(top)COS: Fan Expo 2014 Vancouver, B.C.

written by Brydan Clough-Smith (@deathspawn54)

We might not be San Diego, but Vancouver g33ks sure can pack a punch!

Alright g33ks, last weekend I got the opportunity to cover Fan Expo Vancouver 2014 for Lifted Geek. Unfortunately, I could only cover one full day (Friday), but that first one was a doozy. Fan Expo delivered on all three fronts that make a convention a good one—One, the celebrities. Among such big-name fame as Billy Boyd (best known for his role as Pipin in the Lord of the Rings franchise), Evil Dead's Bruce Campbell, and Tony Moore, creator of The Walking Dead, we also saw some rising stars like Stephen Amell (Green Arrow himself, everybody) and co-star Manu Bennett (Wade Wilson/Deathstroke). And of course, the fan favourites, including two Buffy stars, one Firefly crew member, and more than a few artists and voice actors. Two, the merch. This year's Fan Expo brought to the many tables an array of fantastic products, ranging from LOTR swords and Kingdom Hearts keyblades, to intricate hand-made leather-bound books. There was even a vendor's table carrying a number of beautiful looking/sounding ocarinas. Finally Three, last but not so least, the amazing con-goers that keep all of these wonderful events up and running. What Fan Expo brings together is not just enough nerdy goodness to make any fan drool, but a community of like-minded inidividuals celebrating the things they love.

This of course brings me to the cosplays themselves, perhaps the highlight of the Expo. I've heard there was a multitude of wonders to be seen on Saturday and Sunday, but I do believe the ones I have here are a feast for the eyes enough.

1. The Tasmanian Devil

I can honestly say I have never before seen a Looney Toons cosplay, but this is, admittedly, quite spot-on. I swear, this Tas was barely one step away from chewing me up.

2. Katarina

Oh man, is this one nice. The attention to detail alone is admirable, but the poses the cosplayer uses are, in my modest opinion, what truly convinces.

3. Optimus and Bumblebee

Autobots, roll out—and smile for the camera, because you look bad-ASS! If only they could have been twenty feet taller and able to transform into vehicles...

4. Qui-Gon Jinn

The force is definitely with this one, guys. I've seen this man cosplay an awe-inspiring Thor, but Master Jedi suits this god-among-men just fine.

5. Wyldstyle

This cosplay was particularly...AWESOME! And everything is awesome when you're part of a team, which this lovely LEGO lady was, though her partner-in-crime, Emmet, was doing something else off-camera :(

6. Harley Quinn

My friend Natasha made this wonderful terror of Gotham right here, and I was ever so impressed by the personal additions she made to the classic costume, such as the beaded choker and gun holster.

7. Raichu

Who's that Pokemon? It's Raichu! I must say, this mouse-type is electrifying. The ears especially are unique, cute, and well-made. She may just be the very best.

8. Totoro

This one deserves major props if only for the scale of the costume at hand. I would have liked to ask this Japanese fat-cat how it got through some of the doors though. I can imagine it was quite the hassle.

9. Umbreon

Another Pokemon? Looks like a battle is in order! Feel free to tell me in the comments who wore it better: Raichu or Umbreon?

10. Mini-Flash and Mini-Riddler (with special guest Harley Quinn)

Can I just say "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww"? These guys are freaking adorable! The parents of these crime-fighting cuties deserve all the awards for brightening the days of everyone who saw them, as well as for the A+ parenting skills in general.

And finally, the cosplay that absolutely blew me away, for reasons of sheer accuracy, originality, and hard work, was this:

The Warhammer 40k Inquisition! This is my all-time favourite cosplay duo right here, even outdone by the previous cutie-patooties or the Transformers.

All in all I had an amazing day. I wish I could have gone for all three days to see all the amazing cosplays, but even just the one day was jam packed with fun. Hopefully next year I can go the entire weekend, and maybe i'll see some of you g33ks there! Get lifted.

Brydan is a con loving fellow we met at Anime Revolution last year, he's shown a willingness to produce good coverage and we've given him the chance to contribute to LG. Look forward to more work from him in the coming months.