Fan Expo Vancouver 2024 is over, and it took a while for me to unpack everything that I had enjoyed from it. This event’s 15th anniversary is approaching, Informa Connect has not started planning or taking in suggestions on what to offer. Maybe they don’t want to announce plans have started because this is their 13th show and there’s a superstition with this number. A year was lost due to the pandemic
Although not everyone noticed, the sections where the stage, photo ops and autograph tables are located was changed around. The shuffling was done because there’s more space to relocate some things. Perhaps the more noticeable aspect is more anime and k-pop style content. As for why there isn’t as much industry support and sponsorship, perhaps that’s because they’re not what the organisers want to focus on. Instead, they want to be engaged with the local groups and communities that exist in those cities this company has an annual show.
Andrew Moyes, Vice President of FAN EXPO HQ (pictured above), is optimistic and said that they expanded the space so that more people can access what they want with ease. That included changing where people enter and exit this year. The parts of the auditorium set aside for panels are put together much more closely, making some spillover sounds inevitable and that will continue to be a work in progress. Feedback is important to get them finally say its time to use the entire building than just one floor!
Personally, I prefer to have the Tabletop Gaming put into a separate space. To have a lot of noise during a game is often distracting. When compared to playing D&D at a game shop when there’s Warcraft going on, the decibel level is about the same. Players want to concentrate. When compared to other events where its given its own floor (or a separate room), hopefully changes will be in store so that these gamers won’t be complaining.
The guest line up was good and the organisers were certainly staying on top of the hottest trends in fandom entertainment.
As this brand has been working with Netflix for a number of years, Moyes is more than thrilled to have surprise last minute announcements. He said, “To bring Avatar: The Last Airbender cast to Vancouver at such a time was critical. And of course, we have Code 8 with Stephen and Robbie Amell. We’re doing previews of that.”
I got a prime seat to see the new cast talk about the show and how they bonded during filming. The most entertaining section was their audition (no one was wise it was for this cartoon). No spoilers were offered, but for those people who heard the announcement, the first episode was screened in full for those able to head to the Cineplex theatre located near Chinatown/International district.
The other main panels I attended in the days I was there included hearing some behind the scenes stories from Adam Savage and his time with Mythbusters. Although I’ve heard most of these stories before, the laughs are loud and people just roll with it, especially concerning a certain cannonball which hardcore fans already know the story to.
Most of the retrospectives I heard are familiar enough where, once you’ve attended enough conventions or watched enough YouTube postings of these regularly touring celebrity talents, they’re not worth getting in line for or to check out. At least when considering how Fan Expo Vancouver is laid out, it’s easy to leave one stage to check another one nearby. That’s why I don’t go every main event as I know there’s some recycled content. Unless one looks at the IMDB to see what they’re doing next, the chances to get some exciting news about it is about 15%.
At least Bruce Campbell’s convention appearances is not about recycling content. He’s a hilarious talk show host and that’s how I describe what it is like being at one of his convention appearances. At his table, it’s unfortunate the person in front is a gatekeeper. Tickets were sold to autograph hounds and anyone wanting to interact with him was turned away. I have a lot of stuff signed by him already and didn’t need another. That includes a great photo from long ago that had a great comment. I wanted to go up to him and ask, “Um, hey Bruce–it’s not ‘another’ 15 years!” This individual did not have a sense of humour when I explained what I wanted to do and declined my request every time I thought the line was small enough so a moment would not interfere with “the business.”
At least Grey DeLisle is a true sweetheart and my admiration for her grew. I showed off that a picture I got of us together at Emerald City Comic Con and she made the coolest remark, “Oh my gosh, we were so young!” The fact she’s so genuine and that smile lit up my world; she even gave me a great big hug. The fact she loves seeing repeat fans said enough. The last time I received that enthusiam was with Veronica Taylor (it reached the point where she’d recognize me and would pause what’s going on to say hi). And when I asked Grey if there’s any new Scooby-Doo projects, she said there’s a few but due to the non disclosure agreement, couldn’t reveal any details.
And I have to give props to Eman Esfandi as I think I spoke to him longer than allowed concerning Star Wars: Ashoka and what it was like continue a character. He said he didn’t look at Rebels too deep. This version of Ezra is all grown up and Filoni let him develop the character as he saw fit. And regarding the Mortis Gods–he and I were in the same boat as for what we believe they represent in George Lucas and Filoni’s vision for them. The conflict really doesn’t concern factions in an eternal war, but rather in how to achieve that peace between love, hate and unity. Their abilities Force users are able to tap into is more than something mystical, and I really love how well this individual knows the lore!
Also, I got to speak to David Hayter, one of the three writers who developed X-men and X2. He’s done a lot for fandom as not only a screenwriter, but also a terrific voice over talent. He believes those comic book movies he helped develop are no different from what’s being pumped out now. It’s all about what makes that story entertaining and said (in verbatim), as long as it’s a good movie, it’ll be a good movie. When he, Michael Dougherty, and Dan Harris worked on the screenplay, they developed a version that they knew Singer would continue to finesse during the filming process. He said, “We really captured what the X-men is about.”
And as for whether the new take can measure up to these originals when that gets developed, he knows the films he worked on will stand the test of time. He also believes that all those early comic book films he was involved in shaping set a precedent for what’s being pumped out now.
As for Fan Expo Vancouver, it’ll continue to be what it is. The organisers can only change it around when they see the fans are very adament about wanting specific things altered. Although this event yet to implement a system for online feedback in the same way Emerald City Comic Con solicits it, I hope that’ll happen after next year’s show as the quindecennial year approaches.
Moyes said this event has made a good impact within the local television/movie production industry and with the communities over the years. Those continue to work with the Fan Expo brand and there’ll be more happy collaberations. To those who aren’t sure, he simply said, “I would just challenge the fans [and any other community not present this year] to get behind our event. If you’re not here, apply online, and that will help us know who wants to be here, on what to do next, and properly expand.”
Official Fan Expo Vancouver 2024 Recap
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