#edmonton fan expo

[mytheetarecold]

Hoi! Heads-up for anyone wishing to attend Edmonton Expo Sept 20th-22nd 2024, if you buy your tickets using my affiliate link, it helps pay for my booth next year >O As thanks if you do, come by my booth at A700 for a free limited run big sticker of Tigrex AND Rathalos! They are 5.5x6.5" and 5.5x7" respectively.

[outlawedmouse]

The Edmonton expo was fucking awesome. Thank you all for coming and saying hi! We made a good amount of sales and met some cool people, and spent a lot of fucking money lmfao

[sabtastique]

Confirmed for a few more convention dates!

[alicenpai]

Hey Alice! Really random question but what cons happen in Toronto besides fan expo? (Specifically looking for June augest ones) I swear there’s more. I’m not sure who else to ask this or where to find con information haha. Alternatively do you know of con information in Vancouver canada? Thank you

hi! fellow torontonian spotted 🫡🫵

for large scale anime/gaming/geek cons in toronto, there's: - toronto comic con (march)* - toronto game expo (march) - anime north (may) - anime fiesta (july) - beware as i heard this one is not great for events but maybe they'll improve, smaller event - fan expo (aug)* - furnal equinox (march) - toronto game expo (nov) * good luck applying to these bc the rebooking rate is INSANE and you will also be out a $800 deposit for a whole year

yeah............. toronto has a huge population but as you can see there's really not much in the summer LMAO which is why these few cons are really important to us. and canadians opt to travel for cons during the mid summer season. americans have it good haha. here are some other popular ones: - g anime (jan, gatineau QC) - yeti con (june, blue mountain ON) - ai kon (july, winnipeg MB) - animethon (aug, edmonton AB) - otakuthon (aug, montreal QC) usually same weekend - the only out of province event i attend currently, i really like otakuthon and personally i did really well, but i have heard from others that the profits this year were not as good as last year. (keep in mind the small business culture is huge and competitive right now) - london comic con (sept, london ON) during off-peak season there are also a few markets (bamtori studio has been hosting them every few months and they're so goated!!!), there've been more buzz on markets in recent years as the small business scene boomed. personally i don't think my art suits markets demographic so i don't apply for them/ this post will not cover markets. vancouver events: - anime revolution (aug) usually same weekend as animethon and otakuthon. i have heard conflicting opinions on anirevo so please do your own research on this con. rebooking rate is crazy. - fan expo vancouver (feb) for any informa canada run events, be aware the rebooking rate is extremely high. - emerald city comic con (march) - forgive me for putting an american con here

if i had to travel to the west coast id pick emerald city comic con, i heard it's pretty good to travel out to (and the other ones id have no chance of getting in anyways) if anything i know about these events through hearsay and by googling ahaha. if a con is good then more artists will recommend them generally. you can also join artist alley network international (AANI, you can google them for the application to their discord). personally im not sure how long ill be doing cons as i've been putting off working on my animation portfolio for so long (animation is kind of grim rn so a lot of us have been relying on cons)... and im not sure if ill travel beyond montreal next year... but yeah... hope this helps!

[smirkingcat]

Will be at Edmonton Expo this upcoming weekend with a whooooole bunch of my fan arts as postcard sized prints and cat ball plushies.

Should be at table A923 in the back corner of the artist alley section. Drop by and say hi!

[ceasarslegion]

Edmonton followers are any of you going to fan expo next month. And do you want to. Hang out.

[quickbuild]

Today we say goodbye to Carl Weather, who @groovybones and myself met at Fan Expo Edmonton (by meet I mean we got to glance over at Carl from about 40 ft away) and make some key Arrested Development references. #lego #carlweathers #starwars #legostarwara

[zed-air]

OZ's 2023

______

Ch-ch-ch-changes

• • • 

Going to keep this year's recap brief. Not sure if anyone reads these, but I reference them sometimes when necessary.

The main thing of note this year was my workload.

I returned to concert performance following the pandemic lull of 2020-2022. I played about a dozen shows with Pepperland in the second half of the year, beginning with a private event in rural Alberta and ending by closing an awards gala for hundreds of folks at the Edmonton Expo Centre (video below) and a sold out NYE show at the Blue Chair. More performances with Pepperland and others are planned for 2024.

I also broke my first guitar string(s) since 2011!

