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9 Plays23 days ago
After Josh's stint at the Toronto Comicon with the Canadian Podcast Awards table, he was inspired to talk about some of the cons he attended. Tyler remembers a family singing the Japanese Sailor Moon theme song, Josh remembers taking the bus to see Gene Roddenberry's home movies and so much more. So stick around and join the laughs. And when you are done, check out some the social media sites, leave a message or record one letting us know your favourite celebrity meeting! Until then. have a Yabba Zonkers Zoinks! Saturday.
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Transcript
Introduction and Toronto Comic-Con Experience
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey, listeners, it's Josh. I just wanted to say I had an amazing day today. Today I spent a couple hours down here at the Toronto Comic-Con with the Canadian Podcasters Group. I want to thank John and Jennifer for letting me stay and have some fun with people, gave away some prizes, talked about the podcast, and hopefully we're going to see you tomorrow morning when we launch our next episode. So have a Yabazonker Zoinks weekend, and we'll talk to you again soon.
00:00:28
Speaker
Hey, don't turn that channel. You've reached Yabba Zuckers Wings, the Saturday morning podcast where your host, Josh Downing, that's me, will take you on a trip through a Gen X Saturday morning of cereal, toys, cartoons, and so much more.
00:00:44
Speaker
So grab your honeycombs and your favorite Micronaut and sit back and enjoy. Okay, so welcome back listeners.
Podcast Promotion and Comic-Con Highlights
00:00:52
Speaker
we We took a bit of a break and missed an episode last week, but you know, things are a little crazy and i just wanted to make sure we're still getting caught up. So we will have today's episode for you, which is really exciting.
00:01:04
Speaker
So my name is Josh Downing. I am your host, the host of Yabba Zucker Zoinks. And with me today is my best buddy, Tyler. Hi, everyone. So how you doing, Tyler?
00:01:16
Speaker
Hmm, I wasn't expecting that question. He always hits me with these questions I'm not ready for. it and that should be an easy one, right? So I would say I'm good because it's Wednesday, which means it's almost Thursday, which means it's almost Friday, which means it's almost Saturday.
00:01:30
Speaker
See, that's a great way to look at it. Yes, yes. Living for the weekend. but Okay, let's let's try a sound effect and see if that works. There we go.
00:01:41
Speaker
Yeah, I got another life. I needed that. One up right there. Excellent. That's awesome. ah so you know, we're going to talk about something that that is kind of really recent because I was just at Toronto Comic Con.
00:01:56
Speaker
promoting this podcast. So if you were there, hey, say hi, you know, i hopefully yeah you stopped and took a minute or two to kind of take a look at what I was doing. Gave out some really cool prizes, met some cool people and and had a really good time with the ah but the team over at the Canadian Podcast Awards. So it was really great that they were letting podcasters hang around their table all day.
00:02:17
Speaker
And you were there too, weren't you, Tyler? I was there faithfully every year. um i don't remember when Toronto Comic-Con launched. It's an it's an sister show Fan Expo late summer.
00:02:33
Speaker
Maybe it's been 10 years. Maybe, maybe not. I'm sure someone could correct me. It's been a little while and it's a smaller show. um But I think for families during the March break, it's a great time and it's a great size because the family probably isn't exhausted by actually having seen everything. So yeah, I, I think it's a, it's the spirit of it is good.
00:03:00
Speaker
The timing of it is good. The size of it is appropriate for March break. And, you know, I imagine it's here to stay. They used to do one at Christmas, too. That was a one day one. like that one. It was sort of like a nerd shopping day ah couple weeks before Christmas. But I'm sure the logistics were a little tough on all the vendors. But that one kind of disappeared.
00:03:21
Speaker
Didn't didn't ah the Toronto Comic Con part of it, didn't it start somewhere else, like at a different building? It was downstairs. Was it? Yeah. And they would just chop all those rooms down to a smaller size. Yeah. And then they finally just pushed it upstairs, which is good because it's it's all windows.
00:03:41
Speaker
and Yes. for all those vendors that have issues with square payment... You know, I think they're happier to be in the North building. Yeah, no, I totally get that.
Comic-Con Purchases and Personal Memories
00:03:51
Speaker
Yeah. So for those who don't know, like Toronto Comic-Con and Fan Expo is Canada's big version of Comic-Con. And it's a massive event. and we'll We'll talk a little bit more about some facts about that later.
00:04:04
Speaker
But um for my first sort of real question about that is, did you buy anything when you were there? but Yes, I did. i have to stop and think. I wanted, to be honest, i was I'm always in lookout for comics, and I never find the comics that I want.
00:04:19
Speaker
I mostly just collect Hanna-Barbera Gold Key, and they just they just don't bring them. um And I was looking for some of the Funko NFTs for Scooby-Doo.
00:04:34
Speaker
Didn't see those, but I did buy... Oh, yes, I bought a shockwave transformers t-shirt that was actually really awesome i actually like i love it or i wouldn't have bought it and one of those trendy crochet items but it's enoch from over the garden wall and i'm thrilled with it even though the poor little guy is just sitting in a box but i don't want him to get dusty or anything so no he's safe and sound till all hallows eve Did you buy anything when you were there?
