2020 event calendar

As I do every year, here's a list of events for the coming year just so I can have things I might attend all in one space and I can plan. Events will be added as they're announced - no dates for Canzine or Zine Dream yet, for instance - so stay tuned. 

January

February

Ancaster Nostalgia Show Feb. 2 Ancaster Fairgrounds

Toronto Comic Book Show Feb. 16 Montecassino http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com/show-dates/

Anime Hell: 70s Night Feb. 22, Eyesore Cinema

Oshawa Record Show Feb. 23 

https://www.vibrations.ca/en/record-shows/month.calendar/2020/02/06/-

March

Toronto Toy & Nostalgia Show Sunday March 1 Montecassino

Guelph Record Swap & Sale March 29, 

Unifor Local 1917 Hall

611 Silvercreek Pkwy N

Guelph Ont

N1H 6J2

Ancaster Collectibles Extravaganza March 1 Ancaster Fairgrounds

April

Vintage Marketplace 2020, April 18, Westinghouse HQ Hamilton 

Aberfoyle Antique Market Show April 26 Aberfoyle

Toronto Comic Book Show April 26 Montecassino http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com/show-dates/

Toronto East Vinyl Record & Collectibles Show April 26 

Heron Park Recreation Centre

292 Manse Road

Toronto

May

Toronto Mississauga Redord Show May 3 Capitol Banquet Centre 

TCAF May 8 & 9

Anime North May 22-24 https://www.animenorth.com/event/

June

Toronto Comic Book Show June 28 Montecassino http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com/show-dates/

July

August

Toronto Comic Book Show August 16 Montecassino http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com/show-dates/

Guelph Record & Music Collectibles Show Sun Sept. 20 

Royal Canadian Legion

57 WATSON PARKWAY SOUTH

GUELPH

September

Toronto East Vinyl Record & Collectibles Show  August 13 

Heron Park Recreation Centre

292 Manse Road

Toronto

Toronto Comic Book Show September 27 Montecassino http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com/show-dates/

October

Anime Weekend Atlanta Oct. 29-Nov. 1 https://awa-con.com

November

Toronto Comic Book Show November 22 Montecassino http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com/show-dates/

December 

Toronto Comic Book Show December 27 Montecassino http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com/show-dates/

2019 event calendar

Here's what's going on in and around Toronto for my own reference and the reference of anyone who might find it helpful. Comic shows, record shows, antique shows, anime cons, it's a mixed bag of distraction! 

Anime North Staff Meeting
Sunday Jan 20

Ancaster Nostalgia Antique Show
Sunday Feb 3, 2019
Ancaster Fairgrounds
collectorshows.ca

Toronto Comic Book Show
Sunday Feb 17, 2019
http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com

St. Catherines Record Show
Sunday Feb 17, 2019
Holiday Inn Parkway Convention Centre
www.vibrations.ca

Kitcheners Collectibles Expo
Sunday Feb. 24, 2019
Bingemans Conference Centre Marshall Hall
collectorshows.ca

Anime North Staff Meeting
Sunday Feb 24

Oshawa Record Show
Sunday Feb. 24
Lviv Hall Oshawa
vibrations.ca

Toronto Antique & Vintage Market
March 2-3
Queen Elizabeth Building, Exhibition Place
torontoantiqueandvintagemarket.ca

Ancaster Toy And Collectibles Extravaganza
Sunday March 3
Ancaster Fairgrounds
collectorshows.ca

Ottawa Nostagia And Collectibles Show
Sunday March 17
Nepean Sportsplex
antique-shows.ca

Anime North Staff Meeting
Sunday March 17

Newmarket Vinyl Show
Sunday March 24
Newmarket Community Centre
vibrations.ca

Guelph Record Swap & Sale
Sunday March 31
vibrations.ca

Ancaster Nostalgia Antique Show
Sunday April 7
Ancaster Fairgrounds
collectorshows.ca

Elora Vintage and Antique Show
Saturday April 13 - Sunday April 14
Elora Community Centre
antiqueshowscanada.com

Kitcheners Collectibles Expo
Sunday April 14
Bingemans Conference Centre Marshall Hall
collectorshows.ca

