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The Awesome Fest Presents: Bruce Campbell’s Horror Film Festival At Wizard World Chicago Comic Con

A128_C004_0914N5.0003031FPhiladelphia’s The Awesome Fest, in partnership with Wizard World Inc. and horror icon Bruce Campbell, announced the first ever Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival, running August 21-24, 2014 in Rosemont, IL. The four-day event will coincide with Wizard World Chicago Comic Con and will feature the best in independent horror cinema with a full slate of film premieres, panels, special guests, movie marathons, and of course, Bruce Campbell!

The festival will take place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, the Muvico Rosemont, and inside the Dome at Rosemont Ballpark.

Tickets for ALL screenings are free to attend with admission to Wizard World Chicago Comic Con. A limited number of festival badges, with exclusive access to the screenings, are on sale now for only $50. Badges for the festival can be purchased through www.theawesomefest.com and www.wizardworld.com.

Early next year, March 6-8, 2015, Bruce Campbell will return to Chicago to emcee his recently announced Horror Fest, also presented by Wizard World Chicago. Fans can expect to see some of their favorite genre stars, directors and writes from great television shows, movies, graphic novels, and comics.

The Awesome Fest Presents: Bruce Campbell’s Horror Film Festival 2014 Program

Feature Presentations:
ZOMBEAVERS
Chicago Premiere
(Director: Jordan Rubin, Writers: Jordan Rubin, Al Kaplan, Jon Kaplan)
An action-packed horror/comedy in which a group of college kids staying at a riverside cabin are menaced by a swarm of deadly zombie beavers.Yes, really.That’s the plot!

KILLERS
Chicago Premiere
(Directors: The Mo Brothers, Writers: Takuji Ushiyama, Timo Tjahjanto) A dark look into the minds of two men with nothing in common: Nomura, a self-obsessed serial killer residing in Tokyo and Bayu, a failing journalist who lives in Jakarta. Connected through a series violent incidents, both men inexplicably start to feed off each other. (Not literally). Co-directors “The Mo Brothers” (Macabre, V/H/S/2) deliver an epic tale that works as action, suspense, and disturbing horror at the same time..

ASMODEXIA
North American Premiere
(Director: Marc Carrete, Writers: Marc Carrete, Mike Hostench) Written by Mike Hostench (Deputy Director of Sitges Film Festival), Asmodexia documents five days in the lives of an exorcist and his granddaughter working in the Barcelona area. If you think you’ve seen every exorcism angle imaginable, prepare to be surprised. And a little grossed out.

SUBURBAN GOTHIC U.S. Premiere (Director: Richard Bates Jr., Writers: Richard Bates Jr., Mark Bruner) Raymond can channel the paranormal, but he’s afraid of chatting with a cute girl.. Kicked out of his big city apartment, Raymond returns home to his overbearing mother, ex-jock father, and beer-bellied classmates. But when a vengeful ghost terrorizes the small town, Ray recruits Becca, a badass local bartender, to help solve the mystery. From the director of the admirably strange Excision, and starring Matthew Gray Gubler, Ray Wise, and Kat Dennings.

STARRY EYES Chicago Premiere (Director: Kevin Kolsch, Dennis Widmyer, Writers: Kevin Kolsch, Dennis Widmyer) A hopeful young starlet uncovers the ominous origins of the Hollywood elite and enters into a deadly agreement in exchange for fame and fortune. From the producer of Cheap Thrills and Jodorowsky’s Dune, Dennis Widmyer & Kevin Kolsch’s Starry Eyes is an occult tale of ambition, possession, and the true cost of fame. Leading lady Alex Essoe is an absolute revelation, but there’s a lot for horror fans to get behind here.

EXTRATERRESTRIAL Chicago Premiere (Director: The Vicious Brothers, Writers: The Vicious Brothers) A group of friends on a weekend trip to a cabin in the woods find themselves terrorized by alien visitors, who promptly chase everyone all over the place. So it’s a slasher movie, a suspense thriller, and a pretty gruesome alien abduction tale all at once. Plus it’s got some solid humor and an amazing final shot. From the directors of the found footage horror flick Grave Encounters. Oh, also Michael Ironside pops up!