00:05:05
Speaker
No, i didn't really have i didn't really have time because i i my table time with the Cannes Podcast Awards was, I want to say 5 o'clock because I still had to work all day.
00:05:18
Speaker
And I didn't have a lot of time afterwards because I was at the table until about 6.30. So I didn't have time to to buy anything, but I did kind of take a run through the marketplace area to kind of see if there was anything cool. Cool.
00:05:32
Speaker
And it's so funny because when Tyler and I were talking the other day and I said, don't did you buy anything? and And, you know, you sat there for a while, you were trying to think about it. And I said something about, well, was it crocheted?
00:05:45
Speaker
And it turned out it was. So funny. If he hadn't have said that, i would have been like, well, was the other thing I bought? It must have been a book. Maybe it was an action figure. Hell no, it was crocheted by a dear sweet woman with a lot of talent.
00:05:59
Speaker
And Josh, I'm looking over your shoulder right now and I see you have the Hall of Justice play set. And I've probably asked you that before. Is that my Hall of Justice? that's Yes. Okay. That's not yours anymore. I've had it for 30 years. Yeah, exactly. That thing is worth some money.
00:06:13
Speaker
Is it really? really Okay, good. That's my retirement fund. Yeah. Yeah. I didn't realize you still had it. That's really cool. i still had I still have I still have some of my my figures for it as well.
00:06:25
Speaker
Do you know how the doors of the Hall of Justice open? No. You have to say open for justice. Oh. And then the doors open. That should have been one of your little quiz questions. Totally. Yeah. Well, it's always good for you to throw it back in my face. You can ask me later because I won't remember.
00:06:43
Speaker
Okay. That'll be my quiz at the end. I'll just say, what did you ask me at the beginning of the episode? You'd be like, I don't know. I'm having an episode. All right. So back to cons.
00:06:55
Speaker
So, you know, it's really, it's funny because, um, once again, I, i do research before I do these podcasts just so I, I have some, you know, news that I can actually talk about that might, might be real. Maybe, maybe it's not, I don't know.
00:07:07
Speaker
But, uh, cause you can't trust anything on the internet these days. Correct. um, I, I didn't realize they went so far back. Oh yeah. We're not talking like just like 1960s back. We're talking like nineteen thirty s back.
00:07:23
Speaker
Right? Did you know that? I wasn't there. Yeah, well, I wasn't there either. Barely there for the 60s ones. But I want to ruin it because we've got a game called Factor Fiction coming up, and we'll we'll play some some trivia on that.
00:07:37
Speaker
But ah one of the things I wanted to talk about was, what was your first con? ah Well, when I was a teenager... I used to think like, how come we don't have those cons like where you get to meet Elvira and you get to see the Batmobile?
00:07:53
Speaker
You know, I'm like, where were those shows? You know, and we just didn't have them. You know, we had comic shows, we had record shows, we had toy shows, but we didn't have conventions. And I don't even think we had like a Star Trek convention. If we did, you know, I wasn't aware of it.
00:08:12
Speaker
um So I think one of the first ones I went to, which would have been with you, was probably Anime North in the nineties and then Fan Expo for the first time in 1999. Yeah.
00:08:29
Speaker
yeah That's how I remember it. um And I don't think there was anything before that, just specific shows. Yeah, it's it's funny funny because I was looking up the history of Fan Expo because I remember because we we moved here in 96.
00:08:47
Speaker
say And Fan Expo really had its... Was it 95? Yes. yes Oh, my God. So I've lost a year of my life somewhere. Oh, no. I'm probably a year older, too, and didn't even realize. Yeah.
00:09:01
Speaker
Oh, wait, that was Monday. Turn your mic on, Josh. 95 and fan expo really kicked off in like nine. think they started 95, but have big one was 97. That's when they moved to the Metro Convention Center.
00:09:19
Speaker
Cause I never even heard of them. I think until 99 and it was only because there was a flyer. at um silver snail and yes to always go through all those flyers you know in that shop just hungry for events you know and again it was mostly toy shows where was where were they before the metro toronto convention center oh i don't remember i had my notes up here but uh i don't think i john's basement it was probably a basement or a church or something
00:09:54
Speaker
the The funny thing is, I think we found out about it when we were doing toy shows, when we were selling our Japanese goods. Because we had that guy who came over to the table and said, hey, you know, we're part of a, we're doing a thing. I think it was Hobby Star Marketing.
00:10:08
Speaker
Oh, that couple? Yeah. I don't remember. No, i know I just remember the one guy, I think his name was Silver. And he came to introduce himself and said, oh my God, you guys have the best stuff. yeah And I thought he was involved with it, but he might've just been promoting it.
00:10:24
Speaker
Maybe. and that's when we kind of found found out about it. I was excited because Apollo Smile was there. Oh, yeah. it was like, I have to get there because that album meant so much to me. So i was so thrilled.
00:10:38
Speaker
Was that the first one we went to That's how I remember it. Yeah, that makes sense. And that was 99, which seems late, but, you know, it's probably correct.
