Crow creator James O’Barr, Bai Ling to appear at Peterborough Comicon

Annual event returns to the Evinrude Centre

Comicon is returning to Peterborough’s Evinrude Centre on Sunday with special guests James O’Barr, who created the cult hit comic series The Crow, and actress Bai Ling, who played Myca in the 1994 film adaption.

It was the final film for Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, who was shot and killed during production by a defective prop gun.

O’Barr created The Crow in 1981 while living in Berlin in an effort to cope with the death of his fiancée three years prior. It’s said he was further inspired after reading a Detroit newspaper account of the murder of a young couple over a $20 engagement ring.

However, the series was not as cathartic in dealing with his pain as he thought it would be, saying, “As I drew each page, it made me more self-destructive, if anything ... There is pure anger on each page.”

The 1994 film adaption is set for a reboot in 2019 by English film director Corin Hardy. The reboot will star Jason Momoa as the lead character. Momoa is best known for his role as Aquaman in the recent Justice League movie.

The event is organized by Pop Culture Canada, a company based in Oshawa.

It will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an admission fee of $5 per person, with children under 10 allowed in for free.

Patrons are also encouraged to to bring canned foods for local food bank collection. For each item donated, guests receive a ticket for a draw.

O’Barr will be signing autographs at no charge. The convention will also feature exhibits and booths with vendors selling comics and collectibles from the worlds of comic books, science fiction and fantasy.

Cosplay, or dressing up as characters, is welcomed at the event. However, organizers have regarding mock weaponry, such as: No guns, no functional projectile weapons, no metal swords, no blunt objects (i.e. bats), no pepper spray and no explosives, including fireworks. Bows are allowed but cannot be strung, and arrows are prohibited.

Handcuffs, chains, restraints, collars and so on are allowed if they are a part of a costume.

Organizers recommend that mock weapons be made out of wood, paper, PVC, plastic or high-density foams and should not be made out of glass, ceramics or metal.

NOTE: Full details about the show and the rules for costumes can be found at www.popculturecanada.ca.