Previously on Midlife Crisis Crossover, we spent Part One and Part Two sharing nothing but costume pics my wife and I snapped at this year’s Wizard World Chicago comics-‘n’-entertainment convention. In the miniseries finale, we present visible proof that con have other reasons for us to attend, including but not limited to comic books. My biggest victory: after my purchases this weekend, I’m now one issue away from a complete set of reading copies of Power Man & Iron Fist. (Curse you, elusive #123!)

Also, panels can be fun. Unfortunately due to time constraints we only attended one: a Firefly Q&A with costars Alan Tudyk, Emmy nominee Morena Baccarin (Homeland), and Summer Glau (now recurring on Arrow). As one would expect, Tudyk was the chattiest and funniest; Baccarin, the most dignified, but engaging in her own right (and expecting!); and Glau, the undisputed quietest. Best moment: Tudyk reciting a line of his racist character’s dialogue from the recent 42 using the voice of his King Kandy from Wreck-It Ralph.

Hosting the panel was one Jarrett Crippen, best known as the Defuser from the reality TV series Who Wants to Be a Super-Hero? My wife and I, fans of that show’s season 2, met him at GenCon several years ago and get a kick out of seeing him work WWC. (Last year I spotted him working with Stan Lee’s security team.)

Our remaining photos divide into three neat categories:

1. Actors! We spent our first few hours wandering the autograph section, waiting in at least one line that was far longer than I would’ve preferred, seeing my wife through a few much shorter lines, and avoiding the uppermost area crowded with roughly four million Walking Dead fans waiting for a turn with Norman Reedus.

2. Artists Alley! While others sought the “hot” artists in attendance, I made a point of exploring the talent on display in Artists Alley to try a few untested things from several creators, all of whom were a sincere pleasure to meet (not one unsmiling grouch in the bunch), including but not limited to the following:

Sam Sharpe, one of two creators featured in an anthology called Viewotron. His short “Every Celebrity Ever” was the funniest story I’ve read in all my purchases so far.

JC Baez, illustrator of the Bluewater post-apocalyptic graphic novel Things to Come written by the Walter Koenig.

Steve Seeley, co-creator of Hoax Hunters, one of the few Image Comics titles that I don’t think my local comic shop carries.

Lauren Burke and Antonio Maldonado, two of the three driving forces behind P.I. Jane

From New Haven Comics, writer Josh Blasingame and writer/editor Aaron Walther, representing for the anthology Science Hero.

Yeti Press publisher RJ Casey. Of the Yeti titles I’ve sampled so far, I’m most partial to Kevin Budnik’s Our Ever Improving Living Room.

Also met but failed to bring back pics:

* Eisner Award winner Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole)
* Kid Domino assistant editor Alan J. Porter (the forthcoming launch title Forgotten City, featuring work by writer Bryan J. L. Glass and longtime Marvel/DC pro Pat Broderick)
* April Goldenberg (Twisted Toonage)
* Mike Kingston (the wrestling comic Headlocked)

3. Best inanimate objects of show! Two items in particular stuck out to me:

HULK STATUE SMASH PUNY ORGANIC GAWKERS.

Greatest comics-related tattoo I’ve seen all year: Captain Carrot, from DC’s long-lost ’80s series Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew, a beloved relic from my childhood. This fan had many tattoos adorning both arms (you’ll note this photo also includes a recent version of Supergirl and Skywise from Elfquest, though among others I also recognized Polar Boy and Bouncing Boy), but ol’ Cap floored me the most. Alas, no chance of him or his funny-animal compatriots returning within DC’s New 52, I’d wager.

Thanks for viewing! See you next year?