Press Release
Cosplay groups supporting their favorite movie and TV franchises, podcasts and radio shows, comics events and roller derby athletes are among the more than 20 organizations scheduled to attend Wizard World Toronto Comic Con, April 14-15 at Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC). The appearance of fan-friendly groups like the 501st Vaders Fist, N.Y. Jedi, Ontario Ghostbusters, Toronto Steampunk Society and many more is a staple of Wizard World events, greatly enhancing the atmosphere and involving attendees in photos, interviews and more.
Groups Toronto Comic Con-goers can meet next month include:
- 501st Vader’s Fist, which since 1997 spread the magic of the Star Wars genre worldwide through its authentic-looking costumes, and has become the leading force in fan-based charity events. The 501st, also known as “Vader’s Fist,” is truly dedicated to brightening the lives of those less-fortunate. www.501st.com.
- ActionFigureNews.ca, premier community for Canadian Action Figure Collectors to share news, toy sightings and discuss everything collectible toy related online.
- Anime North, Toronto’s fan-run not-for-profit Japanese anime convention, one of the largest in North America, held each year on the May Memorial Day weekend.
- Canadian Joe Con, the Canadian G.I. Joe Convention, the largest gathering of G.I. Joe fans in Canada, hosted by JoeCanuck.com.
- Can’t Stop the Serenity, a global effort to raise funds to support NGO, Equality Now, equalitynow.org in their fight to end violence against women around the world.
- Cross the Streams Radio, a radio show that deals with anything Ghostbusters related or any nerdy topic the hosts hold dear and love, whether it is news about the possible third film or remembering the old cartoons and video games
- Doctor Who Society of Canada, a social network for Whovians of all ages from coast to coast. It is a fledgling community, focusing on social interaction, intelligent exchange and commonality
- Down the Road Show, a great, fun-loving, light-hearted, and professionally produced entertainment-oriented talk show that focuses on discussions about film, music, TV, food, comics, charity events, local happenings, etc., and bacon.
- e-Sports Championship (ESC), an e-sports event series dedicated to competitive play. Owned and operated by Pownz e-Sports, the ESC’s events primarily take place in Canada.
- Epoch Toronto, a demonstrative, high fantasy LARP that has a strong focus on combat as well as role play in the game and social activities out of game
- Klingon Assault Group/Crimson Knight Fleet, a not-for-profit Star Trek fan club. For over twenty years, KAG has been the world’s foremost costuming-based Klingon fan club, with thousands of members across North America, as well as Europe, Australia, and elsewhere.
- The Mind Reels, bloggers and podcasters who focus on television shows, movies, books, and other arenas of pop culture
- N.Y. Jedi, a community of sci-fi fans, actors, martial artists, costumers and performers who share a particular passion for fight choreography and Light Sabers.
- Ontario Ghostbusters, a fan-based costuming group interested in attending events in costume to entertain and educate the fans about Ghostbusters and raise money for charity while having a great time doing what they love to do.
- Polaris, a weekend long celebration of science fiction and fantasy, running strong for 26 years, with celebrities and hundreds of hours of events and programming for every type of fan.
- Pretty in Geek, a sitcom about a game that has received loved and dedication from millions of geeks the world over – tabletop gaming. This is a show about the ladies who risk everything in a dungeon crawl. And the male LARPer who complicates everything else.
- Rebel Legion Canadian Base, an international Star Wars costuming organization created by, of and for people interested in creating costumes from the Star Wars mythos.
- Sexy Nerd Girl, a fictional web series that follows the life of vlogger Valerie Lapomme, a self-professed sexy nerd girl, who digs comics, sci-fi, fantasy, computers, video games, Pokemon and sex.
- TdotComics, a website Alice Quinn started to bring together the Toronto comics community in 2008, providing local event coverage, spotlighting the local creators, discussing the comics industry at large and bringing the fans to the front lines with recent news.
- Tfcon, Canada’s 11th Annual Transformers Collectors Convention is July 27th through 29th, 2012, at the Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Centre, 6750 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario.
- Tights and Fights, a comedy Web and Transmedia Series that gives viewers a hilarious peek into the day to day lives of super heroes and super villains.
- Toronto Roller Derby League, the largest flat-track derby league in Canada. Founded in 2006, ToRD boasts four house teams, one travel team, a farm team, and roster of over 100 active skaters hitting the concrete – literally!
- Toronto Steampunk Society, a meeting place for all the steampunk enthusiasts in the GTA, and a local community of people who take an interest in the science fiction genre and the subculture surrounding it. Its goal is to provide a social environment for enjoyment and promotion of steampunk culture.
Toronto Comic Con, which features headliners Scott Bakula, Jeri Ryan, Paul Wesley, WWE® Superstar EDGE® and Amy Acker among its top celebrity guests, is scheduled as the second stop on Wizard World’s 2012 North American tour. Hours are Saturday, April 14, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 15, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tickets are available in advance online at http://www.wizardworldcomiccon.com/toronto.html at a savings over tickets purchased at the door. Advance adult single-day tickets are priced at $25 ($38 on site); two-day tickets are $40 ($55 on site), and tickets are free for children age 10 and under when accompanied by a paid adult (limit two children per adult). VIP packages with special entry and exclusive items are also available on a limited basis.
About Wizard World:
Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.
The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworldcomiccon.com.
