'It's just home': Comic book icon Todd McFarlane returns; appearing at Calgary Expo all weekend
Comic book icon Todd McFarlane feels it whenever he's north of the border.
He says it feels just like "a robe and slippers."
"At this point in my life, I've probably spent way more time in the 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 the most comfortable."
McFarlane, who hails from Calgary, 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 endeavours.
But Spawn was born right here, long before that.
"In the basement of a house on the corner of Crowchild and 24th, right 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 back.
Around the same time, the Spider-Man character 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 Calgary Expo, appearing Friday, Saturday and Sunday yet, he's signing autographs and snapping photos for fans, as well as taking part in multiple panels.
McFarlane's a rock star of popular culture, even though he'll tell you "it depends on the room."
In Calgary, though, he spends most of his time with family, helping with "shopping and folding laundry."
He also made it to Peters' Drive-In. That's important, you understand.
"I had Peters' yesterday!" he said.
"I took my dad up to Edmonton. ... This is just how it works. We stop at Tim Hortons on the way up, get the gas, the exact same order every time. Go 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 Calgary Expo, appearing Friday, Saturday and Sunday yet, he's signing autographs and snapping photos for fans, as well as taking part in multiple panels.
And carrying on with the motif of coming home and being close to family, he will be joined by his dad – Bob – on the 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," McFarlane said.
"My wife and daughter are flying in from the States (to see it). They don't really come to my panels, but they go, 'I gotta come see Grandpa!'"
You can, too – The McFarlanes panel is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday, on the Comics Stage at the Big Four.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area mosque
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
Police arrest 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole Porsche and ran over its owner
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
11-year-old boy dies after subway surfing in NYC
An 11-year-old boy died Monday after subway surfing in New York City. He's the fourth person to die from subway surfing in the city this year.
On the trail of the mystery woman whose company licensed exploding pagers
What Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, the Italian-Hungarian CEO and owner of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, says she hasn't done is make the exploding pagers that killed 12 people and wounded more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week.
Top Hezbollah commander among 12 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander and other senior figures in the Lebanese movement in an airstrike on Beirut on Friday, vowing to press on with a new military campaign until it is able to secure the area around the Lebanese border.
Kamala Harris tells Oprah any intruder to her home is 'getting shot'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday issued a warning to any potential home intruder: 'If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot.'