Vancouver Fan Expo Feb 18-20 0

[aardvark88]

On 2/13/2023 at 3:41 PM, kimik said:

 @greggy has all of the dealers on speed dial and cleans them out pre-show, no one actually sets up?

Correction:

the current online vendor directory seems to be from last Expo 2022 and does not reflect the fact that FEV has successfully expanded from what looked like 3.5 different comic dealers to a whopping 6.5 in reality this weekend. Luckily, FEV has generously opened up a ltd. # of adult admission tix for Sunday 3 hour access 2 pm to 5 pm (close) for a bargain $43 plus taxes and/or Ticket Master fees. Parking extra, union food extra. Hope to see u all there.

[thehumantorch]

On 2/13/2023 at 3:30 PM, aardvark88 said:

Here is the exciting FEV vendor directory to find Funkos, swords, sandals, insurance, pudding, tattoo stations and so much more:

https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpovancouver/exhibitor-directory/

Ugh although the pudding sounds tempting

[thehumantorch]

On 2/13/2023 at 5:05 PM, aardvark88 said:

Correction:

the current online vendor directory seems to be from last Expo 2022 and does not reflect the fact that FEV has successfully expanded from what looked like 3.5 different comic dealers to a whopping 6.5 in reality this weekend. Luckily, FEV has generously opened up a ltd. # of adult admission tix for Sunday 3 hour access 2 pm to 5 pm (close) for a bargain $43 plus taxes and/or Ticket Master fees. Parking extra, union food extra. Hope to see u all there.

Aren't there more dealers at Vancouver's smaller shows?  Isn't there a monthly show?

[aardvark88]

On 2/13/2023 at 4:14 PM, thehumantorch said:

 more dealers at Vancouver's smaller shows?  Isn't there a monthly show?

There is a smaller HH Comicon that has generally been bi-monthly since August, 1977. Yes, that is right: since 1977, not 1987 like in Edmonton(?).

For fanboys that need more hours at FEV, they have opened up ltd. # of tix for Sat. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at a more reasonable $48 plus taxes plus parking plus union pizza slice. Seems like FEV found a way to make more revenue by essentially billing by the hour for late attendees who wish to line up for ST: Next Generation sigs on Sunday and Monday.

[ThatNerdyCanuck]

On 2/13/2023 at 4:14 PM, thehumantorch said:

Aren't there more dealers at Vancouver's smaller shows?  Isn't there a monthly show?

The Fraser Valley Comic Show in Matsqui has more comic vendors than this. If I had know there would be such a lack of comic vendors, I'd have bought a table and sold at the show myself and done a killing 

[thehumantorch]

On 2/14/2023 at 11:10 AM, ThatNerdyCanuck said:

The Fraser Valley Comic Show in Matsqui has more comic vendors than this. If I had know there would be such a lack of comic vendors, I'd have bought a table and sold at the show myself and done a killing 

That's something my group has always wondered about.  Will we do better at a major show if there's little competition or will we do better if there are lots of other dealers there and more buyers because that.

[greggy]

On 2/14/2023 at 12:36 PM, thehumantorch said:

That's something my group has always wondered about.  Will we do better at a major show if there's little competition or will we do better if there are lots of other dealers there and more buyers because that.

Some of the larger dealers in the US whom I've spoken with have said that they seem to do really well at some shows where there is little to no competition as long as there is some semblance of serious buyers out there. 

[kimik]

On 2/14/2023 at 1:46 PM, greggy said:

Some of the larger dealers in the US whom I've spoken with have said that they seem to do really well at some shows where there is little to no competition as long as there is some semblance of serious buyers out there. 

We know that you will be good for enough to make the show worthwhile for us, so any other sales would be pure profit for the show............

Edited February 15, 2023 by kimik

[aardvark88]

On 2/13/2023 at 11:58 AM, thehumantorch said:

Ouch

Best new vendor at Expo, as I could not find pudding:

[aardvark88]

Bought pro inked Joe Mad "Batman" splash original art Saturday early.

 

[aardvark88]

Huge crowds passing by comic dealers to line up for Star Trek: Next Generation signatures. JigglyPig Chad:

 

[ThatNerdyCanuck]

Day 2 report - Was excited about the TNG Photo Op, but ended up canceling it and getting a refund. The cast was doing their photos with a plexiglass barrier. Not ideal for a photo-op IMO. Their autographs are more expensive than anticipated as well. On the Fan Expo site it said their autos were $60/$70 but their booths were all $80. I'm assuming something was lost in translation with the US/CDN exchange. 

