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Walker Stalker New Jersey 2017 Recap

Walker Stalker New Jersey 2017 Recap

Posted by Jade Nicolette on 14th Dec 2017

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

In October, The Walking Dead celebrated its 100th episode on AMC, and simultaneously kicked things off with the season eight premiere of the beloved series. Featuring deep-rooted themes of sacrifice, love and survival, The Walking Dead has amassed hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe, all united through the motto of, “The Walking Dead Family” or #TWDFamily. Last weekend, we were given an exclusive glimpse into The Walking Dead fandom while attending our first Walker Stalker Convention on the East Coast.

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

“There are no other fans like fans of The Walking Dead,” Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan mused during his panel, adding that there’s certainly no annual conventions for other television shows like “Grey’s Anatomy”. Although for most Walking Dead fans, the actor is best known for his nefarious role as Negan, Morgan also had a brief stint as Denny Duquette in the medical drama series. Based on this weekend’s events, we’re certainly inclined to agree, and we were thrilled to be able to cover the action-packed event.

Photo Credit: Bosslogic

During Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s panel, one of the major reveals was that Morgan is seriously considering joining the DC Comics universe. Based off of his comments, a digital artist called Bosslogic reimagined Morgan as Batman in a new Flashpoint film, and the results are amazing! Fingers crossed that we’ll be hearing more details about this potential match up soon.

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Whether you’re familiar with the series or not, you’ve probably already gathered that SFX makeup and prosthetics plays a major role in creating behind-the-scenes magic for The Walking Dead. Throughout the weekend, we were thoroughly impressed by the detailed cosplay found at the event. One cosplayer donned a seriously intense getup, involving a ripped face, blood stained clothes, and an eerie baby doll placed at her belly. To give the look an even more elaborate touch, the cosplayer opted for a head full of hair rollers, cozy pajamas and a pair of boots to stay comfy. The Walking Dead is known for having a team of talented special effects artists on staff, and this cosplayer truly looked like she could have stepped right off set!

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Over the weekend, hundreds of fans traveled to Edison, New Jersey, for the latest installment of the Walker Stalker convention series. For years, the convention has held notable stops around the nation, and has even taken place in different countries around the globe. During December 9-10th, Walker Stalker set up camp at the New Jersey Convention Center in Edison. About a forty five minute drive from New York City, the convention attracted guests from all along the general Mid-Atlantic area, with some traveling from even farther states.

Despite the worrisome weather forecast, fans braved the freezing temperatures and an unexpected downfall of snow to attend the convention. The line of con-goers wrapped around the building, many bundled up in layers of scarves, hats and gloves, as torrential snowflakes fell from the sky. “I can’t feel my toes, but that’s okay!” An optimistic fan commented on one of our Instagram posts. For weeks, fans were anticipating the festivities, which included celebrity photo ops, exclusive panels, and other exciting events.

According to the Walker Stalker convention website, guest stars included Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan, TWD, John Winchester, Supernatural), Chandler Riggs (Carl), Tom Payne (Jesus), Scott Wilson (Hershel), Khary Payton (Ezekiel), Cooper Andrews (Jerry), Michael Cudlitz (Abraham), Christian Serratos (Rosita), Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha), Alanna Masterson (Tara), Ross Marquand (Aaron), Steven Ogg (Simon), Austin Amelio (Dwight), Michael Rooker (Merle, Yondu/Gotg), IronE Singleton (T-Dog), Juan Gabriel Pareja (Morales), Jordan Woods-Robinson (Eric). Most actors were in attendance all weekend long, except for Khary Payton, who joined the event on Saturday, and IronE Singleton, who appeared on Sunday.

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Fans of the series Sons of Anarchy were thrilled to note that a slew of the cast and crew would also be in attendance. The full guest line up included, Ron Perlman Clay, of Sons of Anarchy & Hellboy, Ryan Hurst Opie, Tommy Flanagan Chibs, Kim Coates Tig and Mark Boone Jr. Bobby. Other guests included Sean Patrick Flanery (Connor MacManus, The Boondock Saints) and David Della (Rocco Rocco, The Boondock Saints)

The show floor was packed with an array of horror-themed vendors and comic book artists alike. Some noteworthy guest artists included Tom Savini From Dusk Til Dawn & Dawn of the Dead, Rob Prior, Jason Palmer, Kirk Manley, Chris 51 Epic Ink (A&E) and Scott Spillman, who designed the incredibly detailed artwork found on the convention’s badges.

