Wizard World Austin 2013 Report

[blazingbob]

Wizard Chicago was a show built up by Gary/Moondog and was a big show/very established. Austin wasn't exactly on the "map of shows to do" over the last 15-20 years of doing shows. So the fact that Wizard is able to "try" and put on 3 day shows should be appreciated. Tulsa is your choice? Really? What shows are there currently that give the dealer community the financial commitment to set up? The board members telling me? A more central show? More dealers? Dealers go where the money is.

 

 

 

 

[Monster's Lair Comics]

Dealers go where the money is.

 

 

Agreed. You had a great group of books as always.

[blazingbob]

And look I'm not trying to pick on you. What collectors should know is that a promoter is just another person(s) trying to make money at the show. Artists/Actors/Dealers of every sort are all there to "Make a living". Don't hang onto the "THIS IS A HOBBY WE ALL LOVE" because the bottom line to all of this is to make money and make a living. Neal, Stan, Shatner right down to the dollar book guy is all there for the same thing.

 

Collectors want dealers to come to the show, spend money, Dealers want collectors to spend money, make deals. Isn't that how every "MARKET" works. You cannot have one without the other. Every venue has it pro's and con's. Every city cannot be San Diego weather wise. Each has it's own ambiance.

[Low Grade Guy]

I took cash with me and wanted to spend it but everything was so over priced I hardly spent any. Austin Books had an ungraded copy of Walking Dead #1, I asked the guy how much they wanted for it and he said $1500 which would be $1625 after tax... I think they'll own that one for awhile. I ended up buying a couple of comic con related items because I was about to leave and I knew I wouldn't be back for another one.

[Weird Paper]

The con was expanded considerably this year, and took over the whole convention center. There were plenty of good books to be had, and it was great to see some larger setups this year. Hopefully everyone did well, so there will be even more comics in the room next year.

 

Here is Black Cat & Weird Paper's shared booth

 

This is news to me. I guess I need to call Boyd and get my cut.

[blazingbob]

Ok, everything was overpriced. You named one book.

 

What else was overpriced?

 

A Walking Dead #1 in CGC 9.8 would sell for $1600.

 

Obviously the seller thought it was a 9.8 but didn't get it graded. Clearly to ask that price it better grade 9.8.

 

What would you have bought it for?

 

 

[bug33fouf]

Ok, everything was overpriced. You named one book.

 

What else was overpriced?

 

A Walking Dead #1 in CGC 9.8 would sell for $1600.

 

Obviously the seller thought it was a 9.8 but didn't get it graded. Clearly to ask that price it better grade 9.8.

 

What would you have bought it for?

 

 

 

[MrBedrock]

Amazing show, just perfectly organized. Can't wait for 2014.

 

Huh? I thought the show was very unorganized from the moment I walked in the lobby and didn't appreciate the staff yelling at everyone. Isles were way too small. Food and drink was way over priced.

 

Exactly , wizard staff were acting like jackwagons all weekend long. To paying attendees and paying dealers ( who lay out over a grand to be there ). I wish they would hold two shows, one that has nothing to do with comics, and is just a celebrity show, and the other that is just comic dealers. Charge $100 a day for the celebrity show, and $10 a day for the comic show. That's how they are allocating their resources now anyway, and people there for comics won't get overcharged for something called a comic con with 6 comic dealers in the whole show.

 

Its sort of a self defeating cycle. I have done Austin a couple of times in the past, but the show, while well attended, is pretty mediocre as far as sales, especially as far as I have to travel. I will probably give it another try at some point.

 

If the sales were better, you would see plenty of dealers there. If you have a lot of dealers there, and not many customers, it works out only for the customer. If there are a lot of customers, and not many dealers, that works out well for the dealers. I suspect there were an appropriate number of comic dealers for the amount of comic customers.

 

 

I haven't really heard any dealers comment on how the sales were. Hopefully they did well. Sometimes these shows take a few years to hit there peak as well. I know Wizard is going to try to make an effort to get more modern comic dealers to their shows, as at many of the 2nd tier shows, that is a market which is not being filled.

Sales were terrible...you don't want to go.

[blazingbob]

Do the Louisville show, I hear that is the show for the big sales. Home of the Kentucky derby, Horse lore and everything else piling up should make for a great show.

[MrBedrock]

I took cash with me and wanted to spend it but everything was so over priced I hardly spent any. Austin Books had an ungraded copy of Walking Dead #1, I asked the guy how much they wanted for it and he said $1500 which would be $1625 after tax... I think they'll own that one for awhile. I ended up buying a couple of comic con related items because I was about to leave and I knew I wouldn't be back for another one.

