San Diego Comic Con Dealer report

[tth2]

Haspel does NOT look happy to be standing next to you!

that's because mark "goosed" him

gator

That`s what I suspected, but I didn`t want to say anything!

[sborock]

The luncheon I attended with CGC (Borock and Haspell) as a result of the HERO charity auction was a lot of fun and quite educational. I was happy to pluck down nearly $700 for charity. We had a very enjoyable time examining different books and then having lunch at McCormicks & Schmicks. We spent about 4 hours together. Someone should ask Steve about the girls in red and his free hat!

 

Hey! Skinny don't squel! (you forgot the tee-shirt)

 

The lunch and class was a very good time for me and Haspel as well!

 

Thanks again for the donation! I am glad you learned some new restoration and grading info!

[Robert Beerbohm]

Nice report.

 

So, do you think it was worth it? San Diego is the most expensive place to setup in the country that I know of. They have such outrageous prices. It was something like $1800 for a booth right? Do you think the sales were enough to outweigh the time, effort, expenses and cost of product to make it a profitable venture? I often wonder if the bulk of dealers make money at San Diego. I sometimes think they just go to have fun, because except for a few dealers I just don't see how a healthy profit could come from it. I hope you did well though.

 

Yes, Dale gave a nice report and i look forward to complete the scroll thru the rest of this thread.

 

- and he indeed did have the goods to warrant such traffic. I snagged the Briefer Frankenstein run out of that horror stash - so many of the cool ones i woudl want also were stacked up from a few who came thru before me. Just love Briefer's work - already sold a few of them to want list people.

 

I stop from scrolling down this interesting thread to address KR's query from my perspective, having been selling at every one since #1 in 1970. Enough senority points when they fixed their placement formula so they told me a few years ago i got bumped up to the entrance against the wall of the B1 door into the G/S pavilion booth 5414 - i am in dire need of a 3rd booth as two have not been enough now for the last couple years,

 

It all boils down if you have decent stuff at fair prices, you will turn over as there are still a lot of collectors and collectordealer types coming into San Diego for this unique gathering of the tribes

 

Only the Angouleme show in France or Lucca in Italy rival its all-inclusive sweep of inter-related popular culture, both festivals i have also been to many times.

 

Sales were brisk for me, steady, Saturday was slower for me, Sunday was busier. Tuesday was my best day single dollar day. From Wed on the sales grew in volume in smaller chunks, then Sunday it was non-stop which did not let up till 5 PM

 

Sold a bit of everything: Gold Silver DC Marvel Archies Harveys Dells ACG EC Fiction House pre-code horror romance & teen humor funny animal Classics Illustrated wetserns jungle good girl Baker S&K Wood atomic bomb nuclear spy war movie/TV Lulu Barks Ducks Kelly Ditko Wolverton Cole Schomburg Kurtzman comic character sheet music Platinum some original art and some All Stars

 

Numbers keep going up each year so the crowd is still spending - and great material still comes to this show and I always score nice stuff. We all do, San Diego is such a target rich environment

 

For two booths and hotel, transportation costs, figure a minimum nut of $6K before one starts to break even. That translates into at least a minimum $12K gross before profit concepts come into play. This is if you set up at the show on the cheap. It can get more expensive if luck plays against you on a host of potential scenarios

 

All kinds of incidentals creep in and they were all played out in those previous posts. There are many more which can occur which i have experienced - the poster friend of Dale's must be a newbie to it all

 

Go read ON THE ROAD section in Dark Horse's Comics Annecdotal Encyclopedia BETWEEN THE PANELS for a few details on the most famous known comic book vehicle accident of all time - so they say. Amazing thing is no one died.

 

Now, it is quite easy to hit $25K intake or more. And then spend parts of what you take in purchasing even more stuff with which to try to turn over.

 

So, do the math. If those kinds of profits gains and downsides interest one, then San DIego is well worth all the work. I would not say there is any hassle to doing San Diego. I find Justin Dutta and his staff work well with their booth customers. Then again, i am just an old dinosaur whom they take care of.

 

I am the first to lament aspects of the media event San Diego has turned into - but when one analyzes the size of the comic book portion sans movie & toy sections, it is still a very large show by that standard.

 

If one is serious about mercantiling at San Diego, i would call t anything but fun

 

Tuesday load in begins 6 AM wake up, down there by 7-7:30 AM, get your stuff in, set it up, people look thru your stuff, you go out hunting into green pastures yourself - scooping up anything which looks like it can be easier turned over and that dealeris willing to sell right then.

