The Princess and I made it through Day One of Fan Expo Canada with our wallets a little lighter and our collections a little larger. Here are some of the highlights:
Iron Man VR Test Drive:
The first I did upon arrival at Fan Expo was head over to the South Building and the PlayStation area. There’s an Iron Man game coming out for VR (release date TBD), so I put on the headset and suited up as Tony Stark.
I’ve found the VR experience to be inconsistent, across all my experiences, at home and at events. Headsets feel a little too heavy, the space required to really feel immersed can be prohibitive. All that being said, I did enjoy playing Iron Man VR. A lot. The controllers responded well, and if you’ve seen enough Marvel movies, you know how to fly in the suit. The sound effects were perfect, especially the sound of thrusters and firing weapons. Visually, it was quite stunning, and you tested out your armour outside of Tony Stark’s oceanside mansion; you know, the one the Mandarin destroyed in Iron Man 3. While the experience only offered up a small example of the upcoming game, it was enough to intrigue. It will be interesting to see what Iron Man VR ultimately becomes.
Meeting Valiant’s Heather Antos
The Princess and I had a chance to sit and chat with Valiant Comics editor Heather Antos. One of the main reasons I wanted to talk to Heather was because of her strong voice in the world of comics. As a dad, it’s important for me to make sure my daughter sees that there are inspiring and influential women in the world, and certainly in the genres and entertainment that the Princess and I enjoy together. Heather’s one of those people, well-regarded in the comic book industry and a champion for creators. We’ll have our chat up on the site in the comics weeks, but I enjoyed talking to her, as did the Princess, who asked some good questions while also commissioning an Antos-original Captain Marvel as a penguin. We’ll share that when we pick it up later this weekend.
Christina Vee from Miraculous
As our time wandering the North and South Buildings continued, I started to realize that Fan Expo is becoming less about my experience, and more about my daughter’s. I love watching her face when she sees some solid cosplayers, or her determination to find a certain Funko Pop. I also enjoyed waiting with her to meet Christina Vee, the voice of Lady Bug on Miraculous, as she debated what to get signed – either her comic book or her Funko of Lady Bug. The latter won out, and Christina was friendly and she signed it and gave the Princess a fist bump and a “Pound It!”
Today, we’re off to see Q & A’s with Tara Strong and Geoff Cipes from Teen Titans Go!, and Christina Vee and Bryce Papenbrook from Miraculous. We’ll try out some upcoming Nintendo games, and meet up with Orlando Arocena, the artist behind the Target-exclusive Dark Phoenix release.
For more Fan Expo details, visit their website here.
