Wizard World Philadelphia 2017 has come to a close and…The Nerd Stash couldn’t have been happier to attend. We saw some fantastic cosplay, fun panels, great movies and plenty of celebrities to go around. The Nerd Stash also got to interview Lou Ferrigno. We heard about current projects he’s working on, why the Hulk will not be CGI again and Body Building. Unfortunately, Mr. Ferrigno had to take an emergency call but he did tell us about his “Ferrigno Fit” off camera before we left. Wizard World was an amazing time this year and had a fantastic setup. In addition to each day, we took pictures of the cosplay. Cosplay is one of my favorite things at Wizard World or any Con for that matter. I have seen some cosplayers be just as swamped for pictures with fans as I have celebrities at these events. It’s incredible to see the amount of time, effort, and love many of these individuals put into their cosplay. I’d love to give you a run down of OUR experience. First Black Panter Photo released.
Unfortunately, due to a family commitment, we missed Wizard World on Thursday. Friday, the crowd was lighter and checking in was easy and painless. Friday was also the day we were able to interview Lou Ferrigno. We did have the chance to interview Barry Bostwick (Rocky Horror Picture Show) but it became too late in the day and we weren’t able to snag it. Friday also granted us the opportunity to see Thomas Ian Nicholas play Tekken 7 in the gaming section. This is one of the things that makes Wizard World an exclusive experience. Here you have a movie star, just taking time away from his signings to play in the video game section. Now, maybe you could experience that elsewhere but I haven’t come across it. It’s an experience that makes Wizard World unique, being able to turn around and see a celebrity unexpectedly playing Tekken 7.
Saturday we got experience Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown in VR on the Playstation 4. I have to tell you it was quite the experience. Having the ability to look all around the aircraft and at enemies while not being bound by the limits of a TV screen was incredible. We were also told that at the moment, Wizard World was the only place where you could currently get a hands-on demo. One of the best panels I was able to attend Saturday was “Everything you ever wanted to know about voice acting with Lex Lang and Sandy Fox”. This is one of the panels that makes Wizard Word unique. I’m an aspiring voice actor myself and I actually spent some money to take 8 classes on Voice Over. I would say about 75% of the information I received from those eight classes, Lex and Sandy provided in the hour and a half panel. They even had people from the audience come up and do some voice work.
Wizard World also provided panels for Photography, Cosplay, Jedi Training, Princess Productions, Movie Screenings, Comic Artists and much much more. Now, don’t get me wrong there’s plenty to do at a Wizard World event. You have artists alley, vendors, celebrities, and gaming sections but…some of the panels that Wizard World provides make them alone, worth attending the event. Wizard World did have some cancellations this year in Philadelphia. The one that generated the most buzz was Paul Bettany who canceled on Friday for a Saturday appearance. Wizard World was on their game when it came to refunds and almost everyone I talked to was understanding. Mr. Bettany was stuck filming and couldn’t make it. While it is unfortunate that these things happen, understand that cancellations are out of Wizard World’s control.
Sunday we attended the Jesse Eisenberg panel, as well as the “Boy Meets World” panel. It really is quite of bit of fun to see the human side of these actors and the different experiences they go through on set. It’s also great to see just how much many of these actors appreciate the fans and are eager to answer questions about their career, films, and experiences. The only negative I heard regarding celebrity panels was about John Cusack. I heard to didn’t seem like he wanted to be there, was very basic in answering questions and left 15 minutes early. These are not my words but are of a trusted colleague outside of The Nerd Stash. While it’s unfortunate to hear, many fans did enjoy meeting him in person.
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Lastly, one of my absolute favorite things about Wizard World is the cosplay. I would say 9 out of 10 cosplayers I meet are an absolute treat to be around. They’re friendly and eager to have their picture taken. A good cosplayer will easily get just as much attention as some celebrities and they aren’t even getting paid. Make sure you check out the gallery of the cosplayers I did get. Unfortunately, one or two are blurry. I was using a new camera this year that I simply didn’t have the time to learn all the ins and outs. Cosplay has grown so much over the years and I’m privileged to be able to showcase the ones I was able to photograph.
Did you attend Wizard World Philadelphia? If so, what did you think? Be sure to let us know in the comments below. Also be sure to check out this weekend’s top Steam Sales.