00:10:49
Speaker
No, that's that's what it sounds about right. i still have all those pictures. Yeah, yeah, me too. Of her performance. It was so great. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I remember the Anime North Convention we went to.
00:11:04
Speaker
Yeah, I remember they were like by the 400. They were somewhere the mall. Yes, there was one that was in the mall. but yes It was not North York Sheridan Mall, but it was like somewhere...
00:11:18
Speaker
maybe ah i don't know if that was it then then there then they were at that hotel like around the 400 and the 401 yeah so that's when it was kind of getting a little bigger yeah you know but i don't have i have memories of the panels i don't have memories of the market no i i don't either and don't remember anything being for sale am i wrong That's a good question.
00:11:45
Speaker
We're going to have to look that up because i don't remember because I don't remember buying things. I'm sure that there must have been something yeah because we would have been kind of looking at stuff from our point of view, which at the time we were selling you know you know anime goods.
00:11:58
Speaker
Maybe we were already out of that because it's funny that we weren't a vendor, but I really don't remember any vendors. I just remember panels and performances. And then I think I dragged you to a Transformers convention um early not or sorry late 90s or maybe 2001 maybe was that kicking and screaming for some unknown bizarre reason funny uh and i'm just trying to think of other shows at that time but it was coming along you know yeah oh yeah absolutely we went to barbie one too do you remember that
00:12:31
Speaker
Yes. Yes. Once. i don't know if that ever continued, but we went once. i yeah, I don't think that that that continued. And then there was that that weird science fiction one on College Street at church.
00:12:48
Speaker
It was mostly literature. Do you remember that? No, that one is not ringing a bell. Okay. Do you know the hotel I'm thinking of that's probably the southwest corner of college or Carleton and church?
00:13:06
Speaker
And it it was, it was like a sci-fi literature. There theres there was a Courtyard Marriott hotel there right on right by Alexander Street. no that you know you're too far you're too far too far west yeah you got to go a little more east so you're you're you're carlton and or collagen church Oh, yeah. Sorry. i'm I'm thinking college and young. And it it ran like for quite a while. I just don't remember the name of it.
00:13:34
Speaker
It wasn't a very obvious name, I don't think. No. Do you remember that one? No, i don't remember that one. We went to that. Obviously. And I swear like Brent Spiner was there once.
00:13:46
Speaker
Oh. But it was, and it would it would go for a couple of days. Yeah. But I just, I don't remember the name of it. But anyway, it's a shame. I'm going to have to look that one up.
00:13:56
Speaker
These things come and go. yeah totally. So I got a story for you. Okay. So it's been really hard for me to um sort of validate this story, but I was probably 13. I think it was probably 70. want to say 79.
00:14:15
Speaker
And my my uncle, who's a couple years older than me, was ah just, he totally loved Star Trek and was trying to get me into it. I was really resisting. was probably still too young, but even though I loved that, um, that old sort of style of science fiction, Star Trek just wasn't sticking for me for some reason. I don't know why it took a few years.
00:14:37
Speaker
He, um, asked our parents if he could, if we could go to, a convention, ah Star Trek convention And they were a little weird about it because we were still so young, but they they finally agreed.
00:14:53
Speaker
And I don't know where we got the money for tickets. They were probably like $10. And who had $10 in 1979, right? Wow. And it was all the way downtown Vancouver, which was a long ways from where we lived. So we would have been on the bus for a couple hours. I was going to say, that's two buses. yeah I think it was more like eight eight buses.
00:15:13
Speaker
And it turned out to be... ah Gene Roddenberry. oh. oh a ah film projector and a screen. Yeah. And I, it's so weird because we were in this great big auditorium, but I don't remember more than maybe a hundred people.
00:15:31
Speaker
i don't think it was very, very big. In fact, I remember a lot of empty chairs, but there's probably somebody who's like sitting out there going, no, there was 12,000 people. Like, come on.
00:15:42
Speaker
But it really wasn't. it There was just a handful of people. Um, you know, we were only sitting a few rows back from the, from the, the front row. And I didn't really know who Gene Roddenberry was, but he was a very cool man and told some great stories.
00:15:56
Speaker
And that's probably when I started to love Star Trek because he was telling us these amazing stories. And then he was showing us his home movies, which were all his sort of
Early Toy Collecting and Convention Interest
00:16:07
Speaker
behind the scenes and bloopers of all of those amazing actors who were in that show back in the sixties.
00:16:13
Speaker
Hmm. So that was kind of my first con. and i it And it was weird that it's a Star Trek con. And I just i really said to myself, this is really cool.
00:16:25
Speaker
I want to I want more of this. Well, that's and that was usually the joke back then was all these Star Trek conventions. I'm like, but where are they? you know, if they're everywhere and every weekend, how come they're not here, you know?
00:16:39
Speaker
Well, and it's funny too, when I started to recollect toys again, when I started collecting toys, that was probably when the whole Star Trek Next Gen Playmates toys were coming out.
00:16:54
Speaker
And I was just like nuts over these things and collecting everything from that line. And then there was conventions because I went to a few conventions, saw Patrick Stewart, ah saw ah Leonard Nimoy.