My radio work unexpectedly shifted into high gear this year. Following various developments in 2022, I planned to drastically scale back my fill-in work at CKUA - particularly during the daytime programs. However, through some cosmic irony, by the end of 2023 I ended up doing more radio work than ever before. My previous record for fill-in shows in a single year was 95. I ended 2023 having acted as a guest-host on 141 occasions, in addition to my own weekly show. This was not planned, and nearly all of those 141 shows have been classical music programs. I have been operating since February as the guest-host of Classic Examples during the long term absence of the regular host Mark Antonelli.

My weekly Friday night Albertan music program In Our Neighbourhood continues on CKUA. Also continuing, now in its fourth year, my collaboration with NME as the Senior Producer on their podcast series The No Normal.

Working this many weeknights has had the unfortunate consequence of my family rarely being in the same place together. What little time we've shared has been spent introducing my kid to Star Trek.

••• 

Some of my favourite 2023 music releases, in no order besides alphabetical, with apologies to any which I've overlooked, missed, or haven't had the chance to listen to yet:

ALBERTAN ALBUMS

Audrey Ochoa – Head of a Mouse

Betaboys – Just Yesterday

Confusionaires! – Westernization

Des Arcs – Masks

Downtown Exit – Bootleg Stardust

Miesha and the Spanks – Unconditional Love in Hi-Fi

Jesse Murray – I Did It All For You

Doug Organ – Quiet in the Library

Starpainter – Rattlesnake Dream

Trevor Howlett & the Cruz Bros - Self-Titled EP

Void Comp – Metropol

OTHER ALBUMS & SONGS OF NOTE

The Beatles "Now and Then"

Fifty Fifty "Cupid"

Go_A "Dumala"

Kinva - Kinva

Monks on Call "Capsized"

SZA "Kill Bill"

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - City of Gold

Wayfinding "Bad Blood"

- - - - -

OTHER MUSIC THOUGHTS FROM THE ZIBLIOTHEK

In 2020, I started an alphabetical exploration of the Zibliothek’s vinyl collection. I’ve also been documenting the LP library and other aspects of the collection on Instagram. At my current rate, it will take me 13-15 years to listen to the full LP library. I made inconsistent progress in 2023, listening in waves with long gaps between opportunities. Here’s some of what I listened to this year:

Lou Christie: I once read he was Egyptian. This has proven difficult misinformation to shake. Some goofy goodies in his catalogue.

Eric Clapton: Outside of his 1965-1968 period, I am decidedly not a fan of Clapton as a person or musician. With the exception of his Unplugged album, which has strong moments, nearly everything since Derek & the Dominoes has been criminally dull. I can honestly say I never need to hear his music again.

Petula Clark: Great voice. Sometimes great songs too.

Roy Clark: I like his music best when I can't see him playing it.

The Clash: Tremendous.

Joe Cocker: Great bands behind him. Often great performances too. Not always strong material.

Patsy Cline / Leonard Cohen / Nat King Cole / Perry Como / Sam Cooke: All tremendous.

Ry Cooder: I remain a bit mystified by Ry Cooder. Admired by countless people I enjoy, but his music does nothing for me.

Elvis Costello: A very strong catalogue, and consistently enjoyable.

Cream: Clapton at his best, fighting for space in a tempest of madmen.

Creedence Clearwater Revival: I've never been a big fan. With a few exceptions, the overplayed radio hits remain tiresome. I have a vague memory of their live "Royal Albert Hall" album being strong, and I like their debut album and Cosmo's Factory, but everything in between was pretty plodding and dull overall.

Jim Croce: What a catalogue he might have produced had he lived. Some gigantic tunes.

The Cowsills: The hits still hit.

Bing Crosby: The birth of croon, but not the greatest in his field.

Crosby, Stills, and Nash (and Young): Great when they're good, forgettable when they're not.

Bobby Darin: I love his work, his young voice was one of the all-time greats for that kind of music. As his voice changed, he still used it well, but it was never as magical after the early 1960s.

Dave Cark / The Dave Clark Five: Business genius, funny drummer, some of the best British Invasion songs going. Mike Smith was a tremendously underrated rock & roll singer in his youth.

