Posts Tagged ‘Comics’

Went to Wizard World Toronto with my daughters and a couple of their friends today. Wizard World is the first of a trio of comic-book related events that take place in Toronto every year, the other two being the Toronto Comics Art Festival (arguably my favourite as it is mostly indie publishers) which takes place in May, and Fan Expo Canada which comes in August.

Arguably the smallest of the three, Wizard World is still fun and is aimed at those fans looking to meet (and get autographs from) cult-series celebrities as well as substantial comics-related stuff, sci-fi and other genre stuff, along with a few local, independent artists looking to make a name for themselves.

Case in point: the local Dr Who Fan Club had a Dalek on hand, which the girls posed with at the show. This turns out to be Dalek Auric, who has his own fan page on Facebook.

Wizard World: Girls with Dalek

A smaller display of Dr Who fandom:

Wizard World: Dr Who Items

And then there’s the t-shirts:

Wizard World: Dr Who T-Shirt Display

Don’t forget the cosplayers!

Wizard World: Annie with Stormtroopers

Wizard World: Cosplayers

Wizard World: Minecraft Creeper Head

Then there are the celebrities:

Wizard World: Amy Ackerman

Wizard World: Dean Stockwell

Wizard World: Crowd Photographing Arrival of Scott Bakula

And other random stuff:

Wizard World: Beware the Boss Behind You!

Wizard World: Rainbow Dash in Plastic Beads

Wizard World: This is Not a Pipe

Oh yeah, comics:

Wizard World: Row of Comics 1

Wizard World: Row of Comics 2

After visiting Michael’s gallery showing on Saturday, I still had time left over and decided to head up-town to check out/reconnoiter the Toronto Comic Arts Festival which was happening at the Toronto Reference Library on Yonge just above Bloor. I was planning on talking my daughters to it the next day (which I did) but I thought I’d scout things out first.

Glad I did because I knew what might interest the girls and what might not. I also found the place to be pretty crowded, so I vowed to take the girls here early On Sunday in an effort to avoid the crowds.

On the first run-through I discovered that David Malaki, who is the artist for one of my favourite online cartoons (Wondermark), was there. I ended up buying all three of his comic strip compilations from him directly, along with his autograph.

I brought the girls on the second day and they had fun making their own comic strips, and enjoying a lot of the freebie comic books stuff that was being handed out. They both ended up buying posters from Imaginism Studios, Annie bought a book from Matt Forsythe (which was signed by him), and I bought a signed illustration from him.

Annie and Vanessa creating their own comics during the second day of the event

Annie explaining her “Super-Budgie” comic strip to Vanessa

Annie and Vanessa having fun with a cut-out

Comic artist Matt Forsythe adding a dedication in one of his books for Annie, drawing one of his trademark squid characters on the frontispiece.

Graphic novel artist Seth

She knitting “Plushtaches” for sale. $8 apiece.