Monsters After Midnight

Pop-Culture Con 2018 By; Gene Stevens

The Author 

Tons of action figures, vendors of goods, Artists, Authors, Celebrities, Gamer’s and Cos-players were all present at the Chicago Pop-Culture Con in St. Charles Illinois. I attended on Saturday. It was a gas to walk around the Pop-con.

 I met a lot of really talented folks dedicated to the art of Pop-Culture from Comics and fantasy to serial killers.  The event filled two large room with artwork, Toys, action figures, books, magazines, antiques (some of which were a blast to my past.)  My favorite part was that classic monster related memorabilia was well represented. Classic horror (1930’s-1980’s) is generally not prevalent  at Comic-con shows, so it was great to rub elbows with Artist, Writers and Celebrities who support this genre. I was pleased to meet a lot of Writers and Artists. I had an awesome conversation with Writer and Movie producer Mark Borowski who has written Books and produced movies about serial killers.

I also met an awesome Artist, Scott Beaderstadt who has produced work for various comics. I purchased a really awesome print from him of Michael Myers.  I think Scott Captured the essence of Michael Myers in his artwork.

Artwork by Scott Beaderstadt, The captured essence of Michael Myers.. Deep, dark and introspective… So much feeling emanating from such a dark subject.. What was in Michael’s pain?

I also met saw the actor Butch Patrick who played Eddie Munster, in the famed 1960’s TV Series “The Munsters” .

             Writer, Warner Todd Huston, Portraying “Svengoolie” With Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster) Photo courtesy of Warner Todd Huston. 

Some fun facts from Butch Patrick’s booth at the Chicago Pop-Con 

A MUCH NEEDED MONSTER-CON;

After attending the show, it occurred to me that the Chicago area in in great need of a Monster-Con. The closest thing we have have near our area, is “Monster Bash” which is held on the east coast.  Lets face it, the monster, sci-fi and horror genre, was founded by the Universal Classic Monsters, starting with the 1931 Dracula, followed by the Wolfman, Frankenstein and later the Creature from the Black Lagoon. These early series laid the groundwork for all of what we now see on the big screen in the genre of fright and awe.  And its time that monster and horror lovers got together to plan a fitting tribute to their horror roots.