DEAD SNOW 2: RED VS. DEAD (Director: Tommy Wirkola, Writers: Stig Frode Henriksen, Vegar Hoel, Tommy Wirkola)
If the worst day of your life consisted of accidentally killing your girlfriend with an axe, chain-sawing your own arm off, and watching in horror as your closest friends were devoured by a zombified Nazi battalion, you’d have to assume that things couldn’t get much worse. In Martin’s case, that was only the beginning. From the director of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters and (of course) Dead Snow.

CYBERNATURAL
Special Screening
(Director: Levan Gabriadze, Writer: Nelson Greaves)
While video chatting one night, six high school friends receive a Skype message from a classmate who killed herself exactly one year ago. A first they think it’s a prank, but when the girl starts revealing the friends’ darkest secrets, they realize they are dealing with something out of this world, something that wants them dead. Told entirely from a young girl’s computer desktop, Cybernatural redefines ‘found footage’ for a new generation of teens. From producer Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch, Wanted).

INNER DEMONS
Chicago Premiere
(Director: Seth Grossman, Writer: Glenn Gers)
Inner Demons follows an ‘Intervention’-style reality show crew that films an episode about a sixteen-year old girl, a former A-student, who is fighting addiction but may in fact be suffering from something even more destructive: demonic possession. Director Seth Grossman was a producer on A&E’s award winning series “Intervention,” which certainly lends an air of authenticity to a gradually more unpredictable horror story.

MEET ME THERE
Chicago Premiere
(Director: Lex Lybrand, Writer: Brandon Stroud)
After several years of sexual dysfunction, Ada and her boyfriend, Calvin travel to her hometown in rural Oklahoma in the hopes of piecing together her fragmented childhood memories. They find their answers, but can they find their way back home? Starring WWE’s Goldust & DC Comic’s Jill Thompson.

Interactive Panels:
BRUCE CAMPBELL VS. THE AUDIENCE
Best known for his roles on the big screen in cult classics Army of Darkness and Evil Dead, as well as his role as Sam Axe in the hit TV series Burn Notice, Bruce Campbell has proven to be a force to be reckoned with as an actor, director, and author. Don’t miss your chance to ask him your most interesting questions as he makes an appearance at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con.

A CHAT WITH JOHN CARPENTER
Join us for this very special occasion as we honor the Master of Horror with a conversation spanning his entire career.

THE MANY TALENTS OF JON SCHNEPP
(Metalocalypse, Dethklok, The ABC’s of Death, The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened?)
Death Metal is the horror genre of the music industry and Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse may just be its greatest tribute ever. Join us as we chat with one of the masterminds behind that show (and so much more), as well as his discuss his upcoming feature: The Death of “Superman Lives.”

THE EVIL DEAD MARATHON!
The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead 2 (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992)
You’ve almost definitely seen the Evil Dead movies before, but we guarantee you’ve never seen them like this! Join us under The Dome at Rosemont Ballpark as we screen the original entire Evil Dead trilogy on a giant 30 foot movie screen.
Special surprises, and guests TBA. This marathon is completely FREE for all to attend! No badges or Wizard World ticket necessary.

A CRITICAL DEFENSE OF B-MOVIES
Panel discussion and Q&A with film critics Steve “Capone” Prokopy (Ain’t It Cool News), Erik “The Movieman” Childress (Chicago Film Critics Association), & Scott Weinberg (FEARnet, The Horror Show). Special guest filmmakers will also be joining the panel!.
More to come….

Adams, Yu, Albuquerque, Larroca Headline More Than 315 Comics Creators At Wizard World Chicago

unnamedNeal Adams, Leinil Yu, Rafael Albuquerque, Salvador Larroca and Jim Cheung are among the more than 315 comics artists and writers scheduled to attend Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 21-24 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. It is largest and longest-running of the 16 events in the 2014 series produced by Wizard World, Inc. and will also feature more than 50 celebrities as well as a variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions.

