I have never waited so late to decide whether or not I’ll go to Toronto Comicon. My accreditation had come through a while ago, but I just wasn’t sure if my sister and I would be up to going to a convention. A lot has happened this year (and it’s only March) so did we want to subject ourselves to a sea of humanity?
As always, my love of all things geek won out. The Friday that the con started, I decided that we would make the hour-long foray to downtown the next day to mingle with fellow geeks, see some cosplayers and catch some panels.
Saturday was set to be a breezy day but it was actually much warmer than expected, at least on our side of the world. When we got to the station closest to the Metro Toronto Comic Convention (MTCC), we walked out into a snowstorm. The weather app had failed us. It was too much for us to brave and we ran back into the station and found the Path leading to the MTCC.
An absolute age later, we reached the North Building of the MTCC where the Comicon was taking place. This is a departure for the convention which usually takes place in the South building. I didn’t really mind until we had to go down a set of escalators, then another, then exit the building entirely, only to go back in from another door, and take two escalators up to the other end of where we’d come from. I’m sorry, but what? Why is this the route? Good grief!
Suffice to say, by the time I got to the press counter, I was already so hot, my jacket was off, and I was annoyed. But the press team recognized us on sight which is hilarious and very sweet. My sister and I have been covering both Toronto Comicon and Fan Expo Canada (both events are run by the same team) for our respective publications for years now, but it was still a surprise and a very pleasant welcome.
Badges ensconced around our necks, we made our way around the Artists Alley and found some posters to buy. I’ve learned my lesson from previous cons. If you see something you like, just buy it or it’s going to be gone the next time you come to the stall. I saw some posters I liked and nabbed them.
Posters in hand, we walked around the con, meeting cosplayers and taking in the sights. It was a packed crowd and getting around was extremely hard with a jacket in my hand. I wish I’d just worn a hoodie but then I might have frozen outside.
We walked around the signing area where we managed to catch glimpses of some of the stars. That’s a nice part of the arrangement at MTCC. Unless there’s a ridiculously large crowd, you can always see a few familiar faces if you strain your neck hard enough.
I did have fun seeing the cosplayers, even when I had no idea who the characters were. I saw a couple of incredibly elaborate costumes that were truly breathtaking. This is why I come to Comicon!
However, I did have a session to check out, which meant one thing—getting in line. Unlike last year’s Fan Expo, where no matter what time I arrived, I was behind a horde of people, I was too early for The Flash panel. We found a spot to sit where a bunch of other people had been. Little did we know that that was the exact spot where the talent would be brought for their session.
We were early enough that the previous panel hadn’t even started. This was the panel for The Boys and four of the actors stood right in front of us. We had a good giggle with Karen Fukuhara and Claudia Doumit as they waited alongside Jessie T Usher and Jack Quaid to be let in. Unfortunately, that did not sit well with the cast’s bodyguard who immediately, and very rudely, shooed us away. Sir, I will have you know that we were here first. And you could have easily told the cast to move to the side instead of making us normies move. Honestly, you’d think because they’re actors, they’re made of glass!
We had no choice but to move and we eventually found a very short line for The Flash session. So began the waiting, which was annoying enough but was made worse by an extremely loud family beside us. Why do people make things so hard? Can we not have nice things even as we queue?
As exciting as it was to be at the con, despite my endless dithering, food was still an issue. Food is always an issue and it’s getting worse the older I’m getting. Our session was at 2pm, which meant we had to queue by at least 1pm, which meant getting to the con by at least 12:30pm, so we had enough time to get our badges and our bearings. Which meant we had to leave home by 11am, at the latest. That leaves no time for lunch!
I cannot condone skipping meals and the lunch queues at cons are always unmanageable. So, we made our own arrangements. It still astounds and pleases me that in Toronto, they don’t immediately throw out any food and water you bring to an event. Having spent a considerable amount of time in Dubai where they do just that (for no good reason), this is a relief. We managed to have something while in line for our session.
And we timed it perfectly as we got a seat in the second row. As much as I wish we didn’t have to spend so much time queuing, it’s nice to sit close enough to the stars we’ve been watching for so many years. And with The Flash Season 9 closing out the show, who knows when we’ll see any of this cast again.
The panel turned out to be a blast! Robbie Amell may not have been Ronnie Raymond/ F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. for very long on The Flash, but he clearly enjoyed himself and made some good friends in the cast. Having seen Amell a couple of years ago at the pandemic-shortened Fan Expo Canada, it was enjoyable seeing him again. Amell did chat a lot despite his curtailed role on the show, even joining the audience in complaining about the horrendous Toronto weather. As a Toronto native and Los Angeles transplant, Amell is familiar with the nuisance that is March in Toronto. He also shared his love of Beaver Tails, which Carlos Valdes thought were the actual tails of poor beavers (we’ve all been there!). I can’t help but wonder why Amell wasn’t asked to moderate the session because he had some great insights and was driving a lot of the conversation. One hilarious moment was Amell just straight up eating ketchup chips during the Q&A because nobody had questions for him. I don’t know what ketchup chips are, but my colleagues have recommended them to me and I need to try them.
Danielle Panabaker, who plays Caitlyn Snow/Killer Frost/Frost/Khione on The Flash, was delightfully sweet and bubbly, but also a bit more reticent to answer than her colleagues. I think the moderator should have tried harder to redirect questions to her. During the Q&A, Panabaker came alive because questions were directed to her so she didn’t have to wait her turn. Her insights as a director on the show were fascinating, and hilarious. Persistence is the key when someone wants to become a director, that’s my takeaway from listening to Panabaker.
But this packed room was all about Carlos Valdes and his character Cisco Ramon/Vibe. Having left The Flash a few seasons ago, Valdes has clearly left an indelible mark on The Flash fans. Practically unrecognisable with short hair and a beard, as opposed to Cisco’s clean-shaven, L’Oreal-locks appearance, Valdes had the crowd going completely wild as he entered the room. Several of the audience loudly professed their undying love for Cisco and Valdes during the panel discussion, a theme that continued during the Q&A. Valdes was humble about it all and made jokes to keep the crowd calm.
There were plenty of laughs during the session and honestly, I could have listened to the trio talk about filmmaking, acting with tennis balls, and the boredom of being on set for much longer, but alas, the session was over, and we made our way home. Only to walk out into another snow squall. Ah, Toronto, never change.
