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Aliens cast at Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor I’ve been to many, many convention panels. There's few of them I attend as a fan, and there has never been a panel that was met with such reverence by the panel moderator as the Aliens cast panel this year at Fan Expo. No shade to the moderator: she was amazing, and Aliens is a pretty big deal. 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 successor. I got the chance to sit in on the Aliens panel featuring Jeannete Goldstein, Paul Reiser, Mark Rolston, William Hope and Rico Ross. It’s a legendary cast from a legendary film made by a genius of a director, and the cast is absolutely aware of James Cameron’s genius. According to PFC Drake, who we know as actor Mark Rolston, James Cameron wanted to make an Aliens sequel earlier but was turned away by Fox. According to Rolston: Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor  “(Fox) literally told him, you know, go away and do  a sci-fi action film, and then we'll, we'll reconsider. So, what does the genius do? He goes away and makes Terminator . And on the strength of that, and Jim being the perfectionist he is, I imagine, he was continually revisiting the ( Aliens) script because the characters are so well drawn, his dialogue was so well drawn…” and then Lt. Gorman actor, William Hope, chimed in with a “his drawings are so well drawn” in reference in Cameron’s impressively drawn storyboards. The panel moderator brought up to Vasquez actor Jeanette Goldstein that “I loved seeing you on screen as a young girl because you’re so bloody cool” with Goldstein replying: “I know, I never got to see a girl like that, so I had to go make it.” Goldstein went on to say, “It’s amazing that i got the opportunity to do it. When I was a young girl, I was a tomboy. I mean, I was just me, you know?” And it turned out that Goldstein also had the physique for Vasquez.  “It was just a coincidence, but I had (been going to the gym) for two years before walking in the room (for my audition.) I had been going to a gym, like every day, and working out. Before that I had been a gymnast and I’d done boxing. I was always sporty.”  This turned out to be advantageous for a young Goldstein, as she was chosen for the part of Vasquez, even over a female bodybuilder they had in mind for the role that they were giving acting lessons. Famously, Jeanette Goldstein went into her Aliens audition not at all prepared to look like a badass marine, despite her impressive physique, which is a story that has been retold thousands of times at this point–but interestingly, one Paul Reiser had never heard it before. Fan Expo Chicago 2025. Photo: Marielle Bokor Paul Reiser plays Weyland Yutani company man Burke in Aliens , and even though he was used to having roles with extensive speaking parts, Reiser had to convey his character’s evil intentions silently in the background.  “You know, his is not really a basis of a, a result of the film, but just the half of the shooting schedule. My first, I think, two weeks I was in scenes, but I didn't have any lines. And so I'm used to talking, you know,so I was like, 'well, when do I get to say something funny?' "It's, like, 'oh, I don't say anything,' so it really made me think more deeply and intensely. Like, 'well, where are you? What are you doing? ' Um. That's why, a lot of times, if you look carefully, you see me twirling my mustache in the background. That way you know I'm evil.” That’s definitely insight into the filming of Aliens I never had before.  Fan Expo Chicago 2025: Photo: Aaron Cynic I can honestly say Fan Expo's Aliens cast panels may well have been one of my favorites in all my years of convention panel attendance and I will always have a special place in my heart for those wily xenomorphs. There's even more to explore from Fan Expo including interviews with Jeanette Goldstein, Mark Rolston, and Ricco Ross as well as more panel fun from the likes of Orlando Bloom, Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen so keep it parked here to enjoy the best from the con floor.

No matter what day of the expo you attend there are some guarantees you should come to expect. Great atmosphere, fantastic entertainment guest, resplendent vendors, and of course out of this world cosplay! The final day of Fan Expo 2025 gave us exactly that with a barrage of fun get ups that brightened every attendee's day. Almost made us forgot that it was the last day to enjoy the pop culture creativity till next year! No matter what your specific interest is there is surely someone walking around the con cosplaying it! There's honestly few things better than seeing you favorite characters from comics, anime, movies and TV shows come to life thanks to these talented cosplayers! And while this may be the end of this year's Fan Expo, fret not! You can head over to their website and sign up for updates on when next years passes go on sale . In the meantime, warm up your sewing machines and start things of a cosplay to join in on the fun next year! And be sure to check out all of our fantastic Fan Expo coverage and discover just how fun this pop culture gathering truly is!

