Fandom Club Comic-Con!

Written by: Sarah George

Photos by: Sarah George

Blakelock’s Fandom Club hosted the first ever TAB Comic Convention on the 28th of October—the Friday before Halloween.  

The fandom club was known to be a welcoming place for anyone interested in media and games, but had been put on hold for the duration of the COVID-19 lockdown. However, the grade 9s who had fallen in love with the club, now entering their senior year of high school, brought it back with big plans. 

The support and demand for the club was amazing, and the first meeting was a huge success. Right off the bat, the idea for a club-led Comic Convention was pitched. Both the returning and new members alike were eager to start!

The goal was to re-introduce the club to the wider Blakelock community by allowing the members to share their passion for their favourite fandom-related interests. 

The members spent their time in and out of official club meetings working on their various creative projects—which drew upon video games, movies, shows, and even podcasts for inspiration. 

Through the break, curious students were to wander in, drawn by the smell of home-baked cookies from Stardew Valley, and enticed by the wonderful creations all made by the club members. Each table was adorned with a tri-fold poster and various trinkets pertaining to the fandom of choice; some popular like Pokémon and Genshin Impact, and others much less well known. 

When asked about what drew them to their chosen fandom, one of the club members, Q Vukcevic said, “I like a show or series with content that I can really dive into and analyze.” Danai Ventzel, who was showcasing Bungo Stray Dogs, added that the fandom was also "very helpful and nice".

Ms. Neumann, the teacher heading the club, said, "I'm so happy to be here today, to see all the wonderful creations that our club has done…It’s just absolutely amazing, I couldn’t be happier right now.”

T. A. Blakelock’s first ever Comic Con was a huge success, and by the end of the break, the bins of baked goods were gone, and the corkboard of buttons was empty. 

While the club, and many others, had been on the backburner due to the lockdown, the amazing turnout and passion that went into the event is proof of the importance of clubs at TAB. Hopefully, this event, and the meetings to follow will cement Fandom Club in the school community for years to come, and inspire future generations of students to get involved in a club they truly love.