Who is attending OA Expo? 3 3

[DeadpoolJr.]

On 1/28/2024 at 6:13 PM, Xatari said:

Could be they are also not quite as visible. I know in my collecting group there are 20+ of us. Several are very active in a public setting and others have decided to stay behind the scenes. I understand the reasoning for both. 

I need to start networking more. I talk to maybe 3 collectors on an on-and-off-again basis. 

[Xatari]

@DeadpoolJr. shoot me a DM! I am always down to connect with other collectors. 

[AlexG_art]

On 1/28/2024 at 5:41 PM, DeadpoolJr. said:

I need to start networking more. I talk to maybe 3 collectors on an on-and-off-again basis. 

Well, that's 3 more than me.. 

[John E.]

On 1/28/2024 at 7:19 PM, Xatari said:

I think it takes so much capital to make a splash in today’s market so likely few and far between. 

In today’s market, yes. But around the time you entered when collectibles were at the top of the market and you can sell (as you did) to enter the OA hobby is the time frame I’m referring to. Also, there was more exuberance for the MCU back then than there is today.

My main question, which resonated with your post, is whether “new” collectors who entered the hobby buying only/mainly new art from “new art drops” (or commissions from those “hot” artists) are still around today? In that 2012-2016 time period when I was still reading new books off the shelves and seeing the art from those books get dropped just about weekly which seems to have continued to present day, well, is/was that really a sustainable model? Meaning, it may have been an affordable entry to the hobby, but was it a sustainable one for longevity? Was that a cause of burnout, trying to keep up?

Mike, you were a key comic collector. Have you been reading comics “all your life?” The earliest comic that I own is from when I was 5 years old. Although there have been many lapses (I’m of a generation where comics weren’t cool and you had to grow up some time), comics have always been part of my life somehow. Just wondering if that’s the case for you?

Anyway…

[Xatari]

Hey @John E.,

I was born in 1980 and caught the big comic boom of the 90s just prior to the Image formation. Thats a lot of why I missed some of the nostalgia of Conan, Watchmen, and Dark Knight. It doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate those properties, it just doesn’t hit me in the feels the same way it does the crew 5-10 years older than me. 

I stopped reading comics when I got busy in high school (around 1994) and got back in maybe 10 years ago. Being at a place in my life with a bit more disposable income, I picked up a lot of big key books I wasn’t able to buy as a kid… Hulk 181, FF48, etc. My wife and I made an agreement that money for any hobby wouldn’t come from our family account, so I ended up buying and selling some books to be able to afford others.

During the pandemic I switch completely to OA and sold most of my books to fund art. In my opinion the art market lagged behind the comic boom by about 6-12 months, so it provided more buying power for me. 

I try not to sell art right now except in the rare instance it either provides some benefit to my family or helps me purchase a piece I don’t otherwise be able to afford. 

To answer your question about reading though, I read more comics today than in past years. There was a 20 year gap during which I missed things like Age of Apocalypse, but I am slowly making my way back through. There are some really good stories being told today though. Some of my favorites include Something Is Killing the Children, Ultimate Spider-Man (only one issue so far), Hulk (Klein is blowing me away), and Venom (I enjoy Dylan Brock). 

[Andahaion]

On 1/28/2024 at 11:07 PM, Xatari said:

Hey @John E.,

I was born in 1980 and caught the big comic boom of the 90s just prior to the Image formation. Thats a lot of why I missed some of the nostalgia of Conan, Watchmen, and Dark Knight. It doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate those properties, it just doesn’t hit me in the feels the same way it does the crew 5-10 years older than me. 

I stopped reading comics when I got busy in high school (around 1994) and got back in maybe 10 years ago. Being at a place in my life with a bit more disposable income, I picked up a lot of big key books I wasn’t able to buy as a kid… Hulk 181, FF48, etc. My wife and I made an agreement that money for any hobby wouldn’t come from our family account, so I ended up buying and selling some books to be able to afford others.

During the pandemic I switch completely to OA and sold most of my books to fund art. In my opinion the art market lagged behind the comic boom by about 6-12 months, so it provided more buying power for me. 

