Comic Book Candy

In addition to being a panelist on the Star Wars Fan Panel , I will also take part in the  So You Want to Be a Nerd Organizer Panel at Wizard World Chicago this coming Saturday. The best part about being invited to speak on this panel is that I have plenty to share, but much more to learn. It will be as informative for me as the audience! I am most looking forward to hearing from other organizers about their successes, struggles, what they have learned, and what they plan to do in the future. There are a ton of amazing nerdy organizations here in Chicago; it can be tough to gain momentum while planning events for specific groups. In my case, moderating events for Graham Crackers Comics Ladies' Night also comes with the double duty of being Editor-in-Chief of Ladies' Night Anthology . I cannot wait to walk away from this panel with more ideas for tackling community planning and event organizing. If you are interested in starting your own group, or volunteering (we all need...

Eleven years ago this summer, I attended my first ever comic book convention. Wizard World Chicago 2004 was an overwhelmingly positive experience. Up until that point, I had enjoyed comics in a very isolated manner. Though many of my friends enjoyed nerdy things, very few read comic books. The summer before college, I vowed to "find my people" by finally attending a comic book convention. I easily found a place within the comic book community at Wizard World. I met dozens of my favorite comic book creators, bought lots of comics, commissioned sketches in artist alley, and of course attended panels. Over the next several years, I would attend many more conventions as a fan, retailer, and cosplayer. Wizard World would still happen every August in Chicago, but I stopped attending as regularly. Like old friends that fell out of touch, my memories remained fond, even as the gaps between visits grew longer. A little over a decade since my first time attending, I am happy to r...