Alamo City Comic Con -- September 11-13, 2015

[Trev]

How packed do people think this show will be. I'd like to drive down for a day bec it sounds like all the regional dealers I like will be there. But the online tix are pricey and non refundable. I'm not sure yet which day I'd go, definitely will not go 3 days, but also wary about spending half of my day in line to buy on-site along with a 3 hr roundtrip. Paying $45 for 2 hrs of floor time doesn't seem like a smart idea with the wizard austin show 6 weeks later.

[mysterio]

How packed do people think this show will be. I'd like to drive down for a day bec it sounds like all the regional dealers I like will be there. But the online tix are pricey and non refundable. I'm not sure yet which day I'd go, definitely will not go 3 days, but also wary about spending half of my day in line to buy on-site along with a 3 hr roundtrip. Paying $45 for 2 hrs of floor time doesn't seem like a smart idea with the wizard austin show 6 weeks later.

 

This show is going to be 100x better than Wizard Austin.

[THB]

I agree!!! I am not sure if they will have an offer on Groupon but they did last year.

[JorgeRR96]

This show was super packed last year.

 

The Austin show sucks.

[Trev]

Completely agree but the Austin show is a 10 min train ride and SA is 3 hr+ drive. How bad was walk up last year and was any day easier or harder to get into than others? Based on the media guest list, is it overrun with media folks? I go to a show like this to buy books and art.

[JorgeRR96]

Last year the media area was not too crowded since it was a big squared-area with lots of tables. The vendor room was packed at all times. Artist Alley was well placed but some people prefer the first year since you had to go through AA in order to get to the media area.

 

Austin is like $55 a day and the show was crappy last year. I would check their floor plan before buying a ticket to see if they have plenty of comic vendors to justify the ticket purchase. I wouldn't be surprised if not a lot of them return after last year's show.

[mysterio]

If you want to buy books you'll need to drive to SA. Austin may be 10 minutes away, but Austin Books & Comics on Lamar will probably have more comics to look at than the WW show, with no admission charges.

[Trev]

If you want to buy books you'll need to drive to SA. Austin may be 10 minutes away, but Austin Books & Comics on Lamar will probably have more comics to look at than the WW show, with no admission charges.

 

True dat. I just left the Fables Wake there.

[mysterio]

I got sick shortly after arriving in SA last year, but if my all too brief taste of the show was any indication this show has huge potential to grow into a serious player. It could become an event show on par with WW Chicago and everything I've heard about Baltimore, Heroes, etc. Lots of good talent on the guest list, a great lineup of dealers at all levels of stock, and a promoter who really seems to care about the type of show they put on. After Chicago this is the show I'm most looking forward to.

 

I used to feel that way about WW Austin, but Wizard has just killed that show. I'm glad that AC has stepped in to fill the void as a top-notch Fall show in Texas.

[kaholo1256]

I used to feel that way about WW Austin, but Wizard has just killed that show. I'm glad that AC has stepped in to fill the void as a top-notch Fall show in Texas.

 

This is exactly how I feel about Wizard Austin last year.... I couldn't believe that I actually left the show on Thursday to look in the hall after doors were opened to see if they had an issue with getting people through the door, only to find NO ONE outside in the main hall. To me, that's embarrassing and is on par with actually being worse this year.

 

One of the main stars Morena Baccarin has backed out of more shows than I truly wish to count anymore and with Gotham starting back up this fall, I'm thinking she's going to be finding another reason to cancel.

 

Adding Peter Weller is cool and all but honestly not someone that would have changed my mind about going to Comikaze.

 

After that they have a guest list that would be better off holding a convention in a hotel than a convention center. At least then Wizard could save some money on the venue and who knows, maybe use those funds to invite one of the kids from the Goonies...

[mysterio]

I used to feel that way about WW Austin, but Wizard has just killed that show. I'm glad that AC has stepped in to fill the void as a top-notch Fall show in Texas.

 

This is exactly how I feel about Wizard Austin last year.... I couldn't believe that I actually left the show on Thursday to look in the hall after doors were opened to see if they had an issue with getting people through the door, only to find NO ONE outside in the main hall. To me, that's embarrassing and is on par with actually being worse this year.

