"Comic Con" - the geekfest that Hollywood devoured

[Dillydipper]

San Diego's infamous Comic Con is this week, and I'd just like to get the ranting started early...

This used to be a place where comic book fans could come and celebrate their love for the craft. At it's humble beginnings in the 70's, its' attendance was in the hundreds (in fact, I believe the first one attracted only 300). As it rose in stature during the black-and-white boom, you could rub elbows with all the major and minor artists, writers and publishers, and learn all about both the past and future of comics, as well as the ancillary hobbies such as SF, movies, cards and other memorabilia.

But in recent years, Hollywood has swallowed it up. Pushed the funnybook business aside. Glommed the schedule with teaser events for blockbusters, crammed the hallways with starseekers, and made the non-film-connected people feel like second-class citizens at their own convention.

When the major media outlets started doing the yearly "comics-aren't-for-kids-anymore" story, featuring some bloated idiot in a Wolverine suit in the b-roll as a kicker story for the nightly news, it was nice to see the comic world's biggest American convention getting some press. But that's all gone, as the studios have started taking back the spotlight, and making it all about them. You're more likely to get a crowd for a J.J. Abrams panel than anything Marvel or DC are doing that DOESN'T involve a media tie-in. Parking? Cheap meals? Hotel rooms within a parsec of the convention center? faggetiboudit.

I have a friend, who publishes a collector's magazine, who prior to the Con, was inundated with invitations to attend panels, meet stars at parties, or just attend press junkets. Once he responded, the promoters would get back to him with slaps like, "sorry, it's all full", "um, that invite was sent to you by mistake", and even, "gee, we didn't realize the 'red carpet' was gonna be as short as it's gonna be". They could have just as well told him, "actually, we thought you were as big as Time-Warner, but we see you're on the 'piddling' list, and we don't need you".

For some of the collector/fantasy companies, this is the major event on their schedule. It's a shame they have to get brushed aside like this, and I think it's high time the Comic Con either changed its' name, or started a convention for non-media-conglomerates.

[CellPhoneFred]

I like what the Comic-Con has become.

Where else is Kevin Smith gonna get feted yearly?

;)

[reechie]

I like what the Comic-Con has become.

Where else is Kevin Smith gonna get feted yearly?

;)
At least Smith actually does comic books now and then... :shrug:

[CellPhoneFred]

At least Smith actually does comic books now and then... :shrug:

You misspelled "sells" as "does".

;)

[Dillydipper]

I think this is a direct result of studio heads whose intellect/cerebral involvement have sunk to the level of viewing a comic book as a storyboard they don't have to comission.

[Michael]

like everything else it's all about money...

[apileocole]

Thanks DillyDipper this is a great chance to bring up Gigi Edgley. :angel: She's a terrific Australian actress who played the exotic alien Chiana in the relatively esoteric scifi series Farscape. She is also, among her many talents and interests (a cliche phrase that does apply to her), trying her hand at an original comic. Independent, non-corporate franchise comic. It's called BlueShift, by Brian Meredith and herself:
http://www.blueshift.microbrewcomics.com/
So she's been to some bona-fide comic events so she has some familiarity of the comic scene. I'd imagine she has a somewhat unique perspective, finding herself on both sides of the lens and fence as it were.

Her first sizeable convention appearance (first of any size possibly) was Comic Con back in 2000, on behalf of Farscape. That show and its mostly Aussie, relatively obscure cast never did enjoy much tie-in with the Hollywood machines despite Henson's involvement. Evidently she expected, well, a comic book convention with maybe a tiny tie in with scifi shows and other "geeky" interests, and to be trying to drum up a little interest in the relatively obscure show among a modest little gathering.

She related her impressions of when she was hooked up for an appearance and flew over to America for it. Looked out the window of her hotel at the center and said something like "wow what a huge mall" and wondered about going over and shopping. Then she found out the convention was there. Said she was... surprised at the size of the thing. Also she'd first expected a casual affair and found it was much flashier and decided to go back and grab out some black leather duds etc.

Having heard about it myself as a small scale shindig about, well, comics, I was also surprised when I saw some coverage of that 2000 event. The fact that a Farscape related booth was going to be there didn't really surprise me, as I'd chalked it up to their having to go a bit out of the way for publicity. But seeing pictures I had to wonder, "That's not at Comic Con is it...?" That was in 2000, and when she returned (not specifically on behalf of any show) in 2006 it was even bigger. Weird.

[apileocole]

like everything else it's all about money...

