CatBusRuss survived the blood loss, his social inadequacies, and the poor scheduling by ReedPop, and came out with quite a rewarding day at C2E2 2025. The new tattoo that is sure to upset the customers that mock him for wearing a face covering was the priciest investment. Outside of that, only spending a $110 at the con and $140 at New Japan Windy City Riot for collectables makes it seem like he won the day. On top of that, he was able to watch a good Netflix Original movie, "Extinction" to warm up for the con that decided to deprive most of its attendees "Here and Back Again: The Lord of the Rings Reunion". Screw you if you think we are all going to whip out our phones and pay $6 to stream it.

CatBusRuss and ThePoeticCritic are a bout to hit the road once again to make their annual pilgrimage to McCormick Place for the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo b.k.a. C2E2. Thus, there is a lot of preparation needed for this trip, even if our host is getting locked out of the overloaded celebrity line up on Saturday. Despite the frustration, Russ wants to still get in the mood for the show and give the audience a paywall-free version of the first C2E2 he reviewed on "Ninety For Chill", 2022.

Was it better than Fan Expo Chicago 2022? Who did he come to see? Did he do much to promote the NinetyForChill: The #Podcast? Cosplay's premier "Captain N: The Gamemaster" may finally be getting the nerd recognition he deserves. Or is he still pumped from the Danhausen photo op?

C2E2 2022: Calls for ”Life Force” & Ideal Cosplay - August 5, 2022

Cool Movies Darth sums up the first day of this year’s Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo. He attended the Channel Awesome & Nerds Know panel sandwich and offended Twitter with his takes on proper cosplay etiquette.

C2E2 Day 2: The Disney+ Main Stage - August 8, 2022

CM Darth was able to make up some sleep. With the Starbucks providing him the wherewithal to go back and get his badge, he was able to leave a main stage seat indentation for Billy Dee Williams, the “Kenobi” supporting players, and an Irish Michael Rooker.

CatBusRuss left Indiana Comic Con extremely honored by who he was able to share panels with. They were all inspirational.

In the event of the "Was 1985 the Greatest Year in Movies?" panel, he got to speak with filmmaker and founder of the Gal's Guide Women History Library, Dr. Leah "Riwo" Leach. Our podcast host may come off as a cinematic know-it-all, so it was great that he was partnered up with a feminist who has created films, something CatBusRuss still aspires to do (Check out MainEventOfTheDead.com to find out more about his pro-wrestling, zombie-comedy script).

Each panelist came into the panel with a thesis. CatBus thought that 1985 was a year the year 1982 finally got its flowers. Harrison Ford received his only Oscar nomination for "Witness", but he should have got one for "Blade Runner". John Carpenter's "Starman" had lasting box office success, but that should have occurred with "The Thing". Steven Spielberg was being taken seriously as an artistic director with "The Color Purple" despite "E.T." was just as dramatic.

Riwo, being a Twin Cities gal, thinks 1985 is remembered so fondly thanks to Prince and Musicland forcing "Purple Rain" to be an affordably priced VHS tape. We did not have to go to the theater anymore to love these films, so the initial box office suffered for this.

Our two movie experts and the audience talk about a wide range of films. Russ's homework from the week prior served well as he could talk to the audience about "Better of Dead" and "The Last Dragon". Riwo got to head into the two remaining days of the convention knowing that there would people checking out her panel about the fortieth anniversary of "Clue". And the "I Dig Crazy Flicks" host gets to contemplate whether his childhood development was stunted by not getting to see "Weird Science" and "Life Force" as a five year-old. Maybe he should have graduated in 1998 instead of being a year older than his classmates, Mom.