Mike Zeck, Marv Wolfman, Arthur Suydam, Greg Horn, Rob Prior, Andrés Guinaldo, Alvaro Martinez, Carmen Carnero, Michael Golden, James O’Barr, Mike McKone and many others will appear in Artist Alley throughout the four-day convention.

In addition, VIP attendees will receive a free copy of Guardians of the Galaxy #17, featuring an exclusive variant cover drawn by Martinez. Many other artists will have exclusive lithographs and prints, provided free to VIPs and available to all fans for purchase.

David Boreanaz, Norman Reedus, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, Katie Cassidy, Patrick Stewart, William Shatner and comics legend Stan Lee top the celebrity roster at the event. Wrestling fans are geared for the appearance of five WWE standouts, including WWE Superstars John Cena, Batista and Bray Wyatt, WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino and WWE Diva Paige.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Wizard World Chicago Comic Con show hours are Thursday, August 21, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, August 22, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 23, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, August 24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Big Bang Theory Duo Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar To Make Wizard World Debuts At Chicago Comic Con August 23

Simon HelbergSimon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar, two of the stars of the long-running hit Emmy nominated TV series The Big Bang Theory, will make their respective first Wizard World appearances at Chicago Comic Con, Saturday, August 23, only, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. The duo, who portray best friends Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrapali, respectively, will meet fans, sign autographs, pose for photo ops and conduct a joint interactive Q&A session.

Helberg, whose Big Bang comedic timing and witty one-liners have endeared his character to fans and critics alike, recently won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. His feature directorial debut, We’ll Never Have Paris, was well received at the 2014 South by Southwest Film & Music Festival.

Prior to Big Bang, Helberg starred in Aaron’s Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip which took place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show and starred Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford.

Kunal NayyarNayyar was a newcomer to the TV scene before landing the role as the sometimes awkward astrophysicist Koothrappali role on Big Bang. In addition to guest starring roles on NCIS and Sullivan & Sons, Nayyar voiced Gupta in the animated feature Ice Age: Continental Drift and has a role in the independent film Dr. Cabbie opposite Adrieanne Palicki and Mircea Monroe.

The duo join David Boreanaz, Norman Reedus, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, Katie Cassidy, Patrick Stewart, William Shatner and comics legend Stan Lee among the celebrities scheduled to attend the event, set for August 21-24. Wizard World Chicago Comic Con is the largest and longest-running of the 16 events in the 2014 series produced by Wizard World, Inc. and will also feature a top-drawer collection of well-known comics artists and writers and a variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Wizard World Chicago Comic Con show hours are Thursday, August 21, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, August 22, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 23, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, August 24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wizard World Presents Star Trek: TNG Panel Featuring Sir Patrick Stewart At Wizard World Chicago

chicago star trekFans of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the highly successful 1987-1994 follow up to the original Star Trek television series, are in for a special treat as six of its stars reunite for a unique celebration of the 20th anniversary of the program’s final episode on Sunday, August 24 from 5-6:45 p.m. “Captain Kirk” from the original, William Shatner, hosts as the “TNG” bridge crew of Sir Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, and Gates McFadden relive the memories of the program’s seven-year run.

The event will be held at the Rosemont Theater (5400 N. River Rd., Rosemont). Tickets range from $30 to $150; more information available at wizd.me/StarTrekTNGChicago. A Wizard World Chicago Comic Con admission is not required to attend the TNG reunion panel, but William Shatner Platinum VIPs are admitted free with Tier 1 seating.

Shatner is a one man force of nature who delivers a larger than life performance complete with his laugh-out-loud humor and signature storytelling in his inimitable style. Fans can enjoy this rare and special appearance produced in conjunction with Lightspeed Fine Arts. All ticket buyers receive a limited-edition lithograph exclusive to this event.

The Emmy Award and Tony Award nominee Stewart, who has performed in more than 100 television and film roles, will also attend the convention, signing autographs, posing for photo ops and greeting fans on Saturday and Sunday.

