Although the relatively young Toronto Comicon may lack the wider scope of more popular conventions like Fan Expo Canada or Comic-Con International: San Diego, there are plenty of reasons to check out this smaller celebration of all things pop culture. The festival runs from March 18 to March 20, and, among others, the actor who played Draco Malfoy’s dad will be in attendance. How could you miss that?
Deadpool, Deadpool, and more Deadpool
The world has been hot with Deadpool fever ever since the devilishly handsome Ryan Reynolds brought the character to the big screen last month. This anti-hero has been a fan-favourite for cosplayers for years, and you can bet that the mercenary-with-a-mouth’s recent film will inspire a whole new legion of fans to don the red and black spandex. The opportunity to see a group of Deadpools should under no circumstances go ignored. The series’ creator Rob Liefeld is confirmed to be attending the show. Someone who can write a character as absurd as Wade Wilson must be pretty hilarious in real life, too.
Meet Canadian artists
A lot of the pop culture that Canadians consume comes from our American neighbours, but that’s no reason to turn a blind eye to the incredible work of our local creators. Comicon offers some incredibly talented artists the chance to have their work showcased — and, for you, the opportunity to meet them. Kalman Andrasofszky is the current writer and illustrator for the newly revitalized Captain Canuck series, popular web comic artist Meaghan Carter, and Pitiful Human Lizard creator Jason Loo are a few who will be in attendance.
Smoother navigation across the show floor
Festivals can be fun but there is absolutely nothing worse than having to swim through an ocean of crowded and sweaty comicon attendees. No one is really at fault here but trying to arrange meetups or adhere to a self-set schedule can be a nightmare when it takes 30 minutes to push through a crowd. Fortunately, a smaller convention means more manageable numbers, and that means that you can meet guest celebrities and still have time to spare.
The cast of Sailor Moon will be there
While the precise details of their visit are not yet available — perhaps a question-and-answer panel, or maybe a live script reading — the voice actors that played Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, Tuxedo Mask, and more will be there to tug at your oh-so-nostalgic heartstrings.
It’s a great school de-stressor
If you thought that binge-watching Marvel’s Jessica Jones soothed your soul after a brutal day of studying, try exploring a convention occupied by folks dressed as every member of the Avengers. Tired of your only human interaction being when you ask a classmate for lecture notes? Imagine high-fiving the dude who played Elaine’s boss in Seinfeld. Pop culture often offers an escape from many of the undesirable aspects of our lives, and shows like these are the rare occasions where fans can explore elements of their favourite franchises in a dynamic and unique way.
