San Diego Comic-Con DOESN'T MATTER Anymore.

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Mr. X
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Two years of not attending didn't seem to matter so why bother going anymore. DC doesn't have a booth. Most of the big publishers don't go. Its super expensive. Could this be a dying thing or at least going to dwindle to a small event.

Same then happened in my industry where we had a large show in Vegas everyone attended. Two years of no shows and we realized the convention did nothing for us and business could be done remotely by flying customers to our own show room for private demos.

Maybe this is a good thing as the big players get out and it reverts back to the small time publishers.
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MightyHypnotic
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I have to agree. I think a lot of companies are realizing all the money they spend on conventions doesn't add much to their profits.
The last show I went to in Vegas, many of the vendors said the same thing. "Why are we doing this? Half the companies we wanted to meet with didn't bother to show up!".
Financially it's all gotten way out of control.
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Mr. X
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MightyHypnotic wrote:
1 year ago
I have to agree. I think a lot of companies are realizing all the money they spend on conventions doesn't add much to their profits.
The last show I went to in Vegas, many of the vendors said the same thing. "Why are we doing this? Half the companies we wanted to meet with didn't bother to show up!".
Financially it's all gotten way out of control.
Yes last adult con I attended in Vegas was mostly live chat companies pimping services to models and people who wanted to do a turn key system. Very few actual models. So the show was rather pointless and I stopped attending.
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Same on the business end, my national trade show which used to be a must exhibit at, is losing steam,
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shevek
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Clownfish loves to spin things negative - there's a certain amount of truth to it, but it's also how they get their clicks. I think I've said this before, but they're also a bit more down on the Comicon scene than they should be. The attitude doesn't quite make sense: they have a very popular Youtube channel, so they should be able to capitalize on it (the way YoungRippa did) to re-issue their Shadowbinders comic series and publish new ones, and to attract considerable fanbases at regional Comicons. The Clownfish family (and a lot of people do know their real names) could be a staple attraction at such shows. They're really very nice!

Cons aren't useless: we sell lots of books and introduce lots of new fans to the Heroineburgh universe, and the other Comicsburgh titles, every time we go out, and I'm sure it'll be the same in Dayton this weekend. We usually even pick up one or two new stores each time (I have list of four more Dayton-area stores to solicit, other than the one in Kettering, OH which already has the books).

What is useless is the **huge expensive ones** which are hyped, and where vendors come away with a loss because of the sheer cost of doing business there. San Diego is not the only one - you might as well include the likes of NYCC, C2E2, and maybe even DragonCon. Also useless are some of the "super woke" Cons (e.g. in Portland or Seattle or Toronto) which gatekeep which creators can even set up there.

A smaller comics creator is better off going to small and mid-size Cons in the South, the Heartland, the Midwest, New England, and along the East Coast, where there is a combination of lots of great creators (and thus the perfect fanbase looking for indie comics) and just enough pop culture phenoms to bring in the "normies" who might stop and look (and they often do).

A combination of both crowds (normies and nerds) is best: I'm looking forward as much to the comics-rich environment of Terrificon, Baltimore Con, and Akron Con...

....as I am to see what crowds show up at Steel City for the likes of not just John Carpenter and Zachary Levi, but also: Kristanna Loken (Painkiller Jane!!), Malin Akerman (Silk Spectre) and Alicia Silverstone (Batgirl). There's room for both approaches!

