You might have seen a gaggle of costumed kids hanging around the streets of Toronto this weekend for the Fan Expo '09. The 15th annual convention brought together the fan culture of comics, anime, science fiction, fantasy, horror and video gaming under one roof at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. It brought celebrity Q&As, workshops, live panels, a marketplace, game demos and even a cosplay masquerade.
We attended this year's Fan Expo and picked up a few rules to follow for next year.
Rule 1: Wear a costume
If you're worth your salt as an anime, sci-fi, gaming or horror fan, you'll wear a handmade costume proudly. Yes, there will be staring and perhaps some mocking from outsiders, but there will also be scantily clad costumed chicks all over you! Before you know it, you'll be posing for pictures as effortlessly as Paris Hilton.
Rule 2: Don't wear a lame costume
We're warning you, don't fake it – just because you love attention from guys that are desperate to see boobs, dressing up like a generic ‘vampire-slut' does not make you a true fan. It makes you look desperate. And dressing up when you're not a true fan brings scorn from the people that have worked all year on their showboats. God help us, if we see anyone dressed as sexy Sookie Stackhouse from True Blood or Bella Swan from Twilight, we just might lose it.
Rule 3: Rub shoulders with the C- and Z-listers
This year's Expo featured cult filmstars Bruce Campbell, Lou Ferrigno and Leonard Nimoy, Beau Bridges, Leslie Neilsen and Dave Thomas.
Rule 4: Play the games!
There are games galore for any type of gamer at Fan Expo – Counter-Strike tournaments, Guitar Hero contests, card games like Magic: The Gathering, tabletop games like D&D, and even…yes, LARPing. Whether you prefer to wield a plastic or imaginary sword is up to you.
Rule 6: Bring your wallet
You never know what you'll find in the giant flea market contained within Fan Expo, where there are approximately 600 vendors with tons of collectibles.
Rule 5: Don't be a douche…just have fun
If you're not a nerd, you have to know you're on their turf, where they can flex their nerd egos. Be on the lookout for a special breed known as the “Nerdouche.” On the outside they may look like any old douchebag hipster – vintage gaming tee / skinny jeans / light mustache. But as soon as they open their mouths to complain about how easy it was to beat Batman: Arkham Asylum on the hardest difficulty setting, you know you're dealing with a rarity that's less about nerd knowledge and more about nerd ego. Avoid them at all costs.
John and Nicole both work for Youthography, a Toronto-based youth marketing agency and consultancy.
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