 

Comic wise - Day 1 I was THRILLED to found an incredibly difficult Moon Knight Variant I've been wanting for only $10. Don't think the seller knew what he had. Picked up a few other cheap little filler books here and there. 

Day 2 - Picked up a blank Todd McFarlane Signed Spawn book. Made an offer and was accepted. Was cheaper than sending it in for his signing, and the autograph was his full name, so happy with that. Also picked up a few more filler books for 75 cents each. 

Overall, prices aren't too insane. I was expecting the height of Covid 19 prices, but sellers have been quite reasonable! 

[thehumantorch]

On 2/19/2023 at 5:42 PM, aardvark88 said:

Best new vendor at Expo, as I could not find pudding:

Yuck.  I understand these shows have bills to pay but having exhibitors unrelated to comics or nerd culture is a bad sign.  

The Red Deer Expo, a two day show, had a booth selling vacuums and another selling cell phone plans.   Easily the worst show we've ever set up at.

[aardvark88]

On 2/19/2023 at 9:01 PM, ThatNerdyCanuck said:

Day 2 report - Was excited about the TNG Photo Op, but ended up canceling it and getting a refund. The cast was doing their photos with a plexiglass barrier. Their autographs are more expensive than anticipated as well. On the Fan Expo site it said their autos were $60/$70 but their booths were all $80. I'm assuming something was lost in translation with the US/CDN exchange. 

 

Day 2 - but sellers have been quite reasonable! 

I get the feeling FEV cut and pasted last year's FEV artist alley list. Artist Mary Landor (Spawn, etc.) from Calgary never intended to return this weekend to Vancouver, BC yet her name was still in artist alley.

Some confusion with Don Rosa appearance. greggy said I should have known Rosa was 'canceled', as there was no note at the bottom of his Disney Duck pic (pasted from last year's template) as to which of the 3 days he was signing. I walked around day 1 for 2 hours looking for his table with a heavy Rosa 'Uncle Scrooge in the Klondike' hardcover in my knapsack trying to get it signed.

Glad day 2 comic retail sales picked up, as day 1 sales were as limp as greggy's _____ .

[Kevin Boyd]

Rosa cancelled a week before the show, he hurt his back. He was on the website at the bottom of the page in the Unable to Attend Section.

Fan Expo Portland is one of the six (now five) former Wizard shows we acquired from them. As is usually the case, deals are made well in advance with convention centers and the Portland convention was reserved and we could not change the dates so we made the best of it and used it as an opportunity to bring some Portland celebrities to Vancouver.

Next year Portland will be held on January 12-14 while Vancouver will be on February 17-19. 

Family Day weekend has proven to be a popular choice for FXV and attendance apparently doubled over the 2022 edition. 

 

 

[ThatNerdyCanuck]

On 2/23/2023 at 9:41 AM, Kevin Boyd said:

Rosa cancelled a week before the show, he hurt his back. He was on the website at the bottom of the page in the Unable to Attend Section.

Fan Expo Portland is one of the six (now five) former Wizard shows we acquired from them. As is usually the case, deals are made well in advance with convention centers and the Portland convention was reserved and we could not change the dates so we made the best of it and used it as an opportunity to bring some Portland celebrities to Vancouver.

Next year Portland will be held on January 12-14 while Vancouver will be on February 17-19. 

Family Day weekend has proven to be a popular choice for FXV and attendance apparently doubled over the 2022 edition. 

 

 

Here's hoping next year there is expanded floor space as it was quite cramped with the amount of people there. Artist alley was a tight squeeze. 

I noticed during the Celebrity Q+As a lot of them got annoyed and confused as during their panels there would be loud noises from cosplayers, or other panels happening in the same tight area. 

[Kevin Boyd]

More people definitely helps the cause for expansion in 2024 and I believe plans are already being made. 

[thehumantorch]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:29 PM, Kevin Boyd said:

More people definitely helps the cause for expansion in 2024 and I believe plans are already being made. 

Any chance you could update your sig line as it's advertising 2017 shows?

[aardvark88]

On 2/23/2023 at 9:41 AM, Kevin Boyd said:

Rosa cancelled a week before the show, he hurt his back. He was on the website at the bottom of the page in the Unable to Attend Section.

 used it as an opportunity to bring some Portland celebrities to Vancouver.

Next year Portland will be held on January 12-14 while Vancouver will be on February 17-19. 

 

The Comic Creators webpage template used was confusing. There was a black box 'Unable to Attend' that should have been on the very bottom of the FEV webpage next to Don Rosa's Duck pic and name rather than on the 2nd last line after a string of attending comic creators.