This past weekend, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre hosted the 21st Fan Expo, the largest comics, anime, gaming, and sci-fi event in Canada. In attendance were a variety of celebrity guests, including Mads Mikkelsen of Hannibal, Chandler Riggs of The Walking Dead, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, James and Oliver Phelps of the Harry Potter films, and of course, Excalibur’s own Comics and Graphics editor, Christopher Lai.
The four-day event gathered fans from across the GTA, many of whom dressed up in their favourite costumes and participate in cosplay, the performance art form of costume play. Cosplay’s status as an art form may be debated, but participants and witnesses alike would advocate for its legitimacy, seeing the amount of money, time, dedication, and craftsmanship the costumes require.
“The cosplayers did make the show. They were the best, “ says Lai, who admittedly didn’t dress up, but took plenty of photos of willing cosplayers who would pose for any cameras. Individuals, couples, friends, and even families would coordinate their cosplay, with some showing true dedication to their craft by including electronics into their costumes. A rumoured life-sized Baymax was seen strolling through the expo, with retracting legs to allow the wearer to sit down.
[su_slider source=”media: 26416,26415,26418″ width=”1000″ height=”660″ title=”no” autoplay=”5200″ speed=”400″]
Other attractions at the expo included Q&A sessions with creators, photo and autograph opportunities, live script reading, and other sneak peeks into comics, TV shows, and films.
Lai also participated in speed dating, a process which he hilariously described as awkward. He explained that the female to male ratio was about two to one, with admission to males being $35 compared to the free admission for females. Despite not meeting his soulmate, Lai said the experience can be a great opportunity for like-minded fans to connect over their favourite TV series, movies, anime, and comic books.
On his experience at Fan Expo, Lai says that overall, it was awesome, with the only downside being the huge crowds and the expenses associated with the event. Apart from ticket admission, which varies depending on the date of attendance, other attractions can become costly. Tickets for photo-ops can cost anywhere from $45 to $290, depending on the star of your choosing. Whereas special panels such as the Hogwarts Reunion or An Evening With the Doctor’s Companions can run you $129 and $99 respectively.
Despite the expensive nature of such an event, one can still have fun on a budget. Fan Expo allows for fans of alternative, or “nerdy” media to find like-minded fans that share the same interests and make a connection in an otherwise lonely world. Regardless if you’re a small or huge fan, Fan Expo is an adventure to experience for anyone interested in comics, sci-fi, anime, or gaming. Just remember to dress up, bring your cash, and be open to anything and everything.
Victoria Goldberg, Arts Editor
Photos courtesy of Christopher Lai
