Monster-Mania 55: Lost Boys, Long Lines, and Horror Convention Fun

Hey spooky cats!

My husband and I headed to Monster-Mania 55 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. If you've never been to Monster-Mania, it's one of the biggest horror conventions in the Northeast, packed with celebrity guests, vendors, cosplay, movies, collectibles, and enough horror merchandise to destroy your bank account in a single weekend.

This convention had a heavy Lost Boys theme, which made me incredibly happy because it's one of my favorite vampire movies from the 1980s.

Getting In Early

One of the best decisions we made was buying the pre-show admission. The purple wristband allowed us to enter an hour before general admission, which is a huge advantage if you're trying to beat autograph lines.

Trust me—some celebrity lines can become legendary. I've waited hours for autographs before, including one memorable Robert Englund line that seemed to stretch into another dimension.

Even with early entry, people were already lining up outside signing rooms, determined to be among the first fans through the door.

Exploring the Vendor Rooms

One thing Monster-Mania always does well is vendors.

The vendor area felt larger than previous years, with multiple rooms full of horror goodness:

• Horror movie artwork
• T-shirts
• Jewelry
• Crystals and stones
• Funko Pops
• Books
• Movie posters
• Handmade bags
• Ouija board-themed merchandise
• Horror collectibles
• Comics
• Horror-themed purses

My personal mission was simple:

Find a working Hellraiser puzzle box.

Unfortunately, once again, I failed.

I found display versions, decorative versions, and mystery boxes shaped like puzzle boxes, but not the fully functional version I was hoping to add to my collection.

Maybe next year.

Supporting Independent Authors

One of my favorite parts of conventions is discovering creators I've never heard of before.

I picked up a couple of signed books from an independent author and plan to read them soon. I always enjoy supporting writers who are out there putting their work into the world.

As both an author and creator myself, I know how much work goes into producing a book.

Celebrity Sightings and Autographs

The convention floor was packed with celebrity guests.

I was able to meet Heather Langenkamp and get her autograph, which was one of my biggest goals for the weekend.

My husband picked up an autograph from Alyssa, who was incredibly friendly and spent time chatting with fans.

She even wrote her favorite quote from Evil Dead Rise on the autograph, making it an especially memorable collectible.

Meanwhile, one of the biggest attractions of the weekend was Corey from Slipknot. His line remained consistently busy, and while it was nice to see him talking with fans, it definitely increased wait times.

The eternal convention struggle:

"I love that celebrities are nice to fans."

Five minutes later:

"Please move the line."

Day Two: The Lines Get Serious

Saturday was exactly what you'd expect.

Crowds everywhere.

Celebrity lines everywhere.

Even before the doors opened, fans were already queuing for Kiefer Sutherland, whose line stretched through the building.

We grabbed a ticket and hoped for the best.

Sadly, it became clear that getting his autograph wasn't going to happen. We spent much of the day monitoring the line and waiting for updates, only to discover that tickets from earlier in the day likely wouldn't be honored.

That was probably the biggest disappointment of the weekend.

When you've already invested hours waiting, it's frustrating to realize you're essentially starting over from scratch.

Lloyd Kaufman and Poultrygeist

One of the highlights of the convention was meeting Lloyd Kaufman.

If you've never watched a Troma movie, you're missing out on a wonderfully weird corner of horror cinema.

We picked up a copy of Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead and had Lloyd sign it for us. We also grabbed photos with him and had a chance to chat.

Moments like that are what make conventions fun. The bigger stars are exciting, but sometimes the most memorable interactions come from creators who genuinely enjoy talking with fans.

Photo Ops and Lost Boys Nostalgia

We also jumped into the photo-op line for The Lost Boys Cast.

The process was efficient—almost hilariously efficient.

You wait for what feels like forever.

Then:

Click.

Done.

Five seconds later you're walking away, wondering if it actually happened.

Still, getting a photo with someone whose movies were a huge part of your childhood is always worth it.

Convention Haul

By the end of the weekend, my collection had grown considerably:

• Signed books
• Heather Langenkamp autograph
• Alyssa Sutherland autograph
• A tiny Necronomicon necklace
• A wooden-and-pewter Ouija board necklace
• Freddy-themed accessories
• A bat-cat purse (which I absolutely did not need)

The bat-cat purse was not a planned purchase.

It simply existed.

And then it belonged to me.

That's how conventions work.

Dinner With Robot Cats

After leaving the convention, we visited a soup dumpling restaurant that featured adorable cat-shaped robot servers.

The food ended up being one of the highlights of the trip.

We ordered:

• Soup dumplings
• Pork buns
• Spicy peanut wontons

Everything was fantastic and honestly better than the hotel restaurant food.

The robot cats delivering meals only made the experience better.

A Slightly Early Exit

Unfortunately, I started coming down with a cold during the weekend.

Because of that, we ended up leaving earlier than planned and missed several events, including:

• Costume contest
• Trivia competitions
• Additional convention activities

That part was disappointing because those events are often just as entertaining as the celebrity guests.

Still, we packed a lot into the weekend.

Final Thoughts

Monster-Mania 55 delivered exactly what I hoped for:

• Great horror atmosphere
• Fun celebrity encounters
• Tons of vendors
• Fantastic collectibles
• Fellow horror fans everywhere

The autograph line situation wasn't perfect, and I still don't own a functioning Hellraiser puzzle box, but overall it was another enjoyable convention experience.

If you're a horror fan who enjoys meeting actors, collecting memorabilia, or simply being surrounded by people who understand why you own twelve skull decorations and a haunted doll collection, Monster-Mania is worth attending.

Upcoming Monster-Mania Events

If you're thinking about attending a future convention, the next Cherry Hill events have already been announced. According to the official Monster-Mania schedule, Monster-Mania 67 will be held August 14–16, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Another Cherry Hill show, Monster-Mania 66, took place March 6–8, 2026, continuing the convention's tradition of two annual Cherry Hill events.

The convention typically features celebrity autographs, photo ops, vendor rooms, screenings, and special events throughout the weekend. Organizers have indicated that more guest announcements for the August show are still being added.

For the latest guest announcements, schedules, and ticket information, visit Monster-Mania's official website.

And if anyone finds a real working Hellraiser puzzle box before I do, let me know. Apparently that's become my convention white whale.