Wizard World Toronto Comic Con 2010

Wizard World Toronto Comic Con Report

March 26, 2010-March 27, 2010

Wizard World made its Canadian debut this year with the Toronto Comic Con convention. I have to say I am rather impressed with all the new conventions Toronto is getting! It means less travel for us in the hood! And we still get the opportunity to meet some great stars!

Some of the guest that attended were:

Jewel Staite

Magda Apanowicz

Doug Jones

Kandyse McClure

Luciana Carro

Eddie McClintock

David Richmond Peck

Max Brooks

Gil Gerard

Erin Grey

Kate Hewlett

Michael Mahonen

They also have a large amount of reality stars, which included:

Adrianne Curry

Christopher Knight

Meghan & Cheyne (Winners of The Amazing Race)

Friday March 26, 2010

I left work early so that I could be at The Direct Energy Centre, which is located on the CNE grounds. It’s not the easiest to get to nor the most convenient place because there isn’t a lot around. It’s worse if you were staying at a hotel because there is nothing within walking distance, but if you were taking transit or driving it’s not that bad.

I got to the convention just after 4:00pm, picked up my pass and did a walk through to see where everything was.

I found Jewel Staite's booth first and since I had wanted to get her autograph on my Dead Like Me poster (already have her on my Serenity poster) I got that first. There wasn’t a line, so I was able to just walk up. It took me a moment to get set (unrolling the poster) and while I was doing that I welcomed Jewel back to Toronto. She thanked me and said it had been a while and the last time was Toronto Trek, but she wasn’t sure when that was. I told her it was 2006 since I was there and that was where I met her for the first time (and could only get “Hi” out to her).

While she was signing the poster, I asked her if it would be ok if I brought a Jayne hat for her to wear for the photo I was planning on having the next day. She said sure! I learned from my friend Elizabeth J. that if you want to get the guests to do something different for your photo op, you should warn them beforehand, after all not everyone is James Marsters (who has been ok with all my strange and wacky requests)!

I thanked Jewel for the autograph and left to look around, not that I found much. While the convention had started early in the afternoon, it didn’t look like many of the guests were there yet. I did run into some of my friends, Chris M., Sue, Colleen, Jen and Elizabeth. We all walked a round a little but soon ended up in the line for the Caprica Screening and Q&A.

Elizabeth, Colleen, Sue and Chris at the Caprica Panel

The panel, which started just after 5:00pm, was sponsored by Space Channel and as such it was hosted by Ajay Fry and Teddy Wilson who host InnerSPACE each night (a show on many of the sci-fi shows).

The panel also included Magda Apanowicz who plays Lacy Rand and Luciana Carro who plays Priyah Magnus on Caprica.

We found out that this was Magda's first convention ever and this was her first panel/Q&A. She was soooo excited, it was cute! And also that Luciana was not only Canadian but from Toronto so it was a homecoming for her. It was also her first Toronto convention.

Ajay and Teddy started out with talking about the show and asking the ladies some questions, and then they showed the first 10 minutes of that night’s show which was the mid-season finale called ‘End of Line’. I have to say it was VERY good and because James Marsters in it, it was extra good for me (yes, my name is Magie and I’m a James Marsters addict!).

Then they opened it up to audience for asking questions. I was in the middle of tweeting something so Colleen got to ask the first question - AND SHE TOOK MINE!. Sue told me later that if looks could kill, they would have carried Colleen out in a body bag from the look I gave her, but it was just that I planned on asking them both what it was like to work with James Marsters and I had even told one of the fan groups that I would be asking it.

I remember Magda said that she was a big Buffy fan and had to get the whole fan girl thing out of the way and tell James how cool she thought he was as Spike and how she loved him before she could get professional and work with him.

Here is some of video of her answer:

I did ask them a question later. I asked because they were both Canadian how they liked filming in Vancouver? They each said that they loved it - Magda because she was from there and was able to be close to friends and family and when you are working 12-18 hour days you need that around and Luciana because she really like Vancouver and being in Canada.

And here is the video of it:

Overall it was really great! After the panel was over we walked around and looked at the booths and who was where. I was able to snap a picture of Adrianne Curry in her Clockwork Orange outfit (on Saturday she wore a Wonder Women outfit, so proof she is a sci-fi fan).

