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Wizard World, Portland Comic Con Jan. 24-26, 2014

Started by HOTFLIPS,

80 posts in this topic

1dingo

1dingo

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Any reports from the show?

 

Sloooooooww.

 

Did you see Jim Valentino do any sketching by chance?

 

Yep, we had a couple come through the CGC booth.

 

It was my first time submitting comics at a convention, even hangover the CGC crew made the whole process easier then I thought it was going to be. Thanks for the help!

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The Toast Report

Crumbs from the Con: Wizard World Portland

 

(cross post to CG)

 

This past September I set up in Portland at the Rose City Comic Con (RCCC) in the same venue - the Oregon Convention Center. Aside from a few bigger sales, I had only done about 20% of what I did at the previous RCCC held in a much smaller venue.

 

This show was replete with screw ups and general disorganization on part of the organizers. A table missing from my booth I asked to have replaced multiple times was replaced while I was away from my booth for a few minutes; they decided one of my other eight foot tables was too far over the booth line (four inches or so) and decided to take that table and replace it with a six footer. My actual missing table never showed up and to date the show organizer has done zip to address the problem, which I reported to him directly, other than to make light of it.

 

Many vendors at this past RCCC were unhappy about the level of sales and general lack of attention given to the vendors by the organizers. I wasn't too sure I wanted to do another show in the same venue and at double the cost of the RCCC, but took the plunge and decided to give Wizard World (WW) a shot...

 

 

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I did this show solo and arrived in Portland around 10AM on Thursday morning, checked into my hotel, and drove to the show to unload and set up. There was a twenty minute time limit for unloading, but the WW staff knew I was there alone and gave me plenty of time to take care of things.

 

The WW staff has it together and this was the best ran show I have ever set up at. Prior to the show, I was given three choices for my booth and an excellent info pack. Phone calls were returned promptly and all questions sufficiently answered with follow up e-mails to see if I needed anything else.

 

WW also provided Internet access for running credit cards - did they charge one-hundred fifty dollars a day like some shows? Nope - fifty bucks for all three days of the show. :o Easily the best deal at any show.

 

When I had a minor hiccup with my phone and the connection, I went to the info desk where I had two staffers on phones helping to resolve the issue, which was done quickly. Also, I snagged an unused extra eight foot table for my booth and nobody came over to complain about it or nitpick for being a few inches over the booth lines. Big time kudos to WW.

 

Set up went fairly quick and I was back at my room early for the show the following day...

 

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I was a bit gun shy about the $1100 price tag for setting up and had spoken to a friend of mine who'd set up at the previous WW Portland show. He told me he did fantastic and encouraged me to set up at the show.

 

Friday afternoon came around and the doors opened to VIP ticket holders thirty-minutes earlier than general admin ticket holders. It was non-stop at my booth from open to close on Friday. People were buying and buying and buying. The usual book fondlers - those who ask to look at your wall books so they can hold them, say they'll think about it, and never return - were few and far in between. ASM 129 was the first book to go not ten minutes into the show, as were many back issues of mainly bronze and copper books.

 

I spent Friday night back at my hotel drinking a bit...okay, drinking a lot, which is a rarity for me in my advanced age.

 

Saturday was another great day with high attendance. At one point there were over 10,000 people in line just waiting to get insside a few hours into the show.. The whole day was busy and I think I left my booth once to go use the bathroom.

 

My friend Steve Gentner (Senior OSPG advisor and collector) was kind enough to hang out and keep me company during the weekend. Big thanks, Steve - and for those of you who do not know, Steve is a very scholarly and kind man who wrote a book about his grandfather's service as an ambulance driver during World War One.

 

The book, if you're interested, is Ambulance to the Front!: My Grandfather in WWI Ambulance Section SSU510. A great book with many photos from the time period and a fascinating look at a man whose life expectancy as an ambulance driver was fourteen to thirty-three days.

 

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Sunday was very busy from about 9:30AM to 4PM. The last hour puttered away, but while I was loading up I actually had some attendees who came back to get some stuff they'd wanted from the day before.

 

Some highlights of books that have found new homes:

 

All Star Comics 1, 4, 5

New Mutants 98

ASM 135

ASM 194

ASM 252

ASM 300 x2

X-Men 101

Wolverine 1 (mini)

Avengers 58

Avengers 181

Marvel: Origins (for a Stan Lee signing)

Clone 1

Secret Wars 8

 

For whatever reason, Wonder Woman outsells Deadpool, Batman, Superman, Wolverine and all other major characters whenever I am in Portland. All of my Wonder Woman stock was near depletion including 'Toon Tumblers, tins, shot glasses, coffe mugs, tote bags, and all other thing Wonder Woman.

 

The new 'Toon Tumblers shot glasses did extremely well and I nearly ran out, and the pint glasses also did well. Mega-Mega magnets moved but not at the usual pace. All Star Wars and Star Trek glass sets were gobbled up.

 

My incredible fifty-cent boxes (all books bagged and boarded) were heavily plundered. Bronze through modern all did very well and it was good seeing a lot of younger readers taking home bronze Spidey, Avengers, Cap, Batman, Wonder Woman, X-Men,

 

Of all the titles I thought would do well at this show, The Walking Dead was not flying out of the boxes even though most issues were well priced. In fact, many people at my booth told me I had the best prices in the room. Though, I was offering volumes 1 and 2 of TWD compendium as a set for a killer price of only fifty-five dollars and they all sold out.

 

One of the hits I had at the show turned out to be my Upcycle Comic Buttons, made from recycled comics and magazines. I brought a few thousand buttons and easily blew through half of them. I also gave away buttons to kids who were at the along with some comics - moms and dads at the show were very appreciative.

 

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Before I knew it, the show as over and I was loading up to go home. One of my best friends, Al, took time on his day off to come and help me load up. - yes, dinner, beer, and dessert were all on me. We had a great time doing the break down and loading up, as we took turns pushing each other around on a loading cart and laughing like we were thirteen again - it was some serious fun!

 

Evening highlight came when I helped out the staff at the hotel I stayed at get a very aggressive, urine scented transient out of the bar where he was bothering four women who didn't quite know how to react when the transient looked at one squarely in the face and said, "You, you're coming with me."

 

Portland has a very serious homeless problem.

 

I was too tired after loading up and having dinner to be motivated enough to drive home, so I decided it a good idea to stay and get one more night's rest before heading out. I left the following morning and when I arrived home I found my kids had made me a welcome home banner complete with drawings of me and the rest of the family :grin:

 

And that would be all I have to say about that show.....,

 

 

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Too bad I missed it. I was planning for Friday, but I ended up skiing because my daughter begged me to take her.

 

I was wondering why I hadn't seen you all weekend. Hope you had a great time with your kid!

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