Fan Expo is about inclusivity above all else

Fan Expo Canada envelops Toronto the last weekend of August every year. And it literally has something for everyone.

You need a specific comic book, as I did, if you look hard enough, you’ll find it from one of the dozens of vendors. Looking for a toy? Same. Sticker? Yep. Artwork? Absolutely.

Perhaps you want an autograph or photo op from a celebrity you’d otherwise likely never encounter? It has you covered for that, too. Just ask the thousands of folks who mugged with Luke Skywalker on the weekend as Mark Hamill was one of the marquee celebrities on hand. The list of celebrities was long and thorough. The lines were longer.

Maybe you want to meet a comic artist? No problem. Or perhaps, like me, you wanted to drop some valuable comics off to send off for grading? Check. Easily done.

When it comes to pop culture, Fan Expo has it all. You just have to brave the crowds, long lineups and long journey between stops to get there.

As I sat smoking a cigar outside while resting my legs and feet on Sunday, I watched the smiles as costumed everyday folks got to play a character of their choosing. Many chose Spider-Man, not surprising given the recent release in the Tom Holland franchise.

Spidey was just one of what felt like an endless stream of superheroes and villains, from Venom to Batman, from Thor to Loki. It was a comic book hero’s paradise.

I also watched all weekend as one cosplayer stopped another to snap selfies or pics of one another’s costumes. I watched smiles, hugs, back pats, fist bumps. I heard Ooohs and ahhhs and “that costume is sick!” dozens, if not hundreds of times.

It dawned on me on Sunday. As much as Fan Expo is about celebrating pop culture and as much effort as it puts into its lineup of celebrities and attention to detail to have something for everyone, its greatest success is its inclusiveness.

No one is mocking anyone for a costume. Quite the contrary, actually. People are embracing, sharing photos, encouraging one another. They’re free to be whoever they want, wear whatever they want (in some cases even whatever they don’t want to wear) and act however they wish.

In today’s judgy, grumpy and, honestly downright mean, world, Fan Expo’s inclusiveness is a breath of fresh air.

Too often people spend their days watching social media tear apart others for their beliefs, religion, sexual orientation, the way they dress, their choices in music, political affiliation, their relationships or their causes.

There, people feel free to impose their own beliefs on others. There, people are quick to bully. Quick to judge. Quick to make people feel less than awesome.

It’s a lot, to be honest.

But when you walk into Fan Expo, that all disappears. There, you find people embracing, supporting, encouraging, hell even cheering one another on. It didn’t matter if you were wearing a full 3D printed Iron Man costume complete with a mask that opened and closed, or if you were wearing just a wig and carrying a wand.

Everyone’s choices were supported. Not mocked. Everyone’s costumes, their freedom to express themselves, those were embraced, not chastized. Everyone loved one another.

Yes, the pomp and pageantry of Fan Expo was, as always on full display. Impressive lines of thousands of people waited patiently to be in the same room as Luke Skywalker.

Still more lined up and waited for a 20-second interaction with John Cena.

Sometimes the wait for the escalator was 10 or more minutes. There were aisles packed so tightly, it took five minutes to get 30 feet.

But you know what, I didn’t hear a single complaint. Not one.

Because everyone was too busy encouraging the person beside them.

Inclusivity. That’s the real attraction at Fan Expo.

Jan Murphy is the editor-in-chief of The Kingston Whig-Standard, a diehard pop culture lover and a lifelong comic book fan.