If the glossy program guide is to be believed, Fan Expo Vancouver is all about celebrities: autograph signings, photo ops, Q & A panels, and oodles of licensed merchandise bearing their likenesses.
But the celebrities are only one aspect of the Fan Expo machine — and they might not even be the most important part.
"[Celebrities are] the excuse for a convention, but really its all about the fans," said actor James Marsters, who portrayed punk rock vampire Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in a phone interview in advance of his Fan Expo appearance. "There aren't a lot of places where large amounts of people get together bonded over the same thing. Conventions are a place for community."
Fans, then, are the heartbeat of Fan Expo. These passionate individuals — 21,000 in 2013 alone — from all walks of life and corners of the globe gather to revel in their fandom. Without the unbridled passion of these thousands of fans, Fan Expo would likely be a soulless memorabilia show.
Mike Carvalho of Oakville, Ontario, and Sathya Ilan of France, are two such passionate fans. Talk about passion: Carvalho flew across the country for the sole purpose of seeing sci-fi icon Amanda Tapping at Fan Expo, and Ilan chose Vancouver as her place of study largely because of Tapping's connection to the city.
The two had met through the convention world, and built a friendship based on their mutual appreciation for the celebrated star of Stargate SG-1 and Sanctuary.
"[Tapping] reduced the price of her autograph, and she came three hours early", said Ilan as she and Carvalho waited excitedly for their turns to pose with Tapping for a professionally snapped photo. "She's so good to her fans."
"She's open, she's kind, and she's generous, and she understands where her fans come from," said Carvalho, beaming. "I got into her as an actress, but then I saw that she's an amazing person in life."
Fan Expo wasnt the first Tapping encounter for either fan. Ilan first met Tapping in October 2012 at the Vancouver premiere of Random Acts of Romance. "I'll never forget it," said Ilan. "I was so nervous." When the icon graced the cover of WE this past January, Ilan mailed dozens of copies of WE to Tapping fans all over the world; this weekend, both fans added a Tapping autograph to their WE covers.
The super-fans have been impacted by their love for the Grand Empress of Sci-fi in a multitude of ways. They've travelled extensively to see her and her co-stars at conventions and they've participated in fundraising efforts for Tapping's charity, Sanctuary for Kids ("I've always been involved with charities, but more and more since I discovered [Tapping] for sure," said Ilan. "She's very inspiring. She shows us how we can make a difference, a tiny little difference, but still a difference").
But perhaps the most significant way that their adoration for Tapping has changed their lives is the fact that so many fruitful, nurturing friendships have sprung out it.
"She's changed my life," said Carvalho.
