Yo…
Fan Expo is done.
Pew Pew? More like Whew Whew. Four full days of total full out nerdery.
I ran into old friends, I made new friends. I misplaced friends. They might still be there for all I know.
Below are a series of photos I took.
I wanted to see if I could apply street photography principles (“work the scene!”) to capture distinct moments. Rather than the traditional cosplay poses.
When a major event like Fan Expo happens…everybody’s IG looks the same. It’s dull and it’s boring. There’s gotta be a better way to spice up the proceedings.
So I experimented with a street photography approach. The result is a mixed bag with some potential there. I’ll keep going; see if I can find my voice.
A Fan Expo highlight was Nerds...the candy? hosting a booth.
You can play skee-ball, foosball, other games etc. It’s a fun interactive booth. And of course...they were there to hand out free candy.
Only...they operated on the Halloween Honour System: they put out a giant bowl of Nerds and left it unsupervised; expecting people to behave. They did not.
Not quite but it was close to looting is how I’d describe the free candy frenzy. (This was a we experience. I participated: I looted like it was my full time job and I was up for a promotion.)
Nerds quickly recovered and started having staff sensibly hand out 2 or 3 packs.
But for a while there...you could witness nerds pillaging Nerds.
For the first time in my life...I’m starting to grasp meta.
This attached My Summer Lair conversation is a frustratingly short episode.
There was an airplane delay; Fan Expo was fast approaching and we had to reschedule this interview and well: life basically got in the way. It happens.
However, it’s frustrating because actor Morena Baccarin has done so much funtastic nerd work.
It would be fascinating to unpack those notable experiences.
You know Morena as Vanessa Carlysle (Deadpool’s sassy fun girlfriend.).
Deadpool actually went back in time in Deadpool 2 to save her. That’s how cool and dope she is. (Unlike the space-time continuum; she is a keeper.)
Bonus Fun: going back in time set up some of the events in the third movie now playing at cinemas near you: Deadpool & Wolverine.
Which is the primary focus of this My Summer Lair episode.
However, Morena has done much nerd work: she was Black Canary’s voice in Justice League Unlimited. And Gideon’s voice in the recent Flash TV show. Firefly was her first television series; she reprised her role in the 2005 movie Serenity.
There’s post-2000s V, Stargate SG-1 and of course she starred on Gotham. Where her character—Leslie Thompkins—married Jim Gordon.
And if you want to include as notable nerd work (I do!) Greenland which is an intimate end of the world disaster movie.
She just finished shooting the second one so we will be getting Greenland 2 soon. I dig Greenland. I’ll visit Greenland: Migration when it opens in early 2025.
So there’s lots to discuss but limited time. It happens. That’s life.
Two notable notables from this conversation:
Thanks to the Deadpool & Wolverine movie, Deadpool is now firmly cemented into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
And tantalizingly Morena suggests the story between Wade Wilson and Vanessa Carlisle is not over…yet. She’s hinting there’s more sorry to tell.
Look, I understand there are discussions and Deadpool & Wolverine just happened…all kinds of things are going on, that’s life in the MCU but it’s an interesting (and creative) perspective.
Well hafta revisit that a few years from now. What did happen to Wade Wilson and Vanessa Carlisle?
Oh, And Dogpool! Hah…go Peggy. This is Peggy…
The second notable: take a moment to kick it old school with The Mystery Frequency podcast: your sweet supplier of Audio Drama Radio.
Featuring classic tales of suspense, sci-fi, thrillers, and mysteries. This is Theatre of the Mind.
Classic radio dramas starring Flash Gordon, Sherlock Holmes, The Shadow, Green Hornet and so much more.
You’ll hear a trailer of this popular audio drama podcast in the introduction. I did a trailer swap with James: thought it’d be a new podcast thing to try.
I covered Fan Expo for 640 Toronto and wow; I’m so grateful. I really enjoy working with them.
I want to give a thank you to Dani my producer and radio host Ben Mulroney.
I did two on-air segments with Ben and there was lots of sarcasm and nerd celebrations. There are other staff working behind the scenes: I tip my cap to them all. This was a treat.
So? Did the street photography techniques work out? Not bad, right? I’ll keep going.
Trial By Trailer: Super/Man
Robin Williams took his own life;
Michael J. Fox is struggling with Parkinson’s;
& Christopher Reeve was paralyzed from the neck down.
No ‘80s child expected these outcomes...these stories. These experiences.
These vibrant individuals were doing distinct Work. (Even if you factor in Superman IV.)
And now, Christopher Reeve has a Last Dance:
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is in cinemas on September 21 and September 25.
Man. How did we get here?
Cosplaying A Napping Nerd…
Sammy Younan
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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair podcast: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.
Fan Expo 2024 Wrap Up