Edmonton Expo 2026

I was going to post a new travel blog on the north but it turns out it is Expo weekend in Edmonton. I went for opening night Friday and here are some random thoughts. For real this one is just quick and dirty no editing so I am sorry if it gets a bit mixed up but trying to post while it is still relevant!

As I walked in, or towards the entrance I texted my wife "I dunno if I am in Heaven or Hell"

First I need to know if  what I heard was true. If you bought a meet and greet or pic or whatever and the celeb cancelled AFTER the refund deadline you didn't get your money back? I 1000% get it if you cancel or change your mind after the deadline, tough shit. Hell it sucks but even if something bad happened and you cant make it you agreed to something when you bought the tickets. HOWEVER if the celeb cancels after the deadline, that is not on the customer and the expo SHOULD be giving a full refund. I only heard second hand that they weren't. In this case though if they aren't shame on you and your greed.

Lets talk cost. Cheapest $36 for a few hours where you really aren't going to see it all. Thats when I went, so I guess keep that in mind for this blog. Family passes over $100, which in reality is a good deal but also for some families going to keep them from coming. I get everyone has a right to make money but I go to other shows in the same halls that don't cost nearly the same. Your gonna pay $16 to park, that sad thing is I am about to say that isn't bad. I say it because I can afford it even if I think its steep. Your a young family and your paying over $100 to go in and $16 to park. If you eat anything or want ANY pics or autographs or anything your already in the couple hundred bucks. I mean again once you get inside I understand everyone has the right to make money but every vendor is costly. I honestly think with no exaggeration a family couple blow the same amount as a cheap weekend away. SO I guess I am saying bring cash. I spend $168 in 2 hours. Thats just getting in, getting a sandwich and a single comic on the cheapest day of the expo.

Use the proper door!! Why the main entrance is the last door, I dunno. Literally we walked in a crowd, like zombies trying every door until we found the furthest was the one we were supposed to use. Jumping a bit ahead, fuck off with the gay little entrance cards. Wristbands work fine. I don't want to fill out that much info and get a plastic card to scan for entry and exit. I get entry but exit as well?? WTF is up with that. I mean sure if it is for venue capacity or something but why do you need to know when I am leaving?? Also wtf I thought nerds were environmentally friendly. Thousands of plastic cards aren't!

I thought you fucking nerds were nice! The zombie crowd finally shuffles to the doors and a girl, by herself is in a wheelchair rolling up. Do you think anyone cares or waits or holds the door?? Well yes I did but everyone else just ignores her. If she had someone with her maybe I would have carried on and not waited but she didn't. Seriously wtf is wrong with you people. So once I was in you do the whole plastic card entry online and finally get in!

Lets deal with Cosplay. First wow! Some of you do amazing jobs! Second and I will get to it, even the homemade not amazing stuff is still amazing. Cosplay is not consent! I didnt see those signs this time but I agree. Just because someone is dressed up doesnt mean you can A) Touch them for some reason! or B) just take a rando pic! I also have to say some cosplay is going in the same direction as Halloween costumes, sluttier and sluttier. Saying what I just said is totally true about not consent. I am also saying IF you are pushing your tits up and they are spilling out, or literally your ass is hanging out. People are looking. No it is creepy and weird if they stare but people are glancing and I am fairly certain you know it if your dressing like that. I don't get it. I mean I do, if your dressing like Emma Frost its meant to be hot but slutty princess Peach? Anyways no its not consent, damn some of you do great jobs, wow we are getting sluttier and sluttier!

Also to the homemade cosplayers. I saw a couple, wow they were bad and judgey mean me. The guy who does most the writing here was well being a judgey douche. Then that small voice in me said wow, thats actually awesome. Without a doubt a lot of effort went into this, even if it wasnt great. You are putting way more effort into this than I ever would. You love that character and honestly are more brave and true to yourself than I am. So to the cosplayers that didnt know I was insulting and judging them. I am sorry. You are why these expos exist. 

So what do we have here. Fucking tons! First thing I saw was LARPing. This is kingshit of nerd mountain and again kudos to you. I am not brave enough, even if it is cool. Then there is real weapons and armor. Again cool. I mean I would love a real sword, I bought some cheap ass display ones years ago but a real, well made sword would be awesome. So would armor but thats kinda hard to store and display until I am rich and have a mansion. There is actual lessons for swords, I came pretty close to signing up but sadly maybe my life is too busy. There is some beef jerky and shit like that. I mean I guess people will buy but that is not why I am at this expo. There is art and clothes. Candles, signs. Authors trying so sell their books. Of course there is nostalgia. Somehow it always goes back to the 80s. You have movies, DVDs and I am pretty sure VHS. Painting, toys (Action figures) and collectables. All the nerdy shit you can think of. Still a little upset with myself a few years ago I didnt buy the Stark Family banners I saw there. We have a row of creators, some I assume are fairly famous. The issue is I am a dumb ass. I read a ton of comics but I rarely pay attention to the writer or artist and I really should. At this moment I have some titles I love and if I am honest I would fail if asked who the creators are. I have vague guesses but might be wrong. So maybe some year I will be smart enough to look at what I like, who is there and then go. Of course we have the celeb guests. I am just gonna say it, Calgary always gets better ones!! This year John Cena was is the highlight. From what I know he seems like an actual decent guy but Peacemaker is not enough to make me pay to meet him. Over the years we have met Steven Ogg, Tommy Flanagan, Ron Perlman and randomly Anne Mahoney She wasn't on the celeb wall just in the vendors. This year no one really made me want to pay to get something signed or a pic taken. There is likely something for everyone!

So my big thing is comics. I THINK I hit most the places with comics. I have a small list of issues i really want and I pawed through most the bins. Never finding a single one I want. It is clear to me any issue I want is going to be hanging on a wall. They aren't small issues but key issues, so I began wall searches. What I do have to say is organize!!!! I went through a couple bins that seemed to have no logical order and walked the fuck away. Wall gazing is great, you can dream of all the issues you want. I saw Giant Sized X-Men for a few thousand bucks. I did not have that. I had a couple hundred or was allowing myself a couple hundred. One year I had a few more $$$ and it made me laughed when I bought the Mutant Massacre I was willing to pay asking price. The guy was disappointed I didn't haggle and gave me $10 / issue. I did find a few I wanted but in the end settled on the first appreance of Cable. After my purchase I was out. There was still roughly an hour and I could have spent a little more but I was getting hangry and needed to get out! I wonder about expo pricing, do titles go up for it? I have seen the exact same issue in one comic store in Edmonton and then went to another and shop and it was half the price. So are things a better deal? I always wonder that. I do enjoy the expo always seem to introduce me to new stores, local and from out of town. My fav shops never have a booth but this place gives me a chance for new shops to browse.

So thats it, my take on this years expo. 7 / 10. The guest list wasn't great in my mind and that took away from it. Plus honestly I was getting hangry and grumpy not really finding what I want. Thats on me. I think next year I really either want to save up and do some big purchases, maybe see some panels and shit. Really take it in OR try the Calgary Expo. It is the last day and by the time people read this probably done already. Just my random thoughts...