I try not to sell art right now except in the rare instance it either provides some benefit to my family or helps me purchase a piece I don’t otherwise be able to afford. 

To answer your question about reading though, I read more comics today than in past years. There was a 20 year gap during which I missed things like Age of Apocalypse, but I am slowly making my way back through. There are some really good stories being told today though. Some of my favorites include Something Is Killing the Children, Ultimate Spider-Man (only one issue so far), Hulk (Klein is blowing me away), and Venom (I enjoy Dylan Brock). 

Aside from being born two years before you, this is pretty much my story.  I have some gaps in my reading, so I'm always buying trades of those missed stories.  But I certainly do read books from all eras.  I agree there are good stories being told today.  I tend to wait until trades are released as I prefer to read entire stories/arcs at the same time, so I'm usually months/years behind everyone else.  And for OA...I don't have a ton of pages, but from what I've bought so far seems to be definitely favoring modern artists/stories.  

[NinjaSealed]

Finished the write up. Enjoy!

 

https://comicartguide.com/articles/oax/

[Unstoppablejayd]

Sitting on the plane trying to get back to the comic art mecha that is NJ! While I’m hear I figured I’d share some thoughts and pics.. the show was amazing! @Bill Cox and team did an incredible job… the thoughtfulness put into what a creator could want was scene. It felt like a show for collectors by collectors. Where there things to learn from being the first run.. of course! I had a great show.. I set up in the collectors island area with a few friends and was suprised how much I sold., also suprised how much I bought lol.. even made a trade, so I hit the trifecta! But even better was all the collectors I met in person for the first time that I’ve known on line forever. Every collector I spoke to had good things to say. Sooo I am also friends with some of the art reps and a couple artists and they also unanimously had good things to say… seems to have been a win all around. I’ll be there again. 
 

some pics of the stuff I came home with and just some of the debauchery! Any questions let me know 

 

 

[Xatari]

Looks like a good time was had!

[John E.]

On 1/28/2024 at 10:07 PM, Xatari said:

Hey @John E.,

 

I try not to sell art right now except in the rare instance it either provides some benefit to my family or helps me purchase a piece I don’t otherwise be able to afford. 

To answer your question about reading though, I read more comics today than in past years. There was a 20 year gap during which I missed things like Age of Apocalypse, but I am slowly making my way back through. There are some really good stories being told today though. Some of my favorites include Something Is Killing the Children, Ultimate Spider-Man (only one issue so far), Hulk (Klein is blowing me away), and Venom (I enjoy Dylan Brock). 

Thanks for the reply, Mike. I had written a long response, hit submit, and *poof* it all disappeared. I guess that was the universe saying no one wants to read this lol.

[Xatari]

Too funny!  My response above was also pretty lengthy.  It disappeared on me only to reappear when I refreshed, so I lucked out but you all had to suffer through my novel.  

[AlexG_art]

Defintiely looks like a great time!

Hoping to plan a trip for next year!

Thanks for sharing!

 

 

[stinkininkin]

Glad folks had a good time. Wasn't there, but looking at the various pics I've seen posted, it appears that the crowds seemed a little bit sparse. Perhaps that's a feature and not a bug for a show like this? Maybe attendees could comment on the crowd/attendance? 

[GotSuperPowers?]

They didn't seem sparse to me - Almost 500 tickets sold so that's roughly your number.  Not everyone attended both days and some folks juggled family and theme parks.  Each table, from what I saw, had a good number of people each time I walked buy checking things out.  

Clearly it's not SDCC or NYC numbers, but that's the appeal.  Pure art people mostly.  There were some more local folks who were just there for signatures for people that wouldn't normally be accessible to them.

[NinjaSealed]

On 1/30/2024 at 10:29 AM, stinkininkin said:

Glad folks had a good time. Wasn't there, but looking at the various pics I've seen posted, it appears that the crowds seemed a little bit sparse. Perhaps that's a feature and not a bug for a show like this? Maybe attendees could comment on the crowd/attendance? 

Definitely a feature and really a perfectly sized room for the guests and attendees. When we all gathered for the auction that room was packed and you could see what attendance truly was.

