REGINA – Sailor Moons, Jokers, and at least a couple of Poison Ivys, to name a few, filled the Canada Centre Complex on Saturday for Fan Expo Regina.
“I got this at a Halloween store the day after Halloween for $2, so I’m kind of the cheap costume queen,” said Shannon Carnahan, who’s from Saskatoon, pointing to her Carmen Sandiego-esque hat.
The weekend-long event, which costs $20 and features over 100 exhibitors, is expected to attract thousands of visitors.
“Whether you’re into comic books, science fiction, anime, horror movies, video games – we have it all down here,” said event organizer James Armstrong.
The convention features a bevy of celebrities, all of whom are up for a photo and/or an autograph (for a price).
Tia Carrere is perhaps best known for her role in “Wayne’s World.” She said that she finds American fans respond more to her role in “True Lies,” whereas Canadians respond more to her “Relic Hunter” role, the latter of which she’s not afraid of returning to.
“It would be fun to do it, maybe with a young group of relic hunters. I could be the Obi-Wan Kenobi or something,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t feel like jumping around and fighting anymore.”
As for a second sequel to “Wayne’s World,” she said that she would have to speak with Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey about it first and determine what the story-line would be.
Carrere has attend multiple conventions before.
“Where else do fans get to meet their idols? I know that I would have really appreciated one of these when I was a kid,” she said.
Former “Hercules” star Kevin Sorbo said he was “shocked” that given the show’s significant success overseas, a movie based on the show was never made.
“You can’t figure out Hollywood. You can’t figure out why these guys do what they do, why they don’t do what they do. I mean, it’s weird.”
As for the inevitable “Hercules” reunion question, Sorbo said, “I’m too old, I think, for the part.”
The character does live on, however – as early as this July in movie theatres with “Hercules.”
“I know Dwayne Johnson’s got a movie coming out right now that they should have put me in as a guest star, as anything, and they refused to, which is just weird. Bad business. Hollywood, you guys are idiots,” he said.
As for an “Andromeda” reunion: “I would love to do that.”
Sorbo said that the most surprising thing he’s learned about fans from the many conventions he’s attended is how knowledgeable they are about the shows he’s starred in.
“They’ll go, ‘In episode 78 of Andromeda, in scene four,’ blah, blah. I’m looking at them, and I just glaze over and say, ‘Blue,’ after a 15 minute question. I go: ‘Did you ask my favourite colour?’ I mean it’s amazing. They know more about the show than I do and I was in the show for crying out loud!” he said.
IronE Singleton, known for his role on “The Walking Dead,” has attended several conventions, including one in Toronto.
“Americans are nice, but y’all got something different going on with y’all. I love it here. And you say,’Eh.’ You say, ‘Eh’, a lot,” he said with a laugh.
Joe Smales went to the convention dressed up as “Star Wars” robot R2D2.
“I had my wife attach everything, so I’m stuck in it all day,” he said of his duct tape and spray-painted cardboard outfit.
The costumes varied in production value, and the battle between whether “Star Trek” is better than “Star Wars” is far from over, but many at the convention agreed that the message of those stories, namely learning how to get along with and accept those of different races – and different planets – is a something to take to heart.
“As long as you’re a nerd, everyone gets along, right?” said Smales.