Walker Stalker NJ 2017 brought fans of The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy, and pop culture together for a full convention experience built around cast appearances, photo ops, autographs, vendors, panels, and fan interaction. For one New York family crossing the Hudson into New Jersey, the event became more than a celebrity convention; it became a memorable day of meeting actors, sharing stories, and seeing why these shows have built such loyal followings.
On Sunday, December 10, 2017, I took my two sons on a road trip across the Hudson River to the great state of New Jersey to attend Walker Stalker 2017. For those of you who may not know, a Walker Stalker convention is a fan and cast celebration of The Walking Dead television series. However, Walker Stalker is not limited to just celebrating The Walking Dead phenomenon. Walker Stalker conventions, like all comic cons, celebrate multiple movies and television shows, comic books, artists, and many facets of popular culture that developed from comic book stories.
Of course, Walker Stalker is named after the television series The Walking Dead. The main attraction of a Walker Stalker convention is the actors, actresses, writers, and everyone else who is associated with The Walking Dead television series. However, at Walker Stalker 2017 NJ, a group of bikers rode into town and stole the show for many of us on Sunday afternoon. While they might not have literally ridden in on their Harleys, the Sons of Anarchy arrived in New Jersey and told stories, signed autographs, took selfies, engaged in conversation with fans, posed for photo ops, and joined a panel that defined why the show ran for seven years. We will revisit the Sons of Anarchy later on in the article, but for now, we turn to the man of the hour.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
While the presence of the Sons of Anarchy cast loomed large over the convention, the main attraction of the show was inevitably one of the cruelest, yet most loved villains in television history. The Walking Dead’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan, known to all Walking Dead fans as Negan, was the most popular actor at the convention. As soon as it was announced that Jeffrey Dean Morgan would be appearing at Walker Stalker, all photo ops, selfies, and autograph sessions sold out.
The lines to meet Jeffrey Dean Morgan were the longest at the convention. It was almost impossible to even get close to take a look. Anyone with a camera was immediately met by convention personnel holding signs stating “no pictures allowed.” Autograph sessions and photo ops are big business at conventions, and personnel are heavily instructed to stop anyone from even taking a distant picture. What inevitably draws people to love Jeffrey Dean Morgan is fodder for another story. Yet, one thing is for sure: he is the show’s biggest star. The characters Rick and Daryl are close, but Negan steals every scene he appears in.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan was cast as Sharkey in the 1991 film Uncaged. It was Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s first motion picture role. From that point on, Jeffrey Dean Morgan has appeared in over twenty-five motion pictures, including Watchmen, Taking Woodstock, The Accidental Husband, The Losers, Texas Killing Fields, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Jeffrey Dean Morgan also has an impressive television resume, including roles in Extreme, JAG, ER, The Practice, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Angel, Monk, Star Trek: Enterprise, Supernatural, Weeds, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Wife, Magic City, and Shameless. However, the role of his life may wind up being the beloved Negan.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Autograph Line. Photo: Jagger Kachejian
Chandler Riggs
The next-biggest star from The Walking Dead, appearing at Walker Stalker, was none other than Chandler Riggs. The young actor is perhaps the most loved good guy on the show. If not the most loved, at least the one we share the most empathy for. How could we not feel empathy for a character who is forced to kill his mother? The convention took place on the eve of the show’s final show. When we first saw Chandler signing autographs, my younger son gasped at how short his hair was. Chandler’s character Carl had long natural hair in the show, and seeing Chandler with his hair cut short was not a good sign for his character’s fate. To avoid spoilers, we won’t mention what happened, but my son’s gasp was well warranted. Like Jeffrey Dean Morgan, the lines to meet Chandler were long. Yet Chandler Riggs stood there signing autographs for fans all day long.
Chandler Riggs was cast as Carl Grimes in The Walking Dead television series when he was only 10 years old. Since the show has kept the young man pretty busy, The Walking Dead appears as the only television credit on his resume. Chandler Riggs had appeared in a handful of films, including Get Low, The Wronged Man, Mercy, and Keep Watching.
Photo: Brian Kachejian
Walking Dead Cast Members
One major benefit of attending a Walking Dead convention is the chance to see former cast members who had been killed off in the show. Walker Stalker NJ presented fans with a chance to see the return of Michael Cudlitz, Abraham Ford, who also generated long lines at the autograph tables. Scott Wilson, who had played Hershel Greene in seasons 2 and 3, was a fan favorite. Sonequa Martin-Green, Sasha, is dearly missed in the show, but was there at Walker Stalker for her fans. And yes, the great Michael Rooker, Merle, was in attendance. Michael Rooker, in his dark glasses and hat, was almost in disguise as he posed for pictures with fans.