[Varanis]

On 1/30/2024 at 10:29 AM, stinkininkin said:

Glad folks had a good time. Wasn't there, but looking at the various pics I've seen posted, it appears that the crowds seemed a little bit sparse. Perhaps that's a feature and not a bug for a show like this? Maybe attendees could comment on the crowd/attendance? 

100% an intended feature and a huge reason the event was as good as it was. Tickets were capped at 500 and at least 470 were sold, which was above Bill’s target for the first year. 

[PhilipB2k17]

On 1/31/2024 at 7:56 AM, Varanis said:

100% an intended feature and a huge reason the event was as good as it was. Tickets were capped at 500 and at least 470 were sold, which was above Bill’s target for the first year. 

I'm fairly certain this event is going to get bigger and bigger. It looks like it was a hit, and a lot of fun. If I wasn't already planning to go to Lake Como this year, I'd have gone myself. I plan to next year. I will post a thread on Lake Como when that takes place. The artist lineup looks great. I just don't know anyone else who is attending yet. 

[romitaman]

I personally had such a great time at this show that this year will be my last year setting up at San Diego Con for the foreseeable future and I'm hoping Bill's OAX show here grows by leaps and bounds as I will be there setting up every year going forward!

I had more art sales here in 2 days and did more trades here than any 4 and 5 day New York Comic con and San Diego con con over the past 10 years!

And I met so many people to put faces with names over the past 30 years that it really was a great time!

Here are my booth pics and pics from Friday night's party with great friends!

And many thanks To the great Adam Hughes for working out a deal and signing my 65 piece 1990s sketchbook!

(The bank was Bill's creation....LOL)

 

 

Edited February 3 by romitaman

[AndyFish]

I can give you the artist perspective-- Orlando is an easy direct flight for us of only about 2.5 hours -- I was struck by the humidity when I got off the plane-- it reminded me very much of the reaction I had arriving in Tokyo-- just a wall of humidity (I know I'm whining here), but humidity was better than the 12 degree weather I came in from.

The VIP night was very nice and low key-- you never know what to expect at these things-- often times other con events I've done brings out some of the worst collectors-- people who will bring sketchbooks or books to sign while you're trying to eat dinner-- this was nothing like that.   Super respectful and nice folks.

We were setup next to Bill Morrison, Greg Land and John K Snyder-- all good people or friends or both-- we love the 4C Guys and they helped us with some setup while I stumbled around looking for coffee and breakfast.

We had a couple of regulars who came in to jump on our commission list and we were only taking a very limited amount of large commissions to keep the quality up.   We weren't able to attend the auction but Veronica and I had a friendly wager as to whose piece would sell higher (I shockingly won because her's was gorgeous).  I wasn't going to tell her but Bill let the cat out of the bag.

The best part for me was the Free Sketch portion-- I had so much fun whipping up free sketches for the attendees-- and we did a boatload of sketch cards which can also be a lot of fun.  I was able to knock out a Sketch Cover for Nick Barruci's fundraiser for a fan who suffered a terrible slip on the ice too.   Five stars on this show.

The CAF Community is top-notch-- we do better at the virtual shows than any other in person conventions we've ever done-- and that includes when we were VIP guests at SDCC -- this show was extremely successful for us and we saw nothing but happy faces from our fellow artists.

I had one dealer who kept refusing to give me a price on a piece I was interested in-- I don't love that method of selling-- but to each his own and I ended up saving whatever monies he was thinking.

Great show-- I would strongly advocate for it if you are a fan of comic art.   Bill and his team knocked it out of the park.

Edited February 4 by AndyFish

[gumbydarnit]

It’s nice to hear from a dealer and an artist in regards to OAX. I have a hard time thinking of a show for comic artists and comic art dealers that would be better for their bottom line than this one! Talk about a very focused group of convention attendees. They are all there for your inventory not comics, not movie stars, not Funko Pop toys… the whole crowd is there to buy your stuff.
 

I would think it would be as easy as falling off a log backwards to have a successful show. Kudos to Bill Cox for OAX, glad it was a success!

Edited February 4 by gumbydarnit