Last weekend I ventured into uncharted territory. I attended the annual Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) held at Chicago’s own McCormick Place Convention Center. Commonly referred to as “Comic Con” by its very passionate and devoted fan base, the best way to describe C2E2 is by the vast amount of people who take part in dressing up as their favorite comic book and video game superheroes/ villains for this grand event. Here are just a few choice examples:

But this vast annual convention is not just an excuse to put together the finest and most intricately detailed costume you can design (one which would surely impress your inner middle/high school self); it is actually a ridiculously profitable event aimed at a very specific target market: those whom are quite passionate about comic books. Passionate enough to not only act the part, by dressing up in some of the most detailed costumes you will ever see, but also devoted enough to spend like crazy. Estimates for the mother of all Comic Con’s (the one in San Diego) project an overall economic increase of almost a half billion dollars ($488.4 million to be exact) for 2013 through 2015.

I only got a chance to attend the Chicago convention, but I can vouch that this place was a vendor’s paradise. Representatives from every single major comic book company, along with special celebrity guests, speakers, and even available classes on current trends within the industry, how to start your own company, and my favorite: a class on Measurement in the Comic Con world, were ever present. This place was an Entrepreneurial Marketer’s dream come true.

Besides for the incredible opportunity to take pictures of real-life personifications of my favorite childhood heroes, C2E2 did an astounding job in bringing together very convincing and positive Brand Representatives and Imagery in a way I have never seen before. These marketing “role models” of sort not only literally embodied the various brands that were present, but also fundamentally perpetuated the vast revenue streams that flowed throughout the event. From a Brand perspective, Chicago’s version of Comic Con did not disappoint in the least, pumping me up for 2015’s convention.

The only thing I might add is a cape next year.