Deep Purple: Finally listened to the bulk of their peripheral catalogue. Several of their albums are essential for any library. Their early Mk I period is underrated heavy pop, before they found their signature sound. The iconic Mk II period is musically tremendous and lyrically abysmal, and Made In Japan still might be the greatest live album of all time. The Mk III period (and the Tommy Bolin years) weren't as bad as I anticipated, but didn't keep my attention either. The quality of the music seems unconnected to the quality of the album artwork.

Deep Purple solo projects: These range from forgettable to awful in almost every case. Some of Jon Lord's early works are nice to hear, but I love Jon Lord. Still don't understand the appeal of Tommy Bolin.

John Denver: I enjoyed his Rocky Mountain High album, but curiously his two greatest hits albums are painfully weak.

Delaney & Bonnie & Friends: Alright, I guess. Nothing special. Early shades of Clapton the boring.

Derek & the Dominoes: Sometimes very good.

••• 

This song came out in 2022 rather than 2023. Despite being familiar and a fan of Bill McClintock, I only discovered it a month ago. I've listened to it dozens of times and it might be the greatest mash-up ever made. Maybe even the best thing period.

••• 

No pithy ending for 2023. Be safe. Be well. Good luck going forward in 2024.

OZ

[college-girl199328]

Edmonton aims to draw more esports events to the city and has pledged to work with groups and organizations pivotal to creating an attractive destination city for the burgeoning industry.

The city council is asking the administration to help bring mid-size and large events to Edmonton at the behest of Coun. Andrew Knack, only more undersized, local esports events have been held in the province.

Knack, an enormous fan of the video gaming industry, notes that esports in other cities and countries draw tens of thousands of players and spectators.

"I think Edmonton has the capability of being the esports leader in this country, if not North America," Knack told the council at a meeting Tuesday.

With ampler events matching turnouts at tournaments like FIFA, the Stanley Cup, and the Grey Cup, Knack argues there are economic benefits for Edmonton.

The motion directs the administration to review the Alberta Esports Strategy — released last November — for ways to leverage municipal support.

The city's amplest contribution could be offering Rogers Place as a venue for future events. The metropolis has access to the arena 28 days a year and rarely uses it.

Earlier this year, the Alberta Esports Association hosted an expo, selling 3,500 tickets; the organization said Dhaliwal, business development and academics manager with the Alberta Esports Association, said the expo was the amplest esports event to date.

"Let's get the organizations that will be directly impacted by the growth of this industry involved in these conversations," Dhaliwal said in an interview last week.

Dhaliwal welcomes the council's commitment to expanding the options that at least one city is for a commitment to help move these things forward is a significant step in the right direction of building this industry here in our province."

Other city councillors, including Aaron Paquette, expressed support for developing the industry and the potential benefit for Edmonton would be ecstatic to see E-town become the home of esports to bolster our economy," Paquette said at the council meeting, drawing laughter from colleagues.

Derek Kwan, president of Interactive Arts Alberta, said the non-profit works to develop game culture and foster local talent; IAA is hosting the Game Discovery Exhibition, or GDX, in July, of which esports will be a part, Kwan noted.

"We really want people to grow awareness around the fact that we have some amazing competitors, some amazing talent here, and have some amazing creators."

BioWare is a famous company originating in Edmonton, Kwan noted. Edmonton has smaller developers destined to grow in the future, especially with the help of Explore Edmonton and the city, Kwan said.

[theultimatefan]

Legends Shooter, Grummett, ‘Starman’ Artist Harris Among Top FAN EXPO Cleveland Creators March 24-26

Artist Alley at FAN EXPO Cleveland will be brimming with talent with today’s announcement of the leading creators attending the event, March 24-26 at Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. Along with legends like Jim Shooter (Marvel Comics editor-in-chief, founder of Valiant, Defiant and Broadway Comics) and Tom Grummett (artist, “Superman,” “Teen Titans”) and standouts Tony Harris (“Starman,” “Star Wars) and Agnes Garbowska (“DC Super Hero Girls”, “My Little Pony”), fans can meet some of the most talented and influential comics artists and writers across a wide variety of titles and genres all weekend, as well as participate in Q&A’s, interactive demonstration sessions, autographs, commission opportunities and more, making the experience a can’t-miss for comics lovers.

Comics and pop culture fans will notice a strong selection of “Superman” creators as well as themed “Man of Steel” programming, as Cleveland is acknowledged as the “Birthplace of Superman.”