Anime North Staff Meeting
Saturday April 20

antique, vintage & retro show and sale
April 27-28
Belleville Armouries
mercatusevents.com

Toronto Comic Book Show
Sunday April 28th, 2019
http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com

Toronto East Vinyl Record Show
Sunday April 28
Heron Park Rec Centre
vibrations.ca

Toronto Mississauga Musical Collectibles Show
Sunday May 5
Capitol Banquet Centre
vibrations.ca

TCAF
May 11-12
http://www2.torontocomics.com

Anime North Staff Meeting
Monday May 20

Anime North
May 24-26
Toronto Congress Centre & Delta Hotel Airport
www.animenorth.com

35th annual Beaverton Antiques & Collectables show
June 1 & 2
Beaverton Thorah Community Centre

St. Catherines Record Show
Sunday June 2
Holiday Inn Parkway Convention Centre
www.vibrations.ca

Toronto Comic Book Show
Sunday June 23rd, 2019
http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com

Toronto Comic Book Show
Sunday August 18th, 2019
http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com

Toronto East Vinyl Record Show
Sunday Sept. 8
Heron Park Rec Centre
vibrations.ca

Toronto Comic Book Show
Sunday September 29th, 2019
http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com

Newmarket Vinyl Show
Sunday Oct. 20
Newmarket Community Centre
vibrations.ca

Anime Weekend Atlanta
Oct. 31- Nov. 3
Cobb Galleria Convention Center/Renaissance Waverly
www.awa-con.com

St. Catherines Record Show
Sunday Nov. 10
Holiday Inn Parkway Convention Centre
www.vibrations.ca

Toronto Comic Book Show
Sunday November 24th, 2019
http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com

Toronto West Vinyl Show
Sunday Dec. 8 2019
Ken Cox Community Centre
vibrations.ca

Toronto Comic Book Show
Friday December 27th, 2019
http://www.torontocomicbookshow.com

Anime Hell Presents: The 60s Show

Join ANIME EXPERT Dave Merrill for an evening of 1960s Japanese animation madness as we take a time tunnel trip back to the decade that put anime on the map as a force of international pop culture. TV cartoons, short films, commercials, trailers, and more will be impressed onto your eyeballs at the speed of light! We're showing an episode of Speed Racer, an episode of Prince Planet, and the film "Flying Phantom Ship", all dubbed or subtitled in English for your listening pleasure. See you on January 26! 

https://www.facebook.com/events/224447995111778/

calendar of 2018 events of interest to me

Every year I try to take a minute and go through various websites and figure out what's happening in and around my area that I might be interested in visiting, and this usually means comic book shows and record shows and antique/collectible type shows. Here's for 2018!

This list is by no means comprehensive or complete, and inclusion on this list should not be considered to be an endorsement of any kind. 

Jan 28 Ontario Collectors Con 2018 Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale – 6750 Mississauga Road, Mississauga

Feb 4 Ancaster Nostalgia And Antique Show And Sale

Feb 10 Saturday Newmarket Card & Comics Show 

Feb 18 Toronto Comic Book Show Toronto Plaza Hotel 1677 Wilson 

Feb 18 Canadian ToyCon Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel & Conference Centre, 3063 South Service Road Hours: 10 AM – 3 PM 

Feb 18 ST. CATHARINES RECORD SHOW - Holiday Inn Parkway Convention Centre, St. Catharines, On $4.00 

Feb 25 Oshawa Record Show - Lviv Hall, Oshawa, On $3.00 

March 4 Ancaster Toy And Collectibles Extravaganza 

March 10 Newmarket Card & Comics Show 

March 25 Guelph Record Swap and Sale - Record Sale & Swap Meet, Guelph, Ont 

March 25 Toronto Downtown Record Show - Toronto Downtown Record Show, Toronto, ON - $5.00

April 15 The Toronto/Mississauga Record Show & Sale - Capitol Banquet Centre, Mississauga, Ont $5 

April 15 Ancaster Nostalgia And Antique Show And Sale April 21 Newmarket Card & Comics Show

