MH Chuck's SDCC Lament

[drice6900]

From his San Diego Newsletter #4 today:

 

Howdy!

 

As is my annual tradition, I spent two hours walking the aisles of the huge San Diego Comic-Con International this afternoon. My goal in this annual exercise is to gain some sort of perspective on not only the convention, but also the current state of our culture. What I discovered this year is that the convention has morphed into a venue where otherwise impoverished fans seek to gain personal power by being the first to 'Twitter', or otherwise contact their friends through online social-networking, about the latest entertainment news. I realize that this sounds a bit ridiculous, but it is clearly evident today that a great many of the fans who are attending the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International are already completely broke. The 20-30 dealers that I surveyed today all reported that their sales are drastically down from last year, with Saturday being the worst day yet. At the same time, the number of fans waiting in line for seats in the panel rooms for the popular media events (TRUE BLOOD, VENTURE BROS., FRINGE, etc.) number in the many thousands. Simply put, after paying for tickets, parking, and hotel rooms it would appear that most of the fans here at the show barely have enough pocket change left for lunch.

 

 

While the cash flow for the dealers exhibiting at this year's convention is down significantly, everyone is seemingly still having a great time. The crowds are quite large, but also very well-behaved and polite. In past years I have complained about the crowding and rudeness in the south area of the convention hall, which is dominated by the big media companies such as Mattel, Lucasfilms, and Warner. What I found particularly irksome about the media companies was their propensity to have shrieking, huckster girls throwing freebies into the crowd to create mania around their booths. Blessedly, the convention seems to have cracked down on that kind of ridiculous carney behavior. Freebies are certainly still to be had, but they are now being handed out in a reasonably sane fashion, so as to not create havoc in the aisles. Presuming that the convention staff actually did help tone down the chaos that oftentimes erupted last year, they are to be commended.

 

 

Returning to the topic of social-networking, the convention has definitely become a must-attend event for anyone worth their salt in Hollywood. There have been so many premieres and announcements of new projects here that it has become difficult for even the largest companies to be heard above the din. What information does get conveyed about new entertainment projects, however, is subject to immediate critique. A very interesting story that I heard on National Public Radio (NPR) the other day was about how new movies are now tanking (or gaining huge momentum) within hours of being released. The new Sasha Cohen movie, for example, died within a day of release, with a stunning 40% drop off in ticket sales between Friday and Saturday. That unprecedented decline was almost entirely due to negative word-of-mouth. At the same time, THE HANGOVER actually gained momentum as a result of extremely positive audience reaction. With people being able to instantly message their reviews o! f films to their friends, positive public opinion is of critical importance in deciding whether a project will make money. That, in a nutshell, is why all of the media companies are desperate to generate positive spin here in San Diego. The fans who attend this convention are viewed as the innovators and uber geeks who decide via their cell phones, Twitter accounts, and blogs the winners and losers in the hugely profitable entertainment world. That is why the studios will do anything, including spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on their booths and presentations, to generate a positive response to their new projects.

 

 

Sadly, where this leaves all of us in the comics world is totally screwed. With a reported waiting list of 300 media/consumer products companies lined up for booth space here at San Diego Comic-Con International, the convention feels absolutely no restraint as regards raising booth rent. What does exist is a totally uneven playing field, where mom-n-pop comics retailers, publishers, and creators are now being asked to pay the same cost per square-foot as the international corporate giants. That being the case, it should come as no surprise that we comics exhibitors are rapidly being priced out of our own house. I heard from several comics retailers who have been here at the convention for decades that they are either cutting back for 2010, or completely pulling out of the show. With fewer comics retailers exhibiting in San Diego each year, the incentive for individual comics fans to put up with the cost and hassle of coming here also greatly diminishes. If present trends continue, I predict with more than a small measure of sadness that comics will be a very minor part of this convention within five years. It will be the most incredibly wonderful media convention in the world, but the days of the San Diego Comic-Con are over. You can only lose so many comics exhibitors before all critical mass is lost. I do still have some optimism and faith remaining in the convention, however, as I know that many of those who run the show are still fervent comics fans. I genuinely hope that they will recognize that it will take some serious effort, and perhaps even some measure of economic subsidies, to keep the comics portion of this show alive and vibrant. Let's all hope that they act before it is too late.

 

 

Happy Collecting!

 

 

Chuck Rozanski,

President - Mile High Comics, Inc.

 

 

[nwpassage]

Well said. He talks comics far more intelligently than he prices them.

[fingfangfoom]

I really dislike agreeing with this guy but he's nailed it.

 

All these people are NOT BUYING COMIC BOOKS. They are there attracted by the media portion of the programming.

If comics were to be eliminated altogether, or moved into another facility, this show would still sell out.

 

[Aman619]

the trend away from comics has quickly accelerated at SDCC, and even though he's a crackpot, like a broken clock twice a day, he's got this right.

