HUMBOLDT 鈥� Summer Sizzler-goers assembled at Humboldt鈥檚 fourth annual comic-con to partake in its largest iteration yet.
The June 15 comic convention hosted 40 booths, 鈥渨hich is awesome,鈥� said lead organizer Jeff Burton. Most featured items for sale such as comics, figurines, plush dolls, and handmade artwork and crafts.
鈥淭o foster a creative outlet and be able to share it with people is such a great fuel. We just feed off of each other. Everybody just grows throughout that,鈥� Burton said.
鈥淗aving that imagination and creativity is such a big piece for all ages. You don't lose that just because you're not a kid anymore. You carry that with you for the rest of your life.鈥�
Chris Bernhard 鈥� an old friend of Burton鈥檚 and co-owner of the province鈥檚 largest entertainment expo, Saskatchewan Entertainment Expo 鈥� said he鈥檚 seen Humboldt鈥檚 comic-con 鈥済row and grow and grow鈥� over the last four years.
鈥淚 know growing up in [Humboldt], Jeff, myself and our little group of people that read comics 鈥� it was very small,鈥� Bernhard said. 鈥淣ow, this whole resurgence of this sort of thing really lets people hang their passions out on display for everybody to see.
鈥淲hether it's video gaming, whether it's comics, whether it's science fiction, whether it's horror, it's all fun and amazing and should be celebrated.鈥�
The 鈥渂iggest show yet鈥� culminated at the end of Humboldt鈥檚 Canadian Comic Book Week, decreed by Mayor Rob Muench for June 10 to 16.
One set of comics for sale was Aurora Man, Burton鈥檚 own story surrounding Humboldt鈥檚 super hero of the prairies. The cosmic-staff-wielding hero is based in the Humboldt water tower, and is a school teacher by day. The comic series pulls inspiration from Humboldt鈥檚 own scenery, citizens and stories.
鈥淥ne of the first stories I ever wrote talked about zombie moose coming from Dead Moose Lake,鈥� Burton said. 鈥淸The comic鈥檚 reception has] been fantastic, and it's growing, every year getting more and more of a fanbase.鈥�
Other vendors, such as sisters Christine Schmidt and Ferne Hebig of Geeky Tendencies and Nerfblat Bits, said they appreciated Humboldt鈥檚 comic-con for its size compared to larger expositions.
鈥淚t's not as overwhelming,鈥� Schmidt said. 鈥淵ou can spend more time to linger, you can look at things more carefully, you don't feel like you're in a hurry.
Hebig said Humboldt鈥檚 convention brings 鈥渁 very interesting mix of people鈥� from folks who came to attend the Summer Sizzler.
鈥淚t's not necessarily the same people you'd get going to Sask. Expo, because that's the target market. Here, you're getting a lot of other kinds of people too,鈥� she said.
听
