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by tvnz.co.nz's Darren Bevan

After the weather delivered its usual mixed bag to the start to the long weekend in Auckland, thousands of fantasy, movie and gaming fans have spilled into the City of Sails' Aotea Square for the beginning of the Armageddon Pulp Expo event.

The three day gala's kicked off with the fans racing to pick up some of the best bargains before the majority of the crowds get there.

Check our photogallery from the event here

For those heading there to meet some of the stars of the fantasy TV world, there's been a modicum of disappointment.

Last minute filming commitments have meant that David Anders (TV2's Alias and NBC's Heroes) has dropped out of the event - earlier in the month, it was announced that Stargate SG-1's Michael Shanks had to pull out because of potential work commitments.

However, such is the lot of the American TV stars and particularly with the TV season fully underway stateside. Organisers always warn that when booking guests, there's always the chance their plans may change.

But that's not deterred those in charge - and to replace Anders, they've decided to hold the New Zealand premiere of David Hewlett's film "A Dogs Breakfast". Hewlett is known to many within the sci fi fan world as Dr Rodney McKay on Stargate Atlantis.

There's also been the last minute addition of another Stargate actor Gary Jones which is some comfort for those who'd wanted to see Mr Shanks in person.

Perhaps the biggest name there over the weekend - certainly in terms of star quality at the moment - is Doug Jones. If you're a Hellboy fan, you'll know him as Abe Sapien, the blue skinned sidekick of ole Red. Many of us though are likely to have seen him as the Faun in Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece, Pan's Labyrinth.

See Matt and Dayna from 2Kids' Studio 2 talking to Doug Jones  here

The biggest curiosity for many though - who are perhaps unfamiliar with the "passion" of the fans - is what an event like this offers (aside from warmth away from the spring rain and a chance to get those teenagers out of your hair for the weekend)

The minute you walk into the ground floor of the Aotea Centre, you're swamped with two things - 1) trade stands and 2) (perhaps more disturbingly according to some) people dressed in costumes from their favourite shows - ie the Star Trek full body suits, Klingons, Star Wars costumes. It's a kind of ritual to spot these people as you walk around (and of course to look for them later to see if their make-up's run after being inside all day)

In fact if you head to the pulpexpo website's forum, there's usually some discussion on which outfit would be best - pre the event this year, one poster even said "I'm bringing BATMAN.........and PREDATOR.........and SPAWN........[Spawn's my newest suit,so its spawn's first appearance] i might also put FRANKENSTEIN in my bag,and bring him out briefly also.." Make of that what you will (except probably never invite them to a Hallowe'en costume contest; you're likely to lose)

But for many this event is about a community gathering - it's a chance for some to shun any form of daylight over the coming days and lock themselves in dark rooms and play trading game cards, sample the latest online and console games; others will come to watch live wrestling; some will come to peruse the massive numbers of trade stands which proffer the latest imports of DVDs, fantasy magazines or books; others will come to meet the artists of their favourite comics or to get photos and listen to audience panels from TV and movie stars.

Whatever the reason, it looks as if Armageddon is here to stay!

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