As usual I had a fun time at Fan Expo. I've been blogging about Fan Expo Canada for some years now, and the same things that excited me before still excite me now -- interesting panels; pretty art; cool cosplay. And the occasional autograph if the right guest comes.
I didn't get any autographs for myself, but I did get one for my boss (he was dangling not approving my vacation days for this for soooo long! I had requested the vacation about two months ago and he only approved it one week before the convention, lol...). I was really excited when Cary Elwes was announced as a guest (ahhh, sweet Westley! lol)... so I was super-bummed when he cancelled. He was the only one I would have lined up for this year.
Just like in previous years, Fan Expo was split between the North and South building.
Just to warn you (as I always do): this blog will be quite long. I'll be covering each day of Fan Expo Canada -- what I did, what panels I attended, and any thoughts. That's four days' worth of blogging. I've lumped all my pics of cosplayers into one section. If you want to see just that, search for "Photos of Cosplayers". For the section of what I've bought, search for "My Convention Purchases". :)
The Little Details
Dates of Fan Expo Canada: September 1 - September 4, 2016
Location: Metro Convention Centre (Toronto, Ontario)
Ticket Price Total: $178.50 (Premium admission; Deluxe 4-day admission was $125)
Thursday
Time Attended: 2:00 PM - 7:30 PM
So this year, both Premium and Deluxe attendees were allowed into Fan Expo at 2 PM. Last year I think only Premium attendees were allowed. I think this was a smart move -- at least to reduce the initial line into Fan Expo, which is usually very long.
Fan Expo opened at 4 PM for regular attendees.
My Premium admission swag.
I had one panel today at 6:15 PM, so I had about four hours to roam around the South Dealers room. First I looked through Artists Alley, but very quickly since not many attendees were there. I'm kinda weird where I tend to prefer a crowd in Artists Alley. That way the artists would likely be too busy servicing others to pay attention to me. I don't like eyes on me as I'm looking at their art. I'd feel like I'm giving hope that I will buy something, and then I'd feel so bad if / when I don't. After I went through the Artists Alley, I went through it again, but this time trying to find the booths to artists I had purchased from in past conventions.
One booth I re-visited was Carson-Drew-It. The artist specialized in nice, sometimes cute Dark Souls fanart. Strangely, the artist recognized me, saying something like "You were here last year." Then he told me that this would be his last year at Fan Expo, needing to prioritize other things in his life. He said his site would still be open and I think commissions were, too. I wish him the best!
After re-visiting more booths and buying way too much stuff (four artbooks, one manga volume, and tons of posters), I wandered around the other parts in the Dealers room. I would have hung around the video gaming area, but it was packed as usual.
The only real place of interest for me was a 7-minute escape room. When I stumbled upon it, there was already a long line-up and I was carrying so much stuff. When I was told that individuals would get grouped up with others, I decided to try this tomorrow, when I would have less stuff on me.
After a bit more wandering, I came across a mini set for Fear the Walking Dead. It was a torn airplane setting with two moving zombies inside. You can sit on the airplane seats and get your picture taken. It looked pretty scary, but...
Me (with my face covered) with zombies on the Fear the Walking Dead mini set.
You can't see this, but I was laughing... while freaked out, lol.
Comic Workshop: Writing for Comics 101 -- 6:15 PM
This was a pretty interesting panel. One of the panelists, Jim Zub, was really funny and informative. Jim also teaches at Seneca College so I guess that would make sense for his easy-goingness.
A few things I learned from this panel:
- When writing comics, you are writing to space constraints, not to time constraints. In other words, you keep in mind the amount of pages you can work with, not how much it takes for a reader to experience the whole story.
- If a comic survives three issues and stays out of the red, there's a good chance it may last through its entire run.
- Do not pitch to publishers unless you have more than just a story idea.
- Even if you may want to do more issues, think about how to end the comic in five. This is in case it does not do well and the publisher wants it wrapped up.
