Welcome to a dream come true
– Corey Taylor
Those familiar with the Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman may know that particular quote, as he’s often heard to say it while performing in front of a particularly large crowd. I find those words quite appropriate to describe this past weekend, which I’m about to detail. While it may be hard to pick which year’s Astronomicon was my favorite, 2022’s event may go down as the most memorable for myself and many others.
This time taking place at Burton Manor in Livonia, Michigan on April 22-24, the fan favorite convention known for uniting horror, comic books, pro wrestling, and music boasted what was perhaps its most impressive showroom size yet. Attendees looking to get their mitts on comics, toys, masks, and other paraphernalia had ample room to do so. In fact, I was quite ecstatic to finally get my hands on a McFarlane figure capturing the likeness of Robert Pattinson’s Batman that wasn’t the common defective version – and at an affordable price, no less.
Living up to the precedent set in previous years, the guest lineup this time around was certainly nothing to sneeze at. In all honesty, Astronomicon has been amassing some of the most impressive lineups of any convention in Michigan. In addition to the aforementioned Corey Taylor (more on him later), veterans of the Halloween franchise forced fans to turn out in droves. Representing Rob Zombie’s contributions to the lasting legacy were Tyler Mane, Scout Taylor-Compton and Danielle Harris, with the Shape who started it all in 1978, Nick Castle, rounding out the pack.
Elsewhere, Charmed alumni Holly Marie Combs and Brian Krause made for some great last minute additions to the show, with other actors such as Judge Reinhold (Beverly Hills Cop, The Santa Clause), Bill Moseley (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects), Richard Brake (Batman Begins, Game of Thrones) and David Howard Thornton (Terrifier) being some of those signing autographs and posing for photos.
Corey Taylor
Danielle Harris
Dirk Manning
Envy The Green Fairy
Guardians of Hope
Nick Castle
Richard Brake
Twiztid
Tyler Mane
I would be remiss if not mentioning the pro wrestling legends who showed up. Believe it or not, both Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman were there for those of you are “nWo 4 Life,” with Rick and Scott Steiner and the Godfather not far away. Representing today’s crop of talent was that of AEW star Danhausen. And while we’re mentioning athletes, let’s not forget how four-time Stanley Cup Champion Darren McCarty stopped by on Sunday.
As usual, Twiztid and many other Majik Ninja recording artists popped in for meet-and-greets. Actually, I did get to have a nice conversation with Jamie Madrox on Sunday, and I thanked him for helping put on a show that continues solidifying the convention scene around here.
On that note, I would like to extend my thanks to the guys in Twiztid and the other organizers involved who managed to book Corey Taylor. You see, I’ve been a Slipknot fan since 1999, so a dream that I’ve had for the past 23 years finally came true. For the Slipknot fans who are reading this, you know what it’s like for those of us who’ve had their music help us through the most difficult of situations. Truth be told, I shared an encapsulation of my story that I won’t detail here with Corey, and it was great seeing the genuine concern he shows for his fans firsthand. Even though I had a press pass, I sprung for a Corey Taylor VIP pass and had a blast at his panel. This was an experience I’ll never, ever forget.
I believe the location and dates for 2023’s Astronomicon have yet to be announced at the time of this writing, so it’s advised that you stay tuned to their social media pages for breaking news. Suffice it to say, I can’t wait to see what lies ahead.