Almost everything. I do things without interest of money, but then I don't know much 'bout this "money" stuff. Seldom see it. Is it paper or plastic? I'm a simple guy. This abstractionism confuses, scares and worries me. :shh: :D

[Dillydipper]

like everything else it's all about money...

So you're suggesting that each year, thousands of fans go to San Diego every year thinking, "Wow, I can't wait to see how much money is walking around at the Convention Center!" Or, "Oh boy, I hope I meet some well-paid publicity flaks who will try to manufacture fake events to make me excited about spending my money at the theater in a few months!" Or maybe, "Goodie - my love for comics and memorabilia will be shoved aside by some studio's need to look good in front of all the other studios!"

Taking it from the fan's point of view, no, I don't think it's all about money. I didn't get into the hobby because I loved money, and I didn't get into the hobby to get money out of it.

[hi_watt]

It's all about the money to me, because it's a way for the convention to have more say in how it's going to run things for the time it is in San Diego. I don't like that it's become a media frenzy. However, if the majority wants this, so be it. Last night, I had the craziest time trying to get through the aisles because people were trying to get the latest thing from the movie or videogame booths. The guys selling comics, were standing around with their arms folded. Man, it's scary.

[Ken_McAlinden]

I think this is a direct result of studio heads whose intellect/cerebral involvement have sunk to the level of viewing a comic book as a storyboard they don't have to comission.Actually, the dimness on the part of the studios was that it took them so many decades to properly figure that out.

Regards,

[davenav]

Actually, the dimness on the part of the studios was that it took them so many decades to properly figure that out.

Regards,

Said in one sentence what it would have taken me a paragraph to say.

Well done.

[seed_drill]

I go annually to Heroes in Charlotte. It may be number 2 behind San Diego (or one of a handful, vieing for that title.) Because we are so far removed from the left coast, Hollywood types haven't intruded on geekiness here. I go mainly to hang with an old law school chum and pretend I'm wealthy by blowing way more than I can afford on golden age Airboy and Flash Gordon books. My buddy is big into original art, so that's his BIG event every year (though he may have done San Diego last year, I can't remeber).

Personally, since I became a parent, I've really stopped reading comics much due to time, though I still buy a handful of DC titles with the grand plan of one day getting caught up.

[mcow1]

I sure wish I could make it down to San Diego this year for it. If only for this:
Friday, July 25

1 p.m. Signings by members of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 cast and creative team, including Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett and Bridget Nelson

Room 6B:
7:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Mystery Science Theater 3000 20th Anniversary Reunion Panel Hosted by Patton Oswalt. Join an historic reunion of cast and crew, including creator Joel Hodgson, producer Jim Mallon and fellow writer/performers Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl, Paul Chaplin, J. Elvis Weinstein, Bridget Nelson and Bill Corbett for a Q&A panel.

[CellPhoneFred]

I sure wish I could make it down to San Diego this year for it. If only for this:

The panel lasts only an hour? It's gonna take that long for everyone to get introduced alone! :rolleyes:

Plus, Joel Hodgson doesn't look like he's participating in the signing earlier in the day. :shake:

[davenav]

I wish I could have gone to see the Doctor Who panel. I heard it was fantastic, and hilarious.

I caught the coverage this week on G4 and it looked awesome (even though they completely failed to mention Doctor Who, the single greatest Science Fiction show on the air!).

[charlie W]

Apparently, there's a [U]Tron[U] sequel in the works. Some teaser footage of the light cycles were shown. Nothing had been heard about it since the Tron dvd had a short blip for something called Tron 2.0.

[CellPhoneFred]

Apparently, there's a [U]Tron[U] sequel in the works. Some teaser footage of the light cycles were shown. Nothing had been heard about it since the Tron dvd had a short blip for something called Tron 2.0.

I really hope this new "Tron" takes place in a cable modem!

:laugh:

[reechie]

I'd enjoy sitting in on some of the cartoon voice talent panels. Sounds like fun, those guys are among the most unsung talent in the business, and I hear Chuck McCann joined them at the convention this year.

[Frodis]

You misspelled "sells" as "does".

;)

He didn't ink them but Kevin Smith has written the story for a couple graphic novels. He also wrote a story or two for the Green Arrow series.

If it weren't for comic stores I wouldn't have a couple of my prized possessions (a lithograph of Betty Page by Dave Stevens and an autographed glossy of Brinke)!

[minerwerks]

I like what the Comic-Con has become.

Where else is Kevin Smith gonna get feted yearly?

