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Show Promoter,
Bob Zurko zips around
the large Grayslake
Antique Market in
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Chicagolandz
Pop Culture
Vintage & Modern
Massive
Comic Con!!!
Next dates &
info to be
announced!!
Celebrities, Comic Book
Collectors Convention
By Leslie Hague - Chicago Daily Herald Staff Writer
Kevin Leonard braved a fever and a long drive to make it to a comic book and toy
convention on Sunday in St. Charles, IL. And he was rewarded.
"This was suppose to be $100," said the Island Lake 10 year-old, proudly holding
up a limited-edition Wolverine figure from the "X-men" series. "But it was open
so it was marked down to $18. And I got it for $15."
Comic and celebrity hunters from all over the area attended the first "ChiagolandZ
Con: The Grand National Comic Book and Toy Convention" at the DuPage Expo Center
in St. Charles, IL this weekend.
More than 100 vendors sold everything from life-size cutouts of Frankenstein and
blankets adorned with images of Lucille Ball's and Bob Marley's faces to just
about every comic book imaginable. But for many of the convention goers, the
highlight was the actors, comic book illustrators and directors who spoke and
took pictures - some charged a fee, some didn't - with fans.
Larry Thomas, better known as the "Soup Nazi" from "Seinfeld," signed ladles and
cans of soup with "No soup for you!" Kane Hodder, who played "Jason" in some
"Friday the 13th" films, posed for pictures with his hands around fans' necks.
"It's a good part-time weekend job," said Scott L. Schwartz, who calls himself
the "Ultimate Bad Guy."
The bald-headed, stony-faced actor has appeared on the "Buffy the Vampire
Slayer" series but is likely best known for being "Bruiser," the casino security
who took George Clooney's character into a back room in "Oceans Eleven."
"When you're growing up and dreaming of being an actor, isn't that the ultimate
dream?" he joked. "What guy in America doesn't dream of beating up George
Clooney?"
A few tables over, Ernie Hudson, best known as Winston Zeddemore from the
"Ghostbusters" movies, chatted it up with fans - kids and seniors.
It was a bit of a homecoming for him. Growing up, he spent most of his summers
in Elgin, where an aunt and uncle lived.
Hudson likes meeting fans, he said, events like this give him a break from
Hollywood.
"You don't get this in Hollywood, hearing what people think, what they have to
say," he said.
But if you're thinking of telling him a certain catchphrase, he has heard it
before.
"Hey Ernie, "Who ya gonna call?" he said, shaking his head. "They always say it
like I never heard it before."
Promoter Bob Zurko said he is planning an October 2005 event similar to this
weekend's hit.
"The whole combination - the celebrities, the comic book artists, the dealers -
has a lot of people interested," Zurko said.
Comic Book Convention continues today
in St. Charles, IL
By Paul Dailing - Chicago Kane County Chronicle
Look! Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? "Superman!" yelled 4 year-old
Malik Ledbetter, pointing in the air. "I like Superman."
He might not have been pointing at the Man of Steel himself but a model behind
his father, Rage Ledbetter of Elgin, but Malik knows his favorite hero.
The first ChicagolandZ Con was the first comic book convention for Malik and his
brother Zachary Ledbetter, 9. The convention is at the DuPage Expo Center in St.
Charles, IL and runs from Saturday to today (Sunday March 6th, 2005). Part of
the proceeds are donated to the Shriner's Hospital for Children and the Red
Sneaker Funds, which benefits adolescent burn victims.
Rage Ledbetter said he saw the convention as a chance to introduce his sons to
his favorite hobby. "I thought this one wouldn't be as overwhelming as some of
the ones in Chicago," he said. This show turned out to be a big event.
The ChicagolandZ Con will become a regular event, said promotor Bob Zurko. A
longtime promoter of Antique Shows, Zurko created the con to highligh one of his
hobbies, to help Shriner's charities and give fans a chance to see "unique
items, celebrities, and nation-known comic artists."
He said the convention will stay at the Expo Center, and the next one will be a
Halloween-themed convention October 1-2, 2005.
While the Ledbetters looked for Teen Titans comics - Zachary's favorite - others
were at the convention to sell.
Kevin Nagel might live in Wheeling, but he grew up in St. Charles. He was at the
event to promote his independent comic book, "The Saints."
The Saints are a group of eight superpowered St. Charles East High School
Students who fight crime under the name of their school's mascot.
When Impact and Impulse, Chicago's super-team, are killed by The Anarchists, The
Saints - Mr. Lightning, Firebird, Firebug, Nightwasp, The Scarlet Serpent,
Shockwave, Cygnus and Bug Boy - are asked to fill the void.
Nagel said he did not start writing comics until after college. He wrote for the
comic "Draculina" before creating Saturn Comics company and "The Saints."
He said he had been interested in comics since childhood. "Growing up, me and my
friends would make up stories, and I thought that was so cool," said Nagel, who
writes under the name David Lee.
Who Ya Gonna Call?
Greg Justice and his "significant other" Alaina call themselves the
Detroit Ghostbusters, mainly because they are from Detroit and dress as
Ghostbusters. "It's a blast," he said. "People eat it up 20 years after the
movie came out."
The two were at the convention for fun and funds, trying to save the Los Angeles
firehouse used as the Ghostbusters' base in the 1984 movie. They are part of an
effort to convert the firehouse into a community center.
Actual Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore in the film and
its 1989 sequel, could not legally sell any memorabilia, just photo ops and
autographics.
"My signature is what I feel is mine that they don't own," he said.
Hudson, who spent summers in Elgin as a child, said he always will be Winston to
many people despite his many TV and movie roles.
"It's nice to be part of something that people like," he said. "If people hated
it, it would be different."
He said he regretted never being asked to do the voice of Winston for "The Real
Ghostbusters" cartoon.
"Arsenio Hall did the voice in the cartoon, and I didn't see why that had to
be," Hudson said.
Larry Thomas
Larry Thomas knows where he would be if not for his incredible fame.
"Right now, I'd probably be putting on some little tiny play of my own, building
the sets myself, trying to get the actors to be the crew as well," he said.
But Thomas, or at least his role on "Seinfeld" as the Soup Nazi, is famous.
Thomas was selling autographed ladles and soup cans, mostly saying "No soup for
you. Larry Thomas, the Soup Nazi."
"If I use the term 'Soup Nazi,' it has to be in connection with my name," he
said. "Otherwise Castle Rock Entertainment will be upset with me."
Thomas has met Al Yeganeh, the surly soup seller who inspired the "Seinfeld"
character.
"We had a nice conversation," Thomas said. "He gave me free soup."
For those who want to know, Thomas had the bisque.
For More Information Contact:
Zurko Promotions
211 W. Green Bay St., Shawano, WI 54166
Tel: 715-526-9769
FAX: 715-524-5675
Internet:
ROBERTZURKO@AOL.COM
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