Editor’s note: As of April 11, this article has been updated to correct the name of Mike Zobolas, which was previously spelled “Zopolas,” as well as the store name of Komico, which was previously spelled “Comico.” The Charlatan regrets the error.
Comic book collectors and vendors from all over Eastern Ontario and Quebec came together on March 31 for the Capital Comic Book Convention.
The festival came back to Ottawa for its second year at the Marriott Hotel.
The Capital Comic Book Convention is an event that focuses on comic books and comic book collecting.
Unlike other comic conventions (comic-cons) that feature cosplayers, celebrities and gaming zones, the Capital Comic Book Convention focuses solely on comic books, graphic novels, and trade paperbacks.
Mike Zobolas, a business partner of Komico—a longtime comic book store in Montreal owned by Lee Jordan—and first-time attendee, said, “The event is a reminder of what comic-cons were like 25 to 30 years ago.”
“It’s just comic books, and you have people coming for the books, not for cosplaying, and not for buying all the other stuff,” he said. “It’s refreshing to be able to relive those memories.”
Saralee Bullock, one half of the duo that runs Kah-Boom Komics, said comic-only events are important for people who don’t necessarily enjoy all aspects of pop culture.
“It’s nice to have the other things, of course, but there are people who don’t enjoy the full extent of pop culture, and so when you have a comic-only place, you don’t have the other elements—the oddity of some of the pop culture,” she said.
“Some people don’t enjoy that, so comic-only means that they’re able to come here or to another comic-only event, and not have the oddities if they don’t enjoy that part.”
Zobolas said the convention is important because it is not expensive.
“It got a little bit expensive for the people that specifically buy comic books,” he said. “They go to big shows where they have to pay $40-$50 entrance fee.”
“They found it wasn’t worth their while to come in and just browse around,” he added.
The admission fee for the Capital Comic Book Convention was $6, while the regular three-day admission for the Ottawa ComicCon that will take place later this year is $69.
According to Bullock, this year’s best sellers are comics which movies have been based on recently.
“People really like the Infinity stories, and of course we have Venom, which is launching more movies as well,” she said.
Both the Infinity stories and Venom are characters from the Marvel universe.
Zobolas said the event has been a way for him to relive his childhood.
“I was five years old, and my mom got sick. We used to live in Old Montreal, so when the ambulance came over to the house and there was a huge commotion, I snuck out and I went to the corner store and I bought a Raven comic and a Spider-Man comic that I still have to this day,” he said about the first time he read a comic.
“I remember having conversations with my friends in high school—how we couldn’t wait for Batman to come out because we didn’t have any of the things that kids are getting today,” he added.
“I just turned 50, and I feel wonderful to still be a part of this experience.”
