The 400 Project

Fan Expo is an event that always holds extremely true to it’s name. It is focused on the fans and that is what makes this such a fun event to attend.

For those that don’t know, this is the largest Canadian comics, sci-fi, horror, gaming and anime expo. A Comic-Con style event located in Toronto, it is held at the end of the summer each year. Ben and I made our way out to the show last weekend to check it out.

T-shirt towers aside (seriously, those things are crazy), there is always a lot to see at Fan Expo.

The gaming area is usually where I go first to see what I can get my hands on. Xbox showcased many upcoming games. I had the chance to try out many of those demos a few weeks back at X16 (my thoughts on those games can be seen here). It was great to see what Playstation had to offer as well, especially their Virtual Reality stuff and their driving rigs set up for Gran Turismo. Ubisoft and WB also had booths with a lot of games to try out. This is the perfect platform to give fans a hands-on sneak peek of what is coming out soon.

Besides gaming, there was a horror section featuring props and vendors. A lot of TV shows and movies had booths showing off their upcoming features. There were dozens of celebrities from all genres available to meet for signatures and photo-ops.

Vendors can be found in the bulk of the event space, offering everything you can imagine from comic-books to replica swords. My first time out the idea of paying money to get into a show filled with wall to wall vendors was a bit of a strange concept to me. Pay to get in to buy more stuff, maybe it was from my limited experience. I have grown to see the value in that a lot of the things available are not easily found for most people, especially those living outside of a large city. And they do showcase select items that cannot be purchased anywhere outside of the show itself. The Internet closes that gap a bit, but I can buy into this as part of the experience. I always walk away purchasing at least something as a souvenir, so no judgement from me.

Above all else, I think the best part of Fan Expo is the community built around the event. A community that can best be seen in the Artist Alley. Featuring creations from indie artists, it allows the community to experience and support new/up and coming talent. No matter what show, movie, comic or anime you love, there is a piece that will speak to you. On the flip side, it also encourages artists to keep doing what they love and funding their passion. It is amazing to walk through this area of the event and hear people engaging with the artists about their styles and techniques. There is something really special about the ability to inspire others, and I believe that is what happens in Artist Alley each year.

Creation and community are what I think makes this event so worth attending each year.  Cosplay is another perfect example of that, watch for Ben’s feature on that coming soon!

I have attended this event the past few years, but I always find it interesting just how diverse the experience actually is. Attendees are able to see what they came for, while being exposed to potential new interest. Fan Expo continues to grow and evolve each year, so I am excited to see what is in store for 2017. I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Did you attend Fan Expo this year or in the past? Join the conversation by telling me your thoughts in the comments below!