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This time, we are going to talk about my recent trip to C2E2 2022.

Hey, Comic Convention Fans! C2E2 just ended, and this guy had a good time seeing a lot of his old cosplay friends and walking the well-polished halls of McCormick Place once again.

I know many were upset about the absence of carpeting this year, a factor which a lot of people were attributing to sore feet, legs, and knees. ReedPop is standing by their reasoning it’s more environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, it’s not as joint friendly for the rest of us, including ole Reptile here. The lack of carpeting made walking on the heavily padded carpeting by the C2E2 merchandise counter feel like you were walking in heaven. I guess the environment didn’t matter in that area.

Another thing missing this year was the much beloved Marvel booth. Marvel, if you’re listening, please come back and fill that void in this nerd’s heart with all your Marvel goodness. Your cosplay contests, and being part of them, were the reason for many Marvel-themed cosplays.

Better things about C2E2 this year included the wider aisles, which seemed slightly enhanced by the fact that attendance seemed to be lower. There was a good amount of competition for patrons this year with Bristol Renaissance Faire, Anime Magic, Gen Con, and Flashback Weekend horror con all happening at the same time in the same region. C2E2 has traditionally been the Chicago area’s spring season comic convention. Having it in the summer made you feel like you were in Atlanta instead of Chicago and just felt wrong to many. The good news is the con will be moving back to spring next year (March 31 – April 2, 2023), thus kicking off the convention season once again.

The first time addition of celeb Rosario Dawson was a huge plus in my book. I’m hoping it’s not a one-time deal. The addition of the One Piece booth this year was a very colorful and fun sight for all the anime fans, in all its own cartoony glory with a good amount to see at this stop alone.

I also liked the placement of the Maid Cafe this year. It was much easier to notice and to access. This year also seemed to have less food vendors but more seating. More seating is always good at a convention of this size, but the addition of more and/or better food vendors would be a plus for the congoers. The return of the shuttle buses from the parking lot was another welcomed old friend.

The vibe of the convention, in general, this year was pretty flat. It just didn’t seem to have the same excitement and energy I look forward to each year, which is saying a lot as I always tell people C2E2 is my favorite convention in the Chicago area.

For Reptile, I give C2E2 2022 3 out of 5 stars.

This has been another addition of Reptile’s Random Reviews.