April 22 Newmarket Vinyl Records & Collectibles Show - The Record Vault, Newmarket, On $4.00

April 22 Canadian ToyCon Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel & Conference Centre, 3063 South Service Road 

April 29 Toronto Comic Book Show Toronto Plaza Hotel 1677 Wilson 

May 6 Ancaster Collectorfest 

May 25-27 Anime North 

June 3 Ancaster Toy And Collectibles Extravaganza 

June 8-10 Anime Next Atlantic City NJ 

June 23 Newmarket Card & Comics Show 

June 24 Ancaster Nostalgia And Antique Show And Sale 

June 24 Toronto Comic Book Show Toronto Plaza Hotel 1677 Wilson 

July 28 Newmarket Card & Comics Show 

August 18 Newmarket Card & Comics Show 

August 19 Toronto Comic Book Show Toronto Plaza Hotel 1677 Wilson 

August 19 Ancaster Toy And Collectibles Extravaganza 

Sept. 9 Toronto East (Scarborough) Vinyl Record & Collectibles Show - Heron Park Recreation Centre, Toronto, On $5.00 

Sept 20-23 Anime Weekend Atlanta 

Sept 30 Toronto Comic Book Show Toronto Plaza Hotel 1677 Wilson 

October 13 Newmarket Card & Comics Show 

October 21 Newmarket Vinyl Record & Collectibles Show - The Record Vault, Newmarket, On $4.00 

Nov. 4 Toronto Downtown Record Show - Toronto Downtown Record Show, Toronto, ON - $5.00

Nov. 13 Newmarket Card & Comics Show Nov. 25 Toronto Comic Book Show Toronto Plaza Hotel 1677 Wilson 

Dec. 9 Toronto West (Etobicoke) Vinyl Record & Collectibles Show - Ken Cox Community Centre, Toronto, $5.00 

Dec. 15 Newmarket Card & Comics Show

the first movie I ever saw

For no particular reason whatsoever, I've been trying to remember the first film I ever saw in a theater. Obviously as I am a white North American male in my 40s, the big cinema event in my early life was STAR WARS (1977). I believe we saw it the summer it came out. I was not sold on it at first; the ads seemed to involve a lot of people in robes standing around in the desert, and I believe there was some standing in line involved which I probably complained about a lot. Of course after seeing the movie, my brother and I  were all THIS IS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE EVER!!! and we spent the next couple of years contriving to see the thing as often as possible. 

But what are some of the other movies we saw at the Miracle Theater, at the Belmont Hills, at the Akers Mill General Cinema where I'd wind up with a part time job? What was the first? 

I know we saw OH GOD - that one came out fall of '77, so it's post SW -in the Belmont Hills theater in Belmont Hills, at one time the South's largest shopping center, now demolished. It was already run-down when I was a kid, and I'd spend most of my Belmont Hills time in the Turtle's Records or digging through comics at the Book Trader than seeing movies there.  I didn't get to see CLOSE ENCOUNTERS on its first release, we tried three times and it was sold out each time. There's a bunch of films from '77 that I've subsequently seen, but lord knows you wouldn't want a seven year old to see, say, SLAP SHOT. 

I know we saw SNOW WHITE ('75 re-release) and PINOCCHIO ('78 re-release). We saw MESSAGE FROM SPACE ('78) at the Cobb Center theater with a gang of friends and we all thought it was just as good as STAR WARS, an opinion I still hold. I saw ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD (1974) starring future Good Morning America host David Hartman, and that's a good three years before Star Wars. 

A similar picture, WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS (1978) starring Doug McClure was screened with friends at the Town & Country theater that was in the Town & Country shopping center behind the Miracle on South Cobb. Actually it was more directly behind the old Dairy Queen. That's also where we saw the quasi-documentary THE LATE GREAT PLANET EARTH (1979), planting within me both an apocalyptic no-future worldview AND a healthy regard for the work of Hal Lindsey. The Miracle, on the other hand, is (I believe) the theater where we saw MOONRAKER (1979), the first James Bond film I ever saw. Strangely enough, the film's amazing badness didn't prevent me from seeing other Bond movies. There was yet ANOTHER movie theater in this vicinity, the free-standing Cobb Cinema, built behind the Miracle, and that might have been where we saw Moonraker. 