 

One of the main stars Morena Baccarin has backed out of more shows than I truly wish to count anymore and with Gotham starting back up this fall, I'm thinking she's going to be finding another reason to cancel.

 

Adding Peter Weller is cool and all but honestly not someone that would have changed my mind about going to Comikaze.

 

After that they have a guest list that would be better off holding a convention in a hotel than a convention center. At least then Wizard could save some money on the venue and who knows, maybe use those funds to invite one of the kids from the Goonies...

 

If nothing else they could use the money saved to add Sunday back onto the schedule. A Friday-Saturday schedule was their worst idea ever.

 

I can't see anyone coming back to Austin this year. At $800 a table it would be difficult to attract many dealers after the flop in 2014. I either see them revamping completely or canceling for 2016. It's just not a viable show at two days with poor word of mouth. If their presale is underwhelming maybe they cancel this year, if they can afford to get out of it. They still haven't scheduled WW San Antonio, the longest TBA ever, so Wizard may do well to abandon Texas.

[bubbagump]

Just got my booth assignment.....Weird Paper and Black Cat are my neighbors. And I ran into Apple at my LCS and had him sign the comic he created Gears & Bones. I was trying to figure out why publisher Guardian Comics had prime real estate at the last show. Now I know.

 

We're next to Black Cat, so you're our neighbors too!

 

Monster Lair?

 

Indeed.

 

We are right across from Black Cat Comics too. Looks like the whole dealer room revolves around Boyd!!

 

I will be set up directly in front of Stan Lee. Not sure if being outside the main dealer room will be good or bad though.

[kaholo1256]

Wizard would do well with a March time frame show and probably in Houston or San Antonio with a better line-up than they have had for the past two years or three shows combined. It honestly seems like they are just doing it to do it and hold the spot and its honestly turned into a waste of time for those on the convention circuit. I attended last year and if it wasn't for the Undertaker I wouldn't have even broken even for that show. Didn't even bother with Saturday once I got all of my per-requested commissions done for customers as this became more of a drop off following Alamo City Comic Con for me so I could save on shipping.... it was the very next weekend and a Thursday to boot...

 

Comic sellers I believe I only saw 3 booths with anyone selling books and more to do with other "things" than anything comic or even pop related. I think the timeshare booth was by far my favorite addition to comic con's...(Sarcasm)

 

Wizard by far would be better off abandoning this years show from a financial standpoint. They couldn't possibly be making much from this one at all. Maybe next year they will simply move the venue or dates around to at least try to get someone to attend...

[Monster's Lair Comics]

I really liked the ww Austin show, but as Mysterio mentioned, they killed it with poor planning, and high costs. I would consider doing a wizard show, but the booth fees are way too high, when lodging and travel are high as well. I can do an Irving or Alamo show for cheaper booths, more reasonable hotel rooms and know I'm gonna get a lot more people in the door. For some reason wizard continues to hold onto the fall time slot and Friday-Saturday show schedule and can't get the October show off the ground. A venue switch and a change to spring may be enough to get this show going again. Or they could switch between an Austin show and a San Antonio show from year to year.

[MyNameIsLegion]

Let me just say this about Wizard: They are . They tried their best to sandbag Alamo City Con by scheduling cons in SA and Austin right before and after to squeeze them out. AND- I just found out that they've tried locking up guests by offering to pay the guests expenses if they do 2 shows in a year, plus the local show IF THEY SIGN AN EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT. So that's Wizard's MO, if you can't kill the local con- kill the guest list by making them sign a contract. Screw Wizard- I will never attend or set up at any of their shows anywhere, EVER. Douchebags.

 

This may explain why some guests aren't in Alamo City this year- because there are quite a few of the old pros that pretty much do the con circuit year-round, and can't afford to lose Wizard as a patron.

[Trev]

Does anybody know if CGC is going to be at this show? Their site isn't yet updated with Vendors or a floor map.

[kaholo1256]

I'll be there if you need something CGCed. I'll have a few witnesses in tow as well.

[Trev]

I bought a Friday ticket and taking the day off from work. I can't find the hours anywhere on the site though. Does anybody know when the doors open Friday?

[mysterio]

Looks like 11 am to 8 pm Friday.

[Trev]

Looks like 11 am to 8 pm Friday.

 

sweet! thanks. If any boardies are going to be there Friday and want to grab lunch, PM me.