 

After 12-13 hour days working, get some food, then turn in to do it all over again. Younger guys can dare the party route at night till 2:30 AM, not some of us who went thru that a long time ago in that galaxy far far away get the sleep for the work involved next day

 

If you are a dealer-potential thinking vacation, do the vacation part before or after, cuz there is no way you will do much more than the wake up work into evening eat sleep during the show

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Robert Beerbohm]

PS My daughter kati just sent me this ABC news report on San Diego Comicon

 

http://abcnews.go.com/International/CSM/story?id=3442365

 

evidently they mention me in the article about the huge media studios taking over the show

 

i would not have used the word "complain" rather "observed" as i also was telling this reporter that business is very good for back issue dealers at San Diego, if you have good stuff at decent prices

 

 

[action1kid]

Quote://

"They're catering to the big [film] studios and forgetting who brought them to the party," complains Robert Beerbohm, a Nebraska comic-book store owner who's attended every Comic-Con since the first one in 1970.

 

Its why I dont go any more Robert. You hit the nail on the @$#% Head !!!

I miss the old days when the books were what the con was all about .

[Robert Beerbohm]

well, when i was being interviewed, i was not complaining, more so, in intent, was observing that is the direction the SD Comicon has accelerated the last few years.

 

That is all good, brings in new blood to feast upon, er, ah, a Next Generation of fans into a popular culture which has evolved and morphed over the decades embracing new technology which changed the character of the venue format upon which said entertainment was previously delivered

 

as long as they pay, so they say

 

record cd business is crumbling, news reports say internet downloads increasing like crazy, some where there is a world for old 78s

 

- and there are still a lot of us around into the Famus Funnies format

 

- i am very much so, though i fully recognize any and all other formats for delivery of entertainment

 

What i have begun voicing is a consciousness raising by making sure we have a decent shot at some of this newly developing more wide spread media coverage,

 

the aspect "wot brung-em to the party decades ago"

 

is what i told that reporter who altered my observation. I guess they edited my slang out in his note taking.

 

If one boils out all the "non" comics stuff, it is still a huge convention for comics

 

I miss the old days as well, as i have seen every show every year since #1 in 1970, and the El Cortez days were one thing, the air port hotel one was another side step, back to EC, then to city convention center thru the 80s, then on into its present venue

 

I think there could be more coverage on the actual comic books - that concept could be included in the press release packets handed out to all journalists - i used to do that in the old days when i was partners in those comic book store chains out in California.

 

This is thoughts for next year thinking out loud today

 

There are plenty of comics oriented panels (which i never get to - trapped in my 10x20 foot funny book asylum cell mostly) for fans to absorb. There is still plenty of comics booths at the show as well

 

where we are getting short-shrift is in the media coverage on the show. The movies and toys dominate, and that needs to be addressed. I enjoy trying to land on TV every year - been doing that since they began broadcasting & covering this event. Doesn't matter who gets on as long as we break into the consciousness of pieces of main stream America. There are people in the town i live here that know nothing about old comic book business concepts, but have heard and seen about "Comicon" in San Diego.

 

We all need to ask the Comicon people we inter-act with to help ask the media for a larger share of that media pie - and that is accomplished via press releases in the packets which get handed out.

 

But the SD comicon is now a cultural phenomena for the USA. And they still handle the Eisner Awards every year - mostly focused on new stuff, which is hopefully bringing new blood into our hobby.

 

The internet is now where "the books" ar eat - these forums, others like them, eBay, etc - books can be pictured here along with commentary directly inter-facing with those same pics in "real" time - and we all learn collectively about a host of comics subjects on a constant basis here - which is a wonderful thing and i applaud CGC for making such a forum available to any ol' "nay-sayer" half way out of the closet

 

San Diego Comicon to me is a Gathering of the Tribes

 

One a year - enjoy those friends who share the same pop cultural events - and they are building a lot more high rise hotels all around - maybe it will be a little easier next year

[King_of_Batch-migration]

" . . . what i told that reporter who altered my observation. I guess they edited my slang out in his note taking. "

 

You have to be intensely aware of everything you say.

They'll twist anything if you give them an open shot.

 

========================================

 

Will getting out of the comics corral/pen/side panel/ghetto

mean more foot traffic next to the DC or Marvel diorama?

 

========================================

 

"San Diego Comicon to me is a Gathering of the Tribes"

 

"GOFT" coined by Perry Ferrill, Los Angeles, late 90's? for his not yet begun, Lallapoloza desert bash, the first Burning Man.

[sborock]

San Diego Comicon to me is a Gathering of the Tribes

 

One a year - enjoy those friends who share the same pop cultural events

 

This is why our hobby is what it is! Great seeing you in SD!

[Paladin]

Not everyone knows that the movie companies have invaded the Con and put up stakes these past years. My sister in-law thought that it was all about comics still.

[blazingbob]

My version of San Diego Comic-Con. To put it bluntly - Blazing!

 

Far blew away any previous San Diego show as far as sales go.

 

Made my numbers by Thursday. Saturday may be the biggest crowd day but to me it's the slowest selling day. People are not coming by to see a Spider-man #1, they're there to see actors and movie previews.