I also got to pick up an Electric Tiki Sideshow Dark Willow for only $35.00 (they’re regularly $90.00) and I was missing this one! So thanks to Jen for telling me about it and showing me where I could get it!

We also talked to Froggy for a bit. I had to say hi and see how he was doing. He has had a rough time personally lately and I wanted to see if he was ok, Plus I wanted to discuss photo ops since he had Magda scheduled for a photo op during her Caprica panel. We had advised him of that before and he was going to see if he could get her to do one later on. Turns out that didn't happen, oh well.

I also spoke to someone who was handing out discount cards for David Richmond Peck who is currently staring in the series V and whom I wanted to meet, but I didn’t have anything for him to sign. I was, however, very much interested in getting one of the V posters that they had around since I had been looking at them on eBay but hadn’t bought one yet. So I asked if they had posters for sale at his booth and she said 'yes they did'. Goody!

So I went over to talk to David and see what posters they had. It turns out they were different but he did have a few of the V posters hanging around and I asked if he had any for sale and he said no, that he was sorry but not those. I said I understood, but would ask him again tomorrow to see if he changed his mind, he laughed and said better to ask on Sunday. Hmmmm so maybe I could convince him.

There was a Saw Cast Panel and Q&A scheduled for later and I believe we lost both Sue and Elizabeth to that, but the rest of us weren’t that interested. Though we did take pictures in front of the Saw Puppet. The guy told us it was the actual one used in the film, well at least the first one.

And I re-told the story of seeing a little person dressed as the puppet riding a tricycle at Fan Expo (should have gotten a picture!) and how it really freaked me out (that and others since people were all giving him a lot of space). Great idea, looked really good but boy oh boy CREEPY!

It actually got pretty quiet later on, so we (Chris, Derwin, Colleen, Jen and me) all headed out for dinner. Chris was nice enough to give us a lift and at my suggestion, we went to Shoeless Joe’s which was only a few blocks away. It will forever be known as Soulless Jews, because my Dyslexia reared up and that’s what came out when I was suggesting it. Chris about died from laughing so hard.

The restaurant wasn’t packed, though there was some game playing and we were able to enjoy a nice dinner and an even better dessert!

Saturday March 27, 2010

I had originally wanted to get there for the Max Brooks Zombie Q&A, which was one of the first things on the schedule for the day. But getting my lazy butt out of bed and moving proved to be much harder that I had hoped. So I missed it, and according to Christine and Paul it was the highlight of the convention so my bad and my loss! But I’ve made a mental note that if he is ever speaking at another event I will go and see him!

Christine and Paul

In fact I was worried I would miss most of the Battlestar Galactica Q&A that was scheduled for noon, but as I got there I saw both Luciana Carro and Kandyse McClure waiting just out the Q&A room (door was in the hallway) to enter. They were all alone (no handlers) and I remember thinking, why would they just leave them out like that alone in the hallway where anyone (it was even before the ticket check point) could go up to them.

I hurried in and found it pretty packed, but Paul and Christine had saved me a seat (aren’t they nice!) so I sat by them.

I did have to get up and go stand by the wall after a while so I would be able to get better pictures, and I even asked my question from there.

I asked how often they found themselves using the word “Frak.” Both said a lot and Kandyse said she uses it the most with her cats. Ok…

Here is the video of it:

The panel was again hosted by Space, and this time they added Natasha Eloi as a host, along with Ajay and Teddy. They did do a good job of keeping the panel going and brought up some good points.

Here is some video of them talking about what they took from the set:

After the panel, I went to check in with Froggy and make sure that all the photo sessions were still scheduled for the same time and confirm that we were still doing a group shot with Jewel. (I had set one up with the Toronto Browncoats).

Since some of the people I wanted to see were still not at their booths, I decided to head into the ‘I Saw You On TV’ panel, which was all about Reality TV.

It had Mikey Bustos (Canadian Idol), Vincent Desjardins (So You Think You Can Dance Canada), Johnny Fairplay (Survivor), Jessie Godderz (Big Brother 11), Meghan and Cheyne (Amazing Race), Tara-Jean Popowich (So You Think You Can Dance Canada), and Jessie Sulidis (The Bachelor 2010) and it was moderated by Murtz Jaffer (Reality Obsessed).