00:17:08
Speaker
And i I'm trying to remember, I think there was a couple other people that I saw as well from from NextGen. But yeah, that's when I first started really going to cons and they were small and they were, they were kind of weird. And the marketplaces were just like, you know, 50 people with a table and and a handful of pretty much nothing, but it was, it was the beginning of something and it was really cool.
00:17:30
Speaker
Well, it's amazing how many celebrities made themselves available. Even it was just for ah cash grab, they were making themselves available.
00:17:40
Speaker
And i I think that's fantastic. you know Yeah, totally. ah So it almost got to the point where you know i was planning Star Trek cosplay. I was like, oh, I can make myself a uniform.
00:17:54
Speaker
I bought myself a nice little shiny badge so I could wear it. And yeah, I was starting to get it really into it. I don't think you'll remember, but I'll bring it up.
00:18:06
Speaker
Um, an episode of wonder woman where it takes place in a hotel that also has a science fiction convention running at the same time. And it's like the same six people getting used over and over again for footage.
00:18:21
Speaker
Um, But they're all Logan's Run. They're all dressed as Logan's Run. And they're all running around like sand men chasing people. And Linda's like, what? What? Oh, my God. Okay, now I have to find that because that sounds amazing.
00:18:35
Speaker
Well, it kind of is, right? That is so amazing. It's almost like the the amazing um part of Galaxy Quest. That's every part. I know, which is really just the whole basis for that movie, but it was just so amazing.
00:18:50
Speaker
It's a wonderful movie. Yeah. Yeah. It's really fun. So what, what's your favorite part of going to a con? Um,
00:19:02
Speaker
Probably the celebrities, but it's so far and few between that there's anybody that I care about. um But that that's what gives me the biggest thrill.
00:19:14
Speaker
When I started going to San Diego Comic-Con in 2010, and I went for 10 years, yeah who you who is there and who you can meet was just mind-blowing, you know?
00:19:29
Speaker
And and we're we're quite fortunate here, too. We do get you know decent celebrities, big celebrities. you know I may not be into them, but it's amazing that they're here. I think that's probably number one.
00:19:40
Speaker
And then probably art, because there's so original And even if they're
00:19:48
Speaker
you know and even if they're you know, um they've done illustrations or whatever of licensed characters. It's still original. It's still their version or their creation. And, you know, all these artists and makers, you know, in these artist alleys, it's ah it's a great inspirational sort of add on to all the noise.
00:20:13
Speaker
You know what I mean? i love looking at action figures. I love looking at books, you know, um but artist alley is like, whoa, slow down, take this in, see what's here, you know? And um so I would say celebrities and,
00:20:27
Speaker
the independent artists and the independent press. Um, we have that TCAF show here, the Toronto, uh, comics, something, something. shoot me Anyway, TCAF, everybody go TCAF. yes And it's all, it's independent. Um,
00:20:43
Speaker
um publishers from around the world. And I love that show because it's it you know it's all it's all artists just you know putting out what inspires them the most. And there's so much talent. Like, holy crap, it just seems never ending, you know which is also inspiring. so So yeah, so celebrities, clean washrooms.
00:21:07
Speaker
Is that a thing?
00:21:10
Speaker
It can be if you go early like I do. Oh, that's right. You're out before anybody's even in the building. Yeah, that's true. I can do a con in like an hour. you know, I can do it in 10 hours. I can do it in one hour. How much time have I got? And I'll still see everything.
00:21:22
Speaker
Oh, my God. Yeah, like I they're they're great. They're just they're a lot of fun They're great. um I think there is something for every age. I think it's amazing when kids just when they dress up and when they get excited about something, you know, my heart breaks when they want up everything that's expensive. Yeah.
00:21:42
Speaker
Can't have it all, but what was your original question? What do I like most? Yeah, what's what's the what's the thing you like most? wide variety, right? There's a lot to see, and if it's put on well, and it's done well, and you've got you know ah good crowd, and you've got great vendors, and you've got great celebrities, then it's it's it's a hit before you even open the doors. You're listening the Obesonetrazoics, the Gen for Life podcast.
00:22:11
Speaker
I think that when i first when you and I first started going and we were going to Fenn Expo and Anime North, I think the thing that was most exciting for me was the toys. Because these were these were vendors that weren't mainstream. They weren't local.
00:22:26
Speaker
So it wasn't like I could just go to somebody's you know basement store and look at all their cool toys from the eighty s But there was vendors that were coming in from all over the the, you know, North America who were bringing in stuff.
00:22:41
Speaker
And i was so, so excited for that hunt of, you know, can I find something really super cool that I haven't found anywhere else yet? And also too, back in the nineties, the internet still wasn't really as vibrant as it it is.
00:22:57
Speaker
No, no, it it had its, its,
00:23:02
Speaker
You had access to things, but it wasn't like this. It's not far from what it is today. oh yeah, absolutely. So I think that was it was just getting so excited about looking at everything. And I just I wanted to look at everything.
00:23:18
Speaker
i don't think over the years I bought a lot of things from the conventions. No, because even with me and going to San Diego, I would buy a lot of stuff and then part with it a year or two later.