Although many fans of Daryl Dixon were looking forward to seeing actor Norman Reedus, unfortunately, he had to cancel several months in advance. Jeffrey Dean Morgan amusingly touched on the topic during his panel, even going so far as to call Reedus and leave him a video message of hundreds of screaming fans. Reedus graciously apologized to his fans, who was busy attending a close friend’s wedding as the best man.

With only days before the convention, several major cancellations were announced, including actors Jon Bernthal and Lennie James. Marvel fans will instantly recognize Bernthal for his visceral performance in the recent Netflix series, The Punisher. Sadly, Bernthal made an official announcement regarding his cancellation, "Due to the wildfires in Ventura canyon, my family was forced to evacuate with no determined time in which it would be safe to return. I hate to miss the event but I need to be with my family during this time."

At New York Comic Con, creator Robert Kirkman dropped a major reveal, announcing that one of the characters from The Walking Dead would be making a crossover to Fear the Walking Dead. Interestingly enough, Morgan, played by actor Lennie James, has recently joined the cast, and has been hard at work with the new season. Unfortunately, James seems to have spread himself a bit too thin, having announced that he also would not be able to join fans at Walker Stalker New Jersey. The night before the convention, actress Katelyn Nacon (Enid), also had to cancel unexpectedly, as many flights were canceled or rescheduled due to the troublesome weather. While many fans were undoubtedly disappointed, we completely understand, and wish Bernthal, James, Nacon, and Reedus well!

Panel #1 - Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha) and Michael Cudlitz (Abraham)

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Upon arriving at the convention, we immediately checked out a panel with two beloved TWD alum, Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha) and Michael Cudlitz (Abraham). Since her abrupt departure from the show, Sonequa Martin-Green has gone on to explore a very different universe with the hit CBS show, Star Trek Discovery.

During the panel, one fan asked, “If Abraham were still alive, what do you think he would say to Negan?”. Without a blink of an eye, Cudlitz immediately stood up and created his most spot-on impersonation of Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Leaning back dramatically, he yelled out his character’s most hilarious line, “Suck my nuts!”, while fans erupted in torrential laughter.

Other questions ranged from, “If Abraham and Sasha were still alive, do you think they would have started a family?”, to which both actors agreed, and a very poignant question regarding Sonequa’s final moments on The Walking Dead. The actress grew quite emotional, dabbing at her eyes. “The amount of love the cast showed me… I wish I could have talked for a week, just thanking everyone. I was speechless. I said, maybe, 2 percent of the words I wanted to say. I just wanted to show my love and undying gratitude for all of them,” Sonequa said to the audience, who erupted in cheers.

Panel #2 - Khary Payton (Ezekiel) and Andrew Cooper (Jerry)

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Next up, actors Khary Payton and Andrew Cooper took the stage for a panel featuring King Ezekiel and Jerry. Between the two of them alone, Payton and Cooper have an amusing bond, and kept everyone laughing their impromptu banter and quick one-liners. If they’re planning on any more spin-offs, we’d have to say—AMC, get them a buddy cop series, now! 

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Although most of the panel was filled to the brim with laughs, things did get a bit more somber when Payton and Cooper discussed the recent death of Shiva. While some fan questions were certainly not questions at all (requests for hugs), others pointedly asked questions related to the source material. When asked who they would like to kill the most, they instantly replied, “Negan!”

Panel #3 - Michael Rooker (Merle and Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2)

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Hilarious and effervescent, Michael Rooker took the stage to speak about his work as Daryl’s cantankerous brother, Merle, and also his post-TWD antics. Of course, Rooker is a familiar face for Marvel fans, who charmed audiences with his unforgettable performance as Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2 earlier this year. For the first half of the panel, Rooker remained seated, but he quickly showed off his energetic personality as he raced around the audience, answering questions. To finish things off, Rooker gave an elaborate demonstration showing how fans should fight back against Negan. Rooker even showed a hip throw or two, laughing cheerfully with the audience.