Photo: Marielle Bokor Ok, so to start off - there was an inordinate amount of tea talk that actually happened in the panel we attended Friday afternoon as Fan Expo Chicago kicked off. This heavily attended day one panel was the first of two for the beloved Nickelodeon epic. It featured Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang), Jack De Sena (Sokka), Greg Baldwin ( Uncle Iroh 3rd season forward), Dante Basco (Zuko), Michaela Jill Murphy (Toph), and Mae Whitman (Katara). Photo: Marielle Bokor There's oftentimes a hesitation in our brains about "meeting" celebrities, whether it's at an autograph table or just from a seat in a convention panel. After all, they're not their characters, and it's hard to tell what their experiences were like on the show, what their relationship to the material is or even what their relationships with other cast members was like. If you had those reservations going into the Avatar panel though, they'd have been resolved instantly. This was one of the panels with the most people on it at the convention, but as soon as everyone got on stage it was all hugs, giggles, and smiles. Aang and the gang weren't simply a figment of our imagination -- it turns out, the cast actually seems to enjoy each other's company, and has all along. It's also clear the love they have for Avatar: The Last Airbender and its fans. "I mean, I think one thing that's really cool when you get to be part of a really cool project is that the people that respond to it are usually really cool. So it's a really amazing thing to be part of a fan base --you have to be sort of a special person to appreciate something like this because it's so specific. It's deep, it's philosophical, it's emotional, it's like - there's lots and lots of layers to it." said Dante Basco, who played the unforgettable role of Zuko in the series. And fortunately for those of us who've been scarred by the knowledge that some of our favorite properties were full of abusers behind the scene, the cast allayed that fear quickly. Whether it was working with the other adults or goofing off about snacks that may or may not have been for them, time on the show for the cast seemed to have only good memories to recall, even for Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang) and Michaela Jill Murphy (Toph) who were 11 and 12 at the time they took on these incredibly complex and challenging roles. The moderator took some time aside to talk to Murphy specifically about playing Toph Beifong, a powerhouse of a character who is also blind, and the immense strength she displays in the role, and whether or not the actress had a sense of how important Toph was to young women everywhere even as she was a young girl herself when portraying her. Michaela Jill Murphy, whose 30th birthday was just yesterday, talked a lot about how she feels about Toph now as a grown woman. "They do say, you know, that the years start coming and they don't stop coming. Someone said that," Murphy joked. "Anyway, as I've gotten older, I've definitely learned to appreciate Toph a lot more. I too, yes, was a proper child when I was cast in the role. I was 12 and 13 for season 2 and 3... " "Like, she had so much power and I knew she was powerful, but I didn't know how powerful. She was just kind of on her own for so many different reasons. And I often go back to her now because it's funny. I feel like I was almost more confident at 12 than I am now. And so there's some days where I wake up and I'm like 'Well I'm Toph today' and not care what people say. Toph tough. Yes." Photo: Marielle Bokor It wasn't all serious though, as a fan question about tea's importance in the series and to soothe voice actors throats brought out the beverage preferences and sponsorship bids, with everything from Bigelow tea to Hello Matcha being name-dropped, and Basco hilariously revealing he was much more of a coffee person. Just like with the show, when you get the Avatar cast together there's laughter, hugs, heart and tea, and we're so glad we showed up to see everyone reunited. If you're looking for more from Fan Expo Chicago's panel rooms, there's even more still to come, so stay tuned right here!

As afternoon was turning into evening on Saturday, actor Rainn Wilson took the stage in the main hall at Fan Expo Chicago. The questions were less about his most famous role as Dwight in The Office and instead more meandering and a little all over the place. For some, that might have been a bummer, but Wilson is a quick-witted, FUNNY person, and the panel was an absolute joy to watch. Photo by Aaron Cynic Wilson opened by affirming that the Fan Expo crowd is indeed “his tribe,” joking about how long he’s been playing Dungeons and Dragons. “I guarantee you I was playing D&D before any of y’all. Was there anyone here playing before 1977?” After one person in the crowd raised their hand, Wilson remarked “that’s bullshit. No way you were you playing before '77 – they didn’t even have a monster manual.” but after the moderator pointed the fan out, Wilson quipped “he looks ancient.” Wilson added that he spent a birthday watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy in its entirety. “Here’s what I did for a birthday,” he said. “I got the DVDs of the extended versions of all three Lord of the Rings movies. For the day I watched them all. It was a 10-hour birthday celebration for me…I’m just proving my street cred here, folks.” Wilson said one of the challenges in acting is making pages of dialogue come alive for viewers. “The things that actors complain about are mostly bullshit. ‘Oh we had to be there at 5am.’ Boo hoo, so did my stepdad, he was a clam digger. That was a lot harder than being in your trailer and deciding what kind of omelet you want at dawn. What’s hard is…a lot of times what’s hard in TV…I had to memorize 7-9 pages of dialogue a day. Not only memorizing it but…it was hard stuff. It was funny, it was dark, it was complicated dialogue. Day in and day out, not just to memorize them, but make them come alive. Make them sing. Figure out your take on the scene while you’re in at 4 or 5 in the morning trying to get your bearings. It can be really challenging creatively.” Some of the curated fan questions did hit on the beloved character of Dwight Schrute. Wilson said one common misconception people have about him is that they’re surprised to see he’s “not exactly like Dwight,” which he takes as a complement. Photo by Aaron Cynic “There’s not very much of me that's like Dwight. Although obviously some mannerisms because I played him for 200 episodes over 9 years,” said Wilson. “One of the things that’s great, and maybe you’ve noticed this, Dwight is a little bit of a dick. And Rainn is a little bit of a dick. It allows me – having played Dwight – allows me to kind of be a dick to people like the guy in the pink shirt who played D&D before me and people laugh. I can be kind of an asshole and people are like ‘oh isn’t that charming.’ But I talk to Jenna (Fischer). And Jenna plays Pam, who’s so sweet, and she can’t tell any edgy jokes because people are like ‘Pam would never say that. Pam is so sweet.’ So Jenna has to keep her dark, raunchy sense of humor in check, because people recoil.” Wilson also talked about his environmental activism and balancing that with his career. “I always have felt from the beginning as I got well known as an actor that I have an obligation and responsibility to use my platform for some kind of social good,” he said. Wilson said that a few years ago he realized that though he felt very passionate about climate change, he needed to become more involved. “All I was doing was sending out angry tweets at climate change deniers. I realized I needed to do more than be a keyboard warrior. I started getting involved with some organizations, shooting some stuff, making some videos and installations and applications, speaking about climate in various ways. I think that everyone…some people are like ‘actors should just shut up and stick to acting.’ I don’t think anyone should stick to their profession. I think everyone should speak up about what they’re passionate about. I don’t pretend to be a climate scientist, but I know how to read science and communicate findings to people as a storyteller and actor. There are things we’re passionate about, it’s time to get from behind the keyboard, get involved. That’s all of our responsibility.” Photo by Aaron Cynic 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.”

