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Let's Get Physical: Initial Picks For Record Store Day Black Friday
We're a little over a month away from the Black Friday edition of the vinyl community's most divisive day of the year: Record Store Day.Introduced only two years after the first Record Store Day (which is usually in April), the Black Friday variant is much smaller and attempts to cash in on the shopping season with quiet honestly a very niche lineup of releases. So before you head out next month to pick up some releases, here are my thoughts on the good, the bad, and the comp

Julian Ramirez
Oct 224 min read


The League of the Lexicon is a Superb Choice for Word Lovers and Trivia Fiends Alike
So here’s me thinking that League of the Lexicon will be a breeze, and I’ll crush my foes, see them driven before me and all that. But League of the Lexicon is fun not only because it has a fun mixture of categories with clever questions, but also because it's challenging even for those who have spent a lifetime playing with the English language.
Antal Bokor
Oct 183 min read


Indie City's Chicago Indie Game Showcase Shines with Great Games and an Immaculate Vibe
We’ve been surfing the scene since the very first BitBash. We were there for the Logan Playtest parties, VGA Gallery openings, collabs at MSI and the Art Institute, and the opening of Chi Gamespace.
Sadly, a lot of that magic seemed to have vanished in the post-pandemic world, and we’d be lying if we said we didn’t miss it. Until we made it through the doors at the Chicago Indie Game Showcase presented by Indie City Games.

Culture Combine Staff
Sep 267 min read


That Katseye Ad Brings All The Views to the Gap and They're Like, 'Let's Celebrate Diversity.' Damn Right, Let's Celebrate Diversity.
Gap's been doing creative, choreographed ads for quite some time, and has often pulled off some rather elaborate, amusing stuff, from the swing dancing khakis ads of the 90s to spots with Audrey Hepburn, Madonna and more -- and who could forget the iconic West Side Story inspired jeans vs khakis ad from 2000?
Collabs are all the rage this...decade, really, so teaming up with someone like Katseye was a foregone conclusion.
But was it also a calculated effort?

Marielle Bokor
Sep 32 min read


Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen take Fan Expo Chicago!
Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor We got to catch Ewan McGregor on his Fan Expo...
Antal Bokor
Aug 223 min read


John Cena Packs a Punch at Fan Expo Chicago 2025
By the end of the panel, Cena had cemented himself as one of the most straightforward Hollywood/WWE superstars out there. From his modest start at the All State Arena with WWE to being in some of the biggest action and comic book IP on the planet, even if you weren’t initially a fan, he will make you a fan
Alex Orona
Aug 222 min read


INTERVIEW: Mark Rolston talks Aliens, Shawshank, and Spider-Man 3 at Fan Expo Chicago 2025
Fan Expo Chicago 2025 was one for the record books, with a fantastic guest list and a lot of exciting things to do.
One of the highlights of the con came when we had a chance to interview some of the cast of Aliens, who we'd had the pleasure of seeing together in their Friday panel.
For this task, we enlisted Antal Bokor, our managing editor, a combat veteran, and a lifelong fan of Aliens, to take on the task of interviewing people who quite literally influenced all of ou
Antal Bokor
Aug 2112 min read


‘Aliens’ Cast at Fan Expo: Without ‘Terminator’ There Would Be No 'Aliens’ and Why ‘Aliens’ Endures and the Newer Films Don’t Work
I write about video games, and without Aliens, early video game history would look much different. Games like Contra, Halo, Half-Life and many more wouldn’t exist or would look a whole lot different without Aliens. And it's not just video games.
I’m not trying to discount Ridley Scott’s contribution with Alien, which introduces us to the seemingly unstoppable and terrifying xenomorph. But James Cameron saw this creature, and had a vision that has yet to find a worthy su
Antal Bokor
Aug 213 min read


GALLERY: Sunday Cosplay at Fan Expo Chicago 2025
No matter what day of the expo you attend there are some guarantees you should come to expect. Great atmosphere, fantastic entertainment...

Culture Combine Staff
Aug 191 min read


The Tea from Fan Expo Chicago 2025's Avatar the Last Airbender Panel
Photo: Marielle Bokor Ok, so to start off - there was an inordinate amount of tea talk that actually happened in the panel we attended...

Marielle Bokor
Aug 193 min read


Rainn Wilson at Fan Expo Chicago 2025
While there are 40 rules for the Schrute boys to follow, Wilson said the most important rule was to “be kind.”
“Be like 20 percent nicer than you think you need to be,” he said. “Going out into the world, I’m a pretty decent, reasonable pretty nice person. Give that extra 20 percent. How’s that? And if you don’t you get eaten in your sleep.”
aaroncynic
Aug 194 min read


GALLERY: Saturday Cosplay at Fan Expo Chicago 2025
Next time you attend a convention, we encourage you to stop for just a little bit and watch all the wonderful cosplay pass you by.
If you see something incredible, give them a compliment or two, take some pictures of their hard work, and trade insta handles. It's a welcoming world full of fun creative folks, and one of the best ways to bond with other people who like the things you do or find new things to love.
Here's some of the best things we saw on Saturday at Fan

Marielle Bokor
Aug 181 min read


Guardians of the Galaxy Panel: Fan Expo Chicago 2025
Fan Expo is known for its packed schedule full of A-list celebrity appearances but one of the major highlights this year was Saturday's Guardians of the Galaxy panel.
Alex Orona
Aug 182 min read


The Flash at Fan Expo Chicago 2025
It’s been two years since the series finale of The Flash on the CW. After 184 episodes and nine seasons, it’s a good time to reflect. Some of the cast reunited at Fan Expo Chicago to discuss their experiences on set as members of Team Flash.
Alex Orona
Aug 171 min read


GALLERY: Friday at Fan Expo Chicago 2025
Fan Expo Chicago 2025 is FIRE. And not just because it's "hotter than we thought it would be" but also because, Chicago comes to (cos)play!
Enjoy this gallery and come back tomorrow for more!

Culture Combine Staff
Aug 161 min read


Fan Expo Chicago 2025 Choose Your Own Adventure PREVIEW!
Just off the heels of Lolla, with Riot Fest on the horizon, it’s time to roll out the nerd carpet in Rosemont for Fan Expo Chicago!
Back when the Wiz was in town, we’d already be on the floor, but tonight we’re hard at work crafting our traditional Choose Your Own Adventure preview so you can craft your own unique con experience based on your personal preferences.
And, if you’re new to conventions, or just want a little sage advice, we’re here for you.

Marielle Bokor
Aug 1412 min read


Time To Choose Your Own ACEN Adventure - 2025 Edition
ACen or Anime Central is happening this weekend (May 16th through the 18th) at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, and we're psyched! Sandwiched between C2E2 and Nightmare Weekend, but ACen is its own special beast.
Alex Orona
May 164 min read


What We Do at Nightmare Weekend Chicago: A Review
Photo: Alex Orona Nightmare Weekend Chicago, presented by GalaxyCon, is a small scale celebration of all things horror for us here in the...
Alex Orona
May 72 min read


Nightmare Weekend Chicago Packs Plenty of Horrifying Star Power into 3 Days at Rosemont
Nightmare Weekend Chicago promises Midwest Horror fans tons of fun over three days at Rosemont.

Marielle Bokor
May 28 min read


C2E2's Lord of the Rings Reunion Full of Mischief, Laughter and Tears
Full cast reunions are hard to come by, but this year’s C2E2 boasted one every single day of the con. And when you kick off the entire event with the Lord of the Rings cast, you know you’re starting on a great note.

Marielle Bokor
Apr 163 min read
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