Panel #4 - Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan)

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

With seats filled to capacity, the final panel of the day focused on none other than Negan himself—the charismatic Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Although he needed no introduction, Morgan was simply given the stage to himself, where he proceeded to charm everyone in the room with his pearly whites and hilarious musings. Subject matter ranged from fan hug requests, gift giving, and a desperate selfie request (to which JDM curtly replied, “No!”) with an amusing reaction from the audience.

Although he plays a devious character on the show, fans of The Walking Dead simply can’t seem to get enough of Jeffrey Dean Morgan. With his disarming smile and larger-than-life presence, it’s clear to see why the charming actor has legions of fans rooting for Team Negan. During the panel, Morgan emphasized that in real life, he’s actually not like his character, Negan, on the show. In addition, Morgan expressed how he accidentally spilled the beans about his wife’s pregnancy at another panel. The actor was very excited about the upcoming new addition to his family, and also shared some of his anxieties as well. With a laugh, he told the audience that even though he’s now 52 years old, he’s worried about having to deal with diapers again.

A true gentleman, Morgan emphasized how much he loves the fans and how he enjoys hearing the exciting stories about what The Walking Dead means to them. During the panel, a young girl named Abigail took the microphone, and sweetly asked JDM if she could give him a gift. Running up to the stage with a smile, the young girl passed him a wrapped cookie, and he graciously accepted. To roars of laughter in the audience, JDM immediately began thinking of setting her up with his eight year old son. After asking her how old she was, he added, “Come talk to me and a few years, and you can meet my son,” he joked.

Another amusing moment involved a fan named Craig, who pointed out that several “people on the Internet” had often wondered about Negan’s “flat ass”. Of course, the conversation went wild, with JDM laughing about “the internet” and going off on a tangent about fellow actor, Andrew Lincoln, who plays Rick Grimes, and also has a similar problem in the posterior department.

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

The panel was filled with laugh-out-loud events, including when Morgan left Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon) a video message with hundreds of screaming fans, and when a fan asked for a selfie, which was immediately frowned upon. In the beginning of the panel, it was explicitly stated that no selfie requests would be tolerated. Without missing a beat, Jeffrey Dean Morgan flat out said, “No!”, but explained that if he were to grant her request, he would have to take selfies with everyone else who was in the audience. “F*&* you!” he said with a smile, and everyone cracked up in hysterical laughter.

Although he was thinking that he had more time, Jeffrey Dean Morgan looked down at the teleprompter and suddenly realized that he had gone over his allotted time frame by ten minutes. The panel went by quickly, especially with the amusing stories that he had to share and all of the excitement shared by fans in the audience.

Cosplay

The last event on the main stage on Saturday was the cosplay contest, which attracted a wide variety of fans. We were able to catch up with a few of the cosplayers before they hit the main stage and throughout the convention. We were also happy to recognize a few familiar faces, having also snapped photos of some of the fans in October during The Walking Dead panel at New York Comic Con!

Jesus

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Instagram user: @sonnengartens looked awesome as Jesus! In season eight, Tom Payne’s character has recently butted heads with many other major characters in the show, including Morgan (Lennie James) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan). With a firm-rooted belief in peace and equality, Jesus has admirable values and hope for a new world without the presence of the Saviors.

Rosita

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

In the recent episodes of The Walking Dead, Rosita has shown more restraint in her behavior, especially when compared to her more fiery persona from her character’s first introduction. When presented with the opportunity to attack the Saviors with Tara and Daryl, Rosita decides to opt out, reminiscing about the untimely death of Sasha during the season seven finale. This cosplayer looked totally on point with her costume of Rosita Espinosa!

Mini Christmas Winslow

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Many fans will instantly recognize Winslow as the metallic walker controlled by Jadis and the trash people. In season seven, episode ten, "New Best Friends", Rick was pitted up against the fearsome walker (affectionately known as Winslow). At New York Comic Con, this pint-sized cosplayer was also at the panel, and was even lucky enough to be brought up on stage with the creators of the show and actors Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, and more. At Walker Stalker New Jersey, mini Winslow was back in action, this time with an amazing holiday-themed costume and shiny Christmas lights. Of course, the whole outfit was simply too cool, and we loved seeing the young cosplayer around at the con!

