Motor City Con

[Shadow]

How does the Motor City Con rate vs. other Conventions? (Oh, and I mean in terms of good comics to be found. I have zero appeal for tapes, old actors, etc. )

[aardvark88]

I've been told the comics there are cheaper than San Diego, but the guests on their website may not be confirmed.

[Ian_Levine]

How does the Motor City Con rate vs. other Conventions? (Oh, and I mean in terms of good comics to be found. I have zero appeal for tapes, old actors, etc. )

 

My friend Richard Makinson from Quicksilver Comics has flown over there especially for it.

[drice6900]

Well, I have been going for the past few years. It is a very good Con as far as it goes, a little overpriced on the entry fee - but I like that I can pre-buy my tickets (using Paypal even!) and get in 1/2hour before the regular ticket holders.

 

The Con is well attended, but not really over-crowded. Everything is well spaced, facilities are excellent, etc.

 

The Spring show is usually very good for comics of all kinds, variety and pricing. The Fall show is much smaller. Lots of big dealers, and more than a few little ones

 

My brother and I are going on Saturday with our sons (mine is 11 yrs old and his is 7). The kids are looking forward to meeting Hellboy (Ron Perlman) and picking up some cool comics (me too)

[blazingbob]

2nd only to Pittsburgh as the only show I've lost money doing. A dealer nightmare. I'm sure with the current Big 3 Auto slowdown coming it will be another selling bonanza.

[drice6900]

2nd only to Pittsburgh as the only show I've lost money doing. A dealer nightmare. I'm sure with the current Big 3 Auto slowdown coming it will be another selling bonanza.

 

Well Bob, there really hasn't been an auto slowdown here. The auto companies played it smart and kept inventories low through the downturn, then stacked up on the incentives. Kept things running for the past 3 years rather than huge layoffs.

 

What has hurt is that the auto companies are not re-tooling as fast, which hurts the Tier 1 suppliers and fabricators. Things have picked up the past 6 months though.

 

Comics have alway been big here in Detroit, but there is definitely a lack of a high-grade market. I only know of 1 store in the metro area that even has a CGC graded book for sale (Time Travelers in Berkeley). MotorCity has quite a few, but no storefront - only conventions or by appointment. Which is why I am so glad to have access to this board, since there are few to rap with on slabs.

 

How about it: how many lurkers on this board are from the Detroit area?

[sborock]

When I set up at the MC shows, I always did well.

 

CGC (Shawn and Gemma) will be there taking submissions , I am stuck working here all weekend

[comic_manager]

The Spring Motor City show has always been good to us. Last years show was the best for sales in over 7 years. I don't see a slow down. In fact we will be set up again Peter and Kevin are driving down already. Let's hope the buyers decide to come out once again.

[Kevin Boyd]

Ummm, I'd go with Bob on this one Dougie.

 

Not a great show for sales (not like last year's fluke).

 

Attendance was ok - I hear that it was pretty close to last year's strong turn-out - but I guess the buyers were spending their cash on DVD porn, not comics.

 

Kev

[sterlingcomics]

I am stuck working here all weekend

 

[blazingbob]

I am sorry to hear again that sales are soft. Motor city has a great convention center but unfortunately the aisles are wide and long. It means that it takes a long time for a buyer to get to you depending on where you are in the show and also many people forget where you are. There are also a lot of dealers competing for the same dollars, almost to the point where if you don't go low enough you will not see the customer again. That is basically my "give em away for free" theme I see going on at certain shows.

[AlexH]

How were the guests Kev?

[drice6900]

I went on Saturday, and it didn't seem quite as crowded as last year. I talked to a few dealers, and most indicated they were doing well. I heard one dealer complaining, but if you had seen what he had to offer you would understand.

 

There was quite a good size crowd in the autograph area, with Ron Perlman and Kate Jackson signing, amongst others.

 

I agree with Shadow about the porn. It is bad enough with all the Playboy chicks around, but now there are booths full of porn - out in the open and accessible. I am no prude, but it seems a pop culture/comic book event shouldn't have to cater to this.

 

Made a few nice purchases, including a CGC What If #3 in 9.4 for $30. Most dealers were not making bargain basement deals on Silver Age stuff - although that may have changed on Sunday. Loaded up on some TPBs too - there is one dealer that goes to most of the shows that sells them at 50% off.

 

Kept my eye out for Buzzy #70 but no luck.

 

All in all, not a bad show this year from a customer point of view

[Kevin Boyd]

There were many guest cancellations.

 

Those guests that I did see:

Kerry Gammill

Ayers

Rich Buckler Sr.

Greg Horn

Peter David

Mark Texeira

Jim Shooter

MW Kaluta

David Mack

Buzz

Sean Chen

Dave Dorman

Aaron Lopresti

 

However, no Cockrum, Dwyer, and a bunch of celebs.

 

We could not find Norm Breyfogle, Bill Loebs, Wilson Tortosa.

[Kevin Boyd]

Alex:

 

Signed:

Buckler

Shooter

Dorman

Chen

Ayers

 

Not signed:

Perlman ($20 autograph fee and long line)

Tex (he refused the 1st time I asked him, told me to come back later - long story)

Breyfogle

Bill Loebs

[AlexH]

Thanks Kev:

 

[Shadow]

In all the years of going to Motor City, I've only once walked up to one of the "guests". (Unless almost running over Walter Koenig and the dead rat he keeps as a toupe counts. ) The person I went up to was James Doohan a couple of years back. I love the old Star Trek and felt bad because he was sitting there with no one in line. (While some no-name, but attractive, girl was causing fanboy drool.) I was shocked to see how frail he looked. He was in one of those Rascals to get around and I never knew he was missing a finger. I went up and shook his hand and thanked him for all the great memories. (Even that I found awkward. )

I do always walk through the Guest Area to see what these people look like. But I'm not at the Show for that. I do love how some enjoy it or put on a good act while others sit and look as unhappy as possible.

(Wait! I did get introduced to David Prowse at my first show by the person who invited me. Met Mike Grell at that one also.)

[pjthib]

Comics have alway been big here in Detroit, but there is definitely a lack of a high-grade market.

 

I'd go a step further and say that the metro Detroit comic book store selection pretty much sucks. I recently drove to Indiana on a business trip and visited a store in Jackson, MI and another in Ft Wayne on the way. I was surprised to see that both had far superior inventory to anything in metro Detroit.

 

Of course, if Harley and Motor City would be kind enough to set up retail outlets they could change my whole perspective.

[drice6900]

Of course, if Harley and Motor City would be kind enough to set up retail outlets they could change my whole perspective.

 

And Jason Ewert too!