As for San Diego Con - if it shrinks quite a bit and goes back to being more about creators, as it did when it first began, that would
be great for comic books. One really bright spot at SDCC this year is Billy Tucci and his wife Debra getting on not one, but THREE different panels! I'm sure they're having a great time out there with the renaissance of interest in the various Shi crowdfund campaigns. And you can be sure that one of the main topics of conversation will be the amazing success of the Rippaverse - lots of people are going to try and imitate that model in the coming year.
Last edited by shevek 1 year ago, edited 1 time in total.
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Mr. X
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Yeah I think the cons and the comic industry in general went through a needed contract so it can once more focus on that smaller but much more eager audience as Young Ripper's success shows with his project. There's money, just not mega DC and Marvel money.
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They are good for the dating scene too!!!!!
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It looks like Steel City Con will be a good time. A lot of good actors and actresses there for a very reasonable price for photo ops. They usually will also talk to the fans for a few minutes too.
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shevek
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xxxwarriorxxx wrote:
1 year ago
It looks like Steel City Con will be a good time. A lot of good actors and actresses there for a very reasonable price for photo ops. They usually will also talk to the fans for a few minutes too.
Hope to meet you there! Yes, there will be lots of themed panels with the guests. I'd love to witness a room full of 500 people shouting in unison "Shut up, Wesley!" to Wil Wheaton on stage.
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Here's a perspective from a local fan: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/conventi ... rank-hood/. He admits he doesn't go anymore, and maybe that's part of the problem. Comic-Con has lobbied for years to get an expanded convention center in San Diego, so they could increase their fan cap from 130,000, but really how large could it possibly get before it collapsed under its own weight? Some of the local fans who played a big part in early Comic-Con even started a separate, small local convention that showcases a lot of the new independent comics entrepreneurs. Also, because of the timing of that smaller convention, they only had to miss one year with the panic-demic. Now I hear people grumbling about whether Comic-Con is going to be a super-spreader event, even though vaccinations and masks (even under your Spiderman complete face covering mask) are required. That kind of crap is inimical to a fan convention, but Comic-Con could hardly skip a third year in a row.
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Covid killed a lot of things. Con's were a pretty quick thing to go... but realistically I think Con's were already on the way out? E3 sort of died alongside, and all these things were on the decline BEFORE Covid meant nobody could go to them for two years. There's probably a chance Con's will make a resurgence in a decade or so, but I wouldn't count on much for the foreseeable future.
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Femina wrote:
1 year ago
Covid killed a lot of things. Con's were a pretty quick thing to go... but realistically I think Con's were already on the way out? E3 sort of died alongside, and all these things were on the decline BEFORE Covid meant nobody could go to them for two years. There's probably a chance Con's will make a resurgence in a decade or so, but I wouldn't count on much for the foreseeable future.
Again...that is not correct. Cons are not "on the way out". They might have stumbling blocks in particular areas of the country (mostly West Coast) because of virus fears, but where that's not the case, they have been back in full effect since at least Summer 2021 (when we did 12 conventions stretching from May to December). And they are back even more in 2022: heard great things about Heroes Con (Charlotte), Anime Matsuri (Houston) and Megacon (Orlando) just for examples. ***Notice where those Cons are located***

We just came back from Gem City Con in Dayton Ohio, and although (admittedly) attendance was considerably down on Saturday...for some reason it bounced back on Sunday. Not only that, but four stores enthusiastically took our comics in the Dayton area (one already sold out of books earlier, and re-ordered), and they wouldn't do that if they'd done *really badly* at the Con or had no customer base for them. Which means things went OK.

I'm pretty confident with the massive lineup they have planned, the Connecticut con we're headed to (Terrificon) will be a winner, just like it was last year (which happened *during* the tail end of pandemic), and so will our Baltimore debut around Halloween. Don't underestimate the enthusiasm of Con-goers: San Diego got way too big for its own britches when it should have paid attention to its roots, but that doesn't mean everyone else goes down with that ship.

Here's an editorial from Gabriel Hernandez of the website Comical Opinions:

"By the time you read this, Sand Diego Comic-Con 2022 will be a fleeting memory. This year marks the famed convention’s first in-person event since the Pandemic took over the world and forced all conventions into virtual limbo. The most important lesson, however, isn’t in SDCC’s return but in what we learned about the convention in its absence.

The virtual SDCCs of the last few years took away much of the mystique about what goes on in the convention for the vast majority of the week. Most discussion panels and interviews were pre-recorded and posted online for all the world to see. If you’ve never been to SDCC, those virtual recordings were a chance to see what goes on in person, and it’s an eye opener. More accurately, those videos are a sleepytime eye closer as any of the hype and excitement surrounding the “idea” of comics is not the focus of those roundtable discussions.

If you’re a comic book fan since you were a wee lad or lass, the things that drew you to comics in the first place are not in the panel discussions which take up the vast majority of scheduled events. If you want the hype/buzz/excitement, it all comes down to the Hall-H announcements (celebrity appearances, movie and streaming announcements), cosplay activities, artist alley, and vendors. In short, the in-person activities are the big draw that gives off that old comic magic.

What’s interesting about the in-person events is that there’s no obvious link between the hype generated and an uptick in comic sales. That could be a key reason why DC Comics chose to skip the event this year when you consider a Big 2 publisher would need to spend a large amount of money to set up a display, fly in creators, and more. It’s a big expense that creates a lot of news and exposure but doesn’t correlate to better sales.

Was the return of SDCC 2022 worth the wait? The answer, truly, is “it depends.”

