Comic convention headed to Mississauga this summer
Published July 10, 2024 at 1:56 pm
Comic book, videogame and cosplay enthusiasts used to travelling outside the city to indulge their passions can now celebrate their favourite pop culture icons closer to home, as Mississauga is set to welcome a comic convention later this month.
The Streetsville ComiCon, the first of its kind in the neighbourhood, will bring approximately 50 vendors selling everything from rare and popular comic books and art to sports cards to the Vic Johnston Community Centre (335 Church St.) on July 20.
“Other than the Mississauga Comic Expo held at the [Hazel McCallion] Central Library in the fall, Mississauga doesn’t have a ComiCon,” Luanga (Lue) Nuwame, a Mississauga-based comic booker writer, board game creator and YouTube cardboard craft artist, told INsauga.com.
Nuwame is one of the vendors set to appear at the upcoming event and he was instrumental in convincing David Wyldstar, an event coordinator with Pop Culture Canada, to bring his popular brand of travelling comic book convention to the village-in-the-city.
“Pop Culture Canada, and I’ll praise them like crazy, does travelling conventions to small towns and cities that would normally never get a ComiCon,” Nuwame says, adding that the company has hosted events in Ontario towns and cities such as Fergus, Orillia, Trenton, Collingwood and Clarington.
“It brings ComiCons and small wrestling events to all of these towns and it’s been successful. Small creators and publishers have created our own little family under [Wyldstar] so we can bring our products to new markets across southern Ontario.”
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Pop Culture Canada does indeed serve populations outside of major cities such as Toronto and Montreal. According to the company’s website, it recently held events in Oshawa, Orangeville, Kingston and Peterborough (just to name a few) and will be hitting Milton, Mississauga, Barrie and Cobourg in the coming weeks.
“For so many people, they won’t go to the big shows downtown,” Nuwame says, adding that the brand’s events have welcomed a number of well-known stars to more rural and suburban municipalities. According to the website, the shows have featured Kevin Nash, Brampton Batman, Denise Crosby (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Kevin Duhaney (Whitby actor known for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora), Ivan Sherry (Hotel Transylvania series) and more.
While Mississauga isn’t exactly a small town, Nuwame says he told Wyldstar that the city needs its own ComiCon.
“I convinced him to bring the show here. He tends to stay away from the large GTA cities, but I said, “Mississauga needs this and Streetsville is so unique within Mississauga.”
Nuwame says he will sell the 3D cardboard art he’s become known for at the event and introduce attendees to the Indiegogo campaign for his new comic book series, Beerimus Brew.
“It’s a new comic book series based on the first Canadian beer-powered superhero. A lumberjack from Nova Scotia who brews a perfect beer that actually gives him superpowers,” he says.
The Streetsville show, much like other ComiCon events, will feature some special guests, including Catherine Disher and Alyson Court. Disher is a Gemini award-winning actor who has appeared in Snakes and Ladders, The Good Witch and The Border. She’s also known for her vocal work, having voiced characters in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and the X-Men animated series.
Court, probably best known as Loonette on The Big Comfy Couch, also appeared in Mr. Dressup and Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird. She is also known for voice acting, having voiced Lydia in the animated Beetlejuice series and Jubilee in X-Men.
Like other Pop Culture Canada conventions, attendees at the upcoming Streetsville event are encouraged to bring food for the local food bank.
As for what to expect, Nuwame says fans of all stripes will have something to enjoy.
“The show will have a bit of everything. Comic book creators, artists who do artwork, people selling older comic books, valuable comic books, and Pop figures. Comic books, anime, sci-fi, we’ll have it all there,” he says.
Nuwame says the conventions, which are smaller than larger expos that take over convention centres, offer a more intimate atmosphere.
“What is truly unique about Pop Culture Canada events is that they are more interactive with people. It’s a friendly atmosphere and vendors can talk and joke with you, there’s no rush to get in and out. It’s laidback and everyone is friendly and accommodating. You’re there to geek out. Everyone deserves a ComiCon.”
Tickets for the event cost $5 and children 12 and under can enter for free. VIP passes are also available for $20.
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