Mile High Comics talks about the SDCC

[samurainoir]

I do not feel sorry for him. I have been on both ends of the comic book conventions (selling & buying) and he just cannot keep up with the times. With the digital age it is bound to have hurt comic book stores. I have a huge collection, but I still have rebought them on comicxology when the have them for 99cents an issue.

I have friends that are old school comic book dealers, and many of them are struggling if they don't embrace the back half the Diamond catalogue filled with t-shirts, Pop Vinyls, statues and toys. I'm hugely sympathetic, but the truth is, most comic stores are generally kept afloat by gaming/snacks (with tables filled with kids who hang out all day) or high end statues and impulse purchase collectibles other than comics. Back issues take up huge amounts of real estate, waiting for the right person to come along, while the margins on new comics are generally a buck or two. It's a tough market no matter what you do for brick and mortar.

[Blue Meanie]

Rozanski is absolutely right that ComicCon is no longer a comic book convention alone. It hasn't been for at least 15 years maybe longer. It's more of a pop culture event. It's the movie and TV show panels and video game displays that seem to drive it.

If you are looking to buy vintage comics and toys, you can find them there, but there are much better shows to attend if either of those are your sole focus that are a lot less of a hassle and not as expensive. items are generally going to be overpriced because of how much it costs to exhibit there, at least until Sunday. And generally retailers only bring sure-to-sell items. So if you are looking for one particular issue or one certain hard-to-find action figure, it's not the best place unless you correspond with some retailers and ask them to bring that item if they have it.

But, if you are looking for great panels about comics or just about anything else concerning sci-Fi, fantasy and genre fiction, movies or shows, the show can't be beat. I've never been disappointed at a panel at San Diego. Each one generally has a knowledgable moderator, which makes a great difference. Panels that are just Q&As are a waste of time to me because most aren't used to asking good questions because it's hard to do without preparation.

If you want original art or a convention sketch, there are a ton of options. But if you want to have a 10 minute chat or even 5 minutes with a highly popular writer or artist, it's not the right show. Small shows are best for that.

It is an overwhelming event and one you need a plan for to totally enjoy, and it is not for everyone. You will be standing in line and you might not get into panel or event you want if you don't get there early or even if you did. But unlike other shows, if you don't get in to your first choice, there is something nearly as interesting going on elsewhere.

My biggest frustration with the event, outside of parking, is the golden-age comics panel will be scheduled opposite of a Spotlight on Adam Hughes or Bernie Wrightson and the Star Wars panel, and I have to decide which one I want to attend.

And it's like that almost every hour of the 4-day show. There's just too much cool stuff to do.

I've been saying this for the last 10 years about comic cons here in NY. That monstrosity that is at the Javits center is a "wannabe San Diego" comic con. You'll have to pay me to go to one of those shows. I think the people that do the Javits shows are finally realizing that they might want to go a different route. The last show they had was put together very last minute and it was a great show. Just like the old Creation shows before they were taken over by Next Generation and Dr. Who fans....a comic show that had artists and writers that you can actually have a conversation with and thank for the work they put out. It wasn't a media event or a show to display new product....it was a COMIC BOOK SHOW. That's one of the reasons you will never see me attend a San Diego Show. I prefer substance over style in my comic cons.

[samurainoir]

who was it that called this one? Mile High is not taking their ball and going home after all.

Before you read my two previous essays, however, I want you to know that I ultimately did heed the outpouring of requests that I received from fans and professionals at the show, and renewed our booth for next year. In all honesty, however, I have to admit that my decision to renew at SDCC for one more year was driven more by an emotional response to all the kind words of support that we received, rather than any kind of good business sense.

aaaand here is how he tries and parlay whatever sympathy he gains from his newsletter kvetching into the age-old sales pitch "Our Loss, is YOUR Gain!!!"

I will close today's bittersweet newsletter with a couple of very important news bits for you. First, while we narrowed our loss at the convention considerably thanks to brisk Sunday sales, we still ended up about $6,000 below break even. I am going to give you a chance to help us make up that loss by offering you a very short-lived 60% off SANDIEGO codeword sale. This 60% off sale will only run through this upcoming Saturday at noon. at that point, a 40% off sale will go into effect for the next few months. This is an unprecedented sale offered only because I need to make up our losses. Please do allow us extra shipping time, as we expect to be inundated with orders over the next three days.

I know we're all playing monday morning quarterback here, but the obvious solution seems to me is to bank-roll his own exclusives to drive traffic to his booth like everyone else at SDCC. Take some of the large budget spent this year, and allocate it by partnering up with any number of comic or toy/novelty companies. I know, easier said than done right?