Many other cast members currently still alive, although maybe not well, in the show were at Walker Stalker NJ. These included Alanna Masterson, Tara; Austin Amelio, Dwight; Steven Ogg, Simon; Tom Payne, Jesus; Ross Marquand, Aaron; Jordan Woods-Robinson, Eric; Cooper Andrews, Jerry; and Khary Payton, Ezekiel, “The King.”
With so many of the cast members from the show attending, fans of The Walking Dead series had multiple choices to meet their favorite Walking Dead cast members. The lines were set up very professionally, and the event was well organized around the autograph sessions. This seems to be an incredibly profitable enterprise for the convention’s actors and producers, so you can bet it’s structured to work well in everyone’s favor.
Photo Ops Versus Selfies
There are two options for fans to choose from when taking a picture with one of the celebrities. The photo-op option is available to preorder online before the convention. A photo op offers fans a very high-quality, professionally taken portrait with the celebrity. Fans can buy multiple prints of the photo and a digital download. The digital download and extra prints usually cost 10 dollars apiece. The cost of the original photo varies by celebrity. A photo op with Jeffrey Dean Morgan cost $ 100, Michael Rooker $70, Ron Perlman $60, and so on.
The photo-op experience lasts about 10 seconds. The demand is so high, and the lines are long. The people who run the show have no choice but to push fans in and out as quickly as they can. Without pushing fans through quickly, the lines would move too slowly, and there would simply not be enough time for everyone to take a picture. If you’re looking to have a conversation with a celebrity, a photo op is not the way to go. However, if you’re looking to spend more than just a few seconds and say a few words, then selfies are the way to go.
Selfies and autographs cost nearly the same as a photo op. The big difference is the time that one can engage in a small conversation with the celebrity. Some of the actors and actresses spend a few seconds, while others may spend 10 minutes. It all depends on multiple circumstances. Many of the celebrities offer deals if you purchase both a selfie and an autograph. Almost all of them had 8 x 10 photos of their biggest or favorite roles that could be autographed.
Sons Of Anarchy
For seven seasons, Sons of Anarchy aired on the FX Network. From 2008 through 2014, the show generated a huge loyal following captivated by Kurt Sutter’s writing. The show’s epic story was defined by brilliant cast performances. Cast members Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Maggie Siff, Mark Boone Junior, Kim Coates, Ryan Hurst, and Tommy Flanagan lit up the screen with the performances of their lives. Five of the show’s main characters appeared at Walker Stalker NJ. Perlman, Boone Jr., Coates, Hurst, and Flanagan appeared both days at Walker Stalker NJ and brought their dynamic butt-kicking personalities along with them.
On Sunday, December 10, Ron Perlman, Mark Boone Jr., Kim Coates, Ryan Hurst, and Tommy Flanagan appeared together on stage as a panel interview that was one of the highlights of the show. During the panel, the five actors displayed camaraderie that explained why their show was so brilliant. Their off-screen personalities were in many ways not too different from their characters, minus the murder and mayhem. Nonetheless, Ron Perlman entered the stage with a gesture closely associated with his character.
Tommy Flanagan seemed to goof on all his fellow actors. Kim Coates was his usual wise-guy self, but at times, he sincerely expressed a sweet sentimentality for the show, his coworkers, and why it all worked so well. Kim Coates was engaging and a joy to listen to. Mark Boone Jr. spoke with the brilliance of an elder statesman in the same manner he often employed in his Sons of Anarchy character. Ron Perlman laughed the most and seemed to be really enjoying the time spent with his cast members.
When various audience members kept asking about reunion shows, Perlman and Flanagan had to remind the audience that most of them were killed in the show. Perlman also noted that while he had loved his character, he had just about taken him as far as he could go with it, and the time had come to put that character away and move on. The panel lasted about an hour, and then the Sons headed back to their individual booths to sign autographs and take selfies with their loyal fans. For this writer, that experience would be the highlight of the convention.
