New Jersey Horror Con March 2023

On the weekend of March 25, 2023, my friend Freddie and I headed out to the latest edition of New Jersey Horror Con. The weather was kinda shitty, and seemingly impacted the amount of fans in attendance. But, we had a great time regardless and met a bunch of cool celebs.

The first one I went up to was the lovely Nancy Loomis. Best known for playing Annie in John Carpenter's Halloween, she's also appeared in other favorites like The Fog and Assault on Precinct 13 (both also from Carpenter). She was the person, I must looked forward to meeting the most. She is, after all, my favorite of the three girls in the slasher classic. She was very sweet in person and talked to both of us for a good amount of time. We also learned that she teaches theater acting nowadays.

Next was John Dugan who played grandpa in Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and a couple of its sequels. He was awesome and an absolute riot in person! He talked to us for a good amount of time, as well, telling us about what an absolute hell it was to shoot the classic dinner scene in TCM. And, then he even broke into a song, something about me, Gio, and us drinking cheap wine. Dude is one of the coolest celebs ever!

Tom O'Connell played Darth Vader in the recent Obi-Wan Kenobi series; a show I really enjoyed. And, as some of you probably know, I am a lifelong Star Wars fan. Something I let him know. He smiled and said he was too! He was really nice, and it's great to meet someone who played the latest incarnation of one of my favorite characters (one I cosplayed as some years ago). And, before you ask, yes I did meet David Prowse, who originally played Vader, many years ago at a Fangoria Weekend of Horrors.

Mike Hughes is someone I've wanted to meet forever. He of course played Gage in the original Pet Sementary, a movie I like. But, it's really for his role as Heather Langenkamp's son in Wes Craven's New Nightmare, a movie I love. He was a really nice and friendly guy, in person.

The last person that I went up to was Eileen Dietz who was the face, in make-up, of course, of Pazuzu, in the horror masterpiece The Exorcist. She was incredibly sweet in person and talked to us for a good chunk of time. Turns out she is a fellow New Yorker! It is so rare to get anyone from William Friedkin's classic, that isn't Linda Blair, to appear at a con. And, being how much I adore that movie, that I was pumped to meet her! 

That was a way to end the con on a high note for us. After walking around for a bit more, we headed home. I didn't buy any merch, but I did get three of my movies from my collection signed:
Nancy Loomis: Halloween
Eileen Dietz: The Exorcist
John Dugan: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Next up for us, will probably be Chiller at the end of this month. Any of you going to that? Did you go to this con? What were thoughts and experiences at it? Let me know in the comments section below.

Read More

New York Comic Con 2022: Friday

Friday, October 7, 2022, at New York Comic Con had me debuting the first of my two new cosplays: Obi Wan Kenobi. This was my first time, doing a true Star Wars cosplay. As while, I had done Darth Vader at Chiller in 2015, it was just a thrown together costume, and not a full blown cosplay. At least, that's how I feel. Anyway, the first thing on my schedule was the Chucky panel (the only panel I was able to get/ had lined up to attend). But, before hand, I had to battle the Darth Vader bride! I LOVE this cosplay, by the way!

Anyway, the Chucky panel was great. A bunch of the cast and crew was there and they answered some fun questions and played some cool clips and videos. Panels were the only place the mask mandate was enforced. If someone didn't have a mask on, they handed one to them. That being there were a few inside who still didn't wear one, cause wearing a mask is so difficult isn't it?! 

Here are some of my favorite cosplays that I saw that day:

These two were dancing up a storm and having a genuinely fun time. As well, as attracting a crowd of their own.

While, I had a great time, on all of Friday, the honest to God highlight of the day (and certainly one of the top highlights of the entire con) was this following interaction. I saw this awesome cosplay of a Batman Returns Catwoman. Someone was taking her pic, and I asked her if I could take one next. She said sure, but when she looked up and saw my Obi Wan cosplay, she asked if she could take one with me! I answered of course! I felt so vey flattered, that it felt like that was the right thing to end the day with.

I'll end this post with a pic of me in said cosplay, before I put on my robe and headed to Comic Con earlier this day.

Next up, fun times on what is usually the biggest day at Comic Con: Saturday! Note, that I said usually...

But, before that be sure to click on the bottom link and see what happened on Thursday!

New York Comic Con 2022: Thursday

Read More