MONTREAL COMICCON CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY ON A GRAND SCALE!

From July 6 to 8, Montreal Comiccon and its army of devoted fans will once again take by storm the halls of Palais de congrès. This year, though, the occasion will be momentous, as the epic pop culture gathering will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a program for the ages.

It was 10 years ago that a small band of comic book misfits rented a modest meeting room to exchange ideas and trade books, toys, movies, and all kinds of fantasy fiction paraphernalia. A decade later, Montreal Comiccon is expected to host over 60,000 attendees from Canada and abroad, dozens of star guests, hundreds of exhibitors, and a calendar of activities to keep someone awake for three days straight. Over the course of a decade, the event, which celebrates the worlds of science fiction, fantasy, anime, horror, video games, and, of course comics, has grown to become one of Montreal’s most beloved cultural happenings.

ENTERTAINMENT & COMIC BOOK GUESTS
The X-Files is one of the greatest science fiction and supernatural franchises of all-time. The show, which premiered in 1993, pushed the boundaries of serialized TV fiction, thrilled fans, and influenced a generation of writers, directors, and actors. To mark its 10th anniversary, Montreal Comiccon is proud to welcome the stars of The X-Files, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. After skyrocketing to fame with their portrayals of agents Mulder and Scully, Duchovny and Anderson went on to appear separately in several hit TV shows, including the Emmy-winning Californication, Aquarius, The Fall, Hannibal, and American Gods, before making a glorious return to The X-Files in 2016.

Duchovny and Anderson will be joined by the most beloved bad boy of the silver screen, the dangerous (yet very-kind-in-person) Danny Trejo. Trejo’s unforgettable performances in Robert Rodriguez’ films, Desperado (1995), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), and Spy Kids (2001) ensured his spot in the villains Hall of Fame, before getting his turn as an anti-heroic leading man in the ultra-violent theatrical hit, Machete (2010), and in its equally ruthless sequel, Machete Kills (2013). Other big and small screen names in attendance include the martial artist, actor and pop culture icon Chuck Norris, mostly known for  his starring roles in action films like Delta Force and Missing in Action, as well as in the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger; Jennifer Morrison, known for her roles as Dr. Allison Cameron in the medical-drama, House, and as Emma Swan in the ABC adventure-fantasy series, Once Upon a Time; Mark Sheppard, from the horror drama, Supernatural, and the 2005 space epic, Battlestar Galactica; Pom Klementieff, the French actress behind the role of Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and in the upcoming, Avengers: Infinity War (2018); and Amanda Tapping, the Canadian actress and director, recognized as Samantha Carter on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, and as Helen Magnus on Sanctuary. Adrian Paul, the British actor and choreographer famous for his role as Duncan MacLeod, in Highlander: The Series, will host The Sword Experience, a three-and-half-hour sword-training seminar, featuring stage and real-life combat tips for fans, actors, martial artists, and role-playing groups.

In addition to TV and film stars, Montreal Comiccon always has a special place for the incredibly gifted actors who lend their voices to cartoon, anime, and video game characters. This year, fans will meet the entire leading cast of the hit web series, RWBY, including Lindsay Jones (Ruby Rose), Kara Eberle (Weiss Schnee), Barbara Dunkelman (Yang Xiao Long), Arryn Zech (Blake Belladona), and Michael Jones (Sun Wukong).

True to its name, Montreal Comiccon will roll the red carpet once again for legends and rising stars of the comic book world. Attending the 10th edition will be Gerry Conway, the mighty scriptwriter behind some of Marvel’s and DC’s most powerful moments, including the traumatic death of Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man, and the introduction of Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher; Larry Hama, the brilliant writing force behind Hasbro’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line, and its Marvel Comics series from 1982 to 1994; David Lloyd, the co-creator of the landmark graphic novel, V for Vendetta; and Neal Adams, the artist who propelled American comics into gritty adult themes with his realistic renditions of Batman, The X-Men, and Green Arrow. They will be joined by a myriad of artists from every corner of the comic book universe, including Dan Parent (Archie Comics), Danica Brine (Wayward), Gautier Langevin (Far Out), Gisèle Lagacé (Jem and the Holograms), Jeik Dion (Turbo Kid: Skeletron Unleashed), Ken Lashley (Suicide Squad), Nick Brasdshaw (Guardians of the Galaxy), Olivier Carpentier (Far Out), Yanick Paquette (Wonder Woman: Earth One), John Tyler Christopher (Star Wars), and Michael Cho (The Flash: The Silver Age).

MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Montreal Comiccon will present a calendar packed with over 150 panels, workshops, concerts, improv performances, board games, screenings, autograph sessions, and photo ops. There will be anime-themed contests and insightful master classes with comic book creators. The widely popular Family Zone will offer energy-burning activities for those 12 and under, including laser sword training and Nerf battles.

There will be more video game entertainment than ever. Gaming worlds will come to life in the 5th floor freeplay area, presented in partnership with DreamHack. Loto-Québec and Multijoueur will join forces in the Indie Game Zone, where close to 40 talented Quebec studios will unveil their new creations. And nostalgic video game fans of all ages will go back to the future in the Retro Gaming Area, featuring games and consoles from the past four decades.

THE MUSIC OF COMICCON
Music is always at the forefront of Montreal Comiccon, with an ever-growing program of live performances. The Film Music Wind Orchestra (OVMF – L’Orchestre à vents de musiques de films), 50 classical musicians under the direction of conductor and arranger, Jocelyn Leblanc, will delight fans with soundtracks of their favourite films and video games, including Star Wars (Friday, July 6), A Universe of Video Games (Saturday, July 7), and Harry Potter (Sunday, July 8).  On Saturday July 8, at 8:00 p.m., Montreal Comiccon in collaboration with Shank Events will bring back Nerdstock, a 7th floor festival of nerdy rock bands, featuring headliners Cybertronic Spree, a hair metal band of robots-in-disguise that bangs out music from Transformers: The Movie; Jardin Mécanique, a steampunk musical trio; Skieur Fluo, a geek culture-inspired pop, punk and metal act; and Billy & the Fox, a narrative conceptual band. Lastly, House of M Productions will pay homage to Buffy the Vampire Slayer with live musical recreations of popular episodes.

To add to the fun, Montreal Comiccon is delighted to announce a first collaboration with Microbrasserie Dieu du ciel! on a special brew that will be exclusively available at the event.

For tickets and information visit www.montrealcomiccon.com