As we have come to expect, Chicago doesn't mess around when it comes to cosplay. Saturday was every bit the slay Friday had been, but the floor was even more packed with people. It was hot, it was sticky, it was crowded - but it's still some of our favorite work. Photographers: Aaron Cynic, Marielle Bokor, Alex Orona 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 Expo There's still one more day of amazing cosplay to share, so don't forget to check back tomorrow, too!

Photo: Aaron Cynic 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. Five members of the rag-tag group of space bandits shared behind the scenes stories and real life factoids about their lives on the Fan Expo main stage.  The Guardians panel consisted of Michael Rooker (Yondu,) Karen Gillen (Nebula,) Pom Klementieff (Mantis,) and Sean Gunn (Kraglin.) There was an obvious comradery among the crew, especially after multiple movies and specials. Photo: Aaron Cynic Michael told stories of his past as a life guard at North Ave beach in Chicago, a fact about the actor that shocked his colleague Pom. The cast also had a lot to share about Michael’s on set antics including his habit of mooning people as they rehearsed. These were probably the peak of the pranks, but other pranks included posing Rocket around set.  The cast also mentioned that Sean would often stand in for Rocket. In some scenes, his director brother, James Gunn, would stand in for Groot, which allowed them to share a few memorable scenes together, including the celebration scene at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Photo: Aaron Cynic Also, through fan questions, the group revealed some of their biggest weaknesses, such as Pom’s love of snuggling horses and Karen’s addiction to reality television. The crowd questions were provided online and the cast welcomed them all. We loved our time with the Guardians, and can't wait to see what other adventures the actors and potentially their characters go on. For more from the Fan Expo Floor stay tuned!

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.  Team Flash consisted of Grant Gustin (The Flash), Danielle Panabaker (Caitlin Snow), Carlos Valdes (Cisco Ramon), Tom Cavanagh (Dr. Harry Wells), and Candace Patton (Iris West.) Both Grant and Carlos recently spent time on Broadway, so there was a lot of discussion on the anxieties of a different format of acting with Tom offering advice about his experience in the past. The team was all smiles while recounting Grant’s  ability to act realistic sprinting or make up woes within episode filming. Danielle dug deeper into her time filming Sky High now on the eve of its 20th anniversary as well as her first ever directing job, which also came with some helpful advice from Tom. Funny enough, Tom did in fact direct a good amount of the Flash episodes, claiming a successful director relies on the trust and chemistry of the actors, as they generally know more about their characters than the director does. Candice provided some insight on her ground breaking role as Iris West and how she felt it impacted female African American women in superhero roles.  Overall it was a fun and fascinating dive into becoming the characters of the Flash.  Did you want more from Fan Expo's panels? Stay tuned!

Photographers: Julian Ramirez, Marielle Bokor, CC Staff We're showing our hometown stripes (stars, really) but IYKYK -- while we've heard tales of conventions and other giant events like music festivals, what have you having beautiful weather, clear skies and that breeze that reminds you why life is so sweet - that's not a thing for Chicago. Oh sure, you think May is delightful even in the Midwest, or that a nice October trip would be just fine Life finds a way and in this case it means, if you're at Fan Expo Chicago 2025, it's HOT. Like, the kind of hot where you're like "it wasn't supposed to be this HOT" where everyone's putting a premium on cold drinks and Kirby fans. Fortunately for the roving group of photographers and writers here at Culture Combine, what else is fire is the cosplay. Don't take our word for it, though. Check it out! Then come back for day two and three on the following days, cuz we can do this all weekend long!

Putting the F in Family The Fantastic Four was known as Marvel's 'first family' back when they were originally invented in the 1960’s. Bombarded by interstellar rays while on a space flight, they were bestowed with amazing super powers, and the Fantastic Four was born. Reed Richards, AKA Mr. Fantastic with his ability to stretch and extreme intelligence, his wife Sue Storm AKA Invisible Woman, with her ability to create light bending force fields to make her and other things invisible, her brother Johnny Storm, AKA the Human Torch, with the ability to set himself on fire and fly, and Ben Grimm, Reed’s best friend, AKA The Thing, with a rock-like exterior, who now has super strength and rock hard skin. As a kid, I read a lot of their adventures but always felt like they were the more plain jane, vanilla of all of Marvel's slate of heroes. Just a happy family that works together to overcome adversity, with the biggest drama coming from the Thing hating his rocky appearance. It wasn’t until the 80’s and 90’s that they really got more of a personality. That follows suit with a lot of the film adaptations as well. There has always been a struggle adapting the Fantastic Four, because as a property made in the 1960s, there’s always been a lot of campyness in how it was written. Characters using phrases like “it’s clobbering time” can generate a lot of eye rolls, and while the 2005 and 2007 sequel really leaned heavily into the campit was more of a 2000’s style camp, which was generally a lot less fun. Still, even those were a breath of fresh air when compared to Josh Trank's 2015 gritty reboot that forced an edge onto the characters to the point of being completely unrecognizable. It seemed impossible to find the right kind of angle to attack these characters, and most had given up hope.  