 

The new Spider-man Collection sold very very well. Had a number of killer Spider-man's come into the show for me to sell.

 

X-Men #1 9.2 and X-Men #94 9.8 were up for sale at the booth. Not quite the same reaction as when I first had the Diamond Run AF #15 9.4 but I must say there were a lot of "wows".

 

Buying was also very good at the show. A couple of dealers unveiled new collections. I really didn't buy anything from one but did buy 4 boxes of the other collection. DC Horror, late 70/80's stuff, DC War, again not big ticket books but runs of Sgt rock's etc. Nothing has been processed yet but it will be nice to flesh out my DC war selection in the coming months. Even managed to pick up a couple of .30 cent variants. Surprising because this is not the show I expected to find them at, especially from the dealer who was selling them.

 

As Bob Beerbohm aptly states this show is all about working long days. It is literally breakfast, stand on your feet for 13-14 hours, drop your stuff off and eat dinner.

 

Good news is that San Diego is booked through 2112. Rumors continue to persist that the show will have to move. Move the location, this show becomes 2nd rate. Location, location, location! The reason this show is so great is because people have fun outside of the show. It's tough to be in a bad mood when temperatures range from 70-80 every day. Oh yawn, it's 81 today. Damn it's hot .

 

 

 

[nearmint]

Good news is that San Diego is booked through 2112. Rumors continue to persist that the show will have to move. Move the location, this show becomes 2nd rate. Location, location, location! The reason this show is so great is because people have fun outside of the show. It's tough to be in a bad mood when temperatures range from 70-80 every day. Oh yawn, it's 81 today. Damn it's hot .

 

Couldn't agree more. (thumbs u

[aardvark88]

San Diego is the best location by far on the Westcoast. It has the 2nd best public transit system on the Pacific coast after Portland, OR. Short $9 cab ride to the 18 museums with Spanish architecture in Balboa Park or across the bridge to Coronado Island. Short walk to a variety of pubs/restaurants in the Gaslamp area or Horton Plaza mall.

 

For those who read my SDCC report, it was a short 3 block walk to Seaport Village from the convention center to the Sunday vintage car show. I remember many years ago, SDCC was on the July 4th weekend, so you could watch the fireworks at night from Seaport!

 

Now if only they can find the financing to complete the Hard Rock hotel so they can offer more rooms at the comic-con rate before summer, 2008.

[HouseofComics.Com]

Robert and Bob, thanks for posting.

[Jeffro.]

 

Good news is that San Diego is booked through 2112.

 

 

Just in time for the Solar Federation to take over.

 

Seriously though. I hear people make comments from time to time that SDCC is really more of a pop culture show these days than a "comic" convention and if you are a comic collector, you'd be better off going to other shows.

 

On the other hand, I hear dealer reports like the ones here reporting very brisk sales.

 

So now I'm confused. (thumbs u

[nearmint]

Seriously though. I hear people make comments from time to time that SDCC is really more of a pop culture show these days than a "comic" convention and if you are a comic collector, you'd be better off going to other shows.

 

On the other hand, I hear dealer reports like the ones here reporting very brisk sales.

 

So now I'm confused. (thumbs u

 

While the Gold & Silver Age Pavilion makes up only a small percentage of the convention floor, the dealers and inventory that make it up are still vastly superior to all but a few conventions nationwide.

[blazingbob]

Well to those who feel the show is more "Pop culture" I would like to know why they aren't spending money at those "Comic book only" shows.

 

As Chrisco pointed out the reason I haven't updated my rants and raves is because Promoters still don't promote. San Diego is not just a pop culture. It's how a Big show is supposed to look and "feel". It feel's big, it is big, it's larger than life. You walk in and go "Wow". Can many of you say that walking into a Holiday Inn room, A Wizard show outside of Chicago or any of the other Dealer/Promoter run shows. The New York Javit's show has the "wow" factor because it's run by a professional promoter. They know how to run shows. They are committed to making the Javit's show the East coast version of San Diego. But San Diego will always have Location, Location, Location and beautiful weather. Hard to compete with that. It's also hard for dealer/promoters to compete because they're first priority is their comic business and not necessarily your business clientele.

 

There will always be people saying that they couldn't find anything to buy. I found plenty to buy. I saw stuff I never see anywhere else. I found local dealers with good stuff hidden all over the place, you just had to take the time and look at what they brought.

 

Lastly, As Bob states it's not just about the comics all the time, I spent time talking with other dealers, met new ones and generally had a good time even though I was exhausted.

 

 

 

 

[King_of_Batch-migration]

San Diego is the new WOODSTOCK.

[MK Ultra]

San Diego is the new WOODSTOCK.

 

Original or the imitations?

[MutantKeys]

Whats woodstock??

[Robert Beerbohm]

snoopy's buddy