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Brief Toronto Con report

Started by drewincanada,

36 posts in this topic

THE_BEYONDER

THE_BEYONDER

Posted
Posted
I work nearby that con and for the third year I walked in, saw the endless ticket line and walked out. Next time I'll definitely pre order tickets. This con never gets me excited enough to waste time in the line and pay $25 minimum. I prefer the smaller comics only ones.

I see so many people pay the big bucks to get into that con and come out with nothing but a few posters.

 

A friend of mine who collects all things GIJoe called me this morning asking where the con was being held. He decided to drop by on his way home.

 

Got to the ticket booth...handed the clerk a $50....got $25 in change.

 

He was so pizzed off about the $25 entry fee, that he went out to the line & sold his ticket for $20 & went home.

 

$25 minimum for a 1-day pass? That's crazy

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eddly

eddly

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I don't get why people get dressed up for these things... or especially why they let strangers take pictures of them.

 

Sadly, ever since I saw that skit from conan with the dog at the star wars premiere, I laugh at people dressing up like this, but hey if they are having fun, then great.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1VukaU2rDo

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Guardian Comics

Guardian Comics

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Yes...this is not the showing for buying comics. Petes show is definitely the one you want to go too. Steven Ritter, Bob Storms, Ted Van Liew, Graham Crackers and Harley Yee is why you go to that show. Harley was here this weekend and had the best selection by far. Jamie from Graham Crackers showed up but his booth was an abbreviated version of what he brought to Petes show. I'm just not sure how active most Canuck dealers are in replenishing stock as it sells as I've seen the same books on their walls for years. Wes Hagen is a helluva guy and I'm glad you got to meet him. Plus I've been spoiled as well, after attending WW Chicago a couple of weeks ago...this show seemed very small in comparasin. The aura in the air of Chicago defintiely lascks here. I attended all three days and bought one comic and this

 

IM001492.jpg

 

I sure wasn't expecting to come to the show and find this :)

 

The show is great to bring the wife and family down and see all the sight for pure entertainment value...to do serious purchasing join us in next years roadtrip to Chi-town in June...we'd love to have you.

 

Jim

 

 

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Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

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From my point of view, things went exceedingly well. Being behind the curtain I don't experience the show in the same manner as someone that paid $25 or more to attend, and I'm not looking for books, but I am looking for interesting items and I spend time talking with exhibitors (dealers and creators) and everyone seemed pretty happy, and I wanted to hear what people thought didn't work and needed to be improved. I also saw a lot of the super-fans that attend every show in town and give their reviews and they all seemed pretty happy when I spoke to them and I am looking forward to reading their con reports.

 

My job here was to run the comics event programming and I think it went along very well. Aside from a couple of late starts, everything that was scheduled to happen happened and there were very good crowds for pretty much all of the panels and the sketch-duels were very well-attended and a lot of happy fans walked away with great pieces of original art by convention guests. Our team - myself, Scott, Big Rob, Joel and especially Rudy, were all great.

 

My show purchases were:

- Mark Texeira Spider-Man head sketch from the Hero Initiative (from another con)

- Simone Bianchi Wolverine vs. Hulk print

- Bowen Spider-Man statue (the one with him leaping from a rooftop)

- a Wii game (forgot the title but it's like karoake)

- A Frank Quitely page from All-Star Superman 7 (won from the Hero Initiative)

- John Romita Sr.: All That Jazz hardcover (which I got signed by the man himself).

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juggernaut

juggernaut

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The show was great for comics!!! Well, at least for me!! The best deals and comics were not from the regular dealers I see at every show in Toronto with the same stock. I went to the comic dealers that do only one or two shows a year or located away from the comic section. I am very pleased with my purchases.

 

 

 

 

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thirdgreenham

thirdgreenham

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I was looking exclusively for Silver age stuff, and admittedly, there was tons of mid-grade silver available, but it was almost exclusively in the F- to VF+ range. Most dealers had 40-50% off their "regular" prices, but even with the discount, I didn't find anything that wasn't still priced well above OSG. A 40-50% discount is great, but not if the regular price is 80% too high to begin with.

