Belleville’s first Comicon proved to be a very popular event. Run by Pop Culture Canada, who are the premier organizer of specialty events. Autograph Signings! Comic conventions! Family friendly Pro Wrestling events and Cosplay wrestling! Video game tournaments! Cosplayers! Celebrity Cars! Comics for classrooms!

With over 20 years experience, the staff at Pop Culture Canada can help you with pretty much anything to help make your event even better ! Autograph signings / Celebrity appearances : We have an extensive network of celebrities available for you at a price that fits any budget. Want to add a comic book convention to your fair or shopping mall? We have successfully done this all over Ontario Need some cosplayers to come to your event? We know lots! Video game demo’s or tournaments? We can set you up!
Pop Culture Canada currently organizes Charity Comicon events all over Ontario. These events benefit foodbanks all over this province. In 2018 we collected over 10,000 lbs of food and this year we are on our way toward 20,000 lbs! Please join our mailing list and hope to see you at an event near you!

While there I managed to meet one of the “characters”, Mathew (aka “TI-462221”, as a TIE Reserve Pilot) and he was kind enough to send me an email after the event to explain more about the 501ST organization.

“Hello Gary, and thank you for stopping by to speak with us at the Belleville Comicon.  While there, you met Neil (aka “TI-19452”, as a TIE Pilot), Matthew (aka “TI-462221”, as a TIE Reserve Pilot), and Cornel (aka “CC-75679”, who was out of costume and assisting us as a handler).

We are members of the Capital City Garrison, a division of the 501st Legion.  We are a group of volunteer costumers and cosplayers who specialize in the “bad guys” of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, and games.  All of our members assemble our own costumes, and our basic standard is “screen accuracy”, meaning we strive to look as close as possible to the costumes you see on screen.

The 501st Legion is a world-wide, all-volunteer group with over 13,000 active members in 69 countries, and within that, the Capital City Garrison covers the triangle from Trenton to the Québec border, and up to Deux-Rivières (on Highway 17, north of Algonquin Park), and has 75 members, mostly in Ottawa, but we do have members in both Trenton and Kingston, and would be very happy to talk to anyone interested in joining our ranks.

The largest portion of what our group does is to help raise money for charitable organizations, but we also attend parades, library events, Star Wars related events, and – when able – perform visits to children’s’ hospitals.  Our next local appearances – at this time –  are at the Napanee Comicon (where we will be helping to raise funds for the local food bank) on April 15th, and in Trenton on May 6th, where we will be helping to raise money for “Cooked With Love For Those In Need” – a local food charity.  I can provide you with further information if you would like to help us promote these events.  We will also be at both the Toronto Comicon this coming weekend, and at the Ottawa Mini Comicon on the weekend of April 1st, helping to raise funds for our default charity; the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The 501st Legion was started by a handful of fans who made their own stormtrooper costumes based on notes they took while watching the Original Trilogy movies in theatre, and we celebrated our 25th anniversary last year.  For your convenience, I have attached our Press Release kit which, although out of date, will give you a broader overview of our group in general, and I am happy to answer any further questions you may have.

There is no charge to book our group, and interested parties can learn more about us, contact us, or request an appearance through our website at capitalcity501st.ca.

Matthew “SAR Trooper” Buie

Public Relations Officer, Capital City Garrison of the 501st Legion
ID/IC/TI-46221