Well, the 2018 Fan Expo has come and gone. I was once again in attendance just like I've been for the passed two years.
See, told ya.
I set up my table as per usual. I put my book, Censor Monkeys Have No Class, on its stand with all the pictures for sale right beside it. However, I tried a few different things this year. Instead of the usual poster, I made a new poster featuring Prof. Jordan B. Peterson arguing with some of my Censor Monkeys. I planned on using some of Dr. Peterson's 'star power' to help boost interest in my book. To my surprise, only a very small number of people recognized Dr Peterson or the free speech platform he stands for. So, for those woefully unfamiliar with Peterson's work, I'll embed one of my speeches he's made on the subject of free speech just below:
There, now we're all on the same page.
I also had this T-shirt made to show my solidarity with Count Dankula, someone I've blogged about previously. Nobody really noticed the shirt at all. Oh well. I think the good count and any of his fans knows that I'm in his corner.
Yes, like this blog post's title says, I did receive some complaints this time. They were about some cards I was handing out to people.
front
back
A member of the staff came to my table with one of those cards I had handed out and told me of complaints they had received. He told me that someone had come up to the staff and said "Someone is handing this out." Interestingly, he thought my big violation was that I had left my table to distribute these cards all over the conference floor. It states clearly in the Expo rules not to do that. Every sale or distribution I made at that expo I made solely at my table and I told him so. He heard me and then requested I stop handing out those cards in order to assuage to complainants.
This actually gives me a whole new immense feeling of respect for the Regina Fan Expo staff. This guy most likely saw the graphic on the front of this card and read the text on the back. When he saw that a complaint had been raised about it, he immediately assumed that the big violation I did was me leaving the table to distribute it (which,as I said, I did not). He didn't even think it could have been the content of the card that anyone could have objected to. This shows that the Fan Expo staff understand the importance of free expression so much that they can't even conceive of anyone having a problem with the contents of what my card says. As you can see, it contains so graphic images of sloppy sex or bloody violence nor does it contain any of the 'heavy words' George Carlin talked about: 'Piss Shit Fuck Cunt Cocksucker Motherfucker Tits' to be exact. All it contains is a strong opinion about free speech, nothing more than that. I guess whoever complained just can't handle strong language. That sucks to be them.
That all happened on Saturday. On Sunday, I obeyed the staff and refrained from distributing those cards even at my table. But I did put a little something extra at my table.
I put up a little sign announcing that I had gotten complaints. If anyone asked, I showed them my remaining cards to inform them about why the complaint was made. To my delight, everyone I showed this too was confused about it. Their common reaction was, "What's so offensive about that?" Frankly, that is the best response to hear in this case. Except for that one anonymous complainer, it seems that Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada is the free speech beacon to the world. Here's hoping that this divine example spreads to every corner of the globe so that all citizens can be free from censorship once and for all.
Ok, that's my basic overview of the Fan Expo for 2018. Now, as I always do for every comic book convention I attend, I will now post costumes pictures of everyone who visited my table.
Saturday
Red dunce cap and tea pot head. I don't quite understand the fetishes the kids have today.
This is a great Alice in Wonderland costume. That Chesire Cat looks like it was purchased from a Disney store possibly.
What a lovely pixie costume. It's possibly out of A Midsummer Night's Dream. What the Puck? (Sorry, I have a headache)
Now the illuminati know of my book. Soon it will be known to all.
This is either Captain Kirk c. Star Trek V or a displaced mountie. Either way, I salute this man.
Ok, so an Archie Andrews/Foghorn Leghorn crossover-type character has a steam punk girlfriend. Now I've seen everything.
Two girls came dressed in dog pajamas. Should I ask if someone gave them a bone this weekend? Naw, that would be dumb.
These kids look soooooooooo excited...... and they just can't hide it. They're about to lose control and they think they like it.
Dude looks like he's ready to join the Crusades and invade the Ottoman Empire in the name of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. I for one hope he is successful in his mission.
She was one of many Hogwarts school girls at this expo. She takes the good, she takes the bad, she takes them both and there she has the facts of wizardry...... or something.
She tells me she is Kiki. I believe her.
Dayum! Gypsy girl has many loaves of bread to slice.
Her helmet's over her eyes so she doesn't know she's aiming her bazooka backwards.
There's no need to fear. Steampunk Willie with the Golden Gun is here. Now we're all safe.
And Steampunk Willie's grandpa, Steampunk Abner, is ready to party like it's 1899 too.
