Crimebuster
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Post by Crimebuster on Aug 18, 2015 0:45:39 GMT -5
I love comic book shows, but seriously. There's only so much time and money I can spend!
Here's what the schedule in New England looks like this fall:
August 1 - Boston Comic-Con
August 15 - Connecticut Comic-Con
September 12 - Granite State Comic-Con (new Hampshire)
September 19 - Vermont Comic-Con
September 19 - Hartford Comic-Con
November 6 - Rhode Island Comic-Con
Five major shows in six weeks? Two shows the same day?
I kind of feel like we're reaching critical mass. I know these things are more popular than ever - by far - but how much is too much?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2015 0:55:36 GMT -5
I love comic book shows, but seriously. There's only so much time and money I can spend! Here's what the schedule in New England looks like this fall: August 1 - Boston Comic-Con August 15 - Connecticut Comic-Con September 12 - Granite State Comic-Con (new Hampshire) September 19 - Vermont Comic-Con September 19 - Hartford Comic-Con November 6 - Rhode Island Comic-Con Five major shows in six weeks? Two shows the same day? I kind of feel like we're reaching critical mass. I know these things are more popular than ever - by far - but how much is too much? There used to be a con season for major cons and an off season that was filled with local shows at things like the VFW hall or Elks Club in a town or city. Now major cons pretty much run all year long. The guy who runs Gem City laments this every year, as there is not a weekend at any point in the year where you can schedule a show and not be competing for creators as guests with another medium to large chow in another city. Some of the hardcore local creators I know do shows every weekend 50 weeks out of 52 a year to push their books, all within driving distance except for 1 or 2 big, big shows they fly to (like SDCC and NYCC). Victor Dandridge, a creator out of Columbus does 40 shows a year around the country, most of them Wizard Worlds, and then 5-10 more local shows just in Ohio. If you want to go to a con every weekend and have the resources, you can. -M PS and shows are growing...Gem City has outgrown 2 venues already, it started in the Visitor center on the campus of Wright State University, moved into the Nutter Center, the school's arena/civic center and this year is moving to the Dayton Convention Center as traffic keeps growing every year and he has a waiting list about 50-60 long for vendors/small press creators wanting tables at his show, and he just doesn't have the space to accommodate them all. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Aug 18, 2015 8:21:29 GMT -5
The unfortunate counter-force to all this is Wizard World, which is quickly expanding out by buying other shows. Enjoy the diversity while we have it because, eventually, the only shows coming to your town that aren't in VFW halls will be Wizard World.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2015 10:04:46 GMT -5
well. . Dragon*con seems to have dropped it's Comic Track this year (tho kept artist's alley).
so I guess you can't call that one a comic-con . .
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Crimebuster
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Post by Crimebuster on Aug 18, 2015 12:26:03 GMT -5
I actually missed one; there's also Super Megafest in November. I sure wish the local cons would spread out over the whole year instead of jamming all the shows into a four month window. The unfortunate counter-force to all this is Wizard World, which is quickly expanding out by buying other shows. Enjoy the diversity while we have it because, eventually, the only shows coming to your town that aren't in VFW halls will be Wizard World. They seem to have been drummed out of New England, thank god. They tried to horn in back in 2010, buying up one of the long running shows - I think it was New England Comic-Con, not sure. Anyway, it was an epic disaster, and Wizard hasn't been seen 'round these parts since, while Boston Comic-Con has taken off like a rocket without the competition. So that one backfired. Thank god, I hate Wizard World. I don't think any of the other ones are big enough for Wizard to get involved, though I might be wrong; Rhode Island is getting pretty huge, and they've expanded to three days this year after they had to turn guests away at the door last year. There are also 2 cons in Connecticut now, so I guess it wouldn't surprise me if Wizard bought one of them; Connecticut Comic-Con seems more like a media type show, as does Super Megafest, so they would seem to be the most likely candidates. Hopefully Wizard learned their lesson, though. We don't truck with tyrants up here. We threw out the British, and then we threw out Wizard World! |
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Crimebuster
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Post by Crimebuster on Aug 18, 2015 12:28:10 GMT -5
The other issue all these cons raises is spreading the talent thin. Especially with Hartford and Vermont on the same day. But most of these shows only have 1 or 2 people I'm interested in meeting. Do I want to spend $20 for Granite Con just to meet Cary Nord? I dunno. Is $30 for a day at Rhode Island just to meet Chris Claremont worth it? Maybe? Do I want to drop $25 or so for Super Megafest just to meet Bob McLeod? No.
Would I spend the time and money to go to a show with all three of those guys? Heck yes I would.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Aug 18, 2015 12:42:04 GMT -5
The other issue all these cons raises is spreading the talent thin. Especially with Hartford and Vermont on the same day. But most of these shows only have 1 or 2 people I'm interested in meeting. Do I want to spend $20 for Granite Con just to meet Cary Nord? I dunno. Is $30 for a day at Rhode Island just to meet Chris Claremont worth it? Maybe? Do I want to drop $25 or so for Super Megafest just to meet Bob McLeod? No. Would I spend the time and money to go to a show with all three of those guys? Heck yes I would. I don't usually go for media guests but I'd love to meet Ron Pearlman so I might try for RICC this year. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2015 14:39:55 GMT -5
There can never be too many cons, especially when there aren't any near by...so enjoy the luxury of having too many to attend!  |
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