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Indie game developers, esports competitors, comic book creators, and pop-culture enthusiasts gathered at Slush Puppie Place this past weekend for the inaugural Eh! Game Expo
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The event was a three-day festival that organizers hope will become an annual event in Kingston. The expo featured esports competition, cosplay, trading card games, artists and exhibitors from across Ontario and Quebec
The event also included the Fight for the Throne esports tournament, bringing competitive players together for games such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and other fighting titles
Among those showcasing their creative work was Chris Cochrane, a longtime musician and teacher who moved to Kingston nearly a decade ago. That’s when he decided to revisit a dream he first pursued as a young artist: creating comic books
For Cochrane, founder of Kingston-based Machete Comics, the expo was more than a business opportunity. He saw it as evidence that a community centered on comics, gaming and fan culture is continuing to grow in Kingston
“I knew that I wanted to do comic books,” Cochrane said. “I figured this is a trilogy in life. This is the third chapter in a trilogy.”
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Cochrane’s path to publishing comics began decades ago at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in New Jersey, one of the most respected training grounds in the comic-book industry. There, he learned from established professionals and worked on sample pages featuring characters from major publishers, including Marvel and DC Comics
After graduation, however, music took over. Years of performing, touring and teaching followed before he and his family eventually settled in Kingston
“We always loved Kingston,” he said
Since launching Machete Comics during the pandemic, Cochrane and his wife, Lonnie, have steadily expanded their catalogue. Lonnie handles much of the colouring, lettering and digital production work while Chris focuses on illustration and storytelling
Their flagship title, Cult of Machete, is an anthology featuring short horror and suspense stories inspired by classics such as The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt. The latest edition includes work by several writers, including Kingston author Casey Boyce
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Boyce’s contribution, Course of Death, puts a zombie outbreak on a golf course
“I had an idea for a zombie story many years ago — think Night of the Living Dead meets Caddy Shack.” Boyce said. “I thought, you know what? I’m going to take this story and submit it to a local comic book company.”
The gamble paid off
“I’m 52 years old, but I thought, It’s never too late,” she said. “They were looking for a Kingston writer and I took a chance.”
Boyce said seeing her work published has encouraged her to pursue additional writing projects and explore other creative opportunities
“It really gave me confidence and the courage to put my writing out there,” she said. “I just sent a three-poem anthology to a CBC writing contest. We’ll see what happens.”
Machete’s growing lineup also includes Skeletron, a dark comedy set in Kingston in which a group of young friends conduct a séance and accidentally unleash the city’s ghosts and historical figures
“It’s totally based here in Kingston,” Cochrane said. “I make a point of including all kinds of Limestone City features.”
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Another project, Canadian Destroyer, draws inspiration from Canadian history. The five-issue series incorporates real historical events, including the controversial MK-Ultra experiments conducted at Montreal’s Allan Memorial Institute during the Cold War, while exploring fictional mysteries involving missing Indigenous children
“I wanted to do something Canadian,” Cochrane said. “I wanted to get something that I cared about, that I could stick up for.”
Cochrane cited recent trade tensions and the rising cost of selling books in the United States as key factors in swaying his interest more heavily toward Canadian stories and local creators
“Because of the tariffs, one of my comic books costs about 40 bucks in the U.S. now,” he said
For all the attention given to the published comics, Cochrane said one of the most rewarding parts of the business has been working with young artists
What started as occasional instruction evolved into Rad Tales, an ongoing program that teaches children how professional comics are written, illustrated and produced
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Every week, a group of aspiring creators gathers to develop original characters and stories while learning the technical aspects of comic-book production
“It’s not like, ‘OK, you have to draw this,’” Cochrane said. “We let their imaginations run wild.”
“Some of these kids are as young as eight years old,” he said. “It’s mind-blowing what they can do.”
The students’ work is now finding its way into published collections under the Rad Tales from Kingston Kids banner. The series is preparing to release its fourth issue, showcasing stories and artwork produced by local youth
That success has led to another major event on the horizon
On Aug. 1, Machete Comics will host the Rad Kids Comic and Art Con at Nexus on the holiday weekend, coinciding with Kingston’s Princess Street Promenade. The event will put young creators in the spotlight while bringing together artists, families and members of the local comics community
Comic creator David Day will appear as a special guest, and organizations including the Boys and Girls Club are expected to participate
The goal, Cochrane said, is to create the kind of welcoming environment that many aspiring artists never had growing up
“There’s nobody teaching this sort of thing, I mean comic book art specifically, in Kingston,” he said. “We’re really trying to take this world we live in and turn it into the Machete universe.”
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