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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 9, 2014 16:17:56 GMT -5
It's not only celebrity guests. It's also the panels and the corporate booths. Sony and MGM having booths at a comic convention? Lego and NBC? SDCC is almost a trade show for the entertainment industry at this point, which still includes comics, but just barely. Some cons want to separate the dealer section and artists alley completely from the regular con, like a different building altogether, from what I've read. So yeah, the promoters are trying to cater to a new audience for the big cons. The way around it, for those who don't like that, is just go to smaller cons. Easier to get tickets, cheaper admission, less crowds, easier to get a room if you need it, and it will be a buyers market at the smaller venue. The con here in Boston is like that, it's big enough that it attracts a good amount of big talent both current and classic but small enough that just about every comic book shop in New England can afford a booth to sell back issues. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Nov 9, 2014 20:39:53 GMT -5
The con here in Boston is like that, it's big enough that it attracts a good amount of big talent both current and classic but small enough that just about every comic book shop in New England can afford a booth to sell back issues. I hope that's a deliberate choice. Given the opportunity, most show promoters ultimately expand to bring in more business without carefully considering the balance. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Nov 9, 2014 20:43:45 GMT -5
I hope it is too, as its my favorite con to go to for specially the reasons I listed. I mean, it's not wholly about comics as there are plenty or celebrity guests but the way it's done is the celebrities have their own designated area and it's handled in such a way that the line for people who want to see them doesn't interfere with the rest of the con. Overall it seems to be a pretty successful affair with the way it's organized so I'm hoping it stays that way.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2014 0:17:32 GMT -5
The con here in Boston is like that, it's big enough that it attracts a good amount of big talent both current and classic but small enough that just about every comic book shop in New England can afford a booth to sell back issues. I hope that's a deliberate choice. Given the opportunity, most show promoters ultimately expand to bring in more business without carefully considering the balance. The promoter cares about selling tickets and booths and nothing else. Maybe if a megafan was a con promoter, but I have a feeling most are not. I may be considered a comics "megafan" myself, but when profits are involved, I'll throw a 100% Twilight con if it will buy me more comics. |
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Post by Randle-El on Nov 10, 2014 0:35:49 GMT -5
The two major cons that are local to me, Baltimore Comic-Con and Awesome Con D.C. are illustrative of the diverging paths that cons are taking. BCC is a relatively major con attracting a lot of big name creators as well as a healthy dose of vendors, but there's nary a celebrity media guest to be found. I think their lone celebrity this year was Peter Mayhew. They seem to be very comics-focused, and I hope that does not change. Awesome Con, on the other hand, looks like its trying hard to become the next SDCC or NYCC. Sure, there's a comics presence via dealers and mostly lesser known creators, but they definitely seem to put the bulk of their promotion behind the celebrity guests. I went to Awesome Con this past year and enjoyed it, but I have this sinking feeling that in the coming years it's going to grow into a huge monstrosity that will become too much trouble to attend for a comics-focused person.
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Post by crazyoldhermit on Jan 15, 2015 2:40:41 GMT -5
I've gone to a "big" convention a few years in a row now. It's the only con I've gone to and it's been diminishing returns. I'm there for two reasons: To take books off my shopping list and to get a book signed. As I make my way through the crowds I realize a good 75% of the stuff there has nothing to do with what I want. In fact the booths I actually shop at, the ones who bring the goods and know what they're talking about, could probably fit inside of an elementary school gymnasium let alone a big ass convention center. I also have the worst luck with the guests: Three years in a row I've brought something to be signed and three years in a row I wasn't able to get it (two were no-shows while Stan Lee's line capped just ahead of me). As my shopping list dwindles it's hitting the point where my scores don't even cover the price of admission, and all the show biz stuff can munch my sack.