Sons of Anarchy Panel, Walker Stalker NJ 2017. Photo: Brian Kachejian
Selfies With The Sons
I had originally purchased a photo op with The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal, who had played Shane Walsh in the show’s first two seasons. Two days before the convention, I received an email that Jon Bernthal would be unable to attend. So, I easily decided to replace the photo op with one with Ron Perlman. Like stated earlier in the article, photo ops are not meet and greets, so meeting Ron Perlman lasted only about 10 seconds. However, my sons and I received a great professional photo. When we first walked into the booth, Perlman looked me straight in the eye and said, “What’s up bro?” Very cool moment. That’s what photo ops are all about. They’re quick, but a great photo lasts a lifetime.
Ron Perlman Photo-op Copyright 2017 Celebrity Photos
While the photo op with Perlman was a cool moment, the selfie experience with Mark Boone Jr. and Kim Coates was easily the best time of the convention. The lines to meet the Sons of Anarchy were not as long as the ones for the Walking Dead cast members, so fans of the Sons of Anarchy actors were able to spend a little more time with their favorite cast members.
Mark Boone Jr.
I first noticed Mark Boone Jr. on screen in the 1996 film Trees Lounge. Mark Boone Jr. had been appearing in film and television since 1981, but it was his character in Trees Lounge that really knocked me out. When a director, Steve Buscemi, nails a lifestyle on film with such earnest and authentic detail, it can be very daunting for anyone who has ever lived or known that lifestyle in real life. Mark Boone Jr.’s character, Mike, was so believable in the film that it seemed as if Steve Buscemi had cast a real character rather than an actor to play the part. It was a daunting performance by Mark Boone Jr.
I had mentioned that to Mark Boone Jr., and he was very appreciative of my comment. And that is why the selfie experience is so incredible: you can express yourself to these iconic characters and, in many cases, receive a heartfelt response. Yes, of course, we all know they are just human beings like all the rest of us, but it’s the characters they have played that are indeed bigger than life, which makes meeting these actors so much fun. You either get that or you don’t. Furthermore, it’s fun to see how their off-screen personality traits are utilized in some of their roles.
Mark Boone Jr. had also informed me that Trees Lounge served as an inspiration for David Chase’s creation of The Sopranos, a fact many people did not know. It was cool to have Mark Boone Jr. share that tidbit. The man took individual photos with each one of my sons, including myself, and then posed for a group picture. He spent about fifteen minutes talking with us and seemed to really enjoy the interaction he was having with us as fans.
Selfie with Mark Boone Jr. Photo: Mark Boone Jr.
Kim Coates
We took a break after meeting Mark Boone Jr. and toured the convention center. However, the draw of talking with these actors was just too enticing, and so we headed back to the autograph sessions and stood in line to meet Kim Coates. I had always been a big fan of Kim Coates’ work. Kim Coates stole the scene he performed in with Kevin Costner in 1995’s Waterworld. From his first movie role in The Last Boy Scout in 1991 up until the present day, Kim Coates has time and time again lit up the screen and steered all eyes toward him in every scene. The personality depicted on screen is very much fueled by the man’s real-life personality that we encountered in our autograph session.
Kim Coates was extremely friendly to my two sons. He commented on the clothes they were wearing, asked them if I was a good dad, and clowned around in a very friendly way. At times, it really felt like we were hanging out with Tig from Sons of Anarchy. Like Mark Boone Jr., he took the camera out of our hands and took individual selfies with each one of us. We talked about New York, L.A., and food. There are certain actors in Hollywood who work all the time. I have always assumed that one of the reasons actors like Kim Coates are always working is not just because of their brilliant acting ability, but because of the real-life personalities that make them a joy to be around. From spending just 10 minutes with Kim Coates, we could tell he was one of those guys. Meeting Kim Coates and Mark Boone Jr. was the highlight of the show, and even my sons, who are both under 21, agreed it was their favorite part too.
Walker Stalker NJ Vendors
Well, as much as we have focused on the photo ops, selfies, and autographs, many people who visit comic cons do so for the opportunity to purchase collectible items. At Walker Stalker NJ 2017, there was no shortage of vendors selling all sorts of collectible items. The one major difference between the vendors at Walker Stalker NJ and, say, New York Comic Con or Long Island Eternal Con was the dark concepts of some of the items for sale. I don’t ever recall seeing vendors at New York Comic Con selling zombie baby coloring books. But then again, if you’re a Walking Dead fan, it all makes sense.
While many of the vendors were selling items that were Walking Dead related, there were vendors selling items from many other popular comic book series and movies. The convention also hosts individual comic book artists. Many artists are exhibiting their works. At the small stage, there was an area where tattoo artists were inking real tattoos on those who chose to get them. For many, getting a tattoo is sometimes a spur-of-the-moment decision. I overheard many fans actually discussing getting one, including my own sons. I offered them some food instead, which worked. Food always works.