FLASH GORDON (1980), on the other hand, was seen in the Belmont Hills theater, a crumbling edifice that dated from the shopping center's construction in 1954. I loved that movie in 1980, felt it was rubbish in 1990, and came to realize its campy glory again later in life.

I never saw FREAKY FRIDAY (1976) or THE BAD NEWS BEARS (1976) but I did see GUS (also '76), the Disney film about the mule that kicked field goals. GUS was screened in Cobb Center Mall - not in the theaters outside the mall, but in a small auditorium INSIDE the mall that appeared to be a community room that showed kids' movies during the summer. I have distinct memories of seeing THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD (1975) starring Kurt 'Snake Plissken' Russell, but where or when I cannot say.

I am pretty sure I saw Disney's ROBIN HOOD (1973) in a theater. It may have been in a drive in that was showing a Planet Of The Apes picture on another screen - I never saw any of the Apes movies in the theaters, but the TV show scared the bejeezus and fascinated me at the same time, and I can remember turning my head to watch the apes go about their apey business. I did not see the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (1978) theatrical compliation film - though I watched a lot of the TV show - but I did see the BUCK ROGERS (1979) pilot film in a theater and liked it fine. Hey, I was 9. I did not see JAWS (1975) - would you take a 5 year old to see that? - but I did see JAWS 2 (1978) and was appropriately scared to go in the water even though I had not previously been under the assumption that the water had been in fact safe.

The whole family went to see STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE (1979) at Akers Mill and I fell asleep at some point when Spock was mind-melding with V'Ger. That summer me and every kid I knew saw THE MUPPET MOVIE (1979) over and over again - it was the default babysitter that year. I saw THE BLACK HOLE (1979) and enjoyed the great visual design and the ending where the bad guy is shown suffering in Hell. More movies should end that way. 

We actually got out of school the day THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) premiered, because our parents loved us deeply. I think we saw it at Phipps Plaza. SUPERMAN II came out in 1980 as well and I enjoyed it more than the first SUPERMAN (1978). 

I never did get to see INFRAMAN (1975) or GODZILLA VERSUS MEGALON (1973) in theaters, though I desperately wanted to and probably made a pest out of myself about it. Of course, as soon as home video made them available, I immersed myself in the ultra-bionic world of Princess Dragon Mom and her legion of Inframan-fighting monsters, and to a lesser extent the cheesy Jet Jaguar badness of Godzilla Vs Megalon.  At the time I also really, really wanted to see LASERBLAST (1978) but thankfully did not. Sheesh. I know I have seen BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1971) but in a theater? I hope not. Don't take your 2-year old to movies.

Anime Hell 2016 for AWA!

My freeform clip show Anime Hell returns for its 19th iteration at Anime Weekend Atlanta, which is a fact that fills me with both pride and horror. As does much of what I'll be showing this year!

If you miss it you'd better be dead or in jail! And if you're in jail, break out!

Tokyo 2009 part 5

continued from part 4...

Thursday our plans were (a) shop in Shinjuku including the Sekaido art supply store, and (b) meet K. for dinner somewhere and (c) not much else, because we had to be packed and ready to go on Friday, and to be honest after a week of marching all over Tokyo we was tired. I got ahold of K. using the hotel's lobby computers which were still equipped with Windows 95, and then we set out for breakfast and Sekaido. 

Sekaido is a great art supply store, and I'm not just saying that because they have three aisles of screen tone. It's three floors of just about everything; pens, pencils, brushes, inks, papers, wood, glue, computer software, light tables, guidebooks, hot glue, plaster statuettes, and official Toei animation company brand cel paint. 

Because they still use cel paint! I dunno, maybe they do. Their three aisles of screentone includes screentone of buildings, clouds, cityscapes, rural and urban backgrounds, interiors, crowds - as Ed Wood would say, "Why, you could make a whole comic with this stock footage screen tone!" And there was always somebody shopping in the manga accoutrements aisle, too. You can pretend it's famous manga-ka stocking up on supplies or a gofer from a big studio stocking up on supplies for famous manga-ka. 

