Philadelphia Comic Con is a crowded, wonderful hoopla

Wizard World’s Philadelphia Comic Con, which stormed through the City of Brotherly Love June 17-19, was a crowded, satisfying event where celebrities signed autographs and numerous dealers sold their many wares.

Held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the annual expo proved to be quite the draw. On Saturday, June 18, the line to gain entry into the center wrapped around the block. Although it was constantly moving, there had to be a multi-hour wait at some times during the day. Such lines can prove to be quite the bummer when one’s enthusiasm level is amped up, but the crowds all seemed to go with the flow.

Once inside, registration and the ballroom holding Q&A sessions were located on the ground floor. Up one flight of escalators was the big room where the vendors and celebrities were located.

The layout was manageable, but the lines around the celebrity tables became so long and confusing that it was difficult to move, let alone grab an autograph. Some of the stars who commanded the greatest interest were Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian from Star Wars and Harvey Dent from Tim Burton’s Batman) and Julie Benz (Dexter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer). A scribble from Lando cost $40, one of the higher priced autographs at the con.

The premier guest was Bruce Campbell, who only appeared on Saturday and was gracious to all of his many fans. Wearing a spotless white tuxedo, his autograph set people back $30, a sum that didn’t seem to deter anyone.

Peter Mayhew, Chewbacca from the Star Wars films, greeted fans as did Adam Baldwin, Pam Grier, Norman Reedus and Vivica A. Fox. Adam West and Burt Ward, TV’s Batman and Robin, had their own alcove to sign autographs. At first, their line was quite busy, but it died down (likely after fans realized how much they were charging for a mere scribble on an 8-by-10 photo).

For my money, Campbell was the nicest, although the many cast members from AMC’s The Walking Dead were nice and cordial.

If there was a little more room to navigate these aisles, the autograph alley would have been perfect. However, with so little room by the celebrities, this did leave ample space for the many vendors on hand. There were a fair number of rare finds to be had, plus several comic book artists set up camp and offered their artistic genius for a nominal fee. One of the largest booths was Avatar Press, which was selling its successful Night of the Living Dead and Crossed comic books.

The upcoming Captain America movie had a fan experience set up in one corner of the expo room, while the creators of the highly original American Ambition comic book greeted fans and offered con exclusives.

Overall, the Philadelphia Comic Con proved to be a dizzying, satisfying experience. With a bigger venue and a little more wiggle room in the autograph alley, just about everything would have been perfect.

Wizard World, which produces the con, knows how to keep its events enjoyable and financially manageable. Entrance into the Phili event was extremely fair: $25 for one day, or $45 for three days. Once inside, it was up to you how much dough to spend on the celebrities and many products for sale.

Trust me, it was difficult not to splurge on everything in sight. The wallet went home much lighter after this con.

• Bubble score: 3 out of 4

• Click here for more information on Wizard World comic conventions.