Fandemic Tour brought a variety of pop culture icons to NRG Center, including several cast members of The Walking Dead (Norman Reedus, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Stephen Yeun, and Pollyanna Mackintosh), a Smallville reunion (Tom Welling, John Schneider, and Michael Rosenbaum), legend Bruce Campbell, Guardians of the Galaxy's Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, and Chris Sullivan, wrestlers Paige and Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Superman Dean Cain, Boondock Saints' Sean Patrick Flannery and David Della Rocca, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Clare Kramer, and quite a few more.
The celebrity guests could usually be found at their tables signing autographs, but there were also scheduled photo ops where you could have your photo taken with your favorites, and many of the guests did panels upstairs where they spoke to guests about their various projects and answered audience questions. I was able to attend the panels for Michael Rooker, Bruce Campbell, and Sean Gunn and Chris Sullivan. Being the bucket lister I am, I took the opportunity to ask them what was on their personal bucket lists. Michael Rooker said he doesn't have one and just takes life as it comes. Bruce Campbell marked the number one thing off his bucket list when he was able to watch a movie he was in, in the movie theater he frequented. Chris Sullivan wants to get a tattoo. I highly recommend attending the panels, as you can get so much insight into the movies and shows, as well as the personalities of the celebrity guests. I have to say that all of the above I saw were hilarious and highly entertaining, and were also amazing with their fans. Bruce Campbell called one fan's father and spoke to him on the phone, brought a fan on stage for impromptu acting lessons, and told part of a story while laying on the floor. Michael Rooker walked around the room talking to his fans. You just never know what will happen!
In addition to the celebrity guest panels, there were also other panels you could attend upstairs. I attended panels for casting with resin, body painting for cosplay, and a Hamilton sing along with some adorable kids. Not only were the panels a great break from walking around on the main floor, I learned quite a few things about casting and body paint. I honestly think I may have gained a new hobby with making items from a casting mold. That's something for the bucket list for certain!
One of the coolest parts of the convention, to me, were the artists that were in attendance. My husband and I were able to get ourselves drawn as The Simpsons characters by actual The Simpsons artist Phil Ortiz and colored in by Hanna Barbera artist Tom Cook. We also met original Jim Henson cartoonist Guy Gilchrist, who drew my very favorite Muppet, Sweetums, for me. I will treasure these illustrations for ever and already have them hanging on my wall at home.
And of course there were vendors galore, selling a myriad of toys, autographs, comic books, art prints, cosplay items, soap, and more. My favorite were the authors, being the bookworm that I am. I spoke to several and was very impressed at how great their books sounded! I can't wait to read them.
I had an amazing time and am already very excitedly looking forward to next year, to see what else I can cross off my bucket list at Fandemic. Here are some more of my favorite photos from the Fandemic Tour convention! Hope to see you all next year.
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