00:23:29
Speaker
you know So it's funny. yeah It's funny you know how that happens, but it does. Who who is your favorite celebrity meet? Oh, God, you're going to make me cry. um No.
00:23:41
Speaker
and ah Janet Waldo. um Yeah. Met her 2010. twenty ten um won't bore the audience, um but that was beyond incredible. And she passed.
00:23:55
Speaker
not long after. And um you know for that to have been my first San Diego show, and she was there, and Sid and Marty Croft were there, and Ruby and Spears were there, and it was just this Saturday morning love fest. was just amazing, and then you know access to everything that was current too.
00:24:21
Speaker
so you know But we've been lucky here, too. you know I've met Elvira here, you know John Waters. um Can't think fast enough. but Oh, um well, of course, Adam West, Burt Ward.
00:24:33
Speaker
oh oh Oh, Ernest Borgnine. Now there's one. Because he was hilarious. He was in a wheelchair. He was just so happy and fun and funny.
00:24:49
Speaker
And I had him sign the card to my German black hole. action figure nice it's funny because the figures kind of turned a little bit in the in the blister and and i i can't remember what he said but he said something like oh i'm just having a little stretch or something like that right it's the sweetest you know so i'm so grateful to whoever thought let's bring him up you know what i mean so what about you ah it's It's weird because i've I've always had this weird thing about meeting celebrities. I'm always afraid to meet them because I don't want to be such an idiot in front of them.
00:25:26
Speaker
Like the first time I met um my musical idol, Gary Newman, I was just like, blah! That'll do it. yeah Yeah, that'll do I'm like, I don't know what to say.
00:25:37
Speaker
And i I don't think I've sort like met. I've seen some and it's like, okay, that's really cool. and I snuck some pictures of some of them. Like I got um some pictures of Nichelle Nichols at one of the conventions and a few other people.
00:25:52
Speaker
So nothing really stands out. um I think I really enjoyed, and I don't remember where it was we saw them, but I enjoyed Meeting and talking to the voice actors for Sailor Moon. Isn't that weird?
00:26:05
Speaker
ah That was Fan Expo. um That was in the North Building when it was still only the North Building. Okay. If we had to put a year on it, late 90s.
00:26:16
Speaker
Yeah. Okay, but I feel bad. But you know what? my my I remember all of that like yesterday. But you do you remember that mother and daughter who were in line in front of us?
00:26:27
Speaker
No. They weren't as tall as us. um And they just kind of kept their heads down. And then all of a sudden, I don't know what started it. All of a sudden, the two of them just broke out into the Japanese Sailor Moon theme song, and they sang it from beginning to end.
00:26:48
Speaker
They had basically the same voice. Mother and daughter had the same voice. And they they just did all 60 seconds of it, you know the TV size. And I'm just standing there like, is this really happening right now? And they knew it. They knew the words. you know But I'm just like, wow.
00:27:04
Speaker
i I wish I remembered these things. like That is such a cool thing. I remember like yesterday, because they sang it like Timid Little Mice. yeah and i don't know why they did it, and I thought, you do this everywhere you go Mother of Dona.
00:27:18
Speaker
I remember you talking to Buddy. um What was his name? Yes. and you know I told him that I'd done some some work with Nelvana, and That, you know, I'm very sensitive to voices.
00:27:34
Speaker
And I said to him, you know like, what do you do with that? Like, if you can't get into voice direction, you know, but you hear these incredible voices where you go and I can't take them with me, you know, how can i get work for these people? You know, and he just said, yeah, but they don't all know what to do with it.
00:27:51
Speaker
I thought, yeah, it's a little negative. You know what I mean? Like an an out an outstanding voice is an outstanding voice. You know, I just think you can teach acting.
00:28:02
Speaker
You know what I mean? Like, not that it's, you know what I'm getting at. It's not that simple. But when the voice is already there and you're only reading lines in a booth, it's like, come on, you know. But anyway, it wasn't, it's not a bad memory. it's just, I just remember it.
00:28:17
Speaker
Well, you remember everything. That's that's why I've got you. Yeah. ah
00:28:23
Speaker
Because if it was the other way around, it would be a really dull podcast. I don't know. I don't remember anything. don't know. I'm a six. What do you want? That's funny. That's hilarious.
00:28:34
Speaker
You know what? I think you know what's going to happen right now. Hang on a second. Let's see if I can make something happen here. Oh, I think it means it's time for a game. Dun, dun, dun.
00:28:47
Speaker
Awesome. Hold your applause for the net. Get out. I never get the answer. All right. So we're going play a game called fact or science fiction.
00:28:58
Speaker
cute And so I'm going to ask you some, some con related questions and we're going to see if you have the, if you have the answers, if you can figure this or not, they're not hard. All right. Okay. So, fact or fiction, science fiction writer Frederick Paul claimed the first science fiction convention took place in Philadelphia in 1936.
00:29:22
Speaker
Well, I'm going to have to say it's fact because it sounds like it could be, but I don't honestly know.
