Fan Expo ( noun): A gathering of nerds with a lot of money to spend

My husband and I decided to check out Fan Expo last Saturday.  While we expected it to be crazy busy, we did not anticipate for the hour long line-up for tickets that started on the south end of Roundhouse Park and took us down a winding underground driveway that eventually led to an entrance to the south building of the Convention Centre.

The one saving grace were all the people dressed up in costumes that also had to wait in line, which gave us something to look and comment on.  Including one bonafide Tardis, complete with a Doctor who gladly took pictures with those waiting in line.

And then we finally got to buy our tickets and found out that it was $50 per person.  Whoops and ouch.  If only we had the Tardis to bring us back a couple of hours to research the price before we got there.

Because - here's the thing.  We're nerds and we were looking forward to checking out Fan Expo for the first time.  But for the price we paid at the door, and considering that basically everything at the show cost something, it didn't seem worth it.

Alright nerds, before you poo poo that comment, let me remind you that I'm on your side.  I totally understand that the artists should be selling their stuff.  We bought a signed print from a guy we didn't even know but we just liked his work.  But I don't think you need to have to pay for over priced bite sized Pizza Pizza, $5 Fan Expo tote bags to carry your prized possessions, or $30 to get a picture with Jason Priestly. He's great in Call Me Fitz, but not $30 great.  I also don't think that all those that put so much time and effort into costumes should even have to pay at all!  I had way more fun looking at homemade Sailor Moons, Banes, Thors, and Doctor Whos - they totally added to the feel of the show - and the fact that they had to wait in line like the rest of us shmucks didn't seem fair.

One highlight for me was meeting Dan Parent, one of the artists for Archie.  Having grown up on Archie comics passed down from my older brothers, it was pretty cool to meet him.  But again, like everything else, nothing's for free at the expo, and I had to buy a comic in order for him to sign it.

Things that didn't cost anything at the show: line-ups for food and washrooms, walking shoulder to shoulder at every turn, and sore feet.

Ok fine, now I'm just being an butthole.  There were a few cool things that didn't cost anything including building an X-Wing at the Lego area (I heart Lego), trying out new video games, and taking a picture with this guy: