Comiccon Wraps Up Another Successful Edition

Posted on July 10, 2017. Written by Jean-Frederic Vachon

Orchestra à Vent de Musique de Films, Doctor Who concert. Photo by Jean-Frederic Vachon.

Comiccon came and went like a hurricane of bright colours, flashing lights and excitement, with about 58,000 visitors coming through its doors over 3 days to partake in the festival’s wide range of events.

Cosplayers showed so much creativity with their costume designs, proudly showing them off and posing for pictures. You can’t even begin to appreciate the magic of cosplay until you see a little girl stop a woman in a Wonder Woman costume to pose with her and get her autograph. The excitement in her eyes as she reached into her bag for a notepad and a pen was magnificent.

The organisation this year seemed even more efficient than in past years, especially the autograph lines who were efficiently operated by the team of enthusiastic volunteers. The only black cloud seems to have been for Saturday’s ticketed Doctor Who Q&A session, with many attendees complaining about the length of the event (and hour for a paid event), and the inefficient moderation of the questions from the crowd.

For me, the event closed on a high note with Sunday’s concert of Doctor Who music from the Orchestre à Vent de Musique de Film. I hold the opinion that Murray Gold’s work on the new series is some of the finest music ever produced for television, and it was fantastic to hear it played in concert. Any doubt I might have had about a string-less orchestra quickly evaporated, swept away by the clever arrangements, and the enthusiasm the musicians brought to the material.

The board game room was a great initiative that I hope will become a permanent fixture of Comiccon, as well as the Retro Gaming and Indie Gaming Zones, acting as a healthy contrast to the more high profile areas dedicated to Sony and Nintendo.

And, while personal opinion will play a role in one’s appreciation, I felt that the quality and prestige of the media guests lineup was one of the con’s best. And there’s nothing like taking your ten year old son to meet the voice of Mario!

It’s hard to describe what Comiccon is, because it can be many things to many people. Above all, it is a celebration of talent, creativity and the power of imagination. Whatever your interests, you’ll find a way to have a great time. Kudos on another great year!