Theres a quarterly local con I might start checking out instead. Way cheaper to attend and probably a little more of what I'm looking for.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 16, 2015 11:32:09 GMT -5
I've gone to a "big" convention a few years in a row now. It's the only con I've gone to and it's been diminishing returns. I'm there for two reasons: To take books off my shopping list and to get a book signed. As I make my way through the crowds I realize a good 75% of the stuff there has nothing to do with what I want. In fact the booths I actually shop at, the ones who bring the goods and know what they're talking about, could probably fit inside of an elementary school gymnasium let alone a big ass convention center. I also have the worst luck with the guests: Three years in a row I've brought something to be signed and three years in a row I wasn't able to get it (two were no-shows while Stan Lee's line capped just ahead of me). As my shopping list dwindles it's hitting the point where my scores don't even cover the price of admission, and all the show biz stuff can munch my sack. Theres a quarterly local con I might start checking out instead. Way cheaper to attend and probably a little more of what I'm looking for. A quarterly comic convention!? Sign me up! |
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Post by badwolf on Jan 16, 2015 12:36:22 GMT -5
The only pop culture that annoys me by mixing with comics is wrestling.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 18:47:20 GMT -5
This is my views on this subject matter
I detest Comicons because of the large crowds, people sometimes very inconsiderate towards each others, and most importantly you need to bring money to these events because of the large display of comics and miscellaneous stuff that they offer for you. I also dread attend conventions that has a pop culture aspect because of the atmosphere they brings. I went to several of them in the past - one in San Diego, one in Portland Oregon, and several in my home state of Washington and those were from the 1990's to 2000's. Every time I attend any of these functions - my experience attending these functions were more negative than positive. I even paid $15.00 for a pass to see Adam West and Burt Ward speaking at a banquet hall and I was standing in line for 75 minutes and they told me that the banquet hall was packed and I could not get in.
I was mad at the promoters at the events and demanded my money back. They refused to do so because they needed all the money that they can get and I could not get refunded at all. So, there goes $15.00 down the drain. I could brought some comic books that day for $15 bucks.
To me, I'll not attend any more Comicons anymore because I had so many negative experiences attending these because they don't offer great parking, food, hotel services, and most of all it's beyond my own budget for a lousy day of attending them. I don't want to be negative here - but I just have so many frustrations that I just don't know what to say about these events. That's all I have to share for now. I just wanted to get this off my chest ...
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Jan 17, 2015 12:42:33 GMT -5
To me, I'll not attend any more Comicons anymore because I had so many negative experiences attending these because they don't offer great parking, food, hotel services, and most of all it's beyond my own budget for a lousy day of attending them. I don't want to be negative here - but I just have so many frustrations that I just don't know what to say about these events. That's all I have to share for now. I just wanted to get this off my chest ... For years, Motor City Comicon allowed guests who booked early to stay in the same hotel as the guests. It was fantastic -- great food, good service, and you were just as likely to see a celeb in the elevator as at the convention itself. As the show has grown larger, this is no longer a possibility, but there are good hotels and restaurants nearby, and they've worked really hard to keep traffic moving and food stand lines short. It's an excellent convention, if you're ever in the neighborhood. www.motorcitycomiccon.com/ |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2015 15:44:41 GMT -5
To me, I'll not attend any more Comicons anymore because I had so many negative experiences attending these because they don't offer great parking, food, hotel services, and most of all it's beyond my own budget for a lousy day of attending them. I don't want to be negative here - but I just have so many frustrations that I just don't know what to say about these events. That's all I have to share for now. I just wanted to get this off my chest ... For years, Motor City Comicon allowed guests who booked early to stay in the same hotel as the guests. It was fantastic -- great food, good service, and you were just as likely to see a celeb in the elevator as at the convention itself. As the show has grown larger, this is no longer a possibility, but there are good hotels and restaurants nearby, and they've worked really hard to keep traffic moving and food stand lines short. It's an excellent convention, if you're ever in the neighborhood. www.motorcitycomiccon.com/I will keep that in mind; but I'm on the West Coast and I've may and may not attend it. Thanks for the wonderful information here. |
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