Misc. Photos for Thursday
Playstation area. I was really curious about Rez. Still on the fence
about whether or not to get VR, though.
So apparently anime guys have huge boobs. I never knew! lol
Friday
Time Attended: 9:45 AM - 6:00 PM
As soon as I got to the convention, I went the autograph area in the North building. My boss asked me to try getting Linda Blair, William Shatner, and Brent Spiner's autographs. Unfortunately nobody knew an exact autograph time for any of them -- I just had to keep checking back. At that, I mentally chucked any notion of getting William Shatner or Brent Spiner's autograph. I just didn't have the time to keep walking to the North building just for a chance of them showing up -- and then possibly dealing with a long line. Most of my time is spent in the South building, either in the Dealers room or at panels.
After that, I went to the South Dealers room and lined up at the escape room. With this escape room, a group of 12 people were allowed in. Then the 12 people would be split into four teams, and each team would be assigned a puzzle to solve. If each team solves their puzzle, we escape the room. If we don't, then we get infected and become vampires.
It was a fun experience. There was a helper at each puzzle giving hints along the way. I was happy to contribute a little bit to solving my team's puzzle. We had to add / subtract a series of numbers and nobody felt up for it, so I did it (lol, the stress of adding / subtracting numbers correctly in a set time). I had one qualm with my team's puzzle: at one point the helper gave us a hint and I was wondering, Could we have found out about this information any other way? It didn't look like it...
Every team except one solved their puzzle, so we all got infected. So be wary -- I'm a vampire now... ooOOOOoOOOOOoooOoooOoO... (f',,,')f~~~ ... lol. According to the helpers, there was a 30% success rate for the escape room.
The rules / information about the escape room.
Shot of one puzzle in the room.
Another puzzle. My team was assigned to this one.
Another puzzle.
Sketch Duel: Andrew Robinson vs. Tim Sale -- 1:15 PM
Yay! Finally I get to attend another Sketch Duel. The last Sketch Duel I attended was four years ago. My friend Brent Chittenden was moderating the panel, and he did a swell job. Unlike the last Sketch Duel I attended, the artists were assigned to draw one character for the whole panel. And while they were drawing, audience members would ask questions and the artists would answer. Then at the end, the finished drawings would get be given away via random draw. The artists were assigned to draw Two-Face.
It was a really nice, fun experience. I totally need to attend more of these in the future.
By Andrew Stevenson. Wow!
By Tim Sale. Wow!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With over two hours to spare before the next panel, I trekked to the North building to see if Linda Blair was around. There was a medium-length line for her so I lined up. Still nobody knew when she would actually show up. They only knew she was around for photo ops about an hour ago. I had a book with me so I was able to pass the time (remember -- bring books or something to keep busy if you anticipate lining up for something and you are by yourself).
The only notable thing here -- at least for me -- was that I was able to help somebody a little bit.
One person in line (she was a couple people ahead of me) pricked herself by resting her hand on a handrail bar covered in fabric. I guess the pin holding the fabric together got moved to an undesirable position.
When I saw that, I went searching in my purse and brought out a Cars-themed band-aid (they were on sale at the time). I held it out to her and asked, "Do you need a band-aid?"
She was surprised and accepted it. She asked if I had... I forgot what she exactly said, but it was a product to disinfect the wound.
I said, "No, but..." and then I dug in my purse again and took out some Polysporin.
Again she looked surprised, and then asked, "Are you accident-prone?"
I laughed and said no. She thanked me a lot and I said you're welcome, and then went back to reading my book.
Lol... my good deed for the day, I guess. I hope her hand doesn't get infected. That would be such a terrible experience.
About 15 minutes later she showed up. From that point, it took about 35 minutes to get her autograph. It costed $40 -- which my boss will pay back, lol.
