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Are Comic Book conventions really Comic Book conventions?
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302 posts in this topic

2 hours ago, 1Cool said:

The modern major Con has become Halloween for comic book fans blended with a comic themed merchandise bazar but this format seems very popular based on the number of people thru the door.. 

It's popular because many can have their 15 minutes of fame for the price of a ticket.

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Telling people they can't dress up makes literally zero sense.  There are plenty of people who dress up and then buy books/toys/collectibles.  What was the purpose of antagonizing an enthusiastic group of people?  Does people being dressed up as their favorite characters lessen the efficacy of money?  That restriction was just plain stupid.  Not surprised that it resulted in such a reaction.

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2 hours ago, jcjames said:
2 hours ago, Broke as a Joke said:

I don't understand what the cosplay end game is.  Comic collectors buy comics.  Card collectors buy cards.  Toy collectors buy toys.   Do cosplayers buy anything?  

Tickets.

To be fair, some cosplayers do buy comics.

But I don't think I've ever seen a cosplayer buy the type of books that it takes to get a serious international dealer to set up. It's usually smaller fare items.

So while they do spend money, the dealer who is geared towards the vintage collector doesn't see much benefit from them. Hence the niche market of vintage collectible shows.

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3 minutes ago, Red84 said:

Telling people they can't dress up makes literally zero sense.  There are plenty of people who dress up and then buy books/toys/collectibles.  What was the purpose of antagonizing an enthusiastic group of people?  Does people being dressed up as their favorite characters lessen the efficacy of money?  That restriction was just plain stupid.  Not surprised that it resulted in such a reaction.

How is it any different than a nightclub or a restaurant or any particular venue that has a dress code? That's not antagonistic is it?

It might be unusual to request no costumes but it's not 'wrong'.

 

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2 hours ago, 1Cool said:

Anything that helps get people thru the door.

You're assuming getting people through the door is the goal.

I said this on the FB page, but turngin a profit would be the last thing on my mind. I'd be more in interested in filling the room with vintage sellers and collectors.

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Just now, VintageComics said:

How is it any different than a nightclub or a restaurant or any particular venue that has a dress code? That's not antagonistic is it?

It might be unusual to request no costumes but it's not 'wrong'.

 

Putting aside the most important question, which is why not allow costumes, cosplay is not as black and white as a nightclub dress code.  Nightclubs/restaurants might have a dress code that says collared shirts, dress shoes, no hats.  What is going to be defined as cosplay?  Wearing a batman t-shirt is technically cosplay.  How about catwoman cat ears?  Makeup?  

And in this case I would argue that it is wrong.  It's saying to people who enjoy dressing up as a character that they are less than those who wear ill-fitting t-shirts and pants that show their crack when they bend over to look at a longbox on the floor.

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1 hour ago, Diamonddave said:

I for one would love a show that was simply comics, toys and OA. Ive stopped attending shows on Saturdays altogether due to cosplayers blocking off aisles posing for pictures at choke points on the show floor. 

 

This.

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I'd never avoid a con because of cosplay, but I'd be thrilled if there was an area set aside for comic-only dealers and attendees.  Put the ticket at a reduced rate, and limit my access to nothing but the comic area.  I'd be thrilled, and the multimedia cons would finally get some money out of me.  If you also want to meet guests, play videogames, look at Pokemon-themed pillows, or cosplay, pay the full rate and get full access.

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3 hours ago, VintageComics said:

Obviously, me being the person I am I asked if the Cosplayer's started their own convention and said there were no vendor's allowed would that be OK? I had a feeling no vendors would protest that idea. - Nobody replied. I asked it at least 3 times. Nobody replied.

That is not an analogous example.  Based on how you have described it, the uproar was about restricting how people could dress, not about restricting merchandise for sale.  The analogous situation would be a convention where you were not allowed in if you were not in cosplay.  That is just as destructive as the proposed alternative. 

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No, not for the last 7 years or so.  They are watered down with lame swag and cosplay is taking over.  There's some good/cool stuff sure, but they should all be renamed to culture-cons because it's not about the comics anymore that is for sure.

I get why it's like it is, its more family friendly, draws a broader niche of participants and exhibitors, etc., but it's not like it used to be #sadpanda

 

Jerome

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3 hours ago, VintageComics said:

So I just thought I'd ask you guys: Would a show strictly about the collectibles themselves interest you and how do you feel about no cosplay being allowed at a show?

Yes, I'd prefer such a show. However, I have no real issue with cosplay, although I think it's a bit odd to pay admission and not buy anything. Have a costume party if that's what you want to do. I think the bigger issue is the non-comic related guests and these events turning into pop culture cons instead of comic cons. 

I prefer the comic cons of old. Just comic book dealers and maybe a few comic pros. 

Edited by Jerkfro
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I'd think a cosplay con without comic books would pull in way more people then the reverse.  A lot more people would pay money to see the costumes or the pretty girls or the contests then would go to see and buy books in my opinion.  

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I try to support any show that keeps the hobby going.

My ideal is to go to a show that has lots of comic dealers, lots of comic buyers, and a great atmosphere of collectability.

Do I need cosplay there? not really, but I don't mind looking.

I dislike the vendors that do not have any business being there, such as the show I went to last year that had a Bank setup in a booth, some seller of heating pads, a Vacuum seller, and so many other non-collectible items.

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1 hour ago, nearmint said:

Terry's show in Yorba Linda is all comics, and seems well attended.  The San Diego Comic Fest also seems to be purely about funny books, but I haven't attended that one.

Terry's show can't be beat as far as comics are concerned, a real collectors show.

I used to go to SDCC every year, now it's just too crazy, too crowded, and too much of a hassle.

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31 minutes ago, Red84 said:

That is not an analogous example.  Based on how you have described it, the uproar was about restricting how people could dress, not about restricting merchandise for sale.  The analogous situation would be a convention where you were not allowed in if you were not in cosplay.  That is just as destructive as the proposed alternative. 

Imagine, for a minute, that you were both a serious collectibles collector AND a cos-player (yeah, I know, play along here for a minute).  A convention that focuses only on comics and other collectibles priced $50+ (right up your alley) is coming to town, and their only stipulation is that they politely ask that you leave the cosplay at home.  If you can't leave the costume at home for one day, when literally every other convention in the country is okay with you wearing it, you really need to ask yourself if you are a serious collector or not and whether you should be at this Convention or not.  Do people dress up as Batman or the Power Rangers to place bids at the Floor Session of a Heritage Auction?  

For the record, I didn't speak to a single person, attendee or vendor, that didn't appreciate the stance we took and the subsequent flak as well.  We did it for them, and they knew it.      

 

   

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10 minutes ago, JiveTurkeyMoFo said:

Do people dress up as Batman or the Power Rangers to place bids at the Floor Session of a Heritage Auction?  

I'm pretty sure that if you were bidding on a Tec 27 that heritage could care less if you were dressed as Batman while doing it.

And if I was that hypothetical person you mentioned who was into cosplay and comics and told I would not be allowed to dress up in order to attend I would stay home and spend my money elsewhere.  Like I said previously; antagonizing a specific group of people for no reason is just silly.  It's almost like people are annoyed that comic book characters have become mainstream.  People in costumes buy books too.

Edited by Red84
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