Tag Archives: British Columbia

Bold Directions are in Store for Van Isle Con Year Two on June 10th!

17 May

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Van Isle Comic Con is back, and it promises to be bigger than last year’s. This event takes place on June 10th, 2018 and will take over the Mary Winspear Center up in Sidney, BC. This venue is not too far from the town core and this location is beautiful during a warm summer’s day. This event goes beyond simply comic books. It’s a look at popular culture in many of its forms, and this year it gets behind the scenes than in front of with the talent pool who is coming over to interact with fans. Plenty of activities will be offered not only on site but also off. For a quick bite, plenty of terrific eateries are nearby.

I talked to Josh Kully about what’s in store in Year Two. Support for island events is needed. Not everyone can afford to hit up the big shows on the mainland. These intimate events on Vancouver Island provide for a great change of pace, and who knows, maybe a celebrity can be spotted taking a break from filming. Getting to this township is easier for those coming from the mainland. It’s right next to the airport and ferry terminal. There’s a rumour one very loved Doctor Who star takes his breaks at Sidney by the Sea.

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The Aftermath; Cherry Bomb Toys Blows Up Their Ultimate Toy Fair to Two Days!

1 May

 

Cherry Bomb Toys Pano

Cherry Bomb Toys Panoramic view

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Nobody can ever know about the possible discoveries to be found at Cherry Bomb Toys’ Ultimate Toy Fair. Instead of a one-day event, it is now two. At least a third of the space was occupied by local shops with items from their vaults and the rest are from either long-time collectors or hobby enthusiasts’ massive collections. Had I spent more careful time on Saturday, I might have spotted the set of miniatures from Dark Crystal the Movie! This product from 1982 was from Pinnacle.

In past shows, I acquired the Orguss from the Super Dimension Century series of the same time. It’s missing the gun, and in due time, I will have the CAD design skills to create and 3D print the replacement part. I even found an Invid once; I passed on it because it was very battle damaged. The thrill of the hunt for random goodness defines why I continue going. The fact it’s a weekend event now had me curious and I had to explore the possibility of what I could find when not everyone will be vending for both days.

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Will There Be More Sailor Moon Musicals after Le Mouvement Final in North America?

9 Apr

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

North American or Japanese, musicals must be seen live. When it is not possible to attend either due to location or cost, sometimes the next best thing is to see it at the movies. Whether that’s with a remote broadcast or adaptation, these shows rarely disappoint. When paired with a pop culture phenomenon, especially Sailor Moon, visions of New York Radio City’s The Rockettes style performances come to mind. Just do not tell the Sailor Senshi. They may go on a tirade. This particular series is retelling the manga by Naoko Takeuchi and they been playing in Japan for over two decades. The story arcs are expanded upon and even goes into bold new directions. Not every Japanese pop culture enthusiast may know this subgenre. To keep track of everything from Japan means having both ears to the ground. Officially, only the soundtracks exist and bootleg videos are a grey area. The first overseas performance was in 2015 in Shanghai, and the North American premiere of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Musical—Le Mouvement Final, presented as a pre-recorded performance, started late last month. Screening made its way to Cineplex Theatres Canada last week.

I am very thankful CineLife Entertainment for overseeing an international distribution; more screenings are being added, and I suspect this video tour is still rolling out.

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Capital City Comic Con Recap & What’s Next in Victoria, BC

20 Mar

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

The reports are in – Capital City Comic Con in Victoria, BC is a resounding success! Many attendees, myself included, enjoyed the vibe which flowed throughout the three days and my biggest concern was in how well the lines of people are managed. Overall, it went very smoothly. Smaller events mean shorter waits, and during the times I visited the celebrity guest section, the crowds were never overwhelmingly big. Even the talents who attended appreciated the relaxed atmosphere. All of this positive attitude means this event will continue for years to come.

Patrick Warburton was outspoken about what he and fellow guests thought about this city and well managed this show was during his Q&A.

One detail I have to get off my chest is when I hear talk about (this) Comic-Con. I often jokingly say back “Which one?” I do know which event they are talking about, but when I am a seasoned veteran, this event needs its own code to distinguish it. 4C is the unofficial shorthand name (C4 is Winnipeg’s show). By default, Comic-Con is the San Diego, California event. They own the name, sad to say. and the fight over ownership was brutal.

This garden city event was a very relaxed one on Friday. Unlike the huge shows which have a lot to take in, I often have to pick one aspect to focus on and miss the rest. At ECCC, I do not have the time to diverge to play Magic the Gathering or enjoy any role-playing events. With four days, maybe I could. With 4C, in the short two and a half (sorry, but the mid-afternoon Friday and event shutting down 5pm the next two days do not count), I entered a model building contest, caught a bunch of pokemon (yes, I’m still playing that game) in a timed event, played a miniatures battle game (more on this later), talked to one of the guests at length (Mike Quinn is wonderful and multifaceted) and went to a handful of panels. I was not here to shop. When I do, I go to larger nerd celebrations to seek out the elusive than exclusive.

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