Considering the MCU is long in the tooth at 17 years running, how does the Fantastic Four’s own brand of quirkiness fit? And the answer is generally, it doesn’t, so don’t include it. The current MCU is going through a phase of multiverses and what better way to use them then by having them in their own retro future universe that looks similar to the world of The Jetsons. Here is where our story takes place, and from the start of it, the film is visually stunning. Everything from the television graphics to the lovingly crafted Baxter building where the Fantastic Four reside. Also, I am loving this new trend in superhero movies where we skip the origin story we’ve heard so many times before and are shown an already established world. The Fantastic Four are the only heroes of this universe, and have been doing their thing for a couple of years, having become quite the celebrities in their own right--to the point of having Coppertone style sunscreen ads. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek, but it works in building a lived-in world.   Next we are introduced to our heroes. Pedro Pascal, playing Mr Fantastic - is there anything this man cannot do? As a big fan of the source material, Pedro was not my first choice here, but he did his best to play the character right. Invisible Woman, played by Venessa Kirby, is the linchpin of the family, and she holds the role with a quiet reserved strength that is very on brand for her character, Susan Storm. The Human Torch is played by Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn, and while this character has always been displayed as a playboy, Quinn provides new context for the character, making him more of a scientist than previously portrayed and it gives a real sense of depth to him. Rounding out the cast is Ebon Moss-Bachrach, as the Thing, who plays the hulking rock with a sense of humanity that makes you feel for him as a person outside of just a muscle bound brute with silly catch phrases. Overall, the cast really plays off each other well, and you feel the family in every quiet moment. Galactus and his herald The Silver Surfer, played by Ralph Ineson and Julia Garner, are menacing with their powerful demeanor of impending doom. Whenever they are on screen, they draw all attention.  The primary focus of the film is that family dynamic, especially when we are presented with sizzle reels of all of the action that’s happened in previous years, interspersed with homey Sunday dinners. There’s a lot to love about this family, but that harmony is disrupted when Galactus the Devourer of Worlds comes to eat Earth. Of course, he could leave Earth alone - in exchange for Susan and Reed’s unborn child Franklin. While most super hero movies would push into a massive large scale battle, the Fantastic Four do what they do best: Research! Inevitably they are able to outsmart Galactus by using their combined intelligence and the strength of co-operation, which is pretty much the point of the Fantastic Four. Still, I guess the question is, is that entertaining? And the answer is....kinda? While it’s easy to punch your way to a solution like most Marvel shows and movies tend to do, this new crop of films, first Thunderbolts and now Fantastic Four, we are choosing a different route. Thinking through our issue and coming to a solution that’s more about outsmarting our enemy. In preparation for this movie, I re-read some of my favorite Fantastic Four comics, and what always struck me with them was how often they were kind of slow-moving, dull or anti-climactic, and this movie hits that chord particularly well. Still, this is a welcome change to the mindlessness we’ve seen in the previous clunkers in the multiverse saga, I’m looking at you Thor Love and Thunder.  Despite feeling the lack of action beats, Fantastic Four First Steps properly introduces us to the new First Family in a way that gives proper context for their chemistry and history as a team, complete with their robotic helper H.E.R.B.I.E. (Dear Lord please give me more H.E.R.B.I.E.!) That being said, the overall plot feels relatively low energy. There are a few moments of excitement in chase sequences and the final face off against Galactus, but generally the movie is a story about a family, and the world that loves them. Humanity united around their protectors and what that means to all involved. It’s written well, and I’m excited to see how they are incorporated into future films. It’s not the best Marvel film but it’s exactly what Marvel needs right now. Grounding, levity, and a little bit of wholesome family. Fantastic Four First Steps and Thunderbolts tells me that Marvel is definitely in need of a sea change, and these two films show me a bright future in looking inward, as opposed to dumbed down fisticuffs.

Photo: Marielle Bokor 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. After all, we’ve been covering conventions for over a decade! You’ll need comfy shoes, charged phones (pack a charger!) snacks, and water. Especially for summer cons, water’s important, and while it is usually available outside the panel rooms, packing your own can really help in a pinch. A few more pieces of advice?  Carry some cash (not all artists/booths take cards),  Interact with other congoers who share your interests, and try something new. Some of our favorite con moments have come when we’ve participated in improv DnD, went to a comedy show, done arts and crafts and attended sing-a-longs or drink and draws. Compliment cosplayers, catch a cosplay meetup, or even attend after hours events. Find people who enjoy your favorite fandoms and maybe explore a few more.  