Comic Cons

[cypher85]

We are going to our first big comic con this weekend. My wife and I are heading to C2E2. We are pretty psyched. It's our first really good sized con. We have been to the motor-city comic con held in michigan a number of times. And it's decent sized, but not anything big. There aren't any panels or anything. I have a college buddy (actually the best man at my wedding) who lives in chicago, so we always stay with him when we go. I'm trying to decide which panel I want to attend, as I really only want to go to one, as we are only going on Sat, and I don't want to spend all day waiting in line for panels, and miss out on walking around what not. It's between DC's New 52 panel or the Before Watchmen panel. As there are about 47 new 52 books I don't read I think I am going to plan on going to the before watchmen panel.

Anyone else ever go to any of the bigger cons? Experiences? From what I have heard San Diego has gotten too big, and is not nearly as enjoyable as it used to be. And that for real comic fans other bigger cons (but not as big as SD), such as C2E2 AND NYCC, are much more enjoyable.

[Valentine Smith]

I go to many cons a year, even more than before since I'm working for The Jack Kirby Museum now. The bigger cons are really interesting, and they're definitely fun. NYCC is great and all, and I think C2E2 is pretty much a clone of that (they're put on by the same people).

The thing is, I've come to prefer some of the smaller, dirtier cons. Don't get me wrong, at the big cons, you'll get to do stuff like hear Geoff Johns talk about his plans for Green Lantern or whatever, and go to panels where you'll get to hear and see stuff before anyone else, and all of that is awesome. But in terms of just FINDING COOL STUFF, I prefer the dirty, smaller cons.

It seems the bigger cons are more focused on "merchandise" than comics. Lots of t-shirts, action figures, etc etc, but not as much rare, old, weird "stuff". Some folks prefer "merchandise", but I prefer "stuff". I can't find old Doc Savage paperbacks or bootleg DVDs of unreleased cartoons at the big cons, but I sure can find 'em at the small ones!

Still, you WILL have fun at C2E2. Post us some updates! Are you staying at a hotel near there? I hear the parties get pretty crazy. I might do San Diego this year with the Museum.

[cypher85]

Thanks for the info Val. I'm staying with my college buddy. Saving a few bucks on lodging. I'll be sure to post an update and whatever pics I take.

[ShogunLogan]

I may go to San Diego ComiCon again this year. I had a blast at the one I went to 4-5 years ago. My wife liked it a lot too and she isn't into nerdom.

I've been to many, many cons...large and small. I tend to like the bigger ones for selection and competetiveness (among the dealers).

DragonCon in Atlanta is a big one but it only good if you are into a variety of things. For just comics, only about 25% of the dealers sell comics. It's a 'fantasy' convention.

I may hit the Heroes Con in Charlotte...always wanted to do that one.

[Keith]

There's the Motor City Comic-Con that I might be going to this year.. this will be my first one.. Miss Tessmacher is going to be there and a few other people.

I don't know how big it is, compared to other Cons.. But I still would love to experience one. One of these days I'll get to the San Diego Comic-Con... and take a lot of money and buy up all kinds of shit lol.

[cypher85]

Motor city is pretty cool. It's held at the Novi suburban showcase. It has a decent number of vendors, and an ok list of B comic book and entertainment celebs. But, there are never any really big names there, and there aren't any panels or anything. For comic bin browsing it's pretty great. We picked up a Daredevil #1 a few years back for a pretty good price. We usually go each year, but this year is our 5th anniversary, which happens to fall on the sat of Motor City, and we are headed out of town to celebrate (got married on mackinaw island, and heading back for the 5th anniversary). So we were looking for another con to attend, and Chicago isn't that far away, and I have a buddy to stay with, so that's how we decided on C2E2.

[Jor-L5150]

columbus has the "mid-ohio comic-con" and it's pretty darn big.

theres smaller con's geared towards the indy books, or manga.

kids are after me to go, but it's expensive. i get what val is saying. i have no interest in a rare variant of a NEW book that's "worth" 99 bucks- i'd RATHER get original sketches from oddball cartoonists, or old paperback collections of KRAZY KAT or something.

[crazy_asian_man]

Been to both big and small comic conventions: San Diego Con I've attended 1998-2003, Wondercon (the smaller version put on by the same people) for a few times, and smaller comic ones that were little more than flea market garage sales.

