Mattherobot

Today I had the opportunity to attend Fan Expo 2007 in Toronto. Those of you who have been with me for some time will remember my coverage of Games Day 2006. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me this time, and thus you will be subjected to my descriptions alone, forced to glean what meaning you can.

The Fan Expo comprises a number of different “conventions” squeezed into one massive room. I veered away from the Anime, Horror, and Games areas — the first two due to my lack of interest. While I enjoy the latter in the presence of friends, my home, and the occasional arcade, I have learned my lesson from the single Super Smash Brothers tournament I have ever entered in. These people occupy a different world than I, when it comes to the game medium. Where I see a man, a corridor, they see the code itself, flowing through space.

So yes, I mostly stayed around the Sci-fi and Comics end of things. With not a lot of money to spend I tried to avoid any major purchases, avoiding the temptations of the wares being offered to me. I was looking forward to meeting Adam West, not even for a signing — simply to ask why Batman no longer danced, as he once had. However, upon arrival I mistakenly believed he would not appear until Saturday, and my spirits died there, so that when I did see him, the sight of the line and my fatigue overcame me, and I passed on by.

Still, I did get to meet Ramon Perez and Kent Burles, two artists whom I am aware of due to their work for Palladium Books. I have always been fond of Perez’ work — it has a comic book feel, yet he has an uncanny ability to make his style fit the setting, be it superheroes or futuristic Wild West North America. If this man draws a wizard batting robot soldiers while his pyrokinetic friend fends them off with mind-flames, you believe that it’s happening.

I will be honest, Burles’ work has not been a favourite of mine in the past. However, looking at his art now, I think I misjudged him. His style is indeed very different from much of the other art you see commonly, but it stands out and particularly suits certain settings. Anything fantasy or organic looking by him is really great. I actually got to talk to him for a while about his art and Palladium’s financial problems and I felt bad about expressing so much dislike about his art on the net. He’s a really nice guy and looking back through my books I’m coming around to his style more and more. I guess I get a bit carried away with the anonymity the Internet affords sometimes, which is why I was glad to meet him in person.

Continuing with the theme, I was able to find a copy of Palladium’s original “Rifts”, Second Printing (1990) in nearly perfect condition, for a mere $12. Since every copy of the old book I’ve seen since I started playing the game has been torn to hell, this was pretty awesome.

Never having been to such a large con before, Fan Expo was indeed an interesting experience. I would have liked to spend more time (and money, if I had it) looking around, but such are things. Got to meet artists, preview some upcoming board games (Tannhauser and Starcraft!) and see a lot of costumes, ranging from the impressive (Stormtrooper Legion) to the bizarre and disturbing. Fan Expo runs until Sunday, and it caters to nearly ever variety of nerd imaginable. The Penny Arcade Expo is on this weekend as well (but it’s in Seattle), and yes, it is true that Hayden Christensen cancelled, but…wait, that last one should be an incentive to go, if anything.