Marvel Comics Guardians of the Galaxy #17 Variant Comic At Chicago Comic Con

guardians of the galaxy wizard world chicago variantMarvel Comics and Wizard World, Inc. have revealed their Guardians of the Galaxy #17 convention variant, drawn by Spanish native Alvaro Martinez. Just in time to celebrate the blockbuster movie, VIP attendees at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 21-24 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, will receive a free copy of the limited-edition book at registration.

Martinez is scheduled to be on site at the event to sign copies (autograph fees may apply). Leading professional comic grader CGC will also be on hand to accept books for grading and Signature Series.

The exclusive version of Guardians of the Galaxy #17 will be limited to 4,000 copies and provided free at registration to all Wizard World Chicago Comic Con VIP attendees, including any celebrity VIP packages.

The cover features several Guardians characters, including Drax the Destroyer, portrayed by Dave Bautista, who will be a guest at the event on Saturday, August 23, and available to autograph copies of the comic. Castmates Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker are also scheduled to attend the show.

Martinez has worked on numerous Marvel titles, including Cataclysm: Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Comics X-Men and Iron Man Annual Vol. 5. The native of northern Spain (Cantabria) previously drew Harbinger #10 and Archer & Armstrong #9, gaining the attention of Marvel.

For more on the 2014 Wizard Chicago Comic Con, go to .

Boreanaz, Reedus, Smith, Gillan Headline Wizard World Chicago Comic Con Celebrity Roster

matt smith gillanDavid Boreanaz , Norman Reedus, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, Katie Cassidy, William Shatner and comics legend Stan Lee are among the celebrities scheduled to attend Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 21-24 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. It is largest and longest-running of the 16 events in the 2014 series produced by Wizard World, Inc. and will also feature a top-drawer collection of well-known comics artists and writers and a variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions.

Reedus and Cassidy are scheduled to appear on Saturday and Sunday, August 23-24; Boreanaz and Shatner will attend on Friday and Saturday, August 22-23; Smith and Gillan are set for Saturday only; and Lee will be on site Friday through Sunday.

Popular celebrities on the Wizard World Chicago Comic Con roster include a host of The Walking Dead cast members, including Reedus, Danai Gurira, Scott Wilson, Sarah Wayne Callies and Michael Rooker.

Wrestling fans are geared for the appearance of five WWE standouts, including WWE Superstars John Cena, Batista and Bray Wyatt, WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino and WWE Diva Paige.

Star Trek: The Next Generation enthusiasts are in for a special treat as six of its stars reunite for a unique celebration of the 20th anniversary of the program’s final episode. The “TNG” bridge crew of Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, and Gates McFadden relive the memories of the program’s seven-year run. Shatner will also host a special panel with the six on Sunday, August 24 from 5-6:45 p.m.

Others attending the Midwest’s largest pop culture festival include Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Peter Criss, Anthony Mackie, Evan Peters and Booboo Stewart of X-Men: Days of Future Past, John Carpenter, Bruce Campbell, James Marsters, Nicole Beharie, Elvira, Jason David Frank, J. August Richards and Lou Ferrigno.

Superstar comics creators scheduled to attend include Neal Adams, Leinel Yu, Rafael Albuquerque, Salvador Larroca, Jim Cheung, Emanuela Lupacchino, Mike Zeck, Marv Wolfman, Arthur Suydam, Greg Horn and many others.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Wizard World Chicago Comic Con show hours are Thursday, August 21, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, August 22, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 23, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, August 24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place all three days at the event, with celebrity Q&A’s, the Wizard World Film Festival, comics-themed sessions, costume contest, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Sunday, June 1, is also Kids Day, with an array of activities and programming specially designed for the younger Wizard World fans.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention floor, often stopping by the Show Stage, the ideal place to see and be seen.

Five WWE Stars At Wizard World Chicago Comic Con

Wizard World announced WWE Superstars John Cena, Batista and Bray Wyatt, WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino, and WWE Diva Paige are scheduled to greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photo ops at its biggest and longest running event, Wizard World Chicago Comic Con on August 21-22-23 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.