Comicon WAS tremendous--- but the attendance got to a point where it was just ridiculous. I don't mind crowds, but it just got to be too much, and I know a good number of others who felt the same. It got too big. Seeing nothing but hordes of lines and waiting, waiting, waiting to be herded like sheep sucked the life out of comicon for me.

Wondercon had a smaller show.... but was a lot more fun, even if it lacked the 'big show draws' of Comicon=== mostly Hollywood folks who started wooing comicfans majorly in the last five-ten years.

The REALLY small ones are still fun, depending on what your expectations are. Depends on what type of experiences you enjoy. I'm big on comics and movie memorabilia, but also love listening to writers and comic artists talk about their craft.

But definitely have disposable cash w/you for these things...

[cypher85]

C2E2 was a blast. However it did make me realize that the Motor City Con in Detroit actually isn't that much smaller. The show room floors are essentially the same, though C2E2's floor is bigger. Though, it was very cool to be at a con that actually held panels. We attended the DC Before Watchmen panel, and the Marvel Cup a Joe panel (wife is a big marvel girl). They were enjoyable, and there was essentially no line. I expected really long waits, like an hour or more, after hearing the nightmares about San Diego..AKA "A whale's Vagina".

I didn't get anything crazy or spend too much money, unless you count spending 8 dollars on two "Freshly Squeezed" lemonades. The only comics I got were the Donatello one shot from the TMNT Mirage Vol. 1 Micro-Series (the one with the heavy Kirby homages), and the 5 issue Azzarello "Lex Luthor" Mini-series, which I have never read. I got a sweet Booster Gold Sticker done in an 8 bit style, from an Artist in Artist alley. I also got a sweet superman pint glass.

My wife picked up Daredevil V1 #2, she had issues 1,3-5, so she had to get number two. That was the biggest ticket item we bought. She also got a daredevil print from Artist Alley.

We stayed with my college buddy who came with us to the con. He isn't a huge comic guy, and is much more of a sports guy, not to say I don't like sports either (C'mon Lions, we got 5 nationally televised games this year). It was funny hearing his observations about the con all day (reflecting his stereotypes about the geek world) "Do they pay the people in costumes to be here?" "There aren't as many kids as I thought would be here, it's all adults" "There's way more black people here than I thought would be here" ;D

One of the coolest things was that I got too see, then hold, then wear one of the Capes from STM (flying cape #16 it said on the inside seam). That was really cool, if I would have had 1500 to blow I would have bought it. When we went back to the vendor at the end of the day (same vendor selling the Superman Pint Glass I wanted) it had been sold, so someone was willing to throw down the money. All in all it was a pretty fun time.

The other interesting thing we noticed as a difference between the motor city con and C2E2 was the lack of adult material. At C2E2 there were no adult comics, adult stars or models, and basically no provocative art in artist alley, all of which are extremely prevalent at the motor city con. I think since this C2E2 is bigger they are trying to keep it more family friendly.

Now for some pics

(blurriness is due to forgetting our real camera, and using my cell phone)

[Valentine Smith]

Dude! Great pic of you in the cape!

I see you're still looking P90X fit, too! Good job, dude!

[Jor-L5150]

good times!

[Kirok]

I've been to SDCC twice; in '05 with my dad and last year with my roomate. It's certainly an experience but I agree with what seems to be the general consensus that it's gotten too big for it's own good. The dealer floor gets ridiculously packed and if you want to see a panel be prepared to stand in line for a couple of hours and sit through a panel or two BEFORE the one you really want to see, just to make sure you get in (and get a good seat). That said, it was still a great time and I'd go again if and when time and money allow. Going with friends as equally obsessed with this stuff as you are makes it infinitely more fun though so I'd highly recommend that if possible.

My highlights would be:
-Being filmed by Cartoon Network for a DC Nation promo. I actually appeared in one frame of the final commercial.
-Asking Dan Didio and Jim Lee about a potential "Smallville" comic...and getting one a year later, haha.
-Attending at the world premiere of "Batman: Year One."
-Being a part of the build-up and launch of the New 52.

[royleer]

In Comic Cons, I saw this Iron man cosplay, so cool...