I love comic books.

The Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo is coming to Chicago from March 18-20, and I wish I could go.

I almost want to quit my band so I don’t have to be on tour the weekend of C2E2. Having been to a couple of comic conventions in the past, I can safely say that they are some of the most fun, pretense-free conventions in the world. It is the one time a year where “noobs” (people who don’t know anything about comic books) can mingle with the elitists with no judgment or hostility.

The last time I went to the Chicago Comic Con, I embarrassed myself in front of a couple of Walking Dead illustrators, did the nWo high five with Kevin Nash, met some of my favorite web-comic artists, and spent way too much money for a slice of pizza.

This year’s C2E2, held in McCormick Place in Chicago, looks to be even cooler than the ones I went to in the past. Garth Ennis, the writer for some of the coolest graphic novels in the world, like Preacher, will be there. It would be my fanboy dream to nerd out with him about Tulip O’Hare, the coolest female lead in any comic book series I’ve ever read. The wrestling nerd in me wants to hang out with Jerry “The King” Lawler. Once again, Comic Con is a well-rounded event for people who have even a passing interest in comic books. Junior English major Kevin McKenzie-Koons, the owner of a real cool pair of DC headphones, told me his coolest Comic Con story.

“[I went to the] Marvel Mega Tour ‘93,” he said. “I went with my dad and we saw [Spider-Man creator] Stan Lee signing stuff. My dad asked for an autograph for me, but Stan totally blew him off. That was the day I started favoring DC and Image.”

How cool is that? Well, it sucks to be blown off by Stan Lee, but to even see him and have a personal anecdote about it is really awesome. This is the kind of stuff you can have happen at Comic Con.

I spent an hour last night in the computer lab looking at all the cool guests.

“[I’m looking forward to] the Fables and Green Lantern panels, as well as seeing Patton Oswalt,” McKenzie-Koons said.

Patton Oswalt is probably our best living comedian. Green Lantern is probably one of the coolest contemporary super heroes.

The panels are fun, and while paying 20 bucks for a Polaroid with some washed up sitcom star is kind of pricey, you can always stand five feet away from them, snap your own picture and run away. Take that, Willis from Diff’rent Strokes.