DeKalb | Graham Crackers Comics is preparing for its Friday trip to the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, or C2E2.

McCormick Place hosts the annual convention, housing comic vendors, authors, illustrators and celebrities of the comic book world.

Even though C2E2 is a smaller event, Kevin Healy and Charles Fischer, Graham Cracker Comics managers, said they always enjoy this convention.

“Generally we have a few booths,” Healy said. “One will sell all our trade paperbacks, and the other booth directly across from us sells Silver Age and older comics.”

Healy has worked at Graham Cracker Comics since 1997, when a Downers Grove comic book store was bought out by the chain. While attending NIU, Fischer would buy his comics from Graham Crackers. Fischer became “the Tuesday guy” when he first started, and now is a manager of almost six years.

What excites Fischer and Healy most about C2E2 is being able to find comics collectors or retailers may not be able to get in DeKalb, let alone the state. There are vendors who come in from as far as Alaska.

Fischer and Healy, along with a few others, run the booths and work together to help every customer.

“Everybody who is there wants to be there,” Fischer said. “Of the two Chicago shows, this is my favorite. And it really has an impact, seeing all the publishers, on someone who is going for the first time.”

The cost for a weekend pass to C2E2 this year is $60, whereas Rosemont’s August Wizard World is $94.95.

“I may get to go this year,” said junior kinesiology major Joey Ryan. “My funds are tight being a college student, but I can buy my tickets at the comic book store and save a couple bucks.”