Festival season has taken over the city and this weekend the finest freaks and geeks will take over Palais des Congres for the 10th edition of Montreal Comiccon.
The convention has been steadily growing over the last ten years, jumping from only a few hundred to about 58,000 visitors since its inception.
Jason Rockman, the official spokesperson, said its a place for people to let their “freak flag fly.”
”I think we are definitely one of the biggest shows in Canada,” he said. “I know Toronto’s a big show and Calgary’s a big show, but we are up there and the growth is so quick.”
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Although it may not rival its San Diego counterpart with 130,000 attending annually, Comiccon’s sheer diversity showcases just how much it has evolved.
Martine Guerin and her daughter Lea Romeah came all the way from London, England to take part.
“For any community, any fandom, oftentimes being in a place where people like the same things as you is amazing,” Romeah said.
This year, the convention is expected to draw a huge crowd and waiting for them will be video games, merchandise, and conferences galore.
Also waiting for the crowds will be the pop culture icons who flew into Montreal during the peak of the heat wave to meet and greet them.
“I must say getting out the plane last night was like hitting Bombay for the first time. Wow!” said Julian Glover, famous for roles in Game of Thrones, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars.
Despite the balmy weather, the celebrities told Global News they are excited to be on hand.
“This is not a publicity thing and I really mean it. I’m really pleased to be in Montreal,” Glover added.
READ MORE: 5 wonderful things about Montreal Comiccon
Gerry Conway, best known for co-creating Marvel’s The Punisher, said he always looks most forward to meeting his fans.
“I love interacting with people I haven’t seen before and hearing their stories,” Conway said with a smile.
Nick Bradshaw, an artist and illustrator whose most notable work includes drawing for Marvel Comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy, The Hulk, and Spider-Man, said a mother attending a previous of Comiccon once asked for the most bizarre commission.
“She’s like ‘Can I ask for anything?’ And, I’m thinking she’s going to ask for a cartoon character or something,” he said. “And then, she said, ‘I want one those bears from that toilet paper commercial — the Charmin bears.’ And, I looked at her and put my pencil down and I’m like ‘Excuse me?'”
He added he did do the commission and afterwards the woman frantically slapped down $500 with a huge smile on her face and quickly walked off with the piece of art.
But Comiccon has more on display than just the artists, creators and actors trying to mingle with their fervent followers.
Cosplayers, regular event-goers dressed head-to-toe impersonating their favourite pop culture characters, fill the four walls of the venue.
No matter what your pleasure, the weekend is sure to hold many surprises for the geek that exists inside of everyone, or at the very least, the tens of thousands, who enjoy the culture and its traditions.
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