After that we went to the Shinjuku Tokyu Hands. (We went to the Shibuya one previously with Roy on Wednesday night but I forgot to mention that). Tokyu Hands is the local Target/Wal-Mart/Honest Ed's - hardware, sporting goods, toys, stationery, small appliances, USB drives that are little mechanical humping dogs, you name it, they got it. So if it's coming close to Halloween and you do not yet have a costume, Tokyu Hands can supply! 

This being the knockoff Detroit Metal City costume it was just a wig and face makeup. The official DMC costume comes with a mask and is more rockin', IMO. Either one will likely shock and horrify your friends.

After Tokyu Hands we figured it was time for some nature, so we headed to Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardens and joined other picnickers with our combini box lunches. Shinjuku Gyoen is a beautiful breath of fresh air after the noise and confusion of Tokyu Hands and Shinjuku in general. It's another one of those spots that's quintessentially Japanese. You're literally walking through souvenir postcards here! 

And the carp... when they see you coming towards that bridge they come from all over the pond. You can see their fins leaving wakes as they charge desperately for a few crumbs.

Entrance is 200 yen, a bargain at the price; if you're in Tokyo I highly recommend getting a bento and wandering through Shinjuku-Gyoen. 

After a lazy afternoon in the park we dropped our stuff off back at the hotel and then set out again for the Studio ALTA sign to meet K. for dinner! On the way we wandered around Shinjuku/Kabuki-cho again and got some Chip Chop at the combini based solely on their hallucinatory TV ads. We also witnessed a karaoke bar apparently endorsed by Satan.

We met K. right under the ALTA screen, and after hellos and some discussion we hopped onto the train and went back out to Shimokitazawa, which is even trendier at night! Dinner was curry and lots of beer at a funky place three floors underground that has a giant lizard on the ceiling. Oh, you don't believe me? 

We kept K. out way too late talking and catching up, but all too soon it was time to get back on the train for our last trip through the maze of Shinjuku station, time to get back to the hotel and get packed up and ready to head out. 

In the morning we checked out and took a taxi to the Airport Limo bus stop outside the Keio Department Store in Shinjuku. It was a beautiful clear day and it was sad to say goodbye to our vacation and return to the 'real world'.

That's a Friday morning photo of the Cocoon Tower, one of Shinjuku's newest landmarks and a controversial architectural choice in a city filled with questionable architectural choices. As a Toronto resident I quickly learned to orient myself downtown with a quick glance towards the CN Tower, so it's nice to have something distinctive on the skyline to get your bearings with. 

The bus ride took us through downtown Tokyo, past the Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Disneyland and generally a lot of the city we hadn't had a chance to see. We had time to kill at the airport so we got lunch at McDonalds, which for a limited time was serving the "Tomago Doburu Mak Setto", a combo meal featuring a Big Mac enlivened with an egg. That's one thing that stands out about Japanese cuisine, if they can put an egg on it, they will put an egg on it. This particular sandwich is advertised with a friendly-looking, slightly dorky Caucasian man.

Not a bad burger, but you can feel the cholesterol surging in your bloodstream within minutes. I would not recommend this on a regular basis.

Anyway, we boarded and the flight was uneventful, for the most part.  We landed in Toronto at around the same time we left Tokyo. Customs informed me my Permanent Resident card has expired, which was an oversight on my part, really, and then we got back in our car and drove home and went to bed, which wasn't really the best plan because of JET LAG KICKING OUR BUTTS.  It took me the better part of a week to get back on a normal sleep schedule. 

Big thanks go out to Roy for being our guide and spiritual leader, for Tim and his essential shopping information, and to Jim and K. for taking a little time out of their lives to be a friendly face to a couple of tourists. You are all wonderful people. Look out Japan! When our bank balances have recovered and our jet lag combat techniques are more developed, we will return!

We did return to Tokyo in 2012 and you can see a little bit of our trip at Let's Anime. Our next trip is hopefully not too far off!