Cena will appear on Thursday, Aug. 21, from 3:30-7:30 p.m.; Bray Wyatt and Paige will attend on Friday, Aug. 22, from 3:30-6:30 p.m.; Sammartino is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., and Batista is slated for Saturday from 2-5:15 p.m. followed by aGuardians of the Galaxy panel at 5:15 p.m. Tickets for all events are extremely limited.

In addition to the five WWE stars, top celebrities scheduled to attend Wizard World Chicago Comic Con include David Boreanaz, Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Anthony Mackie , Norman Reedus and many more.

It is the 10th of 16 events in the 2014 series produced by Wizard World, Inc. and will also feature a top-drawer collection of well-known comics artists and writers and a variety of activities, exhibitors and special attractions. Wizard World Chicago Comic Con show hours are Thursday, August 21, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, August 22, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 23, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, August 24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Zenescope’s 2014 Age of Darkness Tour

zenescopeZenescope Entertainment has announced its tour dates for the 2014 Age of Darkness TourAge of Darkness encompasses their Grimm Fairy Tales series which features classic characters and locales (Wonderland, Neverland, Oz, Robyn Hood, Red Riding Hood, Van Helsing, Captain Hook, the Dark Queen, etc) that have all been operating in their own titles. Age of Darkness books bring these characters together in a modern setting for a story that will have an impact the Zenescope titles across the board. The culmination will be in Grimm Fairy Tales #100. Let the countdown begin!

Wizard World Portland – Portland, OR – January 24th-26th
Amazing Arizona Comic Con – Phoenix, AZ – January 24th-26th
Wizard World New Orleans – New Orleans, LA – February 7th-9th
Wizard World Sacramento – Sacramento, CA – March 7th-9th
London Super Comic Con – London, England – March 15th-16th
Mega Con – Orlando, FL -March 21st-23rd
Emerald City Comic Con – Seattle, WA – March 28th -30th
Wizard World Louisville – Louisville, KY – March 28th-30th
Wizard World St. Louis- ST, Louis, MO – April 4th-6th
Marble City Comic Con – Knoxville, TN – April 11th-13th
Salt Lake Comic Con – Salt Lake City, UT – April 17th-19th
WonderCon – Anaheim, CA – April 18th-20th
C2E2 – Chicago, IL – April 25th-27th
Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo – Calgary, AB – April 24th-27th
Wizard World Minneapolis – Minneapolis, MN – May 2nd-4th
Motor City Comic Con – Farmington Hills, MI – May 16th-18th
Indiana Pop Con – Indianapolis, IN – May 30th-June 1st
Wizard World Atlanta – Atlanta, GA – May 30th- June 1st
Phoenix Comic Con – Phoenix, AZ – June 5th-8th
Denver Comic Con – Denver, CO – June 13th-15th
Wizard World Philly – Philadelphia, PA – June 19th-22nd
Florida Super Con – Miami, FL – July 3rd-6th
San Diego Comic Con – San Diego, CA – July 23rd-27th
Boston Comic Con – Boston, MA – August 8th-10th
Wizard World Chicago – Chicago, IL – August 21st-24th
Fan Expo – Toronto, ON – August 28th-31st
Dragon Con – Atlanta, GA – August 29th-Sept. 1st
Wizard World Richmond – Richmond, VA – September 12th-14th
Cincy Comic Expo – Cincinnati, OH – September 19th-21st
Pittsburgh Comic Con – Pittsburg, PA – September 26th-28th
Wizard World Nashville – Nashville, TN – September 26th-28th
Alamo City Comic Con – San Antonio, TX – September 26th-28th
Wizard World Austin – Austin, TX – October 2nd – 4th
New York Comic Con – New York, NY – October 9th-12th
Wizard World Ohio – Cincinnati, OH – October 31st-November 2nd
Comikaze – Los Angeles, CA – October 31st- November 2nd
Wizard World Tulsa – Tulsa, OK – November 7th-9th
Wizard World Reno – Reno, NV – November 21st -23rd

The company will be exhibiting several exclusives, many artist signings and plenty of giveaways and coupons. The company also screens the Grimm Fairy Tales Animated pilot and holds a panel at many of these conventions.

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