As noted in this week's cover story, traveling comic con Wizard World returns to St. Louis April 4 through 6, bringing with it nearly unlimited nerdery. Over the weekend, tens of thousands of cosplayers, comic-book collectors, video-game enthusiasts and casual lookyloos will gather for all manner of pop culture in the America's Center downtown (though Wizard World's photos on Facebook suggest record crowds will push the convention into the larger Edward Jones Dome), and one of the big draws for fans is meeting revered celebrities from The Walking Dead, Doctor Who and Firefly.
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Indeed, St. Louis will become the setting for a living People magazine, with Firefly's Nathan Fillion, Batman's Adam West and Burt Ward, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Eliza Dushku and Lord of the Rings/The Goonies' Sean Astin all roaming the Dome. But two of Wizard World's most-anticipated guests have connections to St. Louis.
William Shatner, who played "Captain Kirk" on the original Star Trek television series, will join The Evil Dead actor and Burn Notice star Bruce Campbell at Wizard World this weekend, with both stars scheduled for Q&A panels and autograph sessions on Saturday. In our chats with the legendary actors, we found out enough neat stuff to beam us up and raise the undead.
Campbell will claim some family time while he's here. "I've always enjoyed St. Louis because, you know, it's the classic 'Gateway to the West,'" Campbell says. "All my relatives, my wife's relatives are from St. Louis, so when I go there, I'll be spending as much time with relatives as with fans."
Campbell's St. Louis clan will form their own mob at Wizard World. "Oh yeah, they'll come out. Believe me," Campbell says. "How many tickets do we need, like eighteen? Something like that."
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Shatner has horsed around in the Gateway City. I used to go to a horse show all the time in Queenie Park [the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show] that actually has a class has my name on it," Shatner says. "It's called the Shatner Class as a result of my interest in Western horses as well as in American saddlebreds. I've been to St. Louis many times in that competition."
Shatner has a taste for quality St. Louis eats. "I know the barbecue there very well," he says.
Continue for Campbell's admiration for a star from The Walking Dead and Shatner's excitement for his one-man show.
