The Brag

Supanova 2011
Words by Alasdair Duncan

Welcome to the nerdiest weekend of the year, when ‘nerd’ is not even a pejorative term; when the cosplayers come out in such force that the Solid Snakes and the Cybermen outnumber the civilians four to one, and when the stars of your favourite sci-fi shows sit down to face the tough questions, like whether there’s a biophysical principle behind the Vulcan mind-meld. Welcome to SUPANOVA!

First and foremost, Supanova affords fans the possibility to meet, have their photo taken with and attend an array of sit-down seminars with the brightest stars of the nerd universe. This year’s Sydney convention features some formidable TV and film talent – Tom Felton, aka Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, is sure to get fangirl hearts aflutter, while Amy Acker, James Marsters and Sean Maher will discuss their involvement with various beloved Joss Whedon shows. On the anime side of things, voice actors from popular series like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Yu-Gi-Oh! will talk about giving life to their characters, while a selection of novelists, including Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, Jennifer Fallon and Marion De Pierres, will get you all wrapped up in stories.

And that’s not all Supanova has to offer – wander Exhibitors & Artist Alley to be dazzled by an array of comics and graphic novels, designer toys, clothing, collectibles, video game demonstrations and sugary snacks. Sydney fans can also check out an exclusive preview of Steven Spielberg’s hotly-anticipated new show Falling Skies, starring ER’s Noah Wyle and due for broadcast later this year on FOX 8. If it takes your fancy, you can participate in an anime dubbing session, indulge in some table-top gaming and laser tag, or just stroll around the venue in hopes of catching an impromptu cosplay fight…

Gareth David-Lloyd will appear at Supanova 2011

Gareth David-Lloyd’s Ianto Jones was easily the most beloved character from UK sci-fi series Torchwood – until he was controversially killed off at the end of the third season. As he tells it, however, he welcomed the decision to kill Ianto.

For many Torchwood fans, Ianto Jones was the heart and soul of the show; a mild-mannered paranormal investigator, his love affair with handsome time-traveller Captain Jack Harkness formed the emotional core of the show, and his death in Harkness’s arms at the end of the third season left many aghast. There were letter-writing campaigns, angry blog pots, and even death threats against creator Russell T. Davies, all in the hopes of bringing Ianto back. Davies stuck to his guns, however, and the show’s fourth season will soon return without Lloyd.

For Lloyd, the character’s death felt like a natural conclusion. “Ianto changed my life,” he tells me, “it was my first regular TV role, I did it for four years, and yeah, it’s what launched my career on television, so it will always be with me and I will always look back at the character with a certain fondness. At the end of the day, though, it’s about making drama. It was a sad scene when Ianto died, but I’m happy that it made a lot of people cry, because to me, that’s proof I’ve done my job as an actor.”

Lloyd did at least have some time to prepare for the potential fan backlash. “I’d known the character was going to make an exit since before we started filming the third series,” he tells me, “so I was very grateful for that, at least. You hear stories of actors and actresses who aren’t told they’re going to die until a few weeks before they’re due to act in the episode, but my agent said ‘they’ll be using you for three or four of the five episodes’,” he laughs, “and I thought, oh, okay, he’s either dead or he’s going on a long holiday!”

The overwhelming force of the fan campaign to bring Ianto back was a surprise, even for Lloyd. “I try not to get caught up in that sort of thing, but I think there were some fans who took it too far. That’s only a couple of the campaigners,” he stresses. “I mean, on the whole, I was happy for the support, and I’m always touched by the comments that people now make at conventions and things like that. But at the end of the day, Ianto was a character I played, and I’d finished his arc – it had a beginning, a middle, and an end, and then I moved on to the next job.”

Though he’s moved on, Lloyd reflects fondly on Torchwood, especially the show’s humanity and humour. “The characters, even in amazing and fantastical situations, were really real,” he says. “I think that’s a gift that Russell has, to take real characters and put them in out-of-this-world scenarios.” As for Ianto himself, Lloyd tells me that there aren’t many things he and the character share, save for a dry sense of humour. “He has an ability to look at quite dark situations and put a bit of light in there,” he says, “and that’s probably the thing he and I have the most in common.”

What: Supanova 2011
When: June 17-19
Where: The Dome, Olympic Park
More: www.supanova.com.au