I missed the beginning of it so I have no idea what was discussed then but they did talk about what they thought about realty stars being at conventions and if realty stars were taking jobs from actors and so on. It was pretty interesting until Johnny Fairplay (Survivor) and Jessie Godderz (Big Brother 11) showed up, they were not there at the beginning either. The panel went downhill fast after that and it became about how many stupid things Johnny Fairplay could say and how often could he talk about himself and if it isn’t apparent NO I DO NOT LIKE HIM! [Ed note: You’re not alone. I can’t stand him either.] The guy always seemed like a women hating jerk to me!

I did ask a question when they opened it up to the audience to Meghan and Cheyne from Amazing Race. I wanted to know how much down time during the race they actually got.

I got some of it on video. Meghan answered me and she said not much, that sometimes they got to stay in hotels but their longest pit stop was 36 hours but it was in a tent so it wasn’t very comfortable and even when they had down time, they were always thinking about the game so it never felt restful.

I left before the panel was over. I had seen enough by then and asked my question. While I admit to watching some reality TV, the truth is, if it disappeared tomorrow I wouldn’t be broken up about it.

I headed over to Froggy’s photos to look for everyone that was going to be in the group picture. I advised everyone that if they were getting a solo picture with Jewel Staite to go ahead and get that done first and then come back to the end of the line, since any groups would go last.

I had my single photo with Jewel first and as soon as I walked in wearing my Jayne hat and holding the one for her, she held out her hands for it and said, “I remembered!” She gave a great “Yeah what about it!” pose and the picture was taken. I wished I looked a little less geeky and more cool like her, but I’m still happy with the photo.

Then it was back in line for the group photo, there were 13 of us:

Kate, Sunny, Colleen, Jen, Alex, Cindy, Paul, Me, Christine, Elizabeth, Sue and Chris, Plus Jewel. Froggy was having a little trouble fitting us all in and ended up taking a few shots.

After we were done, Chris K. showed up but he was too late unfortunately. We had already done the photo and Froggy wasn’t going to re-take it. Note to all when taking a group shot: be there early and don’t assume, like Chris, that it will take a while to get through the single shots because they go FAST! Froggy was nice enough to take a single photo of Chris K. and Jewel so that he had something.

Right after Jewel’s photo was both Kandyse McClure and Luciana Carro photo ops, they were doing both single and group shots, so I got a group one done with them. Both were super sweet and Kandyse asked me what my Canadian Browncoat t-shirt meant. I told her it meant I was Canadian fan of the show Firefly but I am not sure she understood the Browncoat reference and I didn’t have time to explain because Froggy was ready to take the picture. I was happy with how it came out.

Once that was done it was autograph time and I headed over to the booth to look for anyone who was there. This time I found almost everyone, except Eddie McClintock who was in Bones and is now in Warehouse 13, who never seemed to make it so he may have canceled, that or somehow I never saw him!

I did find Magda Apanowicz, and had her sign my Caprica poster. I also asked her if she had any embarrassing stories about James Marsters because I would be seeing him again in June and if she did I could use them. (James is always looking for embarrassing questions!)

She didn’t really, but did tell me that at one point she walked into his trailer and said, “Hello my future lover and father of my children, how are you?” That made me laugh! She was just soooo cute, I so wanted to keep her! We talked about a few things. (Magie – I don’t think you need to say you have stuff on video because the video box will let them know that you do. I’ll leave it up to you whether you want to leave all the references in or take them out. Definitely remove this one though because it doesn’t really work.)

As I was walking around I saw Doug Jones, who was also walking around and looking at comics! So I took some pictures. He even looked up at me and gave a great look, he is sooooo cool!

Then I got in line for Luciana Carro’s autograph. While I had gotten hers on my BSG poster in September of last year at Dragon Con, I now was getting it on my Caprica poster. She was really cool again and we had a little chat about the show and her being back in Toronto while she signed it.

Lastly I needed/wanted to get Kandyse McClure to sign my BSG poster. She was one that I wasn’t able to get at Dragon Con last September since her line up was way too long every time I went near or she wasn’t there. So I was excited about getting it now! And I will say she was beyond cute! She was all upbeat and she was impressed with how many signatures I have on it (I’m actually running out of space).