Other special guests attending include John Delaney (“Simpsons,” “Futurama”), Matthew Clark (“Superman,” “Wonder Woman”), Val Mayerik (“Howard the Duck” co-creator), Jim Calafiore (“Exiles,” “Justice League”), Matt Horak (“Spider-Man/Deadpool”), Thom Zahler (“My Little Pony,” “Love and Capes”) and Joe Wos (“WosToons”).

FAN EXPO Cleveland’s deep Artist Alley will also feature Bill Anderson, Jeff Brennan (“The Big Bang Theory,” “Heavy Metal” magazine), Ryan Drost (“Stealth Hammer”), Martin Dunn (Universal Pictures, IDW Publishing), Chris Ehnot (“Half-Elf Ranger,” “Tywin’s Fate”), Ryan Finlay (freelance hand-drawn artist), Michael Gustovich (“Justice Machine,” “Warp!”), Daimon Hampton (UX designer and illustrator), Gus Mauk (“Shi No Kage,” “GI Joe”), Mostafa Moussa (“Batman,” “The Flash”), Ian Chase Nichols (“The Tick,” “Ninja Turtles”), Martin Pierro (“Arthur: The Legend Continues,” “Deep Space Tragedy”), Uko Smith (“FX The Lost Land”), Mark Swan (“A Goofy Movie,” “Monsters on the Run”), Michael Watson (Freestyle Komics), Ken Wheaton (“Futurama,” “I Dream of Jeannie”) and more. The full list is available at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpocleveland/comic-creators/.

The outstanding creators roster complements the standout FAN EXPO Cleveland celebrity lineup, which includes Christina Ricci (“Wednesday,” Casper), Emily Swallow (“The Mandalorian,” “Supernatural”), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, “Taxi”), Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Endgame), Carl Weathers (“The Mandalorian,” Rocky), Peter Weller (RoboCop, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), “Star Trek” franchise stalwarts Ethan Peck and Anson Mount, “The Office” trio of Kate Flannery, Oscar Nuñez and Leslie David Baker and the stars of “Trailer Park Boys” Mike Smith, John Paul Tremblay and Robb Wells.

Tickets for FAN EXPO Cleveland are on sale at http://www.fanexpocleveland.com now, including individual single day, 3-day and Ultimate Fan Packages for adults, youths and families. Advance pricing and VIP packages are also available now, with dozens of special benefits including priority entry, limited edition collectibles, exclusive items and much more.

Cleveland is the fifth event on the 2023 FAN EXPO HQ calendar; the full schedule is available at fanexpohq.com/home/events/.

ABOUT FAN EXPO HQ FAN EXPO HQ is the largest comic con producer in the world. Collectively it hosts nearly 1 million fans annually at FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Vancouver™, Toronto Comicon, FAN EXPO Cleveland, MEGACON Orlando, Calgary Comics & Entertainment Expo, FAN EXPO Philadelphia, FAN EXPO Dallas™, FAN EXPO Denver, FAN EXPO Boston™, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Canada™, Edmonton Comics & Entertainment Expo, Dallas FAN FESTIVAL, and FAN EXPO San Francisco. The latest schedule of events is available on the Website, along with up-to-date ticket information. Discover. Celebrate. Belong.

(cover image: Jim Shooter, credit: Gage Skidmore)

[thebirdsareafterme]

Some Stranger Things stickers that I made! They’ll be available at Edmonton Fan Expo or on my Etsy sooner or later… anyways pls ignore how all their heads are different sizes 😬

[anotheruserwithnoname]

Five years since meeting Jenna Coleman

Today (Sept. 26) marks the 5th anniversary of the broadcast of Series 9′s The Witch’s Familiar, but for me it’s an even more special anniversary as it is also the 5th anniversary of me getting to meet Jenna Coleman at the Edmonton Expo.

I drove the 3 hours from Calgary to Edmonton early in the morning and of course hours more lining up followed once I got there! Jenna was, sadly, a bit late (not too bad compared to others and not necessarily her fault). But when she finally arrived, I remember how tiny she looked. But she was all smiles, of course! After the Abbey Road Dalek photo shoot, Jenna went on a bit of a promotional/convention tour for the next week or so that also included convention stops in the US and an appearance on Conan O’Brien’s show. And she mentioned to someone at the con that she was about to go into preproduction for Victoria (which started filming about a month later).

