Is Wizard World too Big? Part II

[Tnerb]

Or Have I learned to expect more?

 

A local con that I enjoy is the Philadelphia Comic Con. This is held multiple times throughout the year in Essington, right outside the city limits of Philadelphia. This small event is only three dollars to enter or two with a flyer, an admittance fee that cannot be disputed. Even though this small event is located in a "hall" of a local hotel, it normally occupies at least twenty dealers and they try to host at least one artist/author.

 

One of the recent contributors I missed was Herb Trimpe, an amazing icon that Wizard World Philadelphia couldn't rave about on their guest list. Many of these same dealers can be seen at other major conventions along the lines of Baltimore, New York, and even Philadelphia. The difference between the three is the dealers seem happier at the first two.

 

The New York Comic Con or NYCC as it is better known as showed me what a major Comic Book Con really is, either that or it's the equivalent of a teaser trailer for the SDCC. I feel the NYCC is a massively produced version of the Philadelphia Comic Con sprinkled with inkers, pencillers, writers, publishers, and a multitude of other individuals that placed together in the same room becomes a comic geeks version of paradise.

 

I went to New York's event for signatures on some of my graded comic books. I chose to cross state lines for this because of the huge variety of different artists and writers attending this convention. Can you imagine that, a variety of comic book artists and creators sitting there waiting to greet you?

 

I wanted my signature series collection to grow from the books I previously purchased through eBay or from alternate purveyors. This was mainly for my New Mutants, but I did throw in an Uncanny X-Men or two. It was also one of the first experiences and opportunities I had to crack the slabs hoping to go from a universal blue to a sought after yellow. Previous conventions I attended for the sole reason to buy comic books, not get signatures. I was never one to stand in line to meet and greet an artist until I started collecting CGC. There are a few exceptions, fifteen years ago Jeremy Bulloch was one of them.

 

Wizard World's change between 2007 and 2012 was more than just their logo. In my eyes it lost its Comic Con Status and created a Pop Culture Event. In hindsight, not a very good thing.

 

Two major things ascertain to this change. The first I contribute to the decline is the loss of Marvel and DC. How can any major convention call itself a Comic Book Convention without having these industry giants? Television shows like The Big Bang Theory and multi million budgeted movies based of the characters themselves have broadened a fan base from what was once a dirty little secret of geeks and nerds everywhere.

 

Today people proudly display their Nerdom outside convention halls. Throngs of fans swarm outside in lines discussing their love of the hobby. Lines are the worst thing about conventions (and airports) because their is no escaping them. It's also the place where you hear the most complaints.

 

I was invited as press and as press get no special privileges, at least that's what it said in the fine print. I am OK with that. In past years I was normally within the first five people waiting to get in. Wanting to write about it, I decided it was best if I could watch as the masses entered. However, where was I supposed to wait? I didn't know where to stand or even if I could enter. I stood in line with the VIP holders because after asking a few Wizard World personal where I was supposed to go, the universal reply was "I don't know, I'll find out for you"...and never return with an answer.

 

At ECCC 2013 there were two entrances, both were large enough to admit the amount of fans attending. The single opening for Wizard World Philadelphia was smaller than the combined amount of singular doors in the previous hall the convention was located a year before. This created a long wait for those who came in to purchase single day tickets. A wait lasting at least thirty minutes long of watching others enter, which also could create an excuse of "why go" next year?

 

Philadelphia's Convention Center was recently added too. A full city blocks business's were bought out, demolished, and rebuilt over. This allowed Wizard World to show off what they could produce in a brand new wing. The single massive room hosted the signing area, picture area, and sales area for the multiple dealers, dealers that will eventually stop attending as customers pay over a hundred dollars for a four day pass cutting into any funds for purchases. This doesn't include the VIP passes which went upward of five hundred dollars.

 

Do the people running Wizard World feel that local residence will continue to pay the astronomical prices when nearby conventions like Baltimore only charge forty dollars for a two day comic con with twenty times more comic book contributors? I just bought a single day ticket and the cost was a measly $20. Will Wizard World wake up? Will they shrivel and die, or will they keep buying conventions hoping the attendees don't notice?

 

Thanks for Reading

 

Tnerb

 

Photo is from NYCC 2012

 

See more journals by Tnerb

[surfer99]

That line looks very similar to the one I waited in for WonderCon Anaheim last year. What's the point? Why not wait until an hour after the Con opens and then walk right in? This is what I did the following year and it worked out great.