Everyone who came dressed as a nail did not survive this weekend.
She's either an outer space British judge or an evil wizard. It's hard to tell those two apart really.
Deadpool was there and he straight up agreed with my free speech message. Way to go, Deadpool.
For real, she flipped through my book and said, "Wow, there's lots of satire." Most people would be tempted to make fun of her for openly stating what is and should be glaringly obvious. However, from my experiences in selling my books, she's one of the only people to recognize the satire in my book right away. Most people either just look dumbfounded or confused. Truly the dumbest I've heard is "Oh, it's a book." and "are you selling tickets to something?" So, for her to see even the bare basics of my book right away, I'd say her intelligence is just fine. Kudos to you, m'lady, for being above all of the below average people.
I fart in your general direction, you Jedi ka-nigget!
Ok, this lady tells me that she is an artist herself and that she posts said art on her Instagram account. She goes by the name 'kitty_cat1276'. If you have an Instagram account, look her up.
Inflamed Bellybutton and Sunburn Girl are here. Now all the baddies are scared.
Uh Oh! You'd better start behaving, kids. Here come the hall...... 'monitors'. (like I said, I have a headache right now).
I think they're dressed like an anime show so obscure that only 3 people in Nagasaki have seen it...... once........ back in 1987........... and even they forgot about it until now.
Rambo's little nephew Bambo who's schtick is always asking "Can I come shoot bad guys too, Uncle John??!!"
Here's a lovely couple that look like graphic novel characters that could kick everyone's ass. Do you see that dude in the hat? I think he's triggered by my table. BWA HA HA!!!
Sunday
Three little maids from school are they...
Steampunk high priestess commands you to buy my book. Do not shirk your obedience to her.
It looks like little Bat Girl here wants to jump into the panel and save that blonde girl's life. If only you could, little Bat Girl.
I'm walking in a spider web........ leave a message and I'll call you back.
This is not a costume, by the way. Some wiseacre told her that this room would be full of plutonium. That's why she's dressed like this. What a fun prank.
Ach! Hoot man! It's the proud Batman Tartan! He fights the Joker with chinks of "bat haggis" which is just bat intestines in a robin's stomach. It's really disgusting. I shouldn't have brought that up.
This samurai-ish looking dude absolutely agreed with my free speech stance. "Nobody can tell me what I can and cannot say!" He stated emphatically.
He shows up again alongside his two Jedi friends. They are now all off to fight for free speech everywhere. Godspeed, good gentlemen.
Another nice Alice in Wonderland costume. She looks like she'd rather spend eternity drinking tea with the Mad Hatter than even flip through just 3 pages of my book.
So, that was my Fan Expo 2018 experience. Here's hoping that the expo of 2019 will be just as memorable.
...and I was honoured to be a part of it. I think I've recovered my regular sleep pattern so now it is indeed possible to make this blog post.
This was my display table.
This was table number.
And this was my name tag.
The money I made in no way made up for what it cost to reserve a table there, but I would say that it was definitely worth it. Because of my presence at this event, that many more people are aware of my comic book and the Censor Monkeys who have the potential to intern tell others about it. Any and all exposure is better than none.
I sadly couldn't get anywhere near any of the celebs that visited the expo because I had to stay at my table the whole time, but I did hear about a few things from people who had walked by and talked to me. One of those things said was that Brent Spiner was a no show. No-one knew why he cancelled at the last minute. My guess is that since he's a robot his parameters were set to "disappoint people".
I also was told that at this expo Dirk Benedict was grumpy. Hmmmmmmm
But yet at the same time, Grumpy was not Dirk Benedict. Interesting how that works out.
That's all the expo 'scuttlebutt' I heard. So now I'd like to talk about my experience at this event: people's reaction to my book Censor Monkeys Have No Class. They were varied and intriguing to say the least. I remember one person calling my work "creative". Another person had a similar sentiment saying it was "unique and appealing in a million different ways". There was also a guy who said of my work "the SJW's will be in an uproar" which is pretty much the point really. One guy flipped through my book and loved what he saw which inspired him to buy it. Upon doing so, he showed it to his girlfriend whose reply might have been something like "why would you buy that?" I was too far away to clearly hear exactly what she said but I could see that sentiment in her facial expression. My favourite response came from two girls in high school (or University) who said "we should get this book and put it in the school library". My response to that was, "tell me the name of your school and I'll do it". You know what, I might just do that.
