FanExpo Boston was this past weekend, and it was a blast! I took a break from going to conventions when the pandemic hit and this was my first one back to normal. I have not been to FanExpo Boston in a few years and my first thoughts coming into the convention were that it has really improved. It felt more organized and easier to navigate compared to the first time I went in 2017.
Something that caught my attention about this year’s show was the huge Star Wars presence. Guests included Ewan McGregor, Ashley Eckstein, Ming-Na Wen, Giancarlo Esposito, and Anthony Daniels. I only attended day two of the convention but I got to see so much of what the expo had to offer including collectibles and an artist alley. It was truly an out-of-this-world experience!
Interactive experiences
There were a few Star Wars photo experiences. There was a droid set up with R2D2, Chopper, BB-8, and even the astromech from the Galactic Star Cruiser SK-620. Boba Fett’s throne, the Hoth base, and an animatronic Grogu with IG-11 were there as well.
A few times I passed by the sets there were Star Wars cosplayers taking pictures with people throughout the day. It was so nice to see cosplayers take the time to pose with people for photos. I have to admit it felt pretty cool sitting on Boba Fett’s throne and seeing Chopper in person was exciting.
Another cool experience convention goers could enjoy were iconic cars from movies and TV shows. The Pizza Planet truck from Toy Story, the Jurassic Park Jeep, and the Ghostbusters car were huge attractions. Fans could take pictures with the cars and a few tables had prizes they were raffling off for Funko Pops from the movies.
Another iconic car in the middle of the convention was the Batmobile from the live-action 1966 Batman show. This Batmobile is a treat to look at. It really makes you think about the evolution of the Batmobile and how cool that car was back in 1966.
Artist alley at Fanexpo Boston
Artist alley is one of my favorite parts of conventions! Not only are there amazing artists to meet and incredible art to purchase but writers were there as well. I got to stop by Erin Lefler’s (artist) table and picked up a couple of pieces of her art. Then I went over to Heather Antos’ (artist) table and got an adorable Ms. Marvel drawing. I highly recommend checking out these artists: especially if you are looking for some Marvel or Star Wars art.
I also had the pleasure of talking with comic book artist Keith Williams. He has done pencil and inking for Marvel and DC and his most notable work is Superman, Iron Man, and She-Hulk.
Another person in comics I got to meet was writer Charles Soule. Soule has written She-Hulk, Daredevil, and Star Wars comics for Marvel. He also wrote Star Wars: Light of the Jedi which kicked off the new High Republic series. We talked a little bit about his Daredevil run from 2015 and how much he enjoyed writing it. I even got a signed Daredevil comic from him.
Meeting the stars of Star Wars
The highlight of FanExpo Boston was meeting two of my favorite Star Wars actors, Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano) and Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi). I got a photo with Ewan and If you’ve ever done a photo op at a convention you know it goes by super quick. Even though my time meeting Ewan was short it was still very memorable. I only got to introduce myself and tell him how much I loved Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was so kind and I just wish the experience lasted longer.
On the last day of the convention Ewan did a panel, below are some highlights from Twitter and Fanexpo’s Instagram.
Please just watch his reactions to some of these questions and his laughter. 2:11 of just Ewan McGregor gold. This man is a gem pic.twitter.com/LQJqRItRWt
— Lui (@dinsdjarin327) August 14, 2022
For Ashley Eckstein I wanted one of my Ahsoka Funko Pops signed but Ashley’s line was so long employees had to give tickets out to come back later. I was one of the people that was given a ticket and it was worth the wait. She was incredibly kind, and I got to talk to her about how amazing Ahsoka is and her brand Her Universe. If Ashley Eckstein is going to a convention near you and you are a fan of Ahsoka I highly recommend going to her panel and meeting her if you can.
One of the best moments I witnessed @FANEXPOBoston = #AshleyEckstein, one of the last big names in the building, signing for fans up until the final moments of the con. An amazing ambassador for #StarWars. “Impressive. Most impressive….”@HerUniverse @CelebWorx #FANEXPOBoston pic.twitter.com/uvhuXfzQIl
— John Bishop (@jmbishopjr) August 15, 2022
She takes her time to speak to every fan that waits for her and answers all your Star Wars questions (at least what she’s allowed to say). The convention ended at 7 PM, she was the only person who still had a line for autographs and she stayed past 8 PM to make sure everyone got an autograph or photo.
Final thoughts on FanExpo Boston 2022
Overall FanExpo Boston 2022 was a great time and I’m very thankful I had great interactions with everyone I met. I will most likely attend FanExpo Boston next year and I’m already looking forward to the guest announcements. If you’re looking for a fun and easy first convention to go to (and you’re in the New England area) I highly suggest going!.
For more on FanExpo and their other convention dates around North America check out the official website. Did you go to FanExpo Boston this past weekend? Do you plan on going to any conventions this year? Let’s talk about it @mycosmiccircus on Twitter. If you haven’t already, check out some of our other Cons and Travel coverage, including this piece by Ayla Ruby from Awesome Con about Hayley Atwell’s marvelous return!
Hayley Atwell on a New Return to Peggy Carter
