I wrote this: ‘Fan Expo Vancouver builds on a strong and geeky scene’ in The Georgia Straight

Jaimmie Que as Dark Phoenix. Photo by Ally McGillivray

My article on the upcoming Fan Expo Vancouver is in this week’s Georgia Straight: http://www.straight.com/article-662866/vancouver/fan-expo-builds-strong-scene

The feature is an overview of the Expo, which is the first of its kind in the city. The basic premise is that, considering the strong comics, video game, and movie and TV industry connections here, the Expo is long overdue.

What’s strange to me a little is that, despite being a lifelong comics fan, I didn’t make it to the mother of all cons, San Diego’s, until last year, and I still haven’t made it to Emerald City Comic-Con, though I know I would love that.

So I’m looking forward to seeing if the organizers can pull off a decent con in Vancouver, and I’m hoping people come out for it. This could be a positive thing for the city, and for bringing people from all these disparate scenes together.

Also, we ran a cool feature by Rachel Sanders on The Snipe News (my online arts/entertainment magazine) about a local cosplayer, Jaimmie Que (pictured, above) and tips on what to wear at a comics convention: http://www.thesnipenews.com/books-comics/fan-expo-vancouver-cosplay/

Shoe star of the week

Tasseomancy, currently on tour with Austra, is made up of the twins Sari and Romy Lightman. Here they are opening for Austra at Electric Owl in Vancouver Nov 16 2011. Ashley Tanasiychuk took the pics.

We’re pretty sure the cook kicks belong to Sari.

Tasseomancy at Electric Owl, Vancouver, Nov 16 2011. Ashley Tanasiychuk photo.

Shoe star of the week – St. Vincent’s Annie Clark

Virtuoso indie-rock guitarist/songwriter Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, played the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver Oct 12 2011. She’s our Shoe Star of the Week! Thanks to Anja Weber for the great photos (for the full gallery, go here).

St. Vincent at the Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, Oct 12 2011. Anja Weber photo

 

Shoe star – Maureen

Snipe photog Jason Statler sent these pics of a young lady, Maureen. Maureen’s shoes captured his attention at a recent Vancouver art opening. They are definitely art-opening-worthy shoes!

Maureen. Jason Statler photo

Shoe star of the week: Jessica Lea Mayfield

Jessica Lea Mayfield performing at Bumbershoot in Seattle, Sept 5 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

 

Roots-pop singer/songwriter Jessica Lea Mayfield rocked the stripper shoes at this year’s Bumbershoot in Seattle. The 22-year-old Ohioan played the Starbucks stage on Sunday afternoon, Sept 4 2011. Robyn Hanson took the photos and Jessica Lea Mayfield is The Snipe’s Shoe Star of the Week! Yay Jessica!

Shoe star of the week

We were fortunate to be invited to a tasting for Spicebox Whisky and Fentimans Botanically Brewed Beverages this past Thursday (Aug 25) night. While there photog Robyn Hanson snapped these pics of Mondia Alliance’s Nadia Iadisernia. Nadia is our Shoe Star of the Week!

Mondia Alliance’s Nadia Iadisernia. Photo by Robyn Hanson

Shoe Star of the Week - Mondia Alliance’s Nadia Iadisernia

Shoe star: Sia

Leave it to quirky Aussie bird Sia to flaunt her plumage – and her footwear. Here’s the singer in Vancouver at the Commodore Ballroom Aug 19, photos by Anja Weber (click on pic to see more).

Sia at the Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, Aug 19 2011. Anja Weber photo

The best thing about the San Diego Comic-Con

As a first-timer, my favourite thing about the San Diego Comic-Con was probably the costumes.

It’s not just that there were so many wonderful, creative and sexy outfits (I’ll always have a thing for Zatanna and her fishnets), but there were some that were just so outlandish and obscure that I was continuously doing a double-take. Probably one of my favourites was Plastic Man. There were dozens if not hundreds of Green Lanterns. But Plastic Man?

Apparently though at least one person went too far – or so the police thought. I watched as two San Diego cops accompanied Adrianne Curry to her booth. Rather, they were following her butt – the former America’s Next Top Model model’s bum cheeks were hanging out of her Aeon Flux outfit. I didn’t see what happened next, but according to Gawker she was asked to leave until she came back as a more respectable Flux. (Curry has a reputation for dressing up in ways to make the fanboys drool – see this gallery of Adrianne Curry’s best Comic-Con costumes.)

Anyway, here are a few shots I took. For every one I got, though, there were another 10 I didn’t, and probably should have. Enjoy.

 

Shoe star of the week – Hey Ocean!’s Ashleigh Ball

Our shoe star of the week is Ashleigh Ball of Vancouver band Hey Ocean!

Check out this fine footwear, brought to us by Guttersnipe photographer extraordinaire Anja Weber (@anjawphoto):

Shoe star of the day – Rococode’s Laura Smith

Laura Smith with Rococode at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, June 21 2011. Anja Weber photo

Opening for An Horse June 21 at the Biltmore Cabaret was Vancouver’s Rococode. Singer/keyboardist Laura Smith, who has toured and sung with Dan Mangan, is our Shoe star of the week. Thanks to Anja Weber for keeping an eye out for fine footwear.

Laura Smith with Rococode at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, June 21 2011. Anja Weber photo

Rococode at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, June 21 2011. Anja Weber photo