ZIP! POW! WOW! It’s ComicCon

People of all ages came together to celebrate their love for comics, movies, and television shows at the 13^th Toronto ComicCON.

Every year the event is held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, where avid fans show their love by dressing up as their favourite characters. However, as much as the event is for fans, it is an opportunity for artists and charities to promote their work and causes.

The Ontario Ghostbusters  is a charity group that works with other charities to support and promote their causes. This year at ComicCON, the Ghostbusters were supporting The Valculitis Foundation of Canada by selling postcards, magnets, buttons, goods, and Twinkies. Among the Ghostbusters was Humber graduate, Brily Lepine, who has been at ComicCON for the past five years.

“With the group, we do charity work. So it’s really good to come out. You get to meet people, interact with fans, and you raise money for charity and that’s always good too,”  Lepine says. “So it really makes you feel good about what you do and how you spend your time.”

Other than charities, popular comic book stores and collectors were at the event too, such as Silver Snail, which has appeared at every Toronto ComicCON since it was established in 2001. This May, the store will be celebrating its 38^th anniversary. George Zotti is the owner of Silver Snail and described the preparation for events, like ComicCON, to be a ‘hectic’ experience.

“It’s a lot o work, but it’s a lot of fun,” Zotti says. “The day-to-day in the store is something we’re all used to, coming to CON, people coming in, and that’s all great, but it’s long hours for retailers, but it’s fun and hopefully profitable.”

Comic book fan Kristina Bygrave says overall ComicCON is for the fans. Even if one is there for charity or retail, everyone who comes to a comic convention is a fan of storytelling and expressing yourself, Bygrave says.

“I think everybody should come to a comic book convention at least once in their lives because the atmosphere is phenomenal,” says Bygrave, who wore an outfit of Batman villain, Harley Quinn. “You will never get something like this. It’s accepting, it’s fun. Everybody has a good time…I get hassled walking down the street where I come from but here I can wear whatever I want and people stop and take pictures of me…it’s phenomenal, especially for families. It’s great.”

To see a video on ComicCON, watch Savanna Chiblow’s video report about the event.

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