Review: Walker Stalker Con 2014

The Chicago Walker Stalker Con I attended was in March of 2014 at the Donald J. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. I attended with zero expectations because I had, quite literally, only found out about it that week. I saw the guest list (about 50% of the primary cast of The Walking Dead as well as Bub from Day of the Dead) and that was the only advertisement I needed. I showed up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and I was not disappointed.

I've attended a fair number of conventions in the Chicagoland area, including C2E2, Wizard World, Flashback Weekend, and Cyphan (RIP). While I don't want to knock any of those conventions (except perhaps Wizard World), this was BY FAR the best convention I've ever attended. It was well organized and low-key, while still providing a high-quality, professional convention experience. The attendance was reasonable: busy enough to feel like a legit convention experience without being so overwhelming that I felt like a small face in a zombie hoard.

The guest list was phenomenal. It was one of those conventions that you went to with a budget for autographs and then tossed that budget to the curb so damned quickly because how could you resist getting autographs from these excellent guests? To name a few, Walker Stalker Con Chicago 2014 featured Greg Nicotero (Walking Dead make-up effects guru), Steven Yeun (Glenn from The Walking Dead), Lauren Cohan (Maggie from The Walking Dead), Chad Coleman (Tyrese from TWD), Soniqua Martin-Green (Sasha from TWD), Michael Cudlitz (Abraham from TWD), IronE Singleton (T-Dog from TWD), Melissa Hutchinson (Clementine from Telltale's The Walking Dead video game), Jay Bonansinga (Author of Rise of the Governor and other TWD novels) and Sherman Howard (Bub from Day of the Dead). That's a guest list worth paying the VIP ticket price for.

In addition to the sheer volume of actors and other zombie players at the con, the panels were excellent as well. With a pretty reasonably priced VIP pass, I was able to get very close for all the panels. Even those with general admission were often invited to move forward. That's a positive vibe that you just don't get at other conventions. The actors were very candid in panels as well, and since there were so many different actors from The Walking Dead, you didn't have a one-size-fits-all TWD panel. Instead, you got to see Michael Cudlitz speak on Abraham for an hour. IronE Singleton got a full hour to be the wonderful and unique individual that he is. And, in addition to the actors, behind the scenes players like Greg Nicotero, Jay Bonansinga, and Melissa Hutchinson each got full hours in the spotlight which they probably wouldn't get at other conventions. All the panels were engaging and seemed very intimate.

And if you didn't feel you got your questions answered in panel, the greatest thing about Walker Stalker Con was that the guests were completely accessible to the fans. For some of my favorite side characters (Alanna Masterson and Lawerence Gilliard Jr just to name a few) there was virtually no line. You could just walk right up and not only get your autograph in an expeditious manner, but you could also chat with the actors and tell them how much they mean to you. You didn't feel like you were holding up a line or wasting their time. I've rarely felt that vibe at other conventions. But it wasn't just because the convention wasn't busy; it was also because the guests seemed genuinely happy to be there. They didn't seem uncomfortable talking to the attendees. I genuinely felt, and I don't even think this is naivete, that they wanted to talk to their fans. Greg Nicotero sat in the audience for many of the panels and even celebrated his birthday with the guests, birthday cake and all. You didn't feel a line between guests and attendees--we were all just zombie-lovers spending a weekend together.

For many of the guests, you could also get pictures at the table for an additional fee rather than having to go through the secondary line at the photo op booth. And these weren't just your standard "stand side by side and smile awkwardly" pictures. Brighton Sharbino (Lizzie from TWD) was doing pictures where she pretended to suffocate you just like she did to Judith. Chad Coleman had his signature hammer on the table for pictures, and IronE Singleton was hugging every attendee with a  kindness you don't find many places. It certainly caused me to shell out a few extra bucks because you just don't get experiences like that every day.

Overall, I had an absolutely wonderful time, and I can't wait for them to return in 2015. Even though the current guest list includes many of the people I've already met, it's still worth it to me to have that communal experience of basking in the glow of all things zombie. Walker Stalker Conventons began in Atlanta and extended to Chicago as their first new city in 2014. Obviously, it was a success, as they're now in seven different cities for the 2014-2015 convention season. They'll be back in Chicago on February 21st and 22nd, 2015 at Navy Pier.

Walker Stalker Con is a great gift to the zombie-loving community, and I hope others are able to attend their kick ass events. They've extended guest lists to include classic zombie actors from Night of the Living Dead as well this season, so if you love the zombie genre, Walker Stalker Con is an absolute must.

