Batmobile, 'Star Trek' Actors, Comics Artists and More Arrive For Comic Con

If you love comics, TV and movies, if you can hold your own in a sci-fi conversation about Star Trek and if you crave pop culture like X-Men, Back to the Future and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you may just want to head to Comic Con in Rosemont this weekend. 

Billing itself as "North America's largest pop culture tour," Wizard World Comic Con will feature celebrities, top comics artists, vehicles like the Batmobile and lots of autograph opportunities. 

Here's a sampling. Stay tuned to Wilmette-Kenilworth Patch for a special interview with our own expert, owner Vernon Wiley.

Celebrities

• Patrick Stewart of "X-Men" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (Friday and Saturday only)
• Bruce Campbell of "Burn Notice" and "Army of Darkness" (Saturday and Sunday only)
• Lou Gossett Jr., Academy Award winer
• Felicia Day of "The Guild" (Saturday and Sunday only) 
• Christopher Lloyd of "Back to the Future" and "Taxi" (Saturday only)
• Morena Baccarin of "V" and "Stargate SG-1" (Saturday only)
• James Marsters of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (Friday through Sunday)
• Emmy Award Winner LeVar Burton of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Roots"
• Peter Tork of "The Monkees"
• Phil Ortiz  of“The Simpsons”
• Emmy Award Nominee Mimi Rogers of "Austin Powers" and "The X-Files"
• Pam Grier  of"Smallville" and "The L Word" 
• Grammy Award Winner Tia Carrere of "Wayne's World" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
• Julie Benz of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Desperate Housewives"
• Vivica A. Fox of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Kill Bill"

Comics Creators

• Jim Cheung (“Avengers,” “Uncanny X-Men”), 
• Brian Azzarello (writer, “Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance,” “100 Bullets”), 
• Dave Johnson (“Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance, 100 Bullets”), 
• Patrick Gleason (“Batman and Robin”), 
• Michael Golden (“Spider-Man,” “Hulk”), 
• William Stout (Paleontological Artist), 
• Larry Elmore (“Magic: The Gathering”), 
• Ben Templesmith (“30 Days of Night”), 
• Greg Horn (“Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark,” “Hero For Hire”), 
• Freddie Williams II (“JSA All- Stars”), 
• Arthur Suydam (“Marvel Zombies,” “Army of Darkness”) and hundreds of others.

Chicago Comic Con is the seventh stop on Wizard World's 2011 North American tour. It will be held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. 

Hours are Thursday, August 11, 5 – 9 p.m.; Friday, August 12, noon - 8 p.m.; Saturday, August 13, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Sunday, August 14, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tickets are available in advance online at http://www.wizardworld.com/chicago.html at a savings over tickets purchased at the door. Advance adult single-day tickets are priced at $25 ($35 on site); four-day all-session tickets are $50 ($60 on site), and tickets are free for children age 10 and under when accompanied by a paid adult (limit two children per adult). VIP packages with special entry and exclusive items are also available on a limited basis.

Stay tuned to Patch for more Comic Con celebration coverage.