Queen Zee

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Instagram user @pocaroltwd took on Walker Stalker with a variety of cosplays over the weekend, and we were able to snap a quick photo of her on Saturday dressed as Queen Zee of The Kingdom. Be sure to check out both of these users on Instagram, where they have plenty of cool cosplay photos related to The Walking Dead.

Diane from The Kingdom and Jesus

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Amusingly enough, we also ran into these two cosplayers at New York Comic Con, while attending The Walking Dead panel before the release of season eight. At Walker Stalker, we were able to take another photo of both @jessicatnywd and @sonnengartens together, this time as Diane from the Kingdom and Jesus.

What’s Next for The Walking Dead

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

After the panel, we checked out the show floor, which showed off a love for all things macabre. Rows of booths displayed handmade garments, accessories and more gifts related to The Walking Dead. Many have speculated on the happenings of season eight, and wondered if the series would be following along with the comics. Created by Robert Kirkman, the storyline set in the comics is considerably farther along in the show, with many wondering what’s next to come in the television series.

Spoiler Warning! We’ll be briefly discussing the most recent episode of season eight, in The Walking Dead’s episode eight, "How It's Gotta Be", and also taking a look at some parallels with the comics. Leading up to Sunday night, fans were ripe with fear and nervous anticipation for The Walking Dead’s mid-season finale. Based on the intense hints that a major character would ultimately meet their demise. In a shocking twist, Carl was revealed to have been bitten by a walker on his stomach, in a place that is seemingly untreatable. Some fans have speculated that Carl may be immune to the virus, while others have been outright shocked by the show’s turn of events, and have been inconsolable for days. As a long-time fan of the show, it would be hard to immediately say goodbye to TWD for good.

Sadly, based on of the recent midseason finale, it looks like the show is bound to have an abrupt departure from the comics. In the comics, Carl plays a major role in the future storyline, where he becomes romantically involved with the daughter of a despicable group known as the Whisperers. If the show decides to remove Carl from the picture, how will Rick’s storyline play out in the series in compared to the comics? It certainly poses an interesting question worth discussing. Naturally, the comics and the television series aren’t exactly parallel. There are many notable differences, including the change of Andrea’s character to blend with Michonne’s role, and Holly as Sasha. However, there are also a lot of frame-by-frame similarities, including the death of Glenn by Negan. We’ll have to wait and see what’s next for Rick, Carl, and the war against the Saviors. The Walking Dead will return for the later half of its eighth season on February 25, 2018.

Photo by Michael Esmeralda

Walker Stalker Convention 2018 Schedule

Next year, the series of Walker Stalker conventions will kick off at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland during the weekend of January 13-24, 2018. Major stars from the cast will travel down under to Sydney (February 3-4) and Melbourne (February 10-11), and then to Europe in March. Catch up with your favorite cast members from The Walking Dead in London (March 10-11) and Germany (March 17-18). In April, Walker Stalker Convention travel to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, and later to Nashville during the weekend of May 12-13. The annual Atlanta edition of Walker Stalker Con will be held Halloween weekend, at the Georgia World Congress Center during October 26-28.

Daryl fans, take note, there will also be a special Walker Stalker Cruise with Norman Reedus coming up. Next month, fans can enjoy an exclusive cruise from New Orleans to Cozumel, Mexico. Other celebrity guests include Lauren Cohan (Maggie), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan) and the creator of The Walking Dead himself, Robert Kirkman. The four day cruise will be jam-packed with panels, Q&A sessions, themed parties and more. For diehard fans of The Walking Dead, it’s bound to be a unique experience filled with unforgettable memories.

Since the convention’s inception, Walker Stalker has attracted over 250,000 attendees every year. Walker Stalker Convention has also hosted over fourteen different events held at four other countries, and boasts over 750,000 likes on their Facebook Page and over 50,000,000 different media impressions. We were thrilled to cover Walker Stalker New Jersey for Nerd Kung Fu, and we look forward to returning to another Walker Stalker Con in the future! Let the countdown begin until The Walking Dead kicks off again on February 28th, 2018.

Written by Jade Nicolette

Twitter: @nicolette_style

Photo Credit: Michael Esmeralda

Instagram: @mikee_bee_eezee

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