 

 

There's always a dealer or two that does this at these Toronto sales. Doesn't matter the grade, just priced at NM-, then offer 40 to 50 % off. Terrible! :tonofbricks:

 

Andy

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KEY ISSUES Comics

KEY ISSUES Comics

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I was looking exclusively for Silver age stuff, and admittedly, there was tons of mid-grade silver available, but it was almost exclusively in the F- to VF+ range. Most dealers had 40-50% off their "regular" prices, but even with the discount, I didn't find anything that wasn't still priced well above OSG. A 40-50% discount is great, but not if the regular price is 80% too high to begin with.

 

 

There's always a dealer or two that does this at these Toronto sales. Doesn't matter the grade, just priced at NM-, then offer 40 to 50 % off. Terrible! :tonofbricks:

 

Andy

There was tons of that going on. So much so that I couldn't even be bothered buying stuff for my customers. So, instead, I helped a client in attendance find the best possible deals on some ASM issues.

 

I don't think I'd go back to this event for comics as at least half of the dealers came from where I live (Montreal)... I was hoping to see new dealers....

 

It was however a good place to get recent books at good prices.

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That Ron Dude

That Ron Dude

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By the standards of the Chicago Convention, there just weren't many collectable older books. Though I didn't count, there were only about half a dozen dealers that carried much of the stuff that I am interested in-- Marvel Silver age. At least two of them, one of them being Harley Yee, had prices higher than I was willing to pay. Consequently, I ended up saving a lot of money which I will probably blow next year in Chicago. I did buy a Nick Fury, Agent of Shield #7 for $3.50, a copy of Frontline Combat (reprint) for $2.00 and three Marvel monster titles for $2.00 each. That was it. I also bought a book on lettering and colouring for under $20.00, not as good a deal as I could have found on Amazon, but it was right there for the purchase.

 

Paradise is a very different convention in character. In June, it sure looked like some dealers, perhaps many dealers, weren't doing much business. I bought an Incredible Hulk #5 from a dealer at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon who said that that was his very first deal of the convention. If the dealers didn't make money that reflects time spent, cost of books, cost of gas, cost of hotel, cost of meals, etc. they won't be coming back. With that personal observation in mind it will be interesting to see if the Paradise convention shrinks, expands, stays the same size or dissolves entirely next year. Time will tell.

 

Chicago is a days drive away. I go every year. No matter what my budget has been I have had a great time looking through the boxes, finding high end, midway and low end bargains and talking to like minded individuals about comics. I don't have a lot of money so I stay at the Motel 6 for $60.00 per night divided four ways. Gas is also divided four ways. We eat at Denny's, Subway and buy snack food and food for lunch at a large grocery store a mile or two from the convention centre. I have always had a great time. I recommend Chicago to all Toronto fans who can get a few days off in early August.

 

If you are interested in finding out more about the Chicago Convention from a Toronto perspective send me a personal mailing.

 

Ron Kasman

 

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stanicus-migration

stanicus-migration

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that triumph skit is a classic!!

 

i don't get why people do it as well. they seem to be having fun and no one gets hurt. so...whatever...to each their own. i think put all that work into dressing up, i want my picture taken.

 

i think the huge star wars presence was because the 501 Legion was there. i think they were providing security and crowd control. i went in an entrance and one of those stormtrooper bike riders (those guys chasing leia and luke in the forest of the 6th movie) were checking for hand stamps.

 

overall, i don't think the show was that great for comics. the comics presence seem to be in same state it was last year...very small and low key. the big thing that generated buzz this year was the video game section. the World Cyber Games and World Series of Video Games took up a huge footprint. i think it dwarf everything at the show....including the anime. they had a great setup and lots of demo computers.

 

s

 

I don't get why people get dressed up for these things... or especially why they let strangers take pictures of them.

 

Sadly, ever since I saw that skit from conan with the dog at the star wars premiere, I laugh at people dressing up like this, but hey if they are having fun, then great.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1VukaU2rDo

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