Achi news desk-
Comic book icon Todd McFarlane feels it whenever he’s north of the border.
He says it feels just like “a dress and slippers.”
“At this point in my life, I’ve probably spent a lot more time in the United States than I have in Canada but every time I cross the border, it’s just home, ” McFarlane told CTV News on Thursday, the opening day of the Calgary. Comics and Entertainment Expo.
“This is where I’m most comfortable.”
Calgary native McFarlane rose to comic book fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the artist and later writer on “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “Spider-Man” titles for Marvel Comics.
He then left the character, and the company along with several other creators, to form a new business, Image Comics.
At Image, McFarlane launched his own character and title, “Spawn”, which also led to toys, a feature film and an animated series, as well as other multimedia efforts.
But Spawn was born here, long before that.
“In the basement of a house on the corner of Crowchild and 24th, across from McMahon Stadium. That’s where Spawn was born,” McFarlane said.
McFarlane celebrated 300 issues of the “Spawn” comic book series, a few years ago.
Around the same time, the character Spider-Man McFarlane had a hand in creating, Venom, made the leap from the comic book page to the movie screen.
“Venom” has since had one sequel, and another is in the works.
While comic book icon Todd McFarlane is at the Calgary Expo, appearing Friday, Saturday and again Sunday, he’s signing autographs and taking pictures for fans, as well as participating in multiple panels.
McFarlane is a pop culture rock star, though he’ll tell you “it depends on the room.”
In Calgary, though, he spends most of his time with the family, helping with “shopping and folding laundry.”
He also came to Peters’ Drive-In. That’s important, you understand.
“I got Peters yesterday!” he said.
“I took my dad up to Edmonton. … Here’s how it works. We stop at Tim Hortons on the way up, get the gas, the exact same order every time. Go to up, visit, come back and then we stop at the Peters in Red Deer… We order the same thing, we have a good time and then we leave.”
While McFarlane is at the Calgary Expo, appearing Friday, Saturday and again Sunday, he’s signing autographs and taking pictures for fans, as well as participating in multiple panels.
And while continuing the motif of coming home and being close to his family, his father – Bob – will join him on stage for one of those panels.
“In 40 years, I’ve done hundreds of panels. Never once with a family member. On Friday, I get to do a panel with my dad,” said McFarlane.
“My wife and daughter fly in from the US (to see it). They don’t really come to my panels, but they go, ‘I have to come to see Grandfather!'”
You can too – The McFarlanes panel is scheduled for 1 pm on Friday, on the Comics Stage at the Big Four.
