A comic book convention in Nanaimo this coming weekend will feature a cosplay contest and more.
Curious Comicon takes place Saturday, May 3, at Country Club Centre from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with proceeds benefiting the Nanaimo Youth Services Association.
Rob McKee, Curious Comics manager and non-profit Curious ComiCon Convention Society board director, said he's seen some amazing costumes over the years, pointing to a time someone dressed as the young girl protagonist of comic I Hate Fairyland, which he describes as over-the-top and cartoonishly violent.
"One year, a friend of mine dressed his daughter up as Gertrude, who's the main character. She has missing teeth and she was just a little girl. It was one of the best I've ever seen," McKee said. "Another really neat one that I saw 鈥� somebody did a Monopoly board. They had cardboard around their body and all the spaces with the pieces on it."
There is a deadline of noon the day of the convention to sign up for the contest.
As well, vendors will be selling comics, figures, photos and related items.
Curious Comicon is held on Free Comic Book Day, aiming to draw readers to comic book stores and the board director says comics are a great way to get people reading.
"A lot of parents will come in here and [say] 'My kid doesn't like to read. He spends all this time on his tablet or his phone. I just want to get him off of that and try and get him to read more' and comics are a great way, because it's a good visual medium,鈥� McKee said. "You see the pictures, and they always pop out of the page, and then from there, you just start reading it."
NYSA was chosen as it is the society's goal to keep the convention youth-oriented. There will be a silent auction and the items up for bid include sports memorabilia and more.
For more information, go to , or search Curious Comicon Nanaimo on Facebook.