00:29:32
Speaker
Well, we'll give you the points for that one because, yes, it is a fact. um Yeah, he apparently was on a trip and him and seven other New York area fans ah were took to meet a similar group of fans in Philadelphia 36.
00:29:47
Speaker
So like, were they celebrating Metropolis? Probably. Cause it was the only thing that was out and all their own books. and ju Yeah. Jules Verne was there signing in the lobby.
00:29:58
Speaker
He came in that cool submarine. Yeah. I know. That's so cool. I think that's, that's really awesome. It was also $10.
00:30:08
Speaker
Which they all had to save up for, for 30 years. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. ah It's really cool that the origins of cons really came out of of science fiction. And that's why it kind of exploded again in the 70s with the, you know, the comic book boom that took place. So that's really how it all sort of um sort of grew.
00:30:27
Speaker
Okay, here's another factor fiction. The first world science fiction convention called Worldcon was held in 1939.
00:30:44
Speaker
Well, Worldcon. Yeah.
00:30:50
Speaker
Well, folks, I have to assume this is fact, but I could be wrong. Let's go with fact. Great job Yes, it definitely was a fact. Yeah, July 4th, there was a weekend in New York City, and that was the first World Science Fiction Convention.
00:31:06
Speaker
I would have loved to be able to see that. Again, Jules Verne was there signing in the lobby. Well, hopefully he captured it on his Videotron and has it on his YouTube channel because I want to see that.
00:31:19
Speaker
All right, next one.
Convention Experiences and Iconic Events
00:31:24
Speaker
Comiquette, more formally known as Comic Market, is a twice yearly gathering that started in 1975 in Japan.
00:31:36
Speaker
Oh, well, who am I to say that's false? um And i I don't know the answer. I've never heard of it, but I'll i'll assume it's fact.
00:31:48
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Good choice there. It is. It's twice a yearly. um i i don't think I wrote down the numbers, but apparently it's just, it's the biggest in the world right now. It's grown into a three day extravaganza and it's manga and cosplay and fanzine.
00:32:06
Speaker
you imagine what that one's like? Like, Oh my God. Yeah. Oh, sorry. Yeah. The, the attendance is half a million people, 15,000 people dress up as cosway Well, yeah, and it's such it's more of it's more mainstream over over there, right? Yeah. you know it's not It's not odd to be into Gundam Pokemon. Is it odd here?
00:32:29
Speaker
Why would it be odd? It's a little odd, yes. strange It's red flag. Oh, no. All right. Next question.
00:32:42
Speaker
Italy had its first science fiction convention in 94.
00:32:48
Speaker
Sure. you're doing great today. Look at this. Yeah, it's kind of easy called Empire Con and they're late start if they're not doing anything until 94.
00:33:00
Speaker
And that's just once again, it's a science fiction convention. So not really sure what was involved there, but it still sounds cool to me. Yeah, like i you know it's I wouldn't think of it as the capital of you know pop culture, but you know it's it's a major country, so I guess it's there, right?
00:33:19
Speaker
Yeah, totally. all right, we got one more fact or fiction. The first major Star Trek convention was held in 1972. I've seen some documentary that refers to the first and it's quite a while ago um i'm gonna say yes because i feel like that morphed into something else but i don't want to say too much
00:33:52
Speaker
You got it again. Absolutely. And that seems about right. Because, you know, i I think that even though the show was already gone, I think that they still wanted to do things that there was still, you know, there was still that sort of next run at it that they were working on already.
00:34:08
Speaker
It was a show. Yeah. It was not a comic. It was a show. It wasn't real. Yeah. No. Joan Winston. I don't know who Joan Winston is. I'll have to do some more digging, but it was in New York in 72 and 3000 people showed up. Apparently ah the second year that they did it, they had to turn people away because they doubled in size and they still had people banging on the doors. Yeah. That's wild.
00:34:35
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And like I said, they were some of the the ah the conventions that I started to go to. And they were massive, even when I was going. They weren't like fan expo size, but they were these huge auditoriums in in Vancouver that were sold out.
00:34:53
Speaker
I wonder who was running them. out there at that time you know yeah that's interesting i i didn't see too much come up but i have to dig a little bit more on on what those were because even with all the universities here you know i i i swear we didn't have it but i could be wrong no you know and it's always weird if vancouver's got something and you know toronto doesn't but it could also be because it was on the west coast right yeah yeah it might be easier to get celebrities too Yeah. Okay. So there's a bonus question for you. Okay. This is about our very own Toronto Fan Expo.
00:35:28
Speaker
Okay. And I probably already said it, but how many visitors did they have in 2024? Uh,
00:35:37
Speaker
ah it should be, it should be somewhere between a hundred 130,000. Am wrong? Yeah. and i wrong You are so close, but I'm going to give that one to you. 135,000. Oh, 135.
00:35:50
Speaker
ah hundred and thirty five thousand ah one thirty five Yeah. i was going to say thought, a little high there, you know Yeah, that's pretty impressive. Yeah. You know, that's a lot of people to get through that building.
00:36:02
Speaker
Like, yeah, it's a lot of money, too. Like, I can't imagine what they pay just to rent out those two giant buildings, you know, plus, plus, plus, plus plus you know, like it's they like.
00:36:19
Speaker
Yeah. Plus all the guests and all the travel and all the insurance. Like I assume it's a money maker for them or they wouldn't do it, but yeah like the money up front must just be insane.
00:36:30
Speaker
Yep. Yeah. It's a, it's a great expo. I've, I've haven't been going much these days just because it is so overwhelming and there's so much and there's so many people.
00:36:43
Speaker
like I will say it doesn't change much. like If you take away the... Anyway, like you know how like Disney were there? yeah Yeah, when you get to studios. or mars You know we take away those major players and you're left with just sort of the market. Then it's a lot of rinse and repeat year after year. after year um And probably every show would say the same no matter where you are, because you're always going to attract only so many local vendors. You know what i mean? So it can feel a bit repetitive. I try not to think of it that way, but there is a lot of that.
00:37:18
Speaker
Yeah. No, that totally makes sense. Yeah. That totally makes sense. yeah But they're, they're probably always, you know, getting new people and there's probably sort of a lifespan that people will go to these things.
00:37:28
Speaker
Yeah. Like it's like, it was such the thing when big bang theory was on TV. Yeah. you know and when game of thrones was so huge and twilight was so huge like you know all these places became those magnets you know yeah for all that fandom and then harry potter yeah yeah and then it just kind of fades away like amusement parks have also sort of taken over that fan base as well you know um especially universal holy
00:37:59
Speaker
you know with what they're doing this year because i would love to go to how to train your dragon land i think that's really awesome you know it's really awesome but is it as good as hana barbara land at um wonderland well i had my complaints about that because i'm such a fan but you know the end of the day remember going on the the ghoster coaster and pretty cool you're in your own little mystery machine i'm like oh my god take these home with me how do i rip them up back so amazing yeah but have we got time to talk about other conventions that yeah we do like to go to that i've never been yeah yeah what what what are you missing out on like florida has shark con
00:38:41
Speaker
And i would love to go in every year. I watch it on YouTube. I'm like, I want to go to shark con hasn't happened. I'd love to go to D 23, which is the Disney convention that happens. I think it's every other year.
00:38:56
Speaker
Would love to see that. I would, I would even go to Montreal comic con just to check it out. I had tickets, you know, and then COVID came. the time that I was going to go, it was canceled.
00:39:07
Speaker
Um, There's other little cons around like for the holidays, like there's all these Christmas ones in the States that are giant. Like they're huge. Yeah. but Oh, I want to go to those. um I kind of traded going to San Diego for Midsummer Scream, but then I've only been once and I haven't been back. So, you know, I would love to see that.
00:39:28
Speaker
um I want to go to more train shows. I want to go to more miniature shows. Yeah, that'll be cool. um Yeah, I want to go to GemCon. i won't repeat that.
00:39:39
Speaker
um And we never got to MorpherCon. Isn't Gem the Crystal Rock or... Jim the star. jim Jim the star. um and And Morphicon. We've never been to Morphicon. Yes, I know. I wish. you know i would have loved to have gone to Morphicon. Yeah, there's no there's no shortage, especially, of course, in the States. Especially in California, where there's something every single weekend.
00:40:03
Speaker
You know, no matter what you're into, you know, so are you like Josh and I used to go to these Rochester toy shows. Yes, it's it's night and day compared to here, you know, and they were just incredible, you know, so I think have to be grateful for what's in your own hometown, but make sure you do it.
00:40:24
Speaker
Yeah, totally you do. like We went to Niagara Falls Comic you know, a couple of times, you know, where I got to see the Bat Copter and sit in it. Yes, you You got to do these things, you know.
00:40:37
Speaker
No, there's there's some pretty cool stuff. yeah um I was going to say, ah i got two things and I don't want to forget them. And one of them is, i forgot. Okay, one of the things I'll ask you is, when you were going to San Diego Comic-Con, like when you were getting ready to buy your tickets, was it exactly like the scene
Securing San Diego Comic-Con Tickets
00:40:55
Speaker
in Big Bang Theory where they all just sat there with their headsets on their laptops and banged on their keys? Oh my gosh.
00:41:01
Speaker
That is one of the most stressful things in the world and so it's exactly like that well i didn't have headphones um but i'll tell you the the first year i went 2010 that's when it was peaking and i bought scalper badges off of ebay for 500
00:41:29
Speaker
And that gave me the whole run, including preview night. My hotel 550 US night in, back then twenty ten and when i walked in
00:41:47
Speaker
It's a case of, oh, would you like to buy your badge for next year? Oh, sure. Okay. I just bought it on the spot. I'm like, okay, that was really easy. And then that was the end of it. That was the end of that. It was insane.
00:41:59
Speaker
So it would be me and Rob and not Chris yet and Scott, you know, calling each other, texting each other. We're all sitting in front of our computers watching the Robbie's called it the the blue toilet swirl, the the blue swirl, just counting down, hoping that one of us was going to get in and score tickets.
00:42:23
Speaker
And so many times all three of us would get nothing. Or if it was the four of us, we'd get nothing. And you get one more shot and you might get a full run on the second shot, but you do get one more shot.