Oh yeah, and don’t miss Artist’s Alley! While all the merch is enticing, what you’ll find on artist’s alley is often one of a kind and made by the very same person sitting in front of you. Now that you’re properly prepped, let’s see what’s on the menu for this year’s Fan Expo. 2025’s convention brings a ridiculously star-studded list of celebrities and while that’s gonna mean packed panel rooms and long autograph lines, it’s also going to be a hell of a lot of fun - IF you’re prepared and know where to be when based on your interests - which is where this preview comes in. This is the way: Photo: Julian Ramirez FRIDAY, AUGUST 15TH Welcome to Fan Expo 2025! Doors open at the Donald E Stephenson Convention Center at 4, but traffic in Rosemont and its surrounds are consistently chaotic, so if you’re planning not to miss anything on the schedule in its first few hours (yes, really) then plan on pulling into parking at least by 3, if not earlier. Here’s what to explore on Friday at 4: Comic fans  may want to head to THEATER #4 for the Spotlight on Comic Writers with Kyle Higgins and Melissa Flores BUT Hazbin-verse fans  may be headed from the parking lot to the MAIN THEATER at 4:15 PM for a great big panel featuring Morgana Inis, Alex Brightman, Vivian Nixon Williams, Bryce Pinkham, Richard Horvitz OR If you’re a theater nerd, tabletop geek or some combination therein , the Twenty Sided Tavern  returns with a whole new campaign, two years after we got our last fix. If you’re new to on stage DnD, it’s amazing in every form we’ve ever seen it in - an unforgettable, immersive, hilarious adventure that hypes you up for your home campaign or encourages you to create a brand new one. Photo: Aaron Cynic Roundabout 5 PM , when it’s quitting time for the Muggles and they’re getting on the road to do whatever you do when you don’t go out and do amazing nerdy things, you’ve got other choices to make: If,  high off the Twenty Sided Tavern, you’d like to stay in the game , whether bedecked or not, head over to check out the Dungeons and Dragons Cosplay Meetup in the Cosplay Photo Park at 5:15 PM If you’re a gamer who’s been waiting to drop in on some tournaments , hang out with Texas Gaming Empire in the GAMING ZONE AT 5:15 PM  for a  Strive tourney . BUT If you’re a cartoon lover who adores meeting the voices behind your favorite characters?  Your first shot at iconic behind the scenes stories from even more iconic voice actors comes at 5:15   PM in THEATER #3 If you’ve got nostalgia for HALO , you’ll need to head over to the MAIN THEATER AT 5:30 PM for a voice acting panel  featuring Master Chief (Steve Downes), Cortana (Jen Taylor) and Spark (Tim Dadabo) MEANWHILE Naruto fans might want to run (normally or, you know, not) over to THEATER #2 , for the Believe It! The Naruto Voice Actor Q&A at 5:45 PM Wayward sons might want to carry on  to PROGRAMMING ROOM C at 6:15 PM  to talk Supernatural  and all related things. This is a trivia panel so see if you can reign supreme with your team. Another fantastic idea, especially if you’re bringing the nerdlings along , is to get your sparkle on and get thee to the KIDS ZONE AT 6:30 PM for a Classic Princess Ball  - there’s singing, dancing and games to play WHILE wearing tiaras and twirling. Get magical. Here’s the realest, most agonizing choice for Friday night though. Voice acting/animation fans - get ready to learn the art of the half and half, because you’ve got The Voices Behind  Your Pixel Crushes - Nick Apostolides, Nadjji Jeter, Todd Haberkorn, Sam Roukin, Chris Wehkamp and Kyle Hebert at 6:45 PM in THEATER 3  which represents fine IP like Resident Evil, Spiderman and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare BUT ALSO AT 6:45 PM  you’ve got Mastering the Elements with the Cast of Avatar: Zacy Tyler Eisen, Jack De Sena, Greg Baldwin, Dante Basco, Michaela Jill Murphy and Mae Whitman in the MAIN THEATER.  We’re not gonna tell you what to do, because we don’t know ourselves. 😀 At 7 PM IN THEATER #2  things finally heat up for Horror fans AND Film nerds alike  with the Bursting Into the Scene With The Cast of Aliens featuring William Hope, Ricco Ross, Mark Rolston, Jenette Goldstein, and Paul Reiser.  If you’re into Aliens, this is your panel.  OR We can throw you a wild card  and suggest the  Entertainment to Die For: Media in North Korea panel at 7:15 PM in PROGRAMMING ROOM B .  It’s one thing to risk looking like a dork for something you like and an entire other thing to actually run the risk of jail or worse and still stanning  your favorite fandoms. In North Korea, it’s hard to be a fan and even harder to get a glimpse of North Korean culture.  At 7:45 PM Anime fans can talk Fruits Basket with the That S Isn’t a Typo: Fruits Basket Q&A with Jad Saxton in THEATER #3. OR Hit up  THEATER #2   for  some time with the cast of Reno 911!  Get some great stories from both  Cedric Yarbrough and Thomas Lennon.  AND If you stay up late , get to PROGRAMMING ROOM A for Heroes, Villains and Vixens Drag Show and leave on a high note! Whatever you do, get at least some sleep, because as big as Saturday was, that was just half a day, and you’ve got a LOT on your plate for tomorrow.  Better eat your Wheaties. SATURDAY, AUGUST 16th Rise and shine, dweebs! Time to wipe the sand from your eyes, hit the showers, and then put on your Saturday finest. IYKYK, Saturday’s the day for cosplayers to be seen at Fan Expo, and we want to see all your helmets, capes, crowns, tails and giant props. (Look for us on the floor and we might even have a prize for ya!) GET HERE EARLY.  Unless you prefer to park clear across the entertainment complex and hoof it through all those garages first thing in the morning AND when you’re tired, sweaty and laden with merch at the end of a long day.  