It's a beautiful, bright Los Angeles morning when we arrive. The Los Angeles Convention Center is busy but not quite packed yet as we make our way towards the press registration. With our badges hanging around our necks and a guide in our hands, we make our way into the first hall of the infamous Stan Lee Comikaze Expo 2015, and boy we were not disappointed. Storm troopers, State Puff Marshmallow Men, Baymax and more surrounded us as we entered the hall. Booths were brimming with collectibles, artwork and products from some of the leading vendors from around the world. People were stopping every second to take pictures with one another or with the very professional cosplayers in attendance. It was truly a beaming example of fandom and pop culture pride. There were some awesome announcements at the convention. A brand new music video was shown to an eager audience, with the man himself, Stan Lee, there to announce the project, the video was an action based music video from upcoming artists Vy Nguyen ft. jason chu, and premiered on Stan Lee's YouTube network, World of Heroes. The video told the story of an ex-assassin named Rian Leung, who finds herself pulled back into the world of action and death after her old team is compromised. The story is visually incredible, and the music the video helps illustrate is exciting and captivating all at once. Links to the video will be posted below. On top of this announcement and other incredible comic book announcements, celebrities were in attendance to sign and take pictures with the fans. From Manu Bennet of Arrow fame, to some of the seasoned actors of Sons of Anarchy, to the lovely and talente Danielle Panabaker of The Flash, (whom took the time to take a photo with us at the convention). A definite highlight of the event however was the in-depth interview given by legendary actress Summer Glau, of Firefly/Serenity fame. Her humbleness when speaking really brought a realness and likeability to her interview, and to hear her speak on projects so many fans have become overtly passionate about over the years made for a truly unique experience. The stage she spoke at definitely was packed to the gills with eager fans hoping to get insight into their burning questions, and she did not disappoint. Even some rock stars made an appearance at the convention, in the form of international rock icon Yoshiki. He arrived in time to announce with Stan Lee the creation of their collaboration on a brand new graphic novel called Blood Red Dragon, which will be based on the rocker himself who fights the forces of evil through the power of rock and roll music. A twenty minute panel led into a short teaser video which featured an animated look at the project, and featured not only Stan Lee himself, but featured Yoshiki's band, X Japan, and their latest single "Born To Be Free", which is due to be released on November 6th. What was truly a sight to see besides the announcements, booths and celebrities however was the fans themselves. It would not be too far out of the realm of possibility to assume that at least 95% of the attendees at this convention were cosplaying as one character or another. From fun costumes like Deadpool or Baymax, to high grade and high quality productions of people dressed as Loki, a Necromorph from the hit Dead Space franchise, or Jon Snow himself, almost everyone showed up in support of the characters and properties they love, no matter how big or how small the property itself. This convention was not simply about celebrity sightings or purchasing collectibles. This was a calling for fans to come together, and show their love and support of these characters. To see the dedication and hard work that these people put into their costumes, their personas and their experience at the convention showcases a strong movement filled with creative people that should not be underestimated. There was also a large sense of closeness and family bonds at this convention, showcasing that this type of gathering is not simply for a handful of die hard fans, but rather a fun experience that can now be passed down from generation to generation, allowing families, friends and loved ones to bond and grow closer together. Overall, Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo 2015 was one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences this magazine has had the pleasure of covering. The sights, the sounds, and the people made the trip all worthwhile. Getting to meet celebrities who not only embody the characters these fans love so passionately, but to learn how nice, kind and humble they are in the process was truly wonderful to watch unfold. The sheer volume of creative projects this industry has going in a given year is not only great to watch unfold, but increases exponentially as the years go on, and after getting to see how hard the staff worked to put this convention together, we here at On Request Magazine look forward to covering this event every year. Make sure to check out our exclusive photos, as well as the video review of the convention complete with footage of the Summer Glau interview and more. Also be sure to follow the links to the world premiere of the music video down below.
Check out our Comikaze 2015 Photo Gallery HERE!
Want to check out some video footage from the expo? We have a video review for you here: Comikaze Video Review