If you want the excitement of attending a big event where you can see celebrities and cosplayers in person, and you have a lot of money, time, and logistical help to spare, SDCC is a welcome return.

If you’re a collector or speculator who has to have that artist's signature, that hard-to-find back issue, or your first crack at toy collectible exclusives, the value of getting something rare “might” outweigh the time, cost, and planning.

If, however, you’re hoping to be part of a larger comic experience on a modest budget, SDCC is going to be a tough sell, and most of what’s going to float your boat will come out on the typical new sites, social media, and YouTube at the same time.

The point here isn’t to say SDCC is or isn’t worth your time and money. It’s worth your time and money depending on what you’re looking for. Choose wisely!"
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I mean I think this is just a general thing after the last 2+ years, people have realized they don't need certain things in their life anymore, or those things just don't matter that much anymore. I mean even my bosses, who were very strict "we don't close work for anything" even snow days in the south US(which are a disaster, lol) have fully embraced work from home because our productivity has shot through the roof over the last 2 years. We used to think we had to have the office for clients and other functions, but we've since found out Zoom works just fine, people are happier without having to make long commutes in horrible traffic, and work gets done more quickly with more accuracy. Clients are happier than they've ever been, etc.

I mean look at all the big gaming and electronics shows they used to have, now it can all be streamed online to a broader audience with just as much engagement.
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I am at a con this weekend, there is actually FOUR at the same time in the surrounding states where I am this weekend and they are very big and busy(at least this first stop is) we may try to hit the next closest one but that's a lot of driving in 3 days and not a lot of conning
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MightyHypnotic wrote:
1 year ago
I have to agree. I think a lot of companies are realizing all the money they spend on conventions doesn't add much to their profits.
The last show I went to in Vegas, many of the vendors said the same thing. "Why are we doing this? Half the companies we wanted to meet with didn't bother to show up!".
Financially it's all gotten way out of control.
What about next season of The Flash, andi is Superman and Lois done or still going? they no longer do the comic conventions.?
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OTAKON ran last weekend in DC, and had 40,000 attendees, an all-time high. I think things are back, though there are certainly people who are still hesitant to go to public events.
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SDCC bound this year!!! Of all years during the stupid SAG strike and that many previous attendees will not be there I hope the cosplay/party scene is still 🔥🔥!!
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joejanus
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SDCC bound this year!!! Of all years during the stupid SAG strike and that many previous attendees will not be there I hope the cosplay/party scene is still 🔥🔥!!
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Hope you have a good time!!
batgirl1969 wrote:
8 months ago
SDCC bound this year!!! Of all years during the stupid SAG strike and that many previous attendees will not be there I hope the cosplay/party scene is still 🔥🔥!!
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batgirl1969 wrote:
8 months ago
SDCC bound this year!!! Of all years during the stupid SAG strike and that many previous attendees will not be there I hope the cosplay/party scene is still 🔥🔥!!
This may be different for SDCC, but I received an email from Fan Expo Boston that said the celebrity guests may still attend as long as they’re not promoting any current projects.
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Whoever said SDCC doesn't matter anymore was wrong.

Here's the report from Billy Tucci on how he did this past weekend.
This goes along quite well with the rebounded attendance we saw at most of the Cons we vended at this summer.

"By all accounts, last week’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, the Mecca of fandom, was a tremendous success, so much so it has been heralded as the greatest SDCC ever.

“Creators like Adam Hughes and Billy Tucci told me they had their best year ever. It was a real joy to see the people that created the comics once again become front and center to the con created in their name,” said Harley Quinn writer and Painkiller Jane creator, Jimmy Palmiotti.

SDCC’s success astonished the motion-picture industry as their presence was significantly diminished due to the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild ongoing strike. So much so that a perplexed Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit asked, “This was the year that San Diego Comic-Con was supposed to collapse. After all, with Hollywood studios pulling out and stars not able to promote their work, all due to the double whammy of the actors and writers strikes, why would people even bother to attend?”