Trust us. Don’t wait. And don’t park illegally, cuz you will get a ticket, and that money could at least go towards a big slice of pizza when you finally have time to eat. ;) Let’s begin: 10 AM is when you can get back in - if you’re already in the convention center and have your badges ready. If you’ve got autographs early, or if you’ve got early panels, let us tell you from experience - be here really early. The glut of the big name celebs have signings, panels and the like today, and it sometimes gets so bad that people are backed up in the skyway trying to gain access from the garage when big names are here. And, well, they really are, despite the cancellations (As of publication time, cancellations are: Jodie Whittaker, Peter Facinelli, Keith David) If you DID make the choice to skip Avatar on Friday or just couldn’t make it to the con until now , there IS an opportunity  to see the cast again with the Team Avatar Unfiltered: Zach Tyler Eisen, Jack De Sena, Greg Baldwin, Dante Basco, Michaela Jill Murphy and Mae Whitman panel at 11 AM in the MAIN THEATER. BUT This happens to coincide with the Zany to the Max! Meet the Animaniacs panel featuring the cast of the series at 11 AM in THEATER #3 , so you’ll have to figure out which way your heart truly leans, because again, we’re not deciding this one for ya. At noon, decide between spiders and stormchasers.   On the one hand, you’ve got  Mad About Helen Hunt in THEATER #2 at NOON.  On the other hand, The Voices of Spiderman: Nadji Jeter and Hudson Thames which will be at NOON in THEATER #3. But RED ALERT! If you’re a comic fan , you’ve got another tough choice, because at 12:15 PM in the MAIN THEATER you can ALSO Enter the Speed Force with the cast of The Flash: Grant Gustin, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes and Tom Cavanagh What you should do if you’re a Whovian  is wibble wobble your way to a good timey wimey at the Doctor Who? Let’s talk the Doctor with two fantastic companions, Mandip Gill and Catherine Tate at 1 PM IN THEATER #2.  Today’s wild card is also at 1 PM in PROGRAMMING ROOM A  and it’s for anyone who likes to deep dive and discuss. The Childhood Classics & Grown-Up Glasses: Taking a Closer Look at the Furniture of our Mids  features p odcasters Tracie Guy-Decker and Emily Guy Birken, hosts of “Deep Thoughts about Stupid Sh*t”  as they talk about the complicated relationships we have with IPs that have had some controversy and how we can accept them with their flaws and with respect to all. The more you know, the better you do, and we can all do better. AT 1:30 PM IN THE MAIN THEATER,   Marvel fans  should be heading to see Hooked on a Feeling with the Cast of Guardians of the Galaxy which will feature Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn and Michael Rooker OR  If you’re really forking excited about The Good Place or The Acolyte , why not drop in to see From the Good Place to Up in Space: Manny Jacinto at 2 PM in THEATER #2 Gamers, if you’re not otherwise entwined, go get yourself in the Super Smash Bros Ultimate Tournament in the Gaming Zone at 2 PM . Do it if you’re great, do it if you suck - or just cheer for your favorites. You don’t often get to experience a tournament full of fans of the same games you play. Don’t squander the chance to get in on it live. BUT There’s also a chance for Sailor Moon Fans  to ask their burning questions in the Moon Crystal Power! Q&A with Sailor Moon’s Stephanie Sheh to consider at 2 PM in THEATER # 3. WHAT IF though, your thing is Legos? Then head over to PROGRAMMING ROOM C AT 2:30 PM for AFOL? What’s an AFOL?  To hang out with your fellow brick buddies. THEN At 2:45 PM in the MAIN THEATER , cheer on a man who neither needs encouragement or introduction, with the You Can Do It, Rob Schneider panel. Once the clock strikes 4 PM  you’ve got a few more choices Go Over 9000 in THEATER #3 with a Dragon Ball Z voice actors panel that features Kyle Hebert, Dameon Clarke, and Josh Martin  OR Take a peek in the pages of The Book of Jennifer Beals over in THEATER #2 at 4 PM . BUT If wrestling and having good grammar are more your thing , why not hit up the MAIN THEATER at 4:15 PM for And His Name Is John Cena , featuring, well, definitely John Cena. OR If you’re one of the Spiders-Men webbing your way across the con , swing over to the COSPLAY PHOTO PARK for the Into the Spiderverse Cosplay Meetup at 4:15 PM Get Raccoon City ready at 5 PM  with Nick Apostolides appearing in THEATER #3  to talk all things Resident Evil (among other things…like Warframe, Deadspace, Life is Strange, and more…) But you can also go full Office fan  and catch the Rainn Wilson panel at 5:30 PM in THE MAIN THEATER.  (Yes, we know, he’s been in a few other things too…) Horror folk, your ship hasn’t sailed yet, so get in a good seat in THEATER #3 at 6 PM for Aliens: Screams, Scenes and Shenanigans  which features the whole cast from Friday’s panel except for Paul Reiser. If you’re all about the One Ring (or the fellowship, or a pirate ship, we suppose),  be in the MAIN THEATER AT 6:45 PM (and IN LINE FOR THIS PANEL AT LEAST AN HOUR EARLY) because we expect that the To the Edge: A Journey with Orlando Bloom! Panel will in fact blow out the doors of the panel room and overflow both. BUT If you simp for classic sitcoms , sit down in THEATER  #4 at 7 PM for a Mad About You Screening with Helen Hunt & Paul Reiser  (so that’s where he was off to…) OR If live art with iconic artists is your thing, check out Comics Xplosion in the Main Entrance Lobby and perhaps even purchase something you see being drawn live! Then, round out your night and make sure you  DO NOT MISS the Cosmic Celebration at 8 PM in THEATER #2 . It’s free with your badge, features Galactic Empire, cocktails and dancing , and honestly? It’s about time you get a little silly. Go for it. Hydrate, get some food, hit the pillow and get ready for ONE.MORE. DAY. SUNDAY, AUGUST 17TH There’s a common misCONception about Sunday at conventions that most of the fun is over and everything’s getting packed up for next year.  