• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

SDCC: After 48 years, the shocking downfall.
2 2

171 posts in this topic

I don't like to see any comic dealer bail out of SDCC but losing Mile High was not a significant loss for collectors of GA/SA and is probably not a portent of the end times for our neck of the woods (the Golden And Silver Age Pavilion of the exhibit hall). Chuck is a pleasant guy to talk to about the hobby and has earned his place in its history but year after year they had a very expensive set-up with only modern comics that could easily be obtained elsewhere.

I did most of my shopping on Wed/Thurs and it looked to me like there was a lot of great material at the show this year. I was looking for certain things and only found a couple of them but I enjoy the hunt anyway. I really like the panels too.

I go way back with SDCC and despite the way it has grown and mutated over the years, I still look forward to it and I always have post-Comic-Con blues when it's over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I've mentioned this anecdote before, but a few years ago I read a column by Rob Neyer on espn.  It consisted of a series of quotes from retired baseball players.  Each quote said about the same thing:  "The players today never really learned the game in the minors.  Nobody knows how to bunt any more.  Nobody can execute the rundown play.  Players don't want to work on improving their skills any more." etc.

The kicker at the end of the column was that the first quote was from a retired player in 1910, the second quote was from a retired player in 1930, and so on.  Sometimes things get better, sometimes they get worse, and sometimes they just get different. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, sacentaur said:

There was only one dealer who packed up on Saturday, and I spoke to him about it - he had a flight to catch for some other business, so planned all along to to leave early. He allowed his neighbor at the con to expand to his booth for the rest of the show.

For someone else (not you, Tony) to give an impression that dealers were fleeing the show because it was so terrible is completely untrue (Sunday was a banner day for us). 

THe Bunky's and greg Reece left early Saturday due to lackluster sales. Their booths were still manned but they didn't deem it worth their time to stay. And one dealer completely left (must have been the one steve talked about)

i wasn't in the con Sunday so I can't relate. But I was there all day Saturday and it was "bad" for all I talked to

Edited by G.A.tor
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel like people should know what they are going to get by now with SDCC. 

Collectors looking for back issue centric shows, or dealers who don't want to deal with the nonsense and high costs should have gotten the message years ago. Hell, it was like that when I went 8 or 10 years back and it's not going to get any better. Ever. 

Edited by october
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, G.A.tor said:

THe Bunky's and greg Reece left early Saturday due to lackluster sales. Their booths were still manned but they didn't deem it worth their time to stay. And one dealer completely left (must have been the one steve talked about)

i wasn't in the con Sunday so I can't relate. But I was there all day Saturday and it was "bad" for all I talked to

Interesting contrast Rick, I was in the vintage comics section for 50 hours during the 5 days and heard different but of course things will vary. Were you at the Con much, I don't recall seeing you?

Saturday was the "slowest" day for some reason.

Bunky attempted a new strategy (only books under $300) and it apparently was not as successful as they hoped, so I'm not sure that's a fair sampling (Kenny did tell me they'll bring more "good stuff" next time).

Reece's location wasn't the best and his pricing scares people off, so that's not unexpected.

Edited by sacentaur
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, sacentaur said:

Interesting contrast Rick, I was in the vintage comics section for 50 hours during the 5 days and heard different but of course things will vary. Were you at the Con much, I don't recall seeing you?

Saturday was the "slowest" day for some reason.

Bunky attempted a new strategy (only books under $300) and it apparently was not as successful as they hoped, so I'm not sure that's a fair sampling (Kenny did tell me they'll bring more "good stuff" next time).

Reece's location wasn't the best and his pricing scares people off, so that's not unexpected.

I was only in the con all day Saturday and have thus limited my observations to that day (I too left at 5)

but I talked to a lot of folks and the feeling I got from everyone I talked to Saturday was "meh" ...not bad but not great. 

 

Maybe the dynamic there has changed (haven't set up in 3 years but did for the 10 years previous to that). Saturday was always the best day/most buyers. Maybe that's changed?

Edited by G.A.tor
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, sacentaur said:

Reece's location wasn't the best and his pricing scares people off, so that's not unexpected.

No kidding. I saw the pics from Doc Joe's report and some of the asking prices were :screwy:

SC 22 9.2 sold in 2012 on Comiclink for 66K. Asking price 250K at the con. Green Lantern. Yeah, ok. :eyeroll:

Edited by Gotham Kid
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, G.A.tor said:

I was only in the con all day Saturday and have thus limited my observations to that day (I too left at 5)

but I talked to a lot of folks and the feeling I got from everyone I talked to Saturday was "meh" ...not bad but not great. 

 

Maybe the dynamic there has changed (haven't set up in 3 years but did for the 10 years previous to that). Saturday was always the best day/most buyers. Maybe that's changed?

I wonder if the continued crush on Saturday in hall H isn't having at least some impact on Saturday sales? I spent the entire day in it so I had to pick up what I did on Friday while in between things (like waiting in lines). There's way more going on in and around the convention center each year pulling you in many directions. If you don't go on preview night too I find it's becoming more and more difficult to find time to "shop" for anything. Everyone is pulling me in multiple directions to go do things...:frustrated:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Comic cons used to be super cool and ultra important because that was the only place you could find comic books not available at your local comic store (LCS).  Buying by mail back then was a bit dicey because you had no idea what you were buying.  But, now, with the advent of the internet and grading services, you have complete comfort and convenience in buying from afar.  So the need for Comic Cons has greatly greatly greatly diminished.  Forums like this have even removed the networking benefits of cons.

Meanwhile, SDCC has turned into the coolest place in the world to be a pop culture early adapter.  Nothing more than watching an Arrowverse premiere 3 months early or being in the room as one of the first around watching the Ready Player One trailer.  And there's lots of limited edition "exclusives" to shop for, cool booths to experience, and great panels to attend.   And those things can really only be done at SDCC, whereas you can buy comics from anywhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, october said:

I feel like people should know what they are going to get by now with SDCC. 

Collectors looking for back issue centric shows, or dealers who don't want to deal with the nonsense and high costs should have gotten the message years ago. Hell, it was like that when I went 8 or 10 years back and it's not going to get any better. Ever. 

Yeah I agree.  I came to the same conclusion the only time I ever went and that was 10+ years ago

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you have to clearly divide this thread into what's wrong/right with the SDCC for fans and what's right/wrong for dealers of back issue comics. 

Different animal to both.

In the past comic cons were a great source of back issues but in the internet era I find myself seeing the boxes and back drops as a source of browsing for comics rather than looking for a certain issue. I do go after certain dealers like Harley Yee since he no longer seems to do much online. 

Otherwise with regards to looking for actual comics it's more like browsing and maybe meeting some of the dealers I do business with online. If I was after a certain book I'd start checking the usual suspects like auction houses or a host of dealers who post here first. 

Comic cons for fans were, are and always will  be about meeting up with friends who enjoy the hobby and having fun. When they stop becoming that then I will stop going.

I had a great time this year, wish I could have done more and met more people and deeply sympathize with anyone in the business who struggled money wise at the con.

All I can do is continue to support the dealers I feel treat me right as a customer and fan year round. I can't always do that at SDCC but I promise to make it up to you the rest of the year.:)

Edited by N e r V
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I spend a lot of money on books and I've never been able to get a badge to comic con because it's always sold out, complex and don't know how to figure out how to get a badge.  In place of old men like me that have the budget to buy these books and will be happy to are probably kids that figured out how to get these badges and are not attending for the same reasons someone like me would go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They've actually increased attendance since this came out (I heard 167,000 in 2015) and