The reaction I found the most baffling was that of a man who identified as a feminist. He found the book "problematic" of course, but his critique of the Feminist Monkey made me almost jump back a little bit. He claimed that this particular monkey was 'highly sexualized'. Um................. what???
I....................... would not "tap that". In fact, for me that would be one of the least tappable creatures imaginable. Oh well. Everybody has their own bizarre fetish.
Like I've done at other comic book events in the past, I took pictures of everyone who approached my booth while in a costume. The resulting pictures like always are posted below:
Saturday
Actually, the first costume I'm posting is not from a patron but moreso a mannequin. The girl in the booth beside me made her own costumes for sale and this majestic pirate costume was one of them. I just had to take a picture of it. I personally can't even sew a button on without making my thumb bleed so I admire her skill and patience with her creations. Damnit I forget her name.
Here's a big man with a big gun. A more jealous wag would indicate that he is "trying to over-compensate for something". Forget that! This is one badass costume. This man should feel proud.
This guy had a wicked cool Deadpool costume, but started walking away before I could ask him to pose for a picture. So, I snapped this little candid shot as quick as I could. I think I'll sell this to TMZ later.
Here's a nice neo-victorian number. Beard-o looks triggered. PHHHFTT!!!
This lady right here is no mere attendee. She's actually a rather accomplished singer and youtuber named Tara St Michel. She was there making her own documentary of the Fan Expo and was nice enough to stop by my table. Her youtube video of this event is embedded below:
Here's a nice lovely couple. I'm not sure what the guy's costume is. From the looks of it, the lady's costume seems to be someone who fondles the breasts of short invisible women. That sounds like a fun thing to be.
I believe these are school girls from Hogwarts. No, I didn't ask which one of them was Tootie. They wouldn't have got that anyway.
A Rei costume. There were a lot of those at this Fan Expo of course.
Again, I'm only guessing at what the costume could me. I have no idea about the guy. My guess for the girl's costume is that she is someone who fixes all the flat tires on her bicycle with a cut out piece of her pants. That's an interesting concept for a super hero.
Here are some friends of mine: Jim and his wife Darla. Like the sign says below, they are indeed 75 cents each. Believe me, that is a bargain. Go pick them up at your favourite Dollar Store today.
Another Hogwarts student. Hey, does Voldemort know that a few of his students cut class to come to this event? I'm not sure what the penalty for truancy is at Hogwarts but I'm betting it can't be good.
And that was my Saturday. I made a few sales and all was good.
Sunday
After leaving the Fan Expo on Saturday I went home to have a bit of supper. Then I lay down for a bit before heading off to work my night shift job. My job ended a little after 7 am. From there I went straight home, had a shower, got redressed and headed right back to the Fan Expo all during the time I should have been sleeping. Then I had to be awake for the rest of the Expo until 5 pm when it was time for everyone to go home. So, needless to say I was a bit wired that day. But, in the mean time, I enjoyed the following costumes that came my way:
I saw Marvin!!!! No, I didn't 'make him angry'.
This little girl was dressed like Rick Moranis from The Little Shop of Horrors. Wow! She wasn't even born when Rick Moranis retired from show business. I feel old.
I think a French mime just got married to a Gestapo agent. I really don't want to know what the kids will look like.
Okay, this little joker never actually approached my table. However, he was constantly mesmerized by my artwork. He stared and stared at it for I think collectively a half an hour. I'm not sure what could have held his attention that long. Go back to my table display photo at the top and try to figure that out.
Here's an elvan princess. Dressed in purple to mourn Prince's passing obviously.
Here we have Super Girl. Buying that purse made out of kryptonite was probably not a good idea.
This girl right here is dressed for the prom. Weird because it's still only April. I guess she's so confident that she passed all her classes that she's celebrating early. Get down with your bad self, girl.
Also, this little princess came to my table. She didn't buy a book at all because in her opinion 'the monkeys are too scary'. Yes, little girl, yes they are. These monkeys are the scariest creatures EVEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! If you see them in your neighbourhood get rid of them by any means immediately!!!
Hey, look! The CBC news crew came down my aisle. So if you watched footage of this event on the CBC you probably saw my table in the background somewhere.
And that was my Regina Fan Expo experience. I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed being there. Hey, if you were at this event on either day and you saw yourself in any one of these photos, definitely give a shout out of "OMG! THAT'S ME THAT'S ME THAT'S ME THAT'S ME......" in the comment section or wherever.