00:42:34
Speaker
And there were lots of times it was like, oh my God, like, what are we going to do? We didn't get them, you know, or we got like a Thursday and a Sunday, you know, instead of a Wednesday through Sunday, you just get two, you know, and it was super stressful.
00:42:49
Speaker
And then hotels were even worse because that monopoly, sorry, not monopoly. What's the word I want? Mm hmm. Anyway, trying to get hotels, that was super stressful because that was just, it was just as bad. Absolutely just as bad. Because what are you going to do Sleep on the street.
00:43:06
Speaker
You know what mean? Well, the weather is nice. I'm curious what it would be like now. I don't know if the hype is still there. Like that's back when, if you said Comic-Con, that meant San Diego.
00:43:18
Speaker
who You know what I mean? Now you would have to say San Diego Comic-Con so people know what you're talking about because there's cons everywhere, right? Like New York Comic-Con came up pretty quickly like there was a time when fan expo was number two yeah you know and then new york just took it over and fan expo was number three which is still pretty good right um fan expo canada that is um so yeah so yes laughingly it is just like they portrayed it but it was stressful it was rarely rewarding mostly defeating and um
00:43:54
Speaker
you know and there was no there was no rhyme or reason it was just luck you know and of course all the bots that you were up against the people who had you know three laptops four phones three pcs going you know and they would all proudly show you yep i got in in two seconds you know um so like it's it's pretty tough it's it's done fair but it's tough Well, that's too bad.
00:44:20
Speaker
Because, you know, especially if, you know, there's some young kid that's like, I just want to go and they just can't get in. Like, they're not going to get those tickets. One of the interesting arguments that back in the day were all the locals who couldn't get in.
00:44:34
Speaker
They're like, i live here. What do you mean I can't get in? and And I'm like, oh, yeah, that is kind of weird, isn't it? It's like, how come some kid from Toronto got in? But I didn't. And I live across the street. And I'm like, yeah, good point.
00:44:47
Speaker
You know, that been a little strange, you know, but I, I have to assume the hype is not the same anymore, but I honestly don't know. Hmm. That's, that's interesting. we'll have to do some research on that. Yeah. I think, I think it's kind of died down a bit and there's just a lot of competition.
00:45:01
Speaker
Yeah, that's true. And also too, like if you're Toronto kid, you don't have to think about, you know, traveling all the way to San Diego anymore. Right. Your own right here. Right. Right. Or like me, all my heroes have sadly passed. So, you know, there isn't the draw that there once was, you know, when it was last call when I was going.
00:45:22
Speaker
And that is the boon of the Gen Xer. are seeing that before our very eyes. Yes. Well, i'm goingnna I'm going to wrap up with one last thing. And this was my other thought that I'd forgotten previously, that I would think it would be fun to go on one of the Star Trek cruises.
00:45:41
Speaker
But at the same time, I'd be so freaked out, I'd probably just stay in my stateroom all all the whole trip, not for fear of running into a celebrity. Oh, my God, there's Brett Spiner I've got to hide. Oh, that's so funny.
00:45:52
Speaker
That's his third waffle. um is that the i got youin I thought you meant you'd be afraid of um the boat itself. Oh, yeah. Then there's that. I didn't know they had. I didn't know they had cruises.
00:46:05
Speaker
Yeah. Really? I they still do them. Wow. They've been huge for a long time. Well, I guess now there's been so many different series. You could have all kinds of people. like Oh, yeah. wise You know, it's not just the originals, you know.
00:46:22
Speaker
yeah Yeah, huge, huge pool of people to pick from. So for sure. Wow. Awesome. I'd be like, Josh, are all the filmmation voice actors here? You'd be like, they're all dead.
00:46:36
Speaker
Oh. They passed in in in the 80s. Yeah, sad stories.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:46:43
Speaker
Yeah. Well, that's what we're going to wrap up for our cons. um You know, they can be a lot of fun. They can they can be overwhelming, but if you've got one, go check it out.
00:46:54
Speaker
um i'm I'm going to probably be at the Fan Expo table if CanPod Awards will have me back. Hopefully, ah fingers crossed. So if you are there, please come by the table. Say hello.
00:47:08
Speaker
And if you're listening, please make sure you're subscribed. We still got tons of really awesome things to talk about. And we're we're just going to keep doing this for a while. So anyways, my name is Josh Downing. I'm wrapping up Yabba Zonker Zoinks.
00:47:21
Speaker
Have an awesome Saturday, and we will see you again soon. You've been listening to Yabba Zonker Zoinks, a Gen X for Life podcast. Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any exciting episodes.
00:47:33
Speaker
You can reach out on Instagram at Gen X for Life podcast. That's Gen X number four life underscore podcast. or send an email at genxforlifepodcast, all one word, at gmail.com.
00:47:47
Speaker
I'd love to hear about your favorite Gen X Saturday morning memory, maybe a favorite toy or the cereal you just couldn't wait to tear into. Until then, have a yabba zonker zointh day, and I'll be back bright and early next Saturday morning.