Attend they did, and in record numbers. Over 175,000 guests, exhibitors, and attendees, rejoiced in Comic-Con returning to its roots with the most foot traffic in years and increased sales and visibility. Tucci and Crusade Comics, alongside many other exhibitors sold out of comics, prints and product, moving most to restock graphic novels and comics."
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joejanus
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I agree with Shevek's assessment. That's what I'm hearing from those who attended. Most didn't miss Hollywood at all (even though some Hollywood presence was there like Paramount+). It allowed the fans to focus more on the dealers' room and dig into comics the way they used to. See my pre-assessment here: https://www.deviantart.com/joejanus/posts. Would be interesting to hear from the vendors.
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joejanus wrote:
8 months ago
I agree with Shevek's assessment. That's what I'm hearing from those who attended. Most didn't miss Hollywood at all (even though some Hollywood presence was there like Paramount+). It allowed the fans to focus more on the dealers' room and dig into comics the way they used to. See my pre-assessment here: https://www.deviantart.com/joejanus/posts. Would be interesting to hear from the vendors.
Billy Tucci *is* a vendor. We just heard from him If he did so well, then probably a whole bunch of people did well, too.

And you're right - no meaningless Hollywood distractions meant that people could actually delve into the creativity of comics, which is what Comicons are supposed to be about. Plus strut their cosplay, and so on.

The relative lack of corporate bullshit worked in *everyone's* favor, whether you're talking about the publishers you're championing on your DA who emphasize the appeal of identity politics, or the creative stalwarts who are just there to provide entertainment and escapism of high quality (e.g. Billy Tucci, Eric July or Gabe Eltaeb), *everybody wins* when they're not overshadowed by celebrity nonsense.

Although there is *something* to be said about a Con that's offering maybe just a *handful* of celebrities (or maybe even just one - we're doing a Con in Ohio whose sole celebrity is Dean Cain) to boost the crowds just enough that it looks like it's busy the whole time (if not overly packed like sardines) rather than a ghost town. For example, I appreciate what the organizer did in Altoona to attract the crowd that follows the Avatar Last Airbender voice actors. Everything seemed more busy because of it.

It's a fine line sometimes. Tampa Comicon looks like it's going to be a blast this weekend, for anyone in the Florida area. I'm seeing Shane Davis, Patrick Thomas Parnell, the Diaz Bros, and Irene Strychalski all on the booth list, in addition to bigger mainstream names. If you go, let us know what you thought about it!

Oh, and by the way, Joe Janus, the claim of "successor to Stan Lee" (as mentioned on your DA) is a bit of a tall order, but if I would attribute that to anyone, it might be Ted Sikora of Hero Tomorrow Comics, who publishes the Cleveland-based superhero/villain universe featuring Apama, Tap Dance Killer, Punchline and the Vaudevillains, Bloom, and the upcoming Violante.

https://www.herotomorrow.com/

The reason why I say this is because the art of the creator/artist you mentioned, although she is actually quite beautiful, is reminiscent of the style of books like, say, Jeremy Whitley's Princeless. That doesn't smack of "Stan Lee" - if anything, it smacks more of Noelle Stevenson.

In contrast, Ted's books literally *look like the Bronze Age* as far as both the art and the action goes. His characters are diverse (like in the 70s and 80s) but without preaching about how diverse they are or using their diversity as part of their selling point - they just go about their business doing crime or heroism. Plus, the universe is based in a gritty Cleveland which is similar to the feel of Stan Lee's bustling New York City.

To each his own, and nobody's wrong, but that's just the kind of approach I personally prefer to creativity.

Everyone: just enjoy going to Comicons! I've met five or six Forum members in real life at Cons in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and even Pittsburgh, and I hope to meet a few more!
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When I used to go I never went to the Hollywood DC/Marvel booths anyway. The celebrity signing was always somewhere else. They would do tricks like have the line for signing then workers would come up to people who looked "safe" and told them the real line was somewhere else and to come at a certain time. So most people just stood around like idiots for 2 hours.
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That & the ridiculous price is why I never bothered with celebrity signing despite some of them being my favorites.
Mr. X wrote:
8 months ago
When I used to go I never went to the Hollywood DC/Marvel booths anyway. The celebrity signing was always somewhere else. They would do tricks like have the line for signing then workers would come up to people who looked "safe" and told them the real line was somewhere else and to come at a certain time. So most people just stood around like idiots for 2 hours.
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SO EXPENSIVE why bother unless you have a legit business to promote it makes no sense if you don't live nearby. You can just see it for free online?
youtube. com/watch?v=LCqjdyUAUdk
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Here is Ted Sikora's wrap-up video from San Diego Comic Con.

It features Christina Sirmons, who is the second actress to cosplay his sexy character Regina from the trippy comic Bloom.
(Our actress Alicia aka Sintilla was the first - she appeared on the five cosplay covers of the Bloom comic.)

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