Montreal Comiccon

Coming Soon to a Galaxy Not So Far Away

By Rachelle Eldar (Contributor)

It’s that time of year again. The leaves will soon be falling from the trees, the homework is starting to pile up…and the cosplayers are frantically putting finishing touches on their costumes.

For those of you who are unaware: a wondrous, wild weekend will soon be upon us in the form of Montreal Comiccon. It will be held again this year at the Palais Des Congrès Convention Center in downtown Montreal, on September 12-14.

Since its launch in 2006, we’ve been provided each September with a little taste of nerd paradise: merchandise is sold for every fan-base you can think of – movie and TV show paraphernalia, comic books, artwork, clothing, jewelry, games…the list goes on and on.

Comiccon is also an opportunity to meet some of your favourite celebrities, as a large group attends every year for Q&A sessions, autographs, and photos. This year’s lineup includes Billy Boyd and Karl Urban (The Lord Of The Rings), Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation, X-Men), Norman Reedus, Emily Kinney, and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (The Walking Dead), Julie Benz (Dexter), Osric Chau (Supernatural), and Matt Smith (Doctor Who).

One of the most underrated and yet biggest highlights of Comiccon is the cosplayers. People work on their costumes for months in advance, and arrive looking incredible. It’s a bit surreal to see your favourite fictional characters walking around the convention center, looking real as ever.

And the best part? It is completely socially acceptable at Comiccon to walk up to complete strangers, gush over how cool their costumes are, and ask to take a photograph with them. They will always good-naturedly say yes, because the atmosphere is so friendly and welcoming.

This is more than just a convention. It’s an opportunity for thousands of people to come together and bond over their common interests, and to feel at home. If that doesn’t sound like an incredible weekend, I don’t know what does.