Horror Writing 101 -- 4:45 PM
This panel was okay. The more I think about it, though, the more I think this panel could have fit as just a Writing 101 panel instead of a Horror Writing 101 panel. Much of the advice given could be applied to writing in general. Much of it I kinda already knew as well, like researching into what genres / types of works your desired publishers publish before sending off your stuff to them.
They did provide this resource: The Horror Tree. It notes when some places are accepting horror-based submissions.
Misc. Photos for Friday
Green R2-D2. This moved around and made electronic catcall sounds.
At least it sounds like a catcall to me, lol. I was a little flattered when it
approached me a little and did its sound. Maybe it liked my skirt, lol.
Saturday
Time Attended: 9:45 AM - 6:00 PM
I just went straight to South building and waited for my next panel. I usually like lining up for panels at least an hour earlier, even if a line isn't really necessary. I just want dibs on the seating inside.
From the Screen to the Page: Comic Book Adaptations -- 11:30 AM
This was an interesting and entertaining panel. One of the panelists was Ty Templeton and he was really funny (as usual). Before the panel started, he was talking very lightly with another panelist about his last heart attack. Gosh -- maybe I should try getting Ty's autograph next year... >_>''
This panel was about the experience of adapting movies, shows, video games into comic books. Here are some things I remember from the panel:
-When adapting, besides the main goal of pleasing the company you're adapting the work for, you're also aiming to please the fans.
-Usually there is more free rein with characters that have little backstory. With well-established, major characters, though, you usually shouldn't deviate from the original source.
-Sometimes celebrities have no idea what they look like so be prepared for feedback if you are the artist.
-Sonic fans tend to be especially passionate -- pointing any and all errors, even years later.
Celebrity Q&A: Gillian Anderson -- 2:30 PM
This is the third year that I've attended Gillian's Q&A, and it's always nice and fun. She is still the same playful, honest, modest person, and I like it.
The Q&A itself was quite entertaining. One person asked Gillian if he could show her his Scully tattoo that was on his upper thigh. She said yes, so he proceeded to undo his pants. I couldn't see the tattoo since some heads were blocking my way.
Another person asked Gillian if there were any funny stories to share when filming X-Files. Then Gillian told us how one day she and David (Mulder) were in a car and she accidentally backed into a tree. It was minor and nobody seemed hurt. But the next day on set she saw David and he was wearing a huge neck brace. Gillian was mortified. Then it turned out to be a prank, and everybody was in on it.
Just like last year, at the end she auctioned off something for her charity. This time it was the T-shirt she was wearing. Somebody offered their soul. Another offered their first-born, and Gillian responded to the latter with something like "I already have too many first-borns."
Once the amount reached around $1100, it became a bidding war between two people. When it reached $2000, Gillian encouraged the other bidder to not bid any more, saying $2000 is a lot of money and that she was starting to feel bad / guilty. The end bid was $2100, and both the winning and losing bidder were invited backstage to meet Gillian.
Board Game Design Pro Panel -- 4:45 PM
I think I might have attended this panel years ago, since I recognized a couple of the panelists. This was really neat. I'm not sure if I would ever make a board game myself, but it was interesting to hear about the process and things that go with creating one and getting it market-ready.
Some things I took away from this:
-For those living in Toronto, the third night of every month is "Game Designer Night" at Snakes & Lattes. It is an event where creators can bring their board game prototype and have others try it out and possibly get feedback. I think I want to try attending this one day and try out the games!
-Playtesting is an integral part in the board game-making process. Getting feedback is a great way to see what works and what's broken. It is also important to do blind playtesting where players get no aid from the creator and learn how to play from reading the rules. It's a good way to see if the rules are written clear enough.
-There is never really an issue of plagiarism. Even with another person wanting to take your idea, the board game design and details would most likely end up being very different. Also, the board game market is very niche so there isn't much profit in it. Along that note, there is almost no point in copyrighting or patenting your board game since doing that would be costly.