Review: Episode 2 of Telltale's Walking Dead

Well, it's better than going out to the movies and it's half as expensive. That's right. I spent my Wednesday evening like any self-respecting geek should: sitting on my couch and taking in Episode 2 of Telltale's Walking Dead game. Almost a month late from its anticipated monthly release, this game was certainly a tease...but now that I've bedded the beast, I must say that it was worth the wait.

You can check out my review of Episode 1 right here, and I wouldn't proceed any further on this review if you haven't played the first episode yet. This episode was so packed with suspense that it will be difficult to review without giving away too much of the good stuff as it is.

Episode 2 jumps Lee, Clementine, and the group forward about three months. They're still in the motel, but they're starving and even more at each other's throats than usual. After making the difficult decision of whom to feed and whom to leave hungry, you embark on the main narrative of the episode which is sure to have you paying attention to every detail.

My favorite thing about this episode was that it built consistent and realistic tension in a variety of ways. You didn't have moments where you could let down your guard, sigh, or grab a quick trip to the bathroom. Instead, I was planted to my sofa for the two hour duration of the game play. I was fully engaged in the decision making, and I found myself really stressing the decisions--even the seemingly minor ones. Even more so than in Episode 1, Episode 2 feels like a fairly realistic scenario. Often it's difficult to know what the "right" choice is, and there often isn't a way to please everyone or look like the plucky hero. This makes the game satisfying in its honesty and commitment to truthful storytelling.

My only major complaint would be that during a couple of sequences, I felt smarter than the game was allowing me to be. I saw a few things before they came, which helped add to the suspense, but it also made me frustrated that I couldn't say or do the appropriate thing to act on my suspicions as I would have in real life. Still, it obviously only made me want to play that much more. I would also say that the character of Larry made me want to hurl my controller on more than one occasion, but a strong emotional response is the sign of a captivating game. Lastly in the "negative" department, this episode was a little light on the zombie combat, but if you've read any of my posts, you'll know that that isn't the main thing that makes zombie drama compelling to me anyway. Despite the absence of zombies, there's no shortage of life or death situations. In fact, I think I died almost twice as many times in episode 2 as I did during my first crack at episode 1.

I hope it doesn't take them two more months to come out with Episode 3. It's going to be a long summer if I can't swing some punches with my man Lee Everett until the end of August. For now, start playing Episode 2! Xbox users can download the episode starting today for 400 points ($5), but PS3 and PC/Mac users will have to wait until Friday. Or, you could just buy an Xbox like us cool kids.

Review: Tellltale's The Walking Dead

Telltale games released the first episode of The Walking Dead game to PC/Mac, Xbox, and PS3 this week. This afternoon, after 2.5 hours of supremely focused game play, I immediately headed to their website to see when I'd be able to continue to play with the next episode...only to find out they're only releasing one a month! AHHH! Patience FAIL!

So, needless to say, I enjoyed the game. The gaming style was really the kind of game play I can get into; it was primarily based on character interactions and decision making. There was some zombie killing action, but really not very much. This isn't the next Left 4 Dead, but I think it's something just as special and engaging.

The game follows the story of Lee Everett, a man on his way to prison for murder when the zombie apocalypse hits. After his cop car crashes, Lee finds a young girl, Clementine, and the two team up to face a bleak and dangerous world. From there on? I can't really tell you what happens because that will be determined by the decisions that YOU make. And, unlike in some games, the decisions are reasonable and your response choices are realistic. I didn't feel like I was forced to say anything in the game that I really wouldn't have said in real life.

In episode one, Walking Dead fans will enjoy seeing Herschel and Glenn as well as the Greene farm. The world seems to be a comic-television show hybrid. For example, Herschel only has two kids (like in the show), but his farm looks a lot like the comics. In fact, the animation was very reminiscent of Adlard's work which gave it a familiar feel.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing and I can't wait until next month! Download the game on Telltale's website or on your Xbox/PS3. I opted for the XBox version and was happy with the choice.

News: Kirkman's Georgia Invades Your PC

Telltale Games, a PC game developer, will be bringing Kirkman's Walking Dead world to life...or...well, interactive two-dimensional cyber life...super soon. The first episode of their Walking Dead adventure game is slated to be available at the end of April. If you preorder it now, however, you'll be entered into a contest to be animated into the fourth episode of the game. Kind of exciting? A bit, yes.

I'm not really sure how this one slipped by me for so long; I feel super late to the party. I've wondered why they didn't make a video game of The Walking Dead for a while now, but it seems like they were already on it. There's so much more information to explain and I'm sure many questions to answer, but I'd suggest you watch the video below instead of just listening to me regurgitate information. The video is a bit long, but it features a very informative interview with the game designers.

And this video will give you a little preview of the graphics and narrative...pretty cool...