Conflict with the United States benefits Montreal Comiccon, says spokesperson

The Montreal Comiccon could break attendance records this year, particularly due to the trade conflict with the United States.

Shortly after the doors opened Saturday morning, a large crowd, in costume or not, was already wandering the aisles of the exhibition hall at the Palais des Congrès.

But you had to be in the autograph area to truly understand the magnitude of Comiccon, as many “Star Wars” fans converged for the chance to meet Ian McDiarmid, who played Emperor Palpatine in the famous saga.

Even Montreal Comiccon spokesperson Jason Rockman was impressed by the turnout on the 7th level of the convention center.

“We just opened the doors for regular tickets and it’s busy (everywhere),” he noted.

Comiccon expects to attract nearly 65,000 people over the weekend, but that number could be much higher, Rockman estimates.

“I think we’ll surpass that this year,” he said, adding that Friday’s event may have already “broken records” for participation.

According to the spokesperson, the headliners announced for the event—including the actors who played the Hobbits and Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy—were able to draw crowds.

This was the case for a man I met among the Comiccon exhibit booths. Dressed as Gandalf, another famous character from the saga, he admitted to being captivated by the lineup.

“It’s a challenge (to attract headliners) because there are a lot of exhibitions happening on the same weekend. But the fact that it’s Montreal, during the summer, there are a lot of people who want to be here,” said Rockman.

In his view, another phenomenon may also have had an impact on the number of participants: the trade conflict with the United States.

“I think people don’t want to travel too much (to the United States) right now, so there are a lot of people staying here and that helps us,” he explained.

Many Americans also find themselves attending the Montreal Comiccon, since currency conversion is more profitable for them, the spokesperson believes.

Regardless, the popular culture gathering continues to draw crowds year after year to the metropolis.

Robin came from Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her friends. This is her sixth time attending Montreal Comiccon.

“We love coming here so much, it’s so cosplayer friendly and there’s such a great atmosphere, we see people from all over the country,” she said.

“Everyone has a ‘fan’ side of popular culture because there’s so much out there. There are movies, TV shows, it’s not just science fiction or comics,” Rockman said.

Comiccon fans will also be able to enjoy the upcoming gatherings scheduled for September in Ottawa and October in Quebec City.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews