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SecondPtarmiconplansbiggervenuemoregamesArtsCultureEntertainment22TuesdaySeptember242013ByJOSHLONGCosplayersgamersTrek-kiesandcomicbooknerdswillocktoSirJohnFrank-linSchoolinYellowknifeforthesecondannualPtarmi-conthisOctoberonlythisyearanewvenuewillmakesuretheresplentyofroomforthem.Itjustopensupthespaceweknewthatwasaproblemfromlastyearsaidcoordi-natorRoyaGrinstedwhogotmorethanshebargainedforatthe2012PtarmiconsMu-litplexvenue.Wethoughtwedbeluckyifwehad250people.Weranoutofticketsandpeoplekeptcomingsowedontknowournalnum-bersfromlastyearbecauseofit.Butwewerewellover500people.AtthetimethemassofpeoplemadetheplacecrowdedandhotGrin-stedsaid.Butthisfallfestivalisntthenewkidontheblockanymore.Organizerssaytheyvelearnedfromthepastandhavehadmoretimetoprepare.WeactuallyplannedlastyearsinJulyanditwentoninOctobersaidfelloworga-nizerKellanMarshallalsoknownforhisonlinecomicsetinYellowknife.AssoonaslastyearsPtarmiconwasoverwestartedplanningforthisyear.Thatmeansmoreactivi-ties.BoardgamesaresettoincludeCarWarsNetrunnerandMagictheGathering.Theresalsogoingtobeopengamingtablesforpeo-pletobringtheirfavouritesandwelcomeotherpeopletojoinGrinstedsaid.WemightbehavingDDses-sionsaswell-DungeonsandDragons-althoughIcantconrmthatatthemoment.SomeoldfavouriteswillalsobereturningaccordingtoGrinsted.Brawlswillbemakingacomebackbecausethatwasridonkulouslastyearsheaddedreferringtoaghtinggamewithvideogamechar-actersgoingbackto1980sMr.GameandWatch.ThatpartcangetalittlecutthroatGrinstedsaidandbyalittleImeanse-verely.ButPtarmiconisallaboutsharingandinclusionandnewgames.MarshallechoedGrinst-edsopenness.Itsnicethatthistownhassomethingthatrecognizesthisculturesaidthe26year-oldwriterandartist.Nowpeoplehaveaplacewheretheycanbethemselvesandhavefuntogether.Marshallwearshisded-icationonhisarmintheformofatattooresemblinganitemfromhiswebcomicBallbotsfeaturingnumer-ousguresfromtheterrito-rialcapital.Hegottheinkbeforehewrotehisrstissueandnowhaseightbooks.Itsprimar-ilyanonlinepublicationbuthellbesellingissuesattheconventionfor30apop.Itsgonnarunoutfasthesaid.TherellbeplentyofothermerchandiseavailabletooandthatkeepsJusticeMin-isterGlenAbernethyonthelookout.ImalwayslookingforinterestingStarWarsmem-orabiliaAbernethysaid.Idontgotoanyofthesethingswithanythinginmind.WhenIseeitIknowit.Thoughalong-timeself-identiedgeekknownforshowingoffhisStarWarsmemorabiliaAbernethysaidlastyearsinauguralPtarmi-conwasarstforhim.IvealwayswantedtogotoacomicconbutnevercouldmakeithappensaidtheGreatSlaveMLA.Ifyoureageekinanycapac-ityyouregoingtolikeitandyouregoingtohavefun.Hewasnttheonlyhigh-proleYellowkniferatlastyearsconvention.ItalsofeaturedcitycouncillorPhilMoonSoninaStarTrekuniform.IfMoonSondecidestodonthecostumeagainwhentheconventionstartsOct.19thewould-beStareetofcermightndhimselfinthecompanyofacertainsmuggler.Abernethyiscurrentlycon-sideringaHanSolocostume.Ifyoureageekinanycapacityyouregoingtolikeitandyouregoingtohavefun.GlenAbernethyGreatSlaveMLAFormerchieftomushdogsagainafterve-yearhiatusByMARIACHURCHForaselectfewmushersinNorthernCanadadogsled-dingismorethanjustasportitsanart.Iftheyvemasteredthearttheyrecalleddogmen.DavidPoitrasformerchiefoftheSaltRiverFirstNationinFortSmithisadogman.Nowretiredandturning70thisfallPoitrashasdecidedtoreturntosleddogracingafterave-yearhiatus.Ithinkitwillbeachal-lengeandIlovedoingitrun-ningdogstrainingdogsbeingarounddogs.Italsogetsmyfamilyinvolvedlikemygrand-sonCliffordJr.-hesmyhan-dlerPoitrastoldTheJournal.Poitrasrstracedateamofsleddogsin1973.TheFortSmithresidentwentontowinracesacrossnorthernCanadaoneyearplacingfthattheCanadianChampion-shipsinYellowknife.BetweenmytwosonsandIwevewonracesinFoxCreekFortChipewyanFortSimpsonKakisaLakePinePointHayRiverandFortRes-olutionhesaidaddingthatdespitehissmallkennelsize-around14dogs-hewasal-wayscompetitiveinthesport.PoitraswifeMarthasaidsheisnotsurprisedherhusbandisonceagainwork-ingwithsleddogs.Ithinkoncesomeonehassleddingintheirmindtheyalwaysgobackshesaid.Weusedtotravelwithhimquiteabitmeandmykids.Itsexcitingtowatch.Overtheyearsthesportofmushinghaschangeddramati-callyPoitrassaid.Foroneithasbecomesignicantlymoreex-pensive.Thesledalonewillsetyoubackthousandsandcostslikefoodandequipmentaddup.Ihaveeverythingweneedsoitseasyformetogetbackinbutforsomebodyjuststartingoutitwouldbedifculthesaid.Thatcombinedwithfewerchiefslefttoencouragethetra-ditionintheircommunitieshasmeantthatinterestindogracinghasbeendwindlingforyears.Alotoftheeldersthatusedtorundogsaregonenowtheywereoneofourbiggestsupportershesaid.WithfewerteachersPoi-trasworriesthattheartofthedogmancouldbelost.Communicatingwiththedogsbeingabletoreadtheirearstheirheadtheirpositionhowtheyholdthemselvesthatswhattellsmewheretheyreatmentallyandpsychologically.Itsreallyachallengetotakeyourteamandgetthemphys-icallytwhilekeepingthemmentallyhappyandpsycho-logicallyhavingfaithinthem-selvesandtrustingme.Thatalltiesintoithesaid.PoitrassaidheplanstoonedayspearheadanefforttobringdogracingbacktoFortSmith.Imthinkingaboutstart-ingaraceuphere.NotthisyearbutonceIretireagain.Racingisgoingtotakeallmyenergyuphesaid.TherstsleddograceforPoi-traswillbeonDec.21inFortProvidence.Fornowheandhisgrandsonareworkingthedogsintoatrainingschedule.SportsRecreationDogMushingPoitraspetsoneofhisdogs.PhotoMariaChurchPhotoJoshLongYellowknifecomicbookwriterandartistKellanMarshallshowsoffpostershellbehockingatthesecondannualPtarmiconatSirJohnFranklinSchoolinOctober.VolunteersareneededfortheFortSmithAirportLiveEmergencyExerciseonWednesdayOctober92013.ContacttheFortSmithAirporttovolunteerorformoreinformationat867-872-2007.