Who’s ready for fun? Ok, yes, that sounds a little cheesy, but with Toronto Comicon happening this weekend at Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s North Building from March 17-19, 2023, we’re pretty psyched here at Biff Bam Pop! central.
Biff Bam Pop!’s junior correspondant Anya is particularly excited because over the last few months they’ve become massive fans of the anime My Hero Academia, and they’ll be cosplaying alongside their oldest friend for the massive Cosplay Meetup at 3 pm on Friday. It’s all I’ve been hearing about the last week or so, and Anya has been working hard to put together their Shota Aizawa outfit.
As for me, I’m looking forward to hitting up Artist Alley and hopefully getting the chance to say hello to Jae Lee, who was responsible for so much of the gorgeous art work found in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower comic book series that was first published by Marvel. I’ve got one or two collections that would look cool with his signature, methinks.
As far as big Hollywood celebrities go, Toronto Comicon is stacked, including the cast of Amazon Prime’s The Boys, Andy Serkis of Lord of the Rings fame, DC Arrowverse stars like Robbie Amell, Danielle Panabaker, and Matt Ryan, and many more.
There’s lots more happening for three days at Toronto Comicon, of course. Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights. For ticket info, schedules and more, head over to the official Toronto Comicon website.
Programming Highlights for Toronto Comicon include:
POKÉ-SUNDAY
Toronto Comicon is celebrating all things Pokémon all day long on Sunday, March 19 with Pokémon trivia, crafts, trade meet ups, Pokémon Training Camp and more!
CELEB KARAOKE PARTY, HOSTED BY EMILY SWALLOW
Everyone’s favourite Armorer and sister of Chuck is hosting a Karaoke Night! Whether someone wants to shine in the spotlight with a solo, back up their friends with ridiculous killer dance moves, catch Emily off guard with a last-minute duet, or lead the crowd in carrying on, my wayward son, this karaoke night is all about lifting each other up. Special Ticket event. 19+.
EBAY VICTORY ARENA
Board games, D&D, BattleTech oh my! There is something for every tabletop gamer at Toronto Comicon. Visit one of our two gaming arenas and play the day away! Brought to you by eBay, Guild House, Focht’s News Network and Board Game 2 Go.
THE GREAT TORONTO COMICON BABY RACE
For babies channeling the Flash and Quicksilver, check out the Great Toronto Baby Race! The fastest babies will be racing away with tickets to FAN EXPO Canada 2023!
KINGYO-SUKUI
Attendees can test their (fake) goldfish scooping skills at the Kingyo-Sukui Booth for a chance to win a prize! This traditional Japanese Festival game is fun for the whole family!
EXECUTE ORDER 66
There are seven Jedi hiding throughout Toronto Comicon for attendees to look out for. Some Jedi only appear for a certain amount of time, and once someone has found all seven, they can head to the family zone for their chance to win a Star Wars Prize pack!
THE TORONTO COMICON LIGHTSABER BATTLE
On the appointed day, at the appointed hour, a great battle between the forces of the Light and Dark will commence. Grab a “lightsaber” and join us. Will you be the last Jedi or Sith standing?
BEAR SAILOR MOON’S DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
An event with music, fashion, dance, and fun for all!
CARTOON ACADEMY WITH JOE WOS
Professional cartoonist and the Emmy Award-winning host of Cartoon Academy, Joe Wos, brings fun, kid-friendly drawing workshops to Toronto Comicon, where attendees can learn to doodle everything from beloved pets to mythical creatures.
CELEBRITY PANELS
Beyond autograph signings and photo ops, celebrity guests will take part in Q&A presentations where fans can learn more about their storied lives and careers.
FAMILY PROGRAMMING
Toronto Comicon’s Family Zone is the perfect place to spark a love of fandom in all ages, with games, activities, and programming for the whole family all weekend long. With drop-in programming for a broad range of fans, Family Zone includes craft- and button-making workshops; princess sing-a-longs; castle building and dragon defending; Sorting Hat ceremonies; The Floor is Lava!; Jurassic “Park” where they can go on a dino dig, capture something in “amber”, and get an epic dino photo op; Cartoon Academy with Joe Wos, where they can draw along with an Emmy Award-winning cartoonist; and the Pokémon-activity filled Trainer Town.
CAPTIVATING COMICS
Be sure to check out the comic stage in for three packed days of drawing and colouring demos, sneak previews, industry insights, and more. Comic book superstars including Russ Braun, Jae Lee, Joshua Swaby, Peter Tomasi, and Canadians Mike Del Mundo and Agnes Garbowska will be on hand to share expert tips and tricks, or fans can take a seat and pick a side for the ultimate Sketch Duels showdowns.
Comic Artist Alley also returns for anyone interested in meeting rising stars who work the front lines of the industry. This show staple offers everything from comics and graphic novels, to limited edition prints and original artwork.
SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP
Over 400 exhibitors will be on the convention floor, specializing in everything comics, anime, gaming, science fiction and horror. Whether it’s original artwork, graphic novels, comic books from any era, memorabilia, games, toys, or t-shirts – there are endless vendors to discover at the show.
