Montreal Comiccon

The Montreal Comiccon (Le Comiccon de Montréal) is an annual multi-genre pop culture convention held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Since its inception in 2006 it has become on of the largest fan conventions in Canada. One of its main features is that the Montreal Comiccon caters to both francophone and anglophone fans.

As with most other pop culture conventions, the Montreal Comiccon is modeled after the famous San Diego Comic-Con International. It encompasses various aspects of contemporary pop culture including comics, anime and manga, games, science fiction, fantasy, horror, films, television shows, collectibles, and more.

The main difference between the Montreal Comiccon and other popular conventions is that it caters to a bilingual audience. Legally constituted as a French-speaking city, Montreal is one of the most bilingual cities in Canada, with 56% of population able to speak both official languages. That’s why the organizers of the convention think that it is important to offer a variety of attractions in both languages as well as bridge the gap between American comics and Franco-Belgian bande dessinée.

The program of the Montreal Comiccon features celebrity Q&As, panels, autograph sessions and photo-ops, meets and greets, workshops, Masquerade and costuming, concerts, charity events, film screenings, tabletop games, video games, special events, and more. Naturally, there’s a large Exhibition Hall where hundreds of vendors and exhibitors offer everything and anything related to the pop culture universe. Another highlight of the convention is the Artist Alley where local and international artists showcase their work.

Over the years, the Montreal Comiccon has welcomed a lot of famous actors and comic book authors. Past celebrity guests include John Barrowman (Doctor Who, Torchwood, Arrow), William Shatner (Star Trek), Tom Felton (the Harry Potter film series), Billie Piper (Doctor Who), Patrick Stewart (Star Trek, X-Men), Stephen Amell (Arrow), Jeremy Bullock (Star Wars), and many more.

The popularity of the Montreal Comiccon has been growing steadily since its inception. While the 2007 edition attracted only 700 fans, the convention now draws almost 60,000 attendees every year. At some point it even had to move to a larger venue. Originally held at Place Bonaventura, it now takes place at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.