This is far from true, and lately both Chicago cons have given fans plenty of reasons to take their Sunday fun day time to the show floor. The show floor is open at 10 AM once again , and here’s the first choice you’ll have to make: DO YOU Meet Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, AND Tiny Toons Adventures creator Tom Ruegger in his 11 AM panel in THEATER # 4  OR DO YOU Make sure your family road trip to the convention gets you here in time for We’re Gonna Have the Hap-Hap-Happiest Fan Expo: Get to Know The Cast of Classic Comedy National Lampoon  with Chevy Chase, Juliette Lewis, Dana Barron, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid, and Anthony Michael Hall which is at 11 AM IN THE MAIN THEATER NOTE: LINE UP EARLY FOR THIS ONE, TOO. For real.  We expect this might draw crowds like we saw with   Breakfast Club over at C2E2 , in which case, if you didn’t leave before the con opened, you’re not getting in. OF COURSE What you could also do is head over to see Michael Rooker , who’ll have his panel, Michael Rooker: Off the Rails at 11 AM in THEATER # 2.  Card gamers, have you hit the FRIENDIVERSE LOUNGE yet?  If not, there’s Pokemon Card Trading to do at 11:30 AM. Keep an eye on the time though because  we’re sure you’ve been a fan of Ming-Na Wen at some point in your life, whether that’s from Mulan, The Mandalorian or Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She’ll be there at NOON in THEATER # 2.  OR For another bit of nostalgia and some more fantastic actors, check out 12:15 PM’s The Mummy Returns! Meet Brendan Fraser, Patricia Velasquez, John Hannah and Oded Fehr which is in the MAIN THEATER for maximum fan action. Cobra Kai folks , don’t miss Strike First, Strike Hard with Martin Kove, Patrick Luwis and Oona O’Brien in THEATER #2 at 1 PM. BUT Twilight obsessed folks need to get to the MAIN THEATER by 1:30 PM for Meet the Cullens: Peter Facinelli, Kellan Lutz and Jackson Rathbone. Meanwhile, at 2 PM it’s time for DC Unleashed with Sean Gunn over in THEATER # 3 Take any of a number of interesting pathways for the rest of the afternoon and then round it out with two more big panels: There’s Mason Thames talking live-action How to Train Your Dragon in THEATER #2 AT 4 PM.  AND In a convention center not too far away from the Loop, we sensed…well, a really big panel to end out the convention.  It’s  a science fiction double feature for real, with Jedi Double Feature: Meet Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor at 5 PM in the MAIN THEATER. Ok. That’s a lot of typing, which means we hope you actually bookmark this guide to use it to your advantage instead of having to scroll through every event on every day just to figure out what’s gonna take priority for you. Keep in mind, cancellations are a part of any con, as are schedule changes , so you WILL need to keep the official schedule handy and keep track of the con happenings on social media.  This includes SOME of the programming but there’s plenty more things to do from foam sword battling to make and take crafts, competitions, dating and of course, lots and lots and lots of cool things to spend all your money on.  And, Culture Combine will be there too! If we find you on the floor we might even have some surprises in store! Stay tuned here all weekend to see your beautiful faces in our cosplay galleries and catch up on any panels you missed while you were at others/eating overpriced pizza/sleeping it off/adjusting your cosplay.  Meanwhile we'll be all over Insta, BlueSky and Tiktok with updates from the show floor! We’ll see you out there, NERDS!

It’s the 34th year of Chicago’s very own Lollapalooza, a four day music festival that hits every summer with some of the biggest names in music. This year was no different with some of the noteworthy headliners being Tyler the Creator, Sabrina Carpenter, Korn, and Twice. Even better still, for those like me who want to avoid the crowds, Lollapalooza now streams its main stages on two separate channels exclusively on Hulu, and the results were mixed to say the least.  Originally streaming on Red Bull TV, Hulu now has exclusive rights, but has struggled to organize its streaming process in the past. This year it seems like they’ve finally hit their stride with a single banner for Lollapalooza on the platform that directs you to the two separate channels for their two main stages, as well as a really solid set schedule of performers, dozens of cameras and drones, and a large crowd to cheer them all on. The schedule allowed for a single performer every hour, with about 15 minutes of set up time in between. Everything seemed to run smoothly, and if you paid attention to the schedule, you could watch some of the biggest acts around while sitting on your own couch.  This is where I come in, as someone who goes to shows but steers away from some of the more massive crowds. I thrive in this environment. I can easily pick and choose from the published schedule and even have the concerts running as background noise around my house. It’s a perfect scenario, to sit down for my favorite artists but switch it up when there was a lull. My highlights included Thursdays’ Magdalena Bay and Tyler the Creator, Fridays’ Olivia Rodrigo and Korn, Saturdays’ Clairo and Doechii and Sundays’ Sabrina Carpenter and Katseye. All had stand out moments, like Olivia Rodrigo bringing out Weezer to join them for Say It Ain't So and Buddy Holly, or Sabrina Carpenter bringing out Earth, Wind, and Fire for September.   But the stream wasn’t all good. Bigger name performances were rife with camera issues, stuttering as Hulu struggled to handle the bandwidth, and in the instance of A$AP Rocky, his performance starting late and then getting cut early due to time, leaving fans furious on social media about only getting to see ten minutes of a presumably hour long set. Since the streaming service purchased the exclusive rights in 2022, it’s obvious that Hulu still has room to grow with how it handles live events such as these. Still, I enjoyed much of what I saw and this is still my ideal way to participate in what is one of the biggest festivals in the Chicagoland area. I look forward to the Lollapalooza streams every year, if only to capture a little bit of that magic from the comfort of my home, but it still needs a little shoring up on the part of Hulu.

