizard World website for full details and locations of your favorite artists, ticket information, hours, VIP packages, photo opportunities, and more.

Check out the schedule below, or at the Wizard World website. Make sure to follow @WizardWorld, @HRCtweets, @The_Hillary, and @ItEntertainsMe on Twitter – or track the hashtag #WizardWorld – for updates and information as the long weekend unfolds.

 

Update: Melissa Joan Hart, Denis O’Hare, Jason Priestley, Robert Knepper, Hayden Panettiere, Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Torrey DeVitto, Frank Vincent, J. Scott Campbell, Kate Mulgrew, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and, Ken Kelly will not be attending.

 

Thursday, August 9
1 – 1:45 p.m. Spotlight On CAFU And Daniel Acuna (Room 11)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Wizard School With Paul Jenkins (Room 11)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Portfolio Reviews With Shon C. Bury (Room 11)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Inside The Shadow Show: Legacy Of Ray Bradbury (Room 11)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Portfolio Reviews With David Macho (Room 11)
7 – 8:30 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
evening TBD Artist Party

Friday, August 10
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Storytelling With Michael Golden: Taking It To The Next Level (Room 14)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Rob Lean And R.B. Silva (Room 11)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Spartacus Q&A (Room 14)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Portfolio Reviews With David Macho (Room 11)
2 – 4 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Sam Trammell Q&A (Room 14)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Super Secrets: Lifting The Curtain On The Man Of Steel (Room 11)
3 – 5 p.m. Sci-Fi Speed Dating (Room 21)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Art Of Brom (Room 14)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Razor The Mysteriouz–Magic Show (Room 11)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Star Trek Captains Reunion (Room 14)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Comic Con Costuming With The 501st (Room 11)
6 – 6:45 p.m. Five Year Mission Band (Room 14)
6 – 6:45 p.m. Vic Mignogna Q&A (Room 11)
6 – 6:45 p.m. Stan Lee Meet & Greet – Paid Event (TBD)
7 – 7:45 p.m. Rodolfo Migliari Q&A (Room 14)
8 – 9:30 p.m. Film: “Contamination: A Convention Story” (Room 14)
7 – 8:00 p.m. James Marsters 50th Birthday Celebration Concert – Paid Event (Muvico Theater)
Evening TBD: VIP Launch Party

Saturday, August 11
11 – 11:45 a.m. James Marsters Q&A (Room 14)
Noon – 12:45 p.m. Vampire Diaries Q&A (Room 14)
Noon – 12:45 p.m. NCIS Q&A (Room 11)
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
1 – 1:45 p.m. James Hong Q&A (Room 14)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Charmed Q&A (Room 11)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Troma Entertainment (Room 9)
1 – 3 p.m. Sci-Fi Speed Dating (Room 21)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Hayden Panettiere Q&A (Room 14)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Dean Cain Q&A (Room 11)
2 – 4 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Tom Felton Q&A (Room 14)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Star Wars Q&A (Room 11)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Bruce Campbell Q&A (Room 14)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Sean Young Q&A (Room 11)
4 – 6 p.m. Sci-Fi Speed Dating (Room 21)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Greg Capullo Workshop (Room 14)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Kevin Sorbo Q&A (Room 11)
6 – 6:30 p.m. WWE® Superstar Cm Punk® Q&A (Room 11)
6 – 6:45 p.m. Stan Lee Meet & Greet – Paid Event (TBD)
6 – 9 p.m. Wizard World Adult Costume Contest (Room 14)

Sunday, August 12
11 – 11:45 a.m. Stan Lee Q&A (Room 14)
11 – 11:45 a.m. Ghostbusters Reading (Room 11)
Noon –12:45 p.m. Buffyfest Q&A (Room 14)
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
Noon – 12:45 p.m. Kids Arts & Crafts (Room 11)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Jon Bernthal Q&A (Room 14)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Wizard World Kids Costume Contest (Room 11)
2 – 2:45 p.m. The Boondock Saints Q&A (Room 14)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Stan Lee Meet & Greet – Paid Event (TBD)
2 – 4 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Reading With John Sazaklis (Room 11)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Draw Like A Superhero With Art Balthazar (Room 11)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Ben’s Bubbleshow (Room 14)

Can’t make it to Chicago? Check the schedule below for other cities Wizard World will be appearing – and get your tickets now at the website!

August 9-12, 2012 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 29-30, 2012 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
October 26-28, 2012 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
November 30 – December 2, 2012 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
TBD, 2013 – Wizard World Toronto Comic Con
May 30 – June 2, 2013 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con