I'm curious...do you also blame Victoria's Secret when you can't find anything there in your price range?

[mysterio]

The con was expanded considerably this year, and took over the whole convention center. There were plenty of good books to be had, and it was great to see some larger setups this year. Hopefully everyone did well, so there will be even more comics in the room next year.

 

Here is Black Cat & Weird Paper's shared booth

 

This is news to me. I guess I need to call Boyd and get my cut.

 

Sorry about that. I'm bad with names anyway and board names are no different. It is fixed now.

[mysterio]

I took cash with me and wanted to spend it but everything was so over priced I hardly spent any. Austin Books had an ungraded copy of Walking Dead #1, I asked the guy how much they wanted for it and he said $1500 which would be $1625 after tax... I think they'll own that one for awhile. I ended up buying a couple of comic con related items because I was about to leave and I knew I wouldn't be back for another one.

 

I expect to pay a little more at a show than I would online, but this works out to my favor in a couple of ways. First off, you can inspect a book, a lot of books in fact, in person. This certainty is worth something. There is also the fact that you eliminate the cost and risk of shipping. If you buy from multiple dealers those costs (and savings) add up. There is also the value of a three day con experience. I enjoy being able to go shop and see artists and celebs whose work I enjoy. That is also not free.

 

Buying some "comic con related items" supported some vendor, but probably not a comic dealer. If we want to ensure that some comics continue to come to these cons the dealers need to get enough business to justify their participation. There were a lot of great dealers at the show, most of which got at least some of my money because I took the time to check their stock rather than looking at one wall book and walking away disgusted with one price. There will always be deals, just maybe not on the hottest modern on the planet.

[GIJOEISAWESOME-migration]

I took cash with me and wanted to spend it but everything was so over priced I hardly spent any. Austin Books had an ungraded copy of Walking Dead #1, I asked the guy how much they wanted for it and he said $1500 which would be $1625 after tax... I think they'll own that one for awhile. I ended up buying a couple of comic con related items because I was about to leave and I knew I wouldn't be back for another one.

 

I expect to pay a little more at a show than I would online, but this works out to my favor in a couple of ways. First off, you can inspect a book, a lot of books in fact, in person. This certainty is worth something. There is also the fact that you eliminate the cost and risk of shipping. If you buy from multiple dealers those costs (and savings) add up. There is also the value of a three day con experience. I enjoy being able to go shop and see artists and celebs whose work I enjoy. That is also not free.

 

Buying some "comic con related items" supported some vendor, but probably not a comic dealer. If we want to ensure that some comics continue to come to these cons the dealers need to get enough business to justify their participation. There were a lot of great dealers at the show, most of which got at least some of my money because I took the time to check their stock rather than looking at one wall book and walking away disgusted with one price. There will always be deals, just maybe not on the hottest modern on the planet.

 

 

100% agree. I found some great bargains myself. I left happy. took me 5 minutes to get in, not seeing the 2hours. Just my . Also, Saturday may have been jam packed, but there weren't more than 5000-7000 people on Friday and Sunday I liked it...

[mysterio]

I took cash with me and wanted to spend it but everything was so over priced I hardly spent any. Austin Books had an ungraded copy of Walking Dead #1, I asked the guy how much they wanted for it and he said $1500 which would be $1625 after tax... I think they'll own that one for awhile. I ended up buying a couple of comic con related items because I was about to leave and I knew I wouldn't be back for another one.

 

I expect to pay a little more at a show than I would online, but this works out to my favor in a couple of ways. First off, you can inspect a book, a lot of books in fact, in person. This certainty is worth something. There is also the fact that you eliminate the cost and risk of shipping. If you buy from multiple dealers those costs (and savings) add up. There is also the value of a three day con experience. I enjoy being able to go shop and see artists and celebs whose work I enjoy. That is also not free.

 

Buying some "comic con related items" supported some vendor, but probably not a comic dealer. If we want to ensure that some comics continue to come to these cons the dealers need to get enough business to justify their participation. There were a lot of great dealers at the show, most of which got at least some of my money because I took the time to check their stock rather than looking at one wall book and walking away disgusted with one price. There will always be deals, just maybe not on the hottest modern on the planet.

 

 

100% agree. I found some great bargains myself. I left happy. took me 5 minutes to get in, not seeing the 2hours. Just my . Also, Saturday may have been jam packed, but there weren't more than 5000-7000 people on Friday and Sunday I liked it...

 

This show was unusual for me lately because I actually went on Saturday. My last couple of shows, including WW Chicago, I punted Saturday entirely. I typically get all my autographs, and more importantly, spend all my budget on Friday anyway so I'd rather avoid the heavy cosplay "look at me" crowd on Saturdays and come back for a leisurely shopping day on Sunday.