The Re-Strandening Or Beach’s Revenge Straight out of the brain of Hideo Kojima comes the sequel to 2015's first ever “Strand” game. In it, we play as Sam Porter Bridges, (Norman Reedus), walking from place to place uniting the country by connecting them to the “chiral network.” This chiral network is essentially the internet, providing a way for people to spread information to one another. It’s a dystopian world where everyone is separated into bunkers, and to say the first game was prophetic in the way that it was pre-COVID 19 is an understatement. Now in the sequel, we are back in the shoes of Sam, continuing our expansion into other countries such as Mexico and Australia. Some would say everything that needed to be said was said with Kojima's first story of humanity’s need for connection, but our protagonist Sam is all too quick to quit his quiet life with his Bridge Baby, now regular growing child Lou, and start his journey once again. It’s here that we’re dropped back into our familiar walking simulator, and for those who aren’t aware, that’s exactly what this game is. Traversing difficult terrain while balancing a mini skyscraper of packages on your back again brings back a mix of wonder, scope and even comedy. Kojima has a real eye for creating serene views and moments during regular gameplay. So many times I'd be walking over a particularly rough area, cresting a ridge when suddenly the camera would pan out to a bird's eye view. Suddenly a swell of indie rock by Woodkid kicks in, and boom! We have this  breathtaking cinematic moment. On the other hand, watching Sam carry a comedically large amount of cargo, only to trip over every single tiny rock and collapse in a spray of packages like a buffoonish Mr Magoo is hilarious every single time.  While these things were all also part of the first game, the moments are expanded, as well as pretty much everything in the game. Before, combat was clunky and the fights were few, but now there’s a bigger focus on combat with a lot of new mechanics in play. If you know your Death Stranding lore, you are aware that killing someone can result in a voidout: a massive crater-inducing explosion that can wipe out an entire city. But now, there’s the ridiculous explanation that the world has developed rubber bullet technology that's been developed to such a point that you can eventually acquire a rubber bullet bazooka. Not since Batman Arkham Knight has there been such a ridiculous non-lethal MacGuffin created. Still, combat was always a sticking point for me in the first game and it’s been vastly improved with the rough edges smoothed off -- mostly. The control scheme is still awkward , and missing a quick select still gets punished like a criminal offense. Having to pull up the weapon wheel and click into three menus to get to your weapon is an avoidable chore, but here we are.  It’s a small transgression considering how much combat is de-emphasized, but it's still more of an issue than it was in the first game. What also has been expanded is the traversal. You could obtain trucks and bikes in the previous game but now it's trucks, the tricycle bike and even a monorail system for those sickos who really want to expand the Chiral network. You also get a ridiculous coffin surfboard to travel faster. There’s so many bizarre choices made in the game, like meeting a character named Dollman, a character whose soul or Ka is trapped in a doll. He can be thrown into the air to mark enemies on the map. He’s a ludicrous character in his own right, but giving him combat functionality is just out of this world.  Play It Again, Sam That shows the real highlight in the series: insane character work, and the second hits the same highs as the first. On our travels to unite Mexico and Australia, we amass a cavalcade of characters onboard our roaming base, the Magellan. We have, of course, Fragile played by Lea Seadoux who is doing her very best with the direction given, Tarman, modeled after George Miller but not voice acted, Rainy, and so many more characters, each with interesting backstories. After every mission, I would come back and just go person by person discovering new conversations and world building details. Troy Baker is back as our villainous Higgs, and he is absolutely chewing up the scenery every single time he’s on camera. Kojima really has combined an outlandish collection of stars and personalities. Whatever he’s done I’m eating up every single interaction. I believe in the principle there’s a point in which the wilder and more out of control media is, can increase my overall fun value and when there’s a character that has constant aging rain on her, or a soul inside a wooden doll like what are we even doing? I love all of it. I do wish it was a little more evenly distributed, as the plot really ramps up at the end, with a lot of the first half having very little as far as story. There’s a lot of info dumps happening in the game and people tend to talk at you rather than with you.  That does go into a lot of my feelings on the game as a whole. I am enraptured with the world of Death Stranding 2 and its very particular type of bullshit. You want to explain to me the difference between a Ha and a Ka and how they pertain to the Beach afterlife? Sure! On board.  You want to insert a certain beloved franchise character from a previous series in your game? Go right ahead!  You want to create a work-like walking simulator? I have been known to LOVE work-like games as a means to relax, and boy is this game relaxing. Have you curated and improved on the combat to make everything smoother? Sure did! But in that vein, I’m not so sure it needed to be safer. The particular jank with the combat was because this was a new dev team cutting their teeth, and the game originally didn’t have combat. It was something shoehorned in at the last second. Now it’s an integral part, but some of the charm is gone. Death Stranding 1 was a lovable underdog that tried so hard to be different, but now everything runs so smoothly together that it feels like less of a wacky experiment and more of a ho-hum average B game.  A Walk To Remember Despite all of this, I’m still in love with the world of Death Stranding 2. Delivering packages you find in the environment, or via missions is still inherently fun! Finding the most ideal routes, planning your monorail expansions and working towards that 5 star ranking for perfect package delivery hasn’t lost its luster for me. Maybe I’m Kojima pilled but there’s still so much fun to be found in just the simple act of walking. Hell, half the time the most fun I had were those unscripted organic moments where I was forced to improvise, create my own solution and figure out how to get somewhere while avoiding enemies or massive rivers that had formed during a torrential downpour. The stealth spooky moments are genuinely unsettling and effective, but the voice acting probably needed a touch more direction. Nevertheless, at the end the arduous journey that is Death Stranding 2, I had my loved ones to greet me on the Magellan, and that's all I could ever ask for. Death Stranding 2 is available now.