-If you plan to pitch your idea to a publisher, it is best to have some kind of prototype. An idea is just an idea until there is a board and objects to interact with.
Misc. Photos for Saturday
Omg -- somebody saluted them! D: lol.
Sunday
Time Attended: 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
So... Fan Expo ended at 5 PM, but I was feeling very under the weather today so I left right after the third panel. Lol... because of this I didn't get the final shot that I usually get at Fan Expo (it's a shot of the attendees leaving the convention en masse).
Comic Book Legal & Law -- 11:15 AM
I attended this panel years ago, and it had the same wealth of knowledge this time as last time. If you ever have a chance to attend this panel at future Fan Expo conventions or at other conventions, I'd highly recommend it. A few things I learned:
-In the US (at the time of this writing), a joint creator can license / sell rights without the other creator's consent or knowledge. In Canada (at the time of this writing), all creators must agree before selling / licensing rights.
-In the US, California is the most creator-friendly. I'm not exactly sure what this means, but that would explain why many studios are located in California.
-While Superman is due to enter public domain in 2033, his "heat vision" power won't be since it was developed 15 years after Superman was created.
Comic Workshop: Starting Your Comics -- 12:45 PM
This panel was okay. It focused on creating indie comics in print and digital form. The main thing I took away from this is to not start selling your comics at Fan Expo or other major convention. A table for major conventions can cost $600 or more. It's best to start with smaller events to build awareness and a fanbase. A couple Toronto-based events mentioned were Canzine and Bit Bazaar.
Comic Book Bootcamp: How to Write a Story Someone Will Read -- 2:15 PM
Ty Templeton did this panel and it was enjoyable. It was very similar to another panel he did in previous conventions called "How to create a story in an hour". One thing he stressed was "[Unless you are already well-established], no one wants your story!" So you need a hook. Then a second plot. Then a few set pieces. And more. It was really fun and informative.
Maybe I'll attend one of his actual bootcamp sessions one day.
Misc. Photos for Sunday
None this time.
Overall Thoughts
Fan Expo Canada 2016 was really fun. From all the panels I attended, I guess I am a bit equipped or informed to try creating my own comics, lol. I'm really glad I got to attend a Sketch Duel -- but I missed on attending any AMV-related thing. For cosplay this year, there were tons of Harley Quinns, the Suicide Squad version. Even really young girls were dressed up as her, walking around with bats. I also saw pokemon trainers around, from PokemonGO and from the regular video games.
Maybe next year I'll attend some panels for cosplay building -- I do wanna try cosplaying again, lol.
Photos of Cosplayers
As mentioned earlier, here are some photos of cosplayers:
Daphne and Cosima from Orphan Black.
Black Knight from Dark Souls.
Tombo and Kiki from Kiki's Delivery Service.
No-Face from Spirited Away.
Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon.
Korra from Legend of Korra.
Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Link (?) and Navi from the Legend of Zelda series.
Mercy (with a maid outfit) and Reaper (with a maid outfit) from Overwatch.
Chun Li and Zangief from Street Fighter.
Solaire from Dark Souls. Yes, I got it this time!
Top row, left to right: Black Cat, Kraven, Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Sandman
Bottom row, left to right: Lizard, Tombstone (?), Hobgoblin
Mechanized Blastoise, Bulbasaur (?), and Pikachu.
Oh... what's that on the far left side?
LOL -- Good luck catching them!
Cosplay I wanted to take a pic of, but missed my chance
-Hitman from Hitman
-Lucca and Frog from Chrono Trigger
-Snape from Harry Potter (the face really looked like Snape!)
-Hanzo from Overwatch
-Vaporean, Flareon, Jolteon from Pokemon
My Convention Purchases
I stuck to same $800 budget as last year, and it was a good amount. I stayed under but I was getting close to the limit this time.