;)

Isn't that why he bought his own comic shop? ;)

All kidding aside, it's peripherally due to Mr. Smith that I attended Comic-Con a few years ago. I was doing some features for the "Movie Poop Shoot" site he started up as a kind of "Ain't It Cool" style news and commentary site. I worked with the site's editor and a comic strip artist to create a "souvenir" brochure promoting the site in 2002 and decided it was as good a chance as any to check out Comic-Con. A good number of people from the site (myself included) got to hang at the View Askew booth, which was pretty cool. I also saw an advance screening of 'American Splendor' and got a Joss Whedon autograph, so I think I made out okay. My impression was that the ENTIRE convention center was taken up with Comic-Con and the lines were crazy to get in first thing each day. With attendance at least doubling since then, I can't even imagine what it would be like to be there today.

[RDK]

I think this is a direct result of studio heads whose intellect/cerebral involvement have sunk to the level of viewing a comic book as a storyboard they don't have to comission.

So much misinformation in this thread. :rolleyes:

I'm curious, DD, when was the last time you actually attented SDCC?

I've been attending for over 30 years now, both as a fan and as a "pro," and "Hollywood" has been there almost from the beginning - well at least since the mid-70s, with a Star Wars panel in 1976.

The convention has grown steadily each year for nearly the last 40 years - surely you don't expect it to remain small and stagnant, especially during a period when comic buying reached decades-long lows? Facing facts, the actual comic books are far less important these days than the merchandizing of them and their characters - whether movies, TV shows, video games, action figures, costuming, whatever.

And it's not so much that Hollywood has "devoured" anything - in fact, a number of studios have been criticized (internally if nowhere else) of not doing nearly enough to promote their comic book, sci-fi, and fantasy projects at Comic-Con. Rather, Hollywood has become over the last two decades increasingly aware that a huge gathering of eager genre-geeks is the perfect place to promote their products... much of which is aimed exactly at those geeks.

So, yeah, I miss those smaller, intimate cons - many of which still exist in other venues across the country - but for whatever reason the San Diego con has taken on a life of its own, growing more than other collector gatherings over the years to become the number one pop culture trade show in the country. Yes, it's grown way beyond just comic books, but Hollywood has had only a small part in its overall growth. If it was all just about Hollywood taking over, why then isn't Wizard World L.A. bigger than it is?

[tomhayes]

Comic Con tickets go on Sale online November 1st - and they are already SOLD OUT of the 4 day w/preview night passes.

I still think the Con needs to be split into two - one here in San Diego that focuses on comic books and sci-fi, and another held in L.A. focussing on movies and television.

Or I'm HIGHLY in favor of moving the Con out of San Diego and to a venue that can hold all the people.

Last year there was barely any sci-fi that wasn't movie related.

I've been going for 19 years (only missed one) and I'm so , so sick of the crowds now. Too many people in too small of a space. Allow less people in or get a bigger space.

[R. Cat Conrad]

Comic Con tickets go on Sale online November 1st - and they are already SOLD OUT of the 4 day w/preview night passes.

I still think the Con needs to be split into two - one here in San Diego that focuses on comic books and sci-fi, and another held in L.A. focussing on movies and television.

Or I'm HIGHLY in favor of moving the Con out of San Diego and to a venue that can hold all the people.

Last year there was barely any sci-fi that wasn't movie related.

I've been going for 19 years (only missed one) and I'm so , so sick of the crowds now. Too many people in too small of a space. Allow less people in or get a bigger space.

Tom, I'm not sure that splitting ComicCon into two separate entities would achieve satisfactory results, nor would moving the convention from its established home in San Diego to some theoretically larger venue serve any positive purpose. My experience has been that changing the working formula of a successful convention usually proves disastrous. I speak from having been an active participant in fan related enterprises for many years (first as an member of several fan groups involved in regional conventions, then as a touring professional artist).

In dividing a convention, the costs and risks multiply. Not only would running two separate shows in different locations increase facility costs, but diluting the pool of attendees inevitably results in a reduction in revenue for both the convention and the community (hotels, restaurants, etc.) that have come to depend on the increased tourism during the convention. Running two different shows also means double the work for staff volunteers or the increased expense of hiring additional paid staffers.

FTR, this year was my first ComicCon. My wife was a ComicCon guest (she was being featured for her Morganville Vampire series) and I was there primarily in a support role. Being unfamiliar with ComicCon I decided the prudent course would be to check out the art side of the convention and see what kind of work fared well rather than setting up at a booth or submitting work to their art show.

As a GA enthusiast I knew that there would be quite a few rare book dealers at the show to keep me occupied over the four days. Granted, working one's way through that massive exhibit hall is intimidating, but it was also like being a kid in a candy store. All in all, the dealer's room was awesome; lots of fun.

