Always a great draw to the Summer Sizzler, the comic con, this year rebranded as Boldt Con, provided excitement for collectors, comic fans and cosplayers alike. Jubilee Hall at the Uniplex was abuzz with activity, just a few short steps away from the midway and the other Sizzler attractions.
Organizer and perennial anchor of the event, Jeff Burton was on-hand with the latest edition of Auroraman set to release in full this fall. He was flanked on all sides by content creators and artists, all with their latest offerings. We caught up with Brayden Martens once again, following our visit at the Saskatoon based Amazing Stories display and gathering.
Martens was in Humboldt with his latest work, a compilation book of his ongoing tale.
We are doing an “Prehistoria - Age of Dinosaurs” complete collection. Over the years, we’ve had a lot of issues released, done a lot of print runs, and all of them have sold out. So, we decided it’s time to put them all into one binding. It’s going to be every story we’ve done, including every story we haven’t published yet, and there’s room to grow.”
Martens says the project is coming to Kickstarter in August, so fans of the series can advance order and lend their support to the production.
Elsewhere, the denizens of the Star Wars Empire were set up with photo ops and tales of daring, courtesy of Causeplayers United. The play on words is designed to hint at the Causeplayers’ goal of supporting a venture near to their community of Asquith.
“The cause we’re here for is Lord Asquith School breakfast program,” explained Dave Brecht, the principal administrator for the group whose membership is growing outside the community of Asquith. “We raise funds for the school to purchase hot breakfasts for the kids who show up at school without any breakfast.”
The group strives to be welcoming for all, says Brecht, AKA Obi-Wan. It’s a place for dedicated cosplayers and for those who take a more casual approach to their passion. The group travels to different events, including Regina’s Expo in September, sharing their enthusiasm and their cause.
Membership has grown into the Bolt FM region, says Genevieve Rossell, appearing as Maleficent for the event.
“We come from all over – we have people from Asquith, Delisle, Humboldt, St. Brieux. If you want to be with us, you’re with us.”
Also in the main display area, we met Dave Cornelius who has produced two issues of a delightful comic, Shadow Tales.
“Shadow Tales is about a pair of ADHD squirrels who are becoming special agents to break animals out of the zoo. The zoo itself is run by the evil keeper (complete with an origin story).”
Cornelius uses his own experience with ADHD as fuel for the series. He says the bulk came from an experience of simply watching squirrels and wondering what prompted their in-and-out behaviour. He concocted a narrative to go along with the experience.
“It’s an ongoing series,” Cornelius says. “The plan is to get six issues done in one story arc, and the plan is to put that into a trade as a collective story, and then continue on.”
Along with the producers and designers, a wide range of vendors with everything from figurines to classic comics and character-based toys were on hand. The first Boldt Con did not disappoint fans and followers of classic and new storylines.