I got a photo signed, of course! And during my 30 seconds had a nice little chat. I LOVED how she said my name with that Blackpool accent of hers. The main thing we talked about was the Abbey Road Dalek photo shoot from exactly one week before. She apparently wasn’t aware that a behind-the-scenes video had been circulated by the BBC, or that a webcam down the street had captured the action too. She said she’d have to check them out.

And with that it was time to let someone else meet Jenna. Sadly, I was too shy to have ordered a photo op, and I had to be back in Calgary that night so going to her panel the next day (Sunday) didn’t happen, and I regret missing out on both. But it was fun. That same convention had a few other performers I got to meet, though the only other one I got an autograph from that trip was Natalia Tena of Harry Potter and Game of Thrones fame. I’m surprised I didn’t get more that trip; looking back, though, I know one reason I didn’t get more was I was soon to go on vacation and I didn’t want to blow the budget. Indeed, I watched “Before the Flood” in a hotel room in Vancouver, B.C.

By the way, I only found out that Jenna was appearing at the Edmonton Expo on the Thursday before the convention, so this was definitely a fast turnaround! But a good memory.

I eventually got to meet Peter Capaldi in Calgary in 2017, and for anyone who cares, other Who-related convention meets (and autographs) for me have been Karen Gillan (2014; saw Matt Smith but an organizational snafu with how “top-draw” photos were being sold that year prevented me from getting a pic signed), John Barrowman (2016), Billie Piper (2016), Mark Sheppard aka Canton Delaware III (2016), Catherine Tate (2019). I was also set up to get an autograph from Alex Kingston at I think the 2016 Edmonton Expo but she had to cancel at the last minute due to a passport issue (not telling tales out of school, this was announced). Sadly, the year Sylvester McCoy came to Calgary I was unable to go due to family matters.

There are more important things that I’d like to see get back to normal once the current insanity ends. But these conventions are highlights for me - things to look forward to - and while, sure, it’s cool to tune in for an online Q&A and see what Jenna’s living room looks like and you can still order the autographs, it’s not the same as actually being able to say you had a chat with John Rhys-Davies about your career, or watching Gwendoline Christie give a critique of the Brianne of Tarth cosplay the person in line in front of you wore. Or seeing Barrowman go ga-ga over someone’s baby. Or overhearing Malcolm McDowell talking to the person in line ahead of you about the rare Clockwork Orange soundtrack LP he’d just signed. Or shaking hands with Peter Mayhew. Or seeing Karen play peek-a-boo with Matt through the curtains.

I could list many more examples of this that you just don’t get from online. One of my favourites is Liz Vassey, who was a CSI cast member but is also well remembered as Captain Liberty in the first live-action version of The Tick, remarking that I looked like an old boyfriend of her’s! Hopefully that was meant as a compliment!

[vfx-taylor]

Maki Oze ~ Fire Force

This was my cosplay for Edmonton’s 2019 Fan Expo. It’s the first cosplay I’ve been truly happy with and I can’t wait to wear it again! It was so worth all the stress of crafting.

[batmanofthewestcoast]

Okay so where have I been for the last forever?

School is good, got 100% in my Waste Water Treatment: Activated Sludge exam, 96% in my Process Controls: Electricity exam, 99% in my Waste Water Treatment: Sludge Digestion exam. So I’ve added $28.50 to my future commissions jar as a reward. My lab sessions are hectic but I like being in the lab (wish the lab wasn’t so hot and I had some more elbow space).

I went to Fan-Expo Edmonton last weekend, had a good time. I found three comics for my signing collection (Batman Eternal 41, Batman 21, and Detective Comics 27) that were half off (it cost me $23 for all three). I got Pokemon Stickers too.

My birthday is a week tomorrow too, so I’m excited for that. Though with me in classes I’m more likely than not going to spend the entire day studying.

I’ve got a nickname in class too: Cap. Turns out, some of the people in the back of the class see our group as a ship, and see me as the Captain, who points them in the right direction (one of the people told me, and he’s nice, so I believe him).

[steverogersnotebook]

johnscotbarrowman When time and space collide in Edmonton don’t ever leave me again doctor

[mrnubly]

EDMONTON FAN EXPO 2022

PSST! Guess what? I'll be attending the Edmonton Fan Expo in September! https://fanexpohq.com/edmontonexpo/ Come say "hi!" You can find me in Artist Alley!