 

Your journal is in agreement with others that have been written recently so it doesn't appear I'm missing much by never having been to a Wizard World show. I am hoping to make ECCC next year though, but we'll see what happens.

 

Good to see you writing again my friend!

 

 

[Lee K]

Short answer: Yes.

 

I am still unable to fathom attending a con that doesn't have Marvel & DC, Dark Horse & Image as attendees...

 

I am certainly befuddled and baffled by a series of conventions named for a defunct price guide that was never accurate in first place...

 

Ah well - attend what you can get to - buy comics, and get signatures.

 

Happy hunting!

Lee

[kaholo1256]

While I am not a big fan of the current Wizard World Pop Culture Con I do have to say it is all about the location. I have attended the past two Wizard World Austin's and have to say these don't seem to push the boundaries nor have the lines that are apparent in SDCC and NYCC. Wizard World Austin seems to heavily feature more to do about the "Stars" Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Firefly, and every other series seems to always be at the forefront and always hold the most insurmountable lines while it seems almost like Comic Icon's are pushed to the back.

 

During Dallas Fan Days in 2012 I stood in line to gain some original art, a few signatures, and a slight conversation with the likes of Neal Adams, George Perez, Len Wein, Bernie Wrightson and Arthur Suydam. Here the average lines for iconic artists took hours to wade through. Neals took almost an hour, Perez's was almost three, and each of the others took almost 45 mins per line respectively. Mind you I had purchased the upgraded VIP pass which cut these lines times down as well as my Stan Lee wait which was down from what looked like days... down to only two hours...

 

Then in comparison I attended WWA last year and found the line for Norman Reedus, wanted him to sign my Boondock Saints poster, took almost two hours to wade through. It was here that I got to speak the longest with Neal on his work but it was only because his line was almost nonexistent. Most artists had a maybe 10 minute wait at the most and most were more than willing to do sketchings and such where Dallas required pre-con requests unless you wanted a quick shot Perez which I think everyone did.

 

I was able to easily walk up to random artists and request signatures with almost no wait and truly felt bad when I couldn't offer one of my current favorite artists Jim Cheung anything more to sign or sketch on. I think it was here I noticed artists were truly not the focus of the Con and the Pop Culture and obscene costs for just admittance was extraordinary. I mean Dallas $95 for a VIP all weekend, versus WWA at $199 for a VIP all weekend.

 

I'm gearing up for my return to the States and am looking forward to Wizard World this year with a ton of things to be signed that I have had a chance to purchase over the past year. A few Batman's and Green Lantern's for Neal Adams and Dennis O'Neil to sign to include one of my top 5 (Batman 232) A Giant Size X-Men #1 (Another from my top 5) my wife bought me and I couldn't be more excited to have Stan Lee Sign, a few X-Force's for Cappullo to sign to add to my chip away Set and two more Avengers vs X-Men's for Bagley to sign for me. Additionally really looking forward to gaining some blank cover art from Tyler Kirkham, David Marquez, and if you've never seen his work Chadwick Haverland you really must.

 

All in all I'm excited to get more than a few things signed but I am looking more towards a Convention that truly focuses on the art. Being on here I stumbled on a new Con coming next year to Austin and that made me cancel my original plans of attending SDCC in 2014.

[SuperTechMonkey]

My experiences with cons like Detroit Fanfare, Motor City Comic Con, Wizard World Chicago, and C2E2 all taken into account, I'd take comic-centric conventions like C2E2 and Detroit Fanfare ANY DAY over "Pop-Culture Extravaganza" cons like Wizard World Chicago and Motor City Comic Con.

 

Once upon a time, Motor City Comic Con WAS a comic-centric con and, over the years, it turned into an utter pile of garbage of a con...which is a shame since it's only 30 mins from where I live...them and Wizard World tend to copy each other's playbooks as to their overall directions as they are both trying to just become a pop-culture show...

 

The ONLY reason I really went to Wizard World Chicago this year is because of on-site CGC/CCS services being offered and to get autographs from Campbell, Tolbiao, Land and the Walking Dead guys...

 

But I will tell you this...C2E2 is THE con to watch out for! That con, despite only being a few years into existence, has become an amazing comic-centric convention which is heavily supported by all the major comic companies, including Marvel, D.C. and Valiant...

 

It's the only convention I truly get really excited for these days...Wizard World was ok for a pop-culture show but I will always prefer a comic-centric show instead...