The New Jersey Convention And Exposition Center
The New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, New Jersey is located deep in the heart of an industrial park. It’s about a ten-minute drive from the Outerbridge Crossing that connects New Jersey to Staten Island. The ride from Long Island is not too bad on a Sunday morning, but the return home can be a bit of a nightmare depending on the traffic. The facility itself is a large open space that works well for a convention of this size. There was room to walk around, the vendor rows were easy to navigate, and the celebrity autograph areas were clearly marked.
The one major issue with the convention center was the food. Like most convention centers, the food choices were limited and expensive. That is not really a knock on Walker Stalker, because almost every convention center operates the same way. If you’re going to spend a full day at a convention, eat before you go, bring some snacks if allowed, or be prepared to pay convention prices. Still, the overall setup of the building worked well for Walker Stalker NJ.
All Photos: Brian Kachejian
Interactive Exhibits
One of our favorite features of comic cons is the live, fan-interactive exhibits. The most popular live exhibit attraction at Walker Stalker NJ had to be the living room set of Stranger Things. Set up near the photo-op section, the Stranger Things set featured the living room couch with the alphabet hanging on the wall. The Christmas lights, the coffee table, and the pictures were all set up perfectly to imitate the Stranger Things set. Walker Stalker fans were allowed, for free, to sit on the couch and have a picture taken by one of the Walker Stalker NJ convention employees.
My two sons and I sat on the couch, and I handed the female employee my Nikon 35 mm camera for a picture. A look of panic settled on the employee because she did not know how to take a picture with a real camera. She was unable to find the viewfinder. When we showed her what to look through, she was unable to aim it and take the pictures. So, in the end, we handed her an iPhone to snap the shot. In her defense, she was incredibly friendly and probably exhausted from taking thousands of pictures.
Set of Stranger Things at Walker Stalker NJ
Another great interactive experience at Walker Stalker NJ was the cosplay booth that featured a stunning Rick Grimes lookalike. My sons and I were walking by the booth and were stopped dead in our tracks when we caught a glimpse of Cecil Grimes in the booth with a host of other characters. The first thing my younger son said was, “Wow, I thought you said Andrew Lincoln was not appearing at this convention.” Cecil Grimes was not just a stunning lookalike, but he moved exactly like Rick Grimes. It’s almost impossible to tell the difference between Cecil Grimes and Andrew Lincoln. We really thought it was Andrew Lincoln until we started looking at the exhibit title. It was quite an extraordinary interactive exhibit that puts you in the set of The Walking Dead. Very, very cool! For more information on booking Cecil Grimes, you can check out the Cecil Grimes website.
Cecil Grimes, Rick Grimes cosplay impersonator. Photo: Brian Kachejian
Final Thoughts On Walker Stalker NJ
If you are a fan of The Walking Dead television series, you must, at one point in your life, buy a ticket to a Walker Stalker convention. The Walker Stalker NJ convention is very well organized, and it’s an incredibly fun time to spend a few hours meeting the characters from the television show. The interactive exhibits and cosplay that are open to fans to participate in just add to the fun. While we were waiting in line to get into the event, a few fans from Tennessee asked us if we wanted to play zombie dice. That’s the kind of atmosphere these conventions create. People who have never met before start talking, laughing, and sharing their love for a show that has become part of their lives.
Conventions can be expensive, especially when you add up admission, parking, food, autographs, selfies, and photo ops. However, for fans who really love these shows, the experience is worth it. You get a chance to see the actors in person, listen to them talk about the work, and maybe even tell them how much their performances meant to you. For my sons and me, Walker Stalker NJ 2017 was a great day. We went in expecting to enjoy The Walking Dead cast, and we did. But it was the Sons of Anarchy cast, especially Mark Boone Jr. and Kim Coates, who made the day unforgettable.
Walker Stalker NJ 2017 was a reminder that television shows can create more than entertainment. They create communities. They give people something to talk about, something to gather around, and sometimes, something worth driving across the Hudson River for on a Sunday morning.
Related New York Pop Culture Articles
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to explore more pop culture and convention coverage on ClassicNewYorkHistory.com, including our features on New York Comic Con 2017, New York Comic Con fan pictures, and Long Island Eternal Con.
Article updated on June 26, 2026
