Being from Southern Ontario, it’s not often that comic conventions come out our way. However, one annual convention called Fan Expo comes to Toronto every year and brings in some of the biggest names in the business. In a nutshell, it’s the San Diego Comic Con on a smaller scale, centered in Toronto.

It focuses on Comics, Horror, Science Fiction, Anime and Video Games. It’s quite a well-rounded event.

Last year, I was able to meet my childhood hero, Stan Lee. Olivier Copiel, Gary Frank, Leonard Kirk, and Steve McNiven, to name a few, all made their appearances too. The year before that, I was lucky enough to meet Joe Quesada. This years list is beyond impressive:

JEFF SMITH (artist/creator – BONE)

JOE KUBERT (Legendary Artist)

ANDY KUBERT (artist – FLASHPOINT, BATMAN)

ADAM KUBERT (artist – ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN & WOLVERINE)

TONY MOORE (artist – THE WALKING DEAD, VENOM)

MATT FRACTION (writer- FEAR ITSELF, THOR, IRONMAN, UNCANNY X-MEN)

STEVE EPTING (artist – FANTASTIC FOUR, CAPTAIN AMERICA)

JONATHAN HICKMAN (writer – FANTASTIC FOUR, S.H.I.E.L.D, PAX ROMANA)

STUART IMMONEN (artist – FEAR ITSELF)

OLIVIER COIPEL (artist – THOR)

JASON AARON (writer- ULTIMATE CAPTAIN AMERICA, WOLVERINE)

JAMES ROBINSON (writer – SUPERMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA)

STEVE McNIVEN (artist – CAPTAIN AMERICA, NEMESIS)

SHANE DAVIS (artist – SUPERMAN EARTH ONE)

RON GARNEY (artist – ULTIMATE CAPTAIN AMERICA)

MARKO DJURDJEVIC (artist – THOR, FANTASTIC FOUR, SPIDER-MAN)

JIMMY CHEUNG (artist- AVENGERS:THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE)

BRIAN AZZARELLO (writer – FIRST WAVE, 100 BULLETS, JOKER)

ETHAN VAN SCIVER (artist – THE FLASH REBIRTH)

MARK BROOKS (artist – UNCANNY X-FORCE)

DAN SLOTT (writer – AMAZING SPIDER-MAN)

ALEX MALEEV (artist – MOON KNIGHT, SCARLET)

DALE EAGLESHAM (artist – ALPHA FLIGHT)

FRANCIS MANAPUL (artist – THE FLASH)

KATHRYN IMMONEN (writer – WOLVERINE & JUBILEE)

DALE KEOWN (artist – HULK, PITT)

JEFF LEMIRE (artist – SUPERBOY, SWEET TOOTH)

KATIE COOK (artist – GRONK, STAR WARS, FRAGGLE ROCK)

DOUG SNEYD (Legendary Playboy cartoonist)

Of course, there’s even more!

Kei Acedara
Attila Adorjany
Sam Agro
Adrian Alphona
Kalman Andrasofszky
Andy Belanger
J. Bone
Kent Burles
C.B. Cebulski
Scott Chantler
Bobby Chiu
Michael Cho
Charlene Chua
Aaron Costain
Wes Craig
David J. Cutler
Willow Dawson
Kelly Sue DeConnick
Valentine DeLandro
Anthony Del Col
Michael Del Mundo
Jason Edmiston
Nick Evans
Ray Fawkes
W. Scott Forbes
Mike Gagnon
Agnes Garbowska
Holly Halftone
Clayton Hanmer
Scott Hepburn
Greg Hyland
Raffaelle Ienco
Jesse Jacobs
Eric Kim
Leonard Kirk
Shane Kirshenblatt
Scott Kowalchuk
Annie Koyama
Drazen Kozjan
Jessie Lam
Marvin Law
Alvin Lee
Kurt Lehner
Leo Leibelman
Nimit Malavia
Steven Charles Manale
Steve Mannion
Marvin Mariano
Nick Marinkovich
John Martz
Richard Maurizio
Conor McCreery
Brian McLachlan
Kagan McLeod
Diana McNally
Alex Milne
Vicki Nerino
Richard Pace
Dan Parent
Ramon K. Perez
Alex Perkins
Nick Postic
Gibson Quarter
Peter Repovski
Ethan Rilly
Benjamin Rivers
Hugh Rookwood
Dave Ross
Riley Rossmo
Salgood Sam
K.T. Smith
Fiona Smyth
Steve Sprayson
Diana Tamblyn
Ty Templeton
Kelly Tindall
Marcus To
J. Torres
James Turner
Alina Urusov
Eric Vedder
Joe Vriens
Tigh Walker
Ken Wheaton
Kurtis Wiebe
Britt Wilson
Steve Wolfhard
Howard Wong
Tory Woollcott
Craig Yeung
Richard Zajac
Jim Zubkavich

Publishes and Studios:

DC Comics
Marvel Comics
Image Comics
Archie Comics
Udon Entertainment
DK Canada
Koyama Press
Imaginism Studios
Transmission-X (TX Comics)

Check out more updates as they come along on FanExpo’s Website.

I’m very excited for Stuart and Kathryn Immonen, Matt Fraction, Steve McNiven, Marko Djurdjevic, Alex Maleev, Oliver Coipel, Dale Keown, Steve Epting, Jimmy Cheung, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Leonard Kirk, and Tony Moore.

It’s going to be a blast!

In other news, CGC Comics just announced that they’ve reached a milestone with 100,000 Signature Series books being certified through them.

“All collectibles certified with the prestigious CGC Signature Series label have been signed in the presence of a CGC representative, and are then submitted for CGC certification. CGC authenticates the signatures and indicates all pertinent information on the prestigious CGC Signature Series label. The Signature Series label includes security features such as an official hologram seal and a unique serial number. The item is then graded and encapsulated in CGC’s patented, tamper-evident holder, to become a treasured part of a collection. Thanks to CGC Signature Series, collectors know their signed items bear the seal of the most-trusted name in collecting.”

I’m proud to be part of that 100,000 with my copy of X-Men #15 signed by Stan Lee. (Who knows why I’m proud – I just am.)

Keep on Space Truckin’!