For the first time in nearly twenty two months, C2E2 returned for a weekend of cosplay, gaming, panels, and much more. You would think that the ongoing pandemic would have made C2E2 2021 less fun, but that was not the case at all.
Big name celebrities such as John Cena, Hayden Christian, David Hayter, and Giancarlo Esposito were the draws of the show. Also to note, the All Elite Wrestling superstars had the biggest line of the entire weekend. When you have names such as Matt Hardy, Orange Cassidy, and CM Punk appearing in C2E2 under the AEW banner, there will be fans lining up to see them.
But like for any of the guests, it is the first time since the pandemic started that fans of all fandoms are seeing them in person. There were safety measures that were enforced the whole weekend at C2E2. These included proof of vaccinations, plexiglass at the photo ops area, and for masks to be worn at all times on the show floor and in the panel rooms.
Speaking about the show floor, the iconic C2E2 red carpet that covered the entire floor was nowhere to be seen. The same thing happened at New York Comic Con, but it was at this show where I noticed it more. I asked a representative of ReedPop why this decision was made and I was told it was because of the ongoing pandemic. I really felt for the cosplayers who had on heels or footwear that is not built for concrete.
Another thing that was sad to see at this year’s C2E2 was the lack of vendors. Over at New York Comic Con 2021, there were less vendors, but they managed to fill up the empty space. Here at C2E2, it was not a good impression at a first look. I can also say that it was a good thing that I easily walked the entire show floor this time around.
With that out of the way, I enjoyed what was offered at this year’s C2E2. I hope when the show returns in 2022, C2E2 will be back to the scale that it once was before. Now it is time for the best of cosplay! All the photos were shot and edited by me!
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