Fan Expo Canada returned to Toronto for four days of pop culture immersion, running from August 23 to 26 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Thousands of fans from across Canada and the United States gathered for a weekend that celebrated comics, anime, movies, video games, and cartoons.
Fan Expo began as a small comic book convention, but it quickly grew to embrace sci‑fi, gaming, horror, and anime. Now in its 18th year, Fan Expo stands as the third-largest pop culture event in North America.
A tradition at Fan Expo is for everyone to dress up as their favorite fictional character. The cosplays lived up to their intrigue, with many Batman, Spider-Man and Star Wars outfits on display. A lot of costumes were handmade and richly detailed, naturally turning crowds into magnetic focal points.
Iron Man Cosplay. Photo courtesy of TSE_J
Creating and assembling a costume can take weeks or months, so cosplayers are eager to be acknowledged and to have chances to pose like their heroes.
On top of dressing up and shopping, fans had the chance to meet a few famous celebrities at Fan Expo. This year’s lineup included Stan Lee, Gillian Anderson, Matthew Gray Gubler, Billy West, and Devon Bostick.
Criminal Minds Q&A Session. Photo courtesy of TSE_J
Television and movie stars, such as the cast of CTV’s Criminal Minds and the crew behind the upcoming film A Little Bit Zombie, also attended, participating in question-and-answer sessions and engaging with fans.
A Little Bit Zombie Cast. Photo courtesy of TSE_J
This year’s Fan Expo was special, as it marked the 50th anniversary of Spider‑Man. Creator Stan Lee appeared on the first day to cut a Spider-Man cake and greet fans, drawing a massive turnout and thunderous applause.
Spider-Man Cake. Photo courtesy of TSE_J
Stan Lee. Photo courtesy of TSE_J
A big part of the expo was the shopping. The retailer booths and Artist Alley offered fans across genres a chance to purchase accessories, comic books, stuffed animals, clothing, stickers, drawings, prints, and more. The Artist Alley stood out, as each booth was run by the artists themselves, each showcasing their distinctive style and handmade items for sale.
Pins from the Artist Alley. Photo courtesy of TSE_J
After chatting with a few local clothing companies in the Artist Alley, including 1% TALENT and CARSON-DREW-IT, it was clear that the designs were drawn and printed by the artists themselves. The retailer booths sold similar goods, but much of the merchandise was imported and priced higher than the artist-made pieces.
Shirts from the retailer booths. Photo courtesy of TSE_J
Last but not least, this year’s exhibitors were impressive. Standouts included CTV, MARVEL, UBISOFT, PS3, EB GAMES, DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, ALLIANCE FILMS and HASBRO. Once again, LEGO did not fail to impress, featuring a range of iconic characters sculpted from thousands of bricks.
Lego Hulk. Courtesy of TSE_J
DISNEY also had a display for the upcoming film Frankenweenie. With multiple display cases filled with puppets and props from each scene, fans could get up close to the director’s stop-motion creations.
Frankenweenie. Courtesy of TSE_J
Fan Expo Canada has enchanted attendees for nearly two decades. Each year, exhibitors capture the attention of people from all age groups. While the first visit may feel overwhelming due to the crowds and the number of booths, the experience proves well worth the trip. This year was no exception. From Spider-Man enthusiasts to zombie fans, Fan Expo Canada offered four days of over-the-top fun that united pop culture fans from across North America.