The buzz in the air around Prince George for Northern FanCon has been incredible to see and hear. Even the most casual fans of the big and small screen are excited that William Shatner - THE WILLIAM SHATNER! - is in town to meet with fans, sign autographs and pose for pictures.
Shatner's supporting cast includes Tia Carerre, Giancarlo Esposito, Jewel Staite, Michael Hogan, John de Lancie, Justin Rain and even Isaiah Mustafa, better known as the devastingly handsome Old Spice Guy with the buttery voice (hello, ladies...). And then there's the 501 Legion, a group of avid Star Wars fans who travel the convention circuit doing charity appearances in meticulously created Storm Trooper costumes and all of the fans coming out in homemade costumes (known within this world as cosplay).
It's fitting that Shatner is in Prince George for this city's first major fan convention since these kinds of gatherings of devoted followers were started about 40 years ago by Star Trek fans and they have continued to grow ever since. Finding like-minded fans of your favourite TV shows, movies and characters online is one thing but it's nothing like coming together in one place to share that passion and meet the men and women who brought those characters to life.
Put aside the cultural snobbery and the crotchety complaints about misspent youth who have nothing better to do than to dress up as their favourite comic book or science fiction characters. These kinds of conventions are major tourism draws. The world-famous Comic Con in San Diego drops millions of dollars each year into the economy of southern California. Here in Prince George, hotels and restaurants will do a brisk business this weekend, thanks to the fans who have come from across B.C. and even further afield to be part of the fun.
Meanwhile, there is a whole industry built around conventions, from the actors, writers, directors and artists that supplement their livelihood with appearance fees to promote themselves and engage with fans, to the agencies and managers representing the artists, to the event organizers specializing in organizing and promoting these gatherings.
Even more important than the tourism and economic benefits, however, fan conventions build and solidify a sense of community in real life, as opposed to the shallow and anonymous online world. Northern FanCon, like all science fiction, fantasy and comic conventions, will be a reunion for many people who have become lifelong friends over the years, running into each other at the various conventions near and far.
And don't be fooled by either the costumes or the zealous enthusiasm. Regular convention goers are serious about their fan fun, which is why they invest so much time and money in their hobby. As a result, a pecking order has evolved even within this community. Some of the most die-hard fans of science fiction, fantasy and comics wouldn't be caught dead at Northern FanCon because the subject matter isn't being taken serious enough. Conventions like Northern FanCon encourage cosplay but other conventions discourage or outright ban costumes. Instead, these conventions feature intellectual panel discussions on topics ranging from depictions of gender and sexual identity in Tolkien's Middle Earth to xenophobia and discrimination in zombie and vampire literature.
Both sides of fandom then mock each other for taking themselves too seriously.
Many of these stories and characters (as well as their fans) may look and sound weird but underneath it all are some familiar themes everyone can understand and appreciate. Most of the enduring classics and the most popular new works in science fiction, fantasy and comics are completely unlike the moral ambiguity found in more "realistic" TV, literature and film fare. There is no doubt about who are the good guys and who are the bad guys in Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, The Avengers, X-Men, Twilight or The Hunger Games. There are always the complicated characters that aren't of pure heart and mind, everyone from Han Solo and Hulk, to Wolverine and Q, but they aren't cruel and evil, either.
In other words, basic, universal themes of right and wrong, loyalty, family, sacrifice, forgiveness and redemption lie at the heart of these unusual genres with their unusual stories. In a complicated and depressing world filled with an endless supply of bad news, there is no harm in retreating to these worlds for some much-needed hope and optimism. Most of all, it's just plain fun and that's what Northern FanCon has brought to Prince George.
