MegaCon, May 26-29, 2016

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Feeling from dealers that megacon used to be the first Major con now it's just in the middle of the pack during the year.

 

Yup.

 

My experience with event staff this year was not nearly as good as previous management.

 

This is something I heard repeatedly from many sources.

 

I'll echo all of the above, again, from numerous sources. There were buying opportunities, but the number of comic dealers as a whole seemed to be down then from year's past. I think I came across just one who was a collector selling off their personal accumulation, the vast majority were well organized, multi-booth operations run by full-time dealers. Not anything new I suppose, since setting up even one booth at a four day show like this could be cost prohibitive for most folks, but I figure I'll see 85% of the same faces at Heroes, Chicago, and Baltimore later this summer.

 

I'll give credit where credit is due though...the extra day, larger halls, wider aisles, as well as the flow and crowd direction strategies contributed to vastly improved walking experience from previous years. I didn't stay for the craziness of the weekend, but I still recall Megacon of two years ago (across the street in the newer concourse) and that one was an absolute nightmare to try and navigate on Saturday....I can only imagine it was much improved this time around.

[Half-Gringo]

Feeling from dealers that megacon used to be the first Major con now it's just in the middle of the pack during the year.

 

Yup.

 

My experience with event staff this year was not nearly as good as previous management.

 

This is something I heard repeatedly from many sources.

 

 

Exactamundo, next March is a schedule improvement but the mismanagement was apparent at many levels. We won't be returning.

[bobbybobcomics]

I'd like to see a poll of the comic dealers who did Megacon and are not doing it next year. I know of at least 4 including myself.

[Sqeggs]

I'd like to see a poll of the comic dealers who did Megacon and are not doing it next year. I know of at least 4 including myself.

 

Because ....

[Pike's Comics]

I will quote Tom Raupp from Pop Culture Playground,

 

"I started doing this show in 1999...

 

...

 

Mega 2016 had new owners who had taken control back at the end of the 2015 show. There were a few things as a vendor I think they can improve on. It was sad how it looked like a flea market this year in the vendors area. Tables not skirted, cheap badges, lack of security, no small trash cans at booths, poor signage,...artist alley laid out different from main vendors area made it hard to find what row you were on. Those of us who sent an email with a question had a lack of response to inquires. Some of us with three or more booths received an email about set up on Tuesday, however quite a few did not. A major let down by convention staff was a very slow Saturday due to the convention staff not processing prepaid badges in a timely fashion. There were long lines for attendees to meet guest... etc. No security at closing time moving the attendees out of the room so the vendors could cover up and go for the night. Typos on contract for next year's show as to size of booth vendor was paying for. Attendance seemed down this year as well. Do not think they had 90,000 people in the four days of the show. My understanding was that over 100, 000 attendees were expect this year.

 

I feel that for a company that runs a lot of shows they have zero respect for the vendors who drop a large amount of money on a space. We leave five booths open as we will not return in 2017. I hope that the new owners will take some of the suggestions that they received and fix some of the problems that made this look like a Wizard World event."

 

Add on top of this

-Dealers freezing to death under AC units that would not turn off.

-Rampant theft and incompentant security which poorly handled the situation.

-Lack of orginization for load out while convention staff dangerously drove around in vehicles nearly injuring people on multiple occassions.

-And my biggest problem. Lack of communication. It was nearly impossible to reach anyone in regards to any question you may have prior to the show and from what I understand also dearing the show.

[VintageComics]

I'd like to see a poll of the comic dealers who did Megacon and are not doing it next year. I know of at least 4 including myself.

 

Because ....

 

There were many complaints from many people.

 

Load in / load out.

One person couldn't make it this year after being loyal for over a decade. They bumped him to wait behind 300 people in a waiting line for next year.

Terrible security, rampant theft.

Disorganized.

Nobody to talk to if there was a problem.

No real dressing of the room compared to previous years.

[Murphman13]

I will quote Tom Raupp from Pop Culture Playground,

 

"I started doing this show in 1999...

 

...

 

Mega 2016 had new owners who had taken control back at the end of the 2015 show. There were a few things as a vendor I think they can improve on. It was sad how it looked like a flea market this year in the vendors area. Tables not skirted, cheap badges, lack of security, no small trash cans at booths, poor signage,...artist alley laid out different from main vendors area made it hard to find what row you were on. Those of us who sent an email with a question had a lack of response to inquires. Some of us with three or more booths received an email about set up on Tuesday, however quite a few did not. A major let down by convention staff was a very slow Saturday due to the convention staff not processing prepaid badges in a timely fashion. There were long lines for attendees to meet guest... etc. No security at closing time moving the attendees out of the room so the vendors could cover up and go for the night. Typos on contract for next year's show as to size of booth vendor was paying for. Attendance seemed down this year as well. Do not think they had 90,000 people in the four days of the show. My understanding was that over 100, 000 attendees were expect this year.

 

I feel that for a company that runs a lot of shows they have zero respect for the vendors who drop a large amount of money on a space. We leave five booths open as we will not return in 2017. I hope that the new owners will take some of the suggestions that they received and fix some of the problems that made this look like a Wizard World event."

 

Add on top of this

-Dealers freezing to death under AC units that would not turn off.

-Rampant theft and incompentant security which poorly handled the situation.

-Lack of orginization for load out while convention staff dangerously drove around in vehicles nearly injuring people on multiple occassions.

-And my biggest problem. Lack of communication. It was nearly impossible to reach anyone in regards to any question you may have prior to the show and from what I understand also dearing the show.

 

Wow. That is very bad look for new ownership. I am glad I chose to skip it and will probably continue to in the near future.

[G.A.tor]

I'm torn on whether or not to sign up next year.