The shuttle from our hotel to the convention center and back was free, fast and efficient (every 15 minutes). There were plenty of restaurants within easy walking distance of the convention center. Getting into events was not so easy, but if you select comic or book media related panels (as opposed to big film/trailer premiers and celebrity cast panels) and line-up early enough you can usually get a good seat.

The dealer's room (exhibit hall) was extensive and varied. And as long as you aren't determined to 'swim against the tide' you can usually move around the hall without bumping into folks all the time or feeling too claustrophobic.
So, was it worth it? Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but we both had an excellent experience and will attend ComicCon again next year (right after the San Francisco Silent Film Festival).

:cheers:
Cat

[tomhayes]

Tom, I'm not sure that splitting ComicCon into two separate entities would achieve satisfactory results, nor would moving the convention from its established home in San Diego to some theoretically larger venue serve any positive purpose. My experience has been that changing the working formula of a successful convention usually proves disastrous. I speak from having been an active participant in fan related enterprises for many years (first as an member of several fan groups involved in regional conventions, then as a touring professional artist).

Fine by me. If the con loses 1/2 of the people who want to attend then it would become manageable to attend again.

Make the Con twice as big by:
1)Bigger space in San Diego (not available)
2)Move it some place with more space - like LA or Vegas
3)Sell 1/2 the amount of tickets
4)Split it in 2.

Right now the Con's biggest problem is it's success - which has ballooned thanks to a much greater emphasis on movies and televisions (non genre.)



In dividing a convention, the costs and risks multiply. Not only would running two separate shows in different locations increase facility costs, but diluting the pool of attendees inevitably results in a reduction in revenue for both the convention and the community (hotels, restaurants, etc.) that have come to depend on the increased tourism during the convention. Running two different shows also means double the work for staff volunteers or the increased expense of hiring additional paid staffers.


The convention is non profit. And I don't care about San Diego tourism. What I care about is a manageable convention from an attendee's point of view. It has been barely tolerable for the last 7 years. It smells bad in the building.



FTR, this year was my first ComicCon. My wife was a ComicCon guest (she was being featured for her Morganville Vampire series) and I was there primarily in a support role. Being unfamiliar with ComicCon I decided the prudent course would be to check out the art side of the convention and see what kind of work fared well rather than setting up at a booth or submitting work to their art show.

As a GA enthusiast I knew that there would be quite a few rare book dealers at the show to keep me occupied over the four days. Granted, working one's way through that massive exhibit hall is intimidating, but it was also like being a kid in a candy store. All in all, the dealer's room was awesome; lots of fun.

The exhibit hall is large AND incredibly cramped. I have several acquaintances in wheelchairs and it's nearly impossible for them to get where they want on the floor. It's like being in the middle of a field packed with cattle.

In the past Thursdays and Fridays were manageable - but the floor needs to have many less exhibitors or be put into a much larger area. Or keep it the way it is - a dangerously overpacked area where it is difficult to walk - much less shop - that also smells like 60,000 nerds.



The shuttle from our hotel to the convention center and back was free, fast and efficient (every 15 minutes). There were plenty of restaurants within easy walking distance of the convention center. Getting into events was not so easy, but if you select comic or book media related panels (as opposed to big film/trailer premiers and celebrity cast panels) and line-up early enough you can usually get a good seat.

The shuttle system is fine. But getting INTO and OUT OF events is nearly impossible now. I predict more stabbings occurring as the density increases. I'm surprised there was only one big incident last year. I did not attend Saturday or Sunday because of the impossibility of moving around.


The dealer's room (exhibit hall) was extensive and varied. And as long as you aren't determined to 'swim against the tide' you can usually move around the hall without bumping into folks all the time or feeling too claustrophobic.
So, was it worth it? Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but we both had an excellent experience and will attend ComicCon again next year (right after the San Francisco Silent Film Festival).

:cheers:
Cat

Does "Swimming against the tide" mean trying to get anywhere you want to? Because that's what it is.

I've heard from new attendees that they though it was crowded and involved a lot of waiting - and as someone who has gone many times let me just say - it USED to be manageable. (Of course this is all just my opinion.) But it really sucks now. There's no parking. You have to wait hours in line to watch panels. You can barely walk the floor without tripping over people. And there are 25,000 people who are going strictly for the Hollywood movies.

I predict the Con will continue it's course - the old-timers will stop going and the Con will be fine.

And by fine I mean it'll suck but turn a profit and let people meet celebrities pitching rom-coms. (Like in 2007 when Jessica Alba and Dane Cook promoted Good Luck Chuck.)

All this is IMHO.