[GIJOEISAWESOME-migration]

I took cash with me and wanted to spend it but everything was so over priced I hardly spent any. Austin Books had an ungraded copy of Walking Dead #1, I asked the guy how much they wanted for it and he said $1500 which would be $1625 after tax... I think they'll own that one for awhile. I ended up buying a couple of comic con related items because I was about to leave and I knew I wouldn't be back for another one.

 

I expect to pay a little more at a show than I would online, but this works out to my favor in a couple of ways. First off, you can inspect a book, a lot of books in fact, in person. This certainty is worth something. There is also the fact that you eliminate the cost and risk of shipping. If you buy from multiple dealers those costs (and savings) add up. There is also the value of a three day con experience. I enjoy being able to go shop and see artists and celebs whose work I enjoy. That is also not free.

 

Buying some "comic con related items" supported some vendor, but probably not a comic dealer. If we want to ensure that some comics continue to come to these cons the dealers need to get enough business to justify their participation. There were a lot of great dealers at the show, most of which got at least some of my money because I took the time to check their stock rather than looking at one wall book and walking away disgusted with one price. There will always be deals, just maybe not on the hottest modern on the planet.

 

 

100% agree. I found some great bargains myself. I left happy. took me 5 minutes to get in, not seeing the 2hours. Just my . Also, Saturday may have been jam packed, but there weren't more than 5000-7000 people on Friday and Sunday I liked it...

 

This show was unusual for me lately because I actually went on Saturday. My last couple of shows, including WW Chicago, I punted Saturday entirely. I typically get all my autographs, and more importantly, spend all my budget on Friday anyway so I'd rather avoid the heavy cosplay "look at me" crowd on Saturdays and come back for a leisurely shopping day on Sunday.

 

Yup, picked up 20 DC archives and Marvel Masterworks on Sunday for less than $16 each cuz all the dealers were clearing out their junk... Fun times. I managed to sell a little too, not much though. My budget is gone...

[DigsUT]

I tried to do my part and buy what I could from the dealers there. I am not a high roller, but I did get to pick up some books from almost everyone(except Bedrock, but I did try:p) Honestly, the pricing on silver/bronze was not bad at all. The dealers that I did buy from were reasonably priced and the books were in the condition that I like. Honestly, there was only two that were, in my opinion, over FMV, even for a con.

 

Personally, I go to these cons to see the artists and pick up as many commissions as my wallet allows. There was some great art being done at the show. Would have picked up more if Sepulveda had not drained my funds with one piece:p Completely worth it though.

[spectrumofpain]

I was there all three days. I picked up some nice key issues that I have been wanting to get. Finally got my New 52 Batman #1 first print from Bedrock at an awesome price! (Thanks again Richard and Chris!) Picked up some hardbacks from Remix Comics at 50% off and the other half of my money went to prints and commissions. I got a lot of blank sketch covers done! This was my first con as a member of the 501st so I could not do as much browsing as I would have liked. I only had time to shop on Friday and Sunday. Saturday I pretty much spent the day helping out at the 501st table. I was one of the stormtroopers, either I was being shot by nerf guns or taking pictures with people. It was a good cause though since we most likley raised over $2,000 throughout the whole weekend from donations for the Make-A-Wish foundation!

[mysterio]

I was there all three days. I picked up some nice key issues that I have been wanting to get. Finally got my New 52 Batman #1 first print from Bedrock at an awesome price! (Thanks again Richard and Chris!) Picked up some hardbacks from Remix Comics at 50% off and the other half of my money went to prints and commissions. I got a lot of blank sketch covers done! This was my first con as a member of the 501st so I could not do as much browsing as I would have liked. I only had time to shop on Friday and Sunday. Saturday I pretty much spent the day helping out at the 501st table. I was one of the stormtroopers, either I was being shot by nerf guns or taking pictures with people. It was a good cause though since we most likley raised over $2,000 throughout the whole weekend from donations for the Make-A-Wish foundation!

 

Very cool! I had meant to get over to the 501st table and say hello but it just didn't end up happening. I've got a set of Stormtrooper armor myself, but haven't ever done anything with the 501st. It's currently packed up from my recent move, but usually it is set up on a mannequin in my office.

[kdoginohio]

Some shots of the celebs, at least from the areas I went (mostly to help my brother get his Walking Dead poster signed):

Laurie Holden

Being known for a show you got killed off of sux.

Good thing they had a "no camera" sign.

[DrWatson]

Do the Louisville show, I hear that is the show for the big sales. Home of the Kentucky derby, Horse lore and everything else piling up should make for a great show.

Nashville was great. You should have been there.