Montreal Comiccon attracts comic-book artists, fans

Montreal Comiccon opens Fridayand thousands of comics fans, many in their favourite superhero costumes, will converge on Palais des congrsoverthe weekend.

• INTERACTIVE|The art of cosplay at Montreal Commiccon

The fans go to see their favourite writers, actors and artists;the writers and artists go to meet fans, hang out with friends and make contacts in the industry.

The comic scene has grown exponentially over the past decade with sales, reaching $935 millionin North America in 2014.

Comics written in Montreal

Some of those sales are for comics written right here in Montreal.

More and more comics artists like Andy Belangerare moving to Montreal, attracted by low rents and the swellingartistic community.

Belanger is originallyfrom Waterloo, Ont.Hesays his career took off after he chose to leave his hometown for Montreal.

"The overhead was a lot lower at the time and there's an amazing sense of community here, toonot just in the comic scene. I meet all kinds of different people I wouldn't meet in Toronto because it's too big. You know creative directors at Ubisoft or restaurant owners who are into comics. So you start building this really cool little world for yourself that is really creative, and it's not just comic book creators only," Belanger says.

Cloonan hails from New York City but spends her summers here in Montreal collaborating with Belanger and also working with several other Montreal comic writers on another series, Gotham Academy.

The two artists are collaborating on a new series, Southern Cross, published by Image Comics.

"It's kind of like Agatha Christie in space.It's about this woman named Alex Braith and she's on a flight to Saturn's moon Titan to collect her sister's body,"Cloonansays.

Belanger was inspired for the illustrations by 1980s analog technology and haute-couture fashion. The heroine's signature look includes a toque.

"Becky just slapped it on a cover and I said, 'Oh I guess the character is wearing a toque now, so I have to draw this toque every panel,'" he says.

Going pro

The first issue of Southern Cross sold 30,000 copies. The duo say they're making a good living in the industry, though they joke they're not millionaires.

"We'rethousandaires," laughs Cloonan."It's like anything in the arts you have to work really hard. But yes, we're making a good living."

Enough cash to follow their passions, saysBelanger.

"I used to work for Toronto Hydro, but I had enough clients at 27 to go professional," he says.

Cloonan and Belanger will be showing off Southern Cross this weekend at theMontreal Comiccon. Itopens Friday with a conversation withKevin Smith. Other special events include "An Evening with Doctor Who Companions" and two performances of music from the Final Fantasy video game.