[paperheart]

sadly chuck has this one right and i don't think it's going to be five years before comics are a complete afterthought at SDCC

[MR.COMICBOOK]

Chuck hit a homerun with this post. Lets face it Hollywood and the Videogame Industry have much more money then the comic companies,so now they control the con. The New York con will probally become the major comic con in 5 years.

[Cimm]

Charlotte's Heroes Con is currently the best comics-for-comics'-sake con going... bar none.

[BucOne-migration]

 

 

big dealers will always be at the Con....there is no way all comic book dealers

go away.

 

30 million people live in the city of Los Angeles, so how many teenagers make

the trip to San Diego...being that it's summer vacation. Also think about Mega Con

and the fact that most attend for the anime.

[action1kid]

Chuck, this trend started developing as much as 10 years ago and has grown into a behemoth with the vintage comic and comic sections getting smaller and smaller.Your obsevations are the very reason I no longer attend the show.I went for the very reason the show was originally created , for the comicbook fan and collector. I am also less attrackted to the show because the very very best material is no longer sold at the show.It is only displayed at the show so to promote upcomming auctions which will contain this material.To me it all makes San Diego Con alot less exciting as when in the old days there.The bucks dont lie with us my comic friends but with a force we cannot competer[[HOLLYWOOD]\

The trend for this show is obvious .It will follow the money as well it should I quess.

As this trend continued I spent less and less time at the show and more time in Coronado until I just said it wasnt worth it anymore.I find it ironic that the very creators of this show are the ones being shown the exits.Ive got the bucks that chuck says is missing from the show. I t just isnt worth it to me to go anymore for the above reasons.

[october]

I agreed with the whole post except this sentence:

 

"If present trends continue, I predict with more than a small measure of sadness that comics will be a very minor part of this convention within five years."

 

It's already there. I wouldn't be surprised if all the comic dealers are gone within a decade.

[Mac Man]

Wow... Chuck was pretty spot on with this assessment. I mean, little ramblings, few inside sales pitches.... it almost makes me wonder if he actually wrote it. Well put.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Credit where credit is due: one of the best assessment's I've ever read by Chuck.

 

However, change is constant and the hobby will evolve. Less presence at San Diego just means more dealers (and hopefully) collectors will work their vacations around a Charlotte or Chicago, places where comics are still alive and well, thank you.

 

I think San Diego's proximity to Hollywood just made it the logical place for this sort of "multi-media" takeover by the entertainment industry. Big deal. Let the good "comic" shows stay on the east coast and midwest....works for me. (thumbs u

 

 

[action1kid]

Wonder if the dealers will agree Chucks observations?

[Shootydog]

So if SD is no longer the preimier comic convention what other convention is its equivalent or better?

[eddly]

The new Sasha Cohen movie, for example, died within a day of release, with a stunning 40% drop off in ticket sales between Friday and Saturday.

 

I was disgusted by the previews for it on TV. Horrible piece of crud.

[Leescomics]

Chuck nailed it.

 

This is the first year that I have not set up at Comic Con in 23 years.

 

[batman_fan]

Chuck nailed it.

 

This is the first year that I have not set up at Comic Con in 23 years.

 

What was it that made you stop?

[HouseofComics.Com]

I just can't imagine giving up $10,000 in my best inventory just to meet expenses in SD.

 

People have been showing up to my local Berkeley show with $5 or $20 in their pockets, so it's not surprising that San Diego could be potentially horrible this year for everyone who isn't one of the top ten or fifteen dealers with plenty of $1000 comics on their wall displays.

 

Marc

[Green]

Credit where credit is due: one of the best assessment's I've ever read by Chuck.

 

However, change is constant and the hobby will evolve. Less presence at San Diego just means more dealers (and hopefully) collectors will work their vacations around a Charlotte or Chicago, places where comics are still alive and well, thank you.

 

I think San Diego's proximity to Hollywood just made it the logical place for this sort of "multi-media" takeover by the entertainment industry. Big deal. Let the good "comic" shows stay on the east coast and midwest....works for me. (thumbs u

 

 

The new Sasha Cohen movie, for example, died within a day of release, with a stunning 40% drop off in ticket sales between Friday and Saturday.

 

I was disgusted by the previews for it on TV. Horrible piece of crud.

My girlfriend really wanted to see it. It was TERRIBLE!!!!!!11

[fingfangfoom]

Why is there so much concern about someone grabbing the reins, locating another local facility and and begin anew with a Comic Convention during the same week ? I can't grasp why people don't understand that the majority of people in attendance are not there for comic books. Its wonderful to hear a statistic of "125,000 people will walk in front of your table" but the fact is the majority keep walking. Couple this with excessive booth prices and I'm just not seeing it.

Have all the people walking past the tables caused dealers eyes and minds to glaze over? Find another location, same time frame and let it return to what its supposed to be about. Comics.