She spent some time looking at them and picking out who has signed it and then talking about them. She mentioned Mary McDonnell and how great she was plus just how funny she was in real life and she also said how much she loved Jamie Bamber and asked didn’t I think he was a real sweetie too (which I did and told her so). Then she saw Aaron Douglas’ signature and went into a long talk about how wonderful he was. I didn’t say much and just stayed quiet. I guess she realized that I was getting less comfortable and said that I didn’t want to hear about Aaron (if she only KNEW!) and I told her that I would rather hear about her because I thought she was great! She signed the poster and thanked me for coming to see her. She really was super sweet!

Afterwards since we had some time to kill, Elizabeth, Sue and I headed over to get some food. We were waiting for Froggy to come back with our photos, so we knew it would take a little bit. We got some bad pizza (convention food tends to not be the best) and sat for a bit to relax.

I also got some pictures of some of the other guests:

GilGil Gerard Gerard

Erin Grey

Kate Hewlett

While we were sitting, we had a pretty good view of some of the reality stars and Sue had been talking about wanting to meet Jessie Godderz from Big Brother 10 & 11. I had no idea who he was because I didn’t watch the show. (I had caught a season or two at one point but for the most part had no clue what had happened.)

The interesting thing was that Sue was being shy about going up to him and asking for a picture, so I offered to do it for her. I can be really forward when it’s for other people - for myself not so much. So after lunch we went up to him and I asked if he would be willing to take a picture with Sue. He said sure but there was a charge of $10.00 (we’re all learning what the rules are with the reality stars). She said that was fine and we went to take the picture. I took it using Sue's camera and he actually posed for 2 of them. They also got to chat about the show and stuff during that time and he seemed nicer up close then even on the panel (where he seemed like a bit of a jerk).

During this time I was also taking some pictures of Meghan & Cheyne from the Amazing Race. I didn’t talk to them just took some photos.

Magda's Photo op was scheduled later, so I was off to see Max Brooks. I had missed his Q&A that morning and Paul and Christine had said it was the best of the day. He was so funny and they didn’t know he was the son of Max Brooks. I had brought hubby a copy of his ‘Zombies Survival Guide?’ during my trip to Philly as a gift. And I thought it would be cool to get him World War Z and get it signed by Max as well.

Max was a super nice guy and he even signed to Rick with “Never wish for Zombies!” That is something we often say to each other when we are talking about the upcoming Zombie war. (Come on, we all know it is coming…right?) When we mention Zombies we end it with but remember never wish for zombies. I gave the signed book to hubby for our anniversary. He really liked it.

Then I met up with the girls at the Space booth. Natasha, Ajay and Teddy were signing autographs for free and they were also giving out free lanyards.

There was still a little bit of time until Magda's Photo Ops, so I wandered back over to David Richmond Peck’s autograph table and gave him a big smile. (Hey you have a better chance at catching flies with honey than vinegar as the saying goes!) I asked him once again if he would be willing to part with one of his V posters, so I could get him to autograph it. He kind of gave me a ‘oh well’ look and said ok. I was thrilled! He took down one and autographed it for me.

He was only going to charge me for the autograph and I told him, that no I was willing to pay for the poster, since I was going to buy it on eBay anyways and it was only fair. So he charged for the poster and autograph together. It still worked out cheaper for me in the long run, so I was happy. David and I also had an interesting chat about how he how gotten the posters. A fan had contacted him and offered to give the posters to him but he to meet the fan at a weird place and such. I thanked David and as I was walking away Sue told me that I was the only person she knows that would find a way to pay MORE than someone asked for an autograph. I thought that was funny!

Then it was time for Magda's photo op. I have to say she was just beyond cute. This was her first convention and her first photo ops with fans. When I walked in she said she knew what she wanted to do and gave me a hug for the photo. I just went along with what she wanted since it was all good for me.

Someone told me after that Madga's dad was there at the end and he wanted the full photo ops experience as well and then insisted on paying for the photo op like everyone else. How cute was that!

After that, we waited for all the photos to be done and then a group of us made our way to dinner. I suggested a restaurant close to my place since it wasn’t too far from the convention and they have really good food. Christine and Paul gave me a ride up and the rest joined us there. The food as always was great and the company was even better!

Alex, Cindy and Colleen:

The convention had scheduled only kids programming for the Sunday and since I had gotten all the photo ops and autographs I had wanted to get, I did not attend the Sunday.

So that was it my first Toronto Wizard World Comic Con, hopefully the beginning of a new Toronto tradition!

Magie

A big thank you to the Wonderful Ali for editing this report!