So I'm saying this again, but when buying fan stuff, I often have this frame of mind:
1. Does the art style align with my tastes?
2. Does this work express the kind of fandom that expresses me? (like, if I saw a poster of Zuko and Katara holding hands and gently smiling, I might get it, because it expresses how I feel about their relationship -- a sense of deep understanding for each other)
3. Is this a piece of work that will evoke something in me every time I see it?
This year, I realized that I am a fan of certain artists. I should have known this before, always buying stuff from Shilin Huang and Xiao Bai when I see them -- but I didn't realize I was a fan of more artists, lol. My budget isn't just to spend on what I like -- it's also to support those I like. Lol... this revelation -- why am I realizing this just now? I should have already known this *shakes head at myself*.
This year I discovered a new artist Justin Currie (ChasingArtwork). His stuff seems pretty cool, so I hope I get to see more of it in the future.
For what I've bought that I haven't yet watched / experienced the series for, I'll note it like this: (*)
Here is what I bought (if anybody could help me fill in the blanks, it'd be greatly appreciated!):
Felt pokeballs and Pikachu. There are actually magnets inside each one
and I was given another magnet so I can attach them to my clothes.
Inari plushie. It looks yummy, lol.
T-shirt of Solaire from Dark Souls (*).
Kitty T-shirt + Dark Souls tote bag.
Artbooks from Jamie Tyndall. The artbooks feature
various female characters in elaborate outfits.
Mini prints of Pokemon in Avatar: the Last Airbender outfits, Kill la Kill, Persona,
and an Akira memo pad. I think Pikachu looks really cute here, lol.
PokemonGO female trainers...? My first thought was they were female recreations
of the faction masters, but I'm not sure anymore, lol.
I don't know who the character is on the right.
Saber from Fate/Stay series.
I don't know either of these characters... (*).
Posters from Shilin Huang.
Another poster; Toccata II artbook; Shilin Huang's manga Carciphona Vol. 5.
I still need to read the series.
More Overwatch characters.
Mushi-shi! Seeing Mushi-shi fanart is so rare. I got two of this.
Princess Tutu and Fakir from Princess Tutu; Chibi Usa from Sailor Moon.
I think this is an original work. I actually have very adverse feelings
when looking at this, but there's something about it...
Roboticized Deadpool; roboticized Gundam Wing.
Roboticized Sephiroth and Cloud from FFVII; roboticized Avengers; Mononoke Hime.
This is my favourite of posters I bought. I love the idea and atmosphere.
There is actually a short comic associated with this poster.
You can read the story here.
Justin's book Cassie and Tonk, and Volume 2 of his artbook.
The volume 1 artbook is long out of print.
Some more business cards.
So, to calculate the "damage" to my wallet:
Miscellaneous gifts (not shown above): $88
Pokemon magnets: $45
Inari plushie: $15
Solaire T-shirt: $25
Kitty T-shirt + Dark Souls canvas bag: $25
Jamie Tyndall three artbooks: $70
Mini prints (Pokemon benders, Kill la Kill, Persona 4 & 5) + Akira memopad: $13
Posters from Kyuriin (PokemonGO, ???, Fate/Stay Night, ???, ???): $50
Posters from Shilin Huang + Toccata II + Carciphona Vol. 5: $80
Posters from Tonohada (Overwatch [4], Mushi-shi): $60
Posters (Princess Tutu, Chibi Usa, sakura branch): $30
Posters from Chasing Artwork (Deadpool, Gundam Wing, FFVII, Avengers, Mononoke
Hime, original) + Cassie and Tonk + artbook vol. 2: $130
Total "Damage" This Year: $631.00
Total "Damage" Last Year: $556.00
Thanks for reading (if you made it this far)! If you have any questions about anything I experienced at Fan Expo Canada, or just comments and questions on anything, feel free to comment!
Now I can sit back, relax, and enjoy my vacation (I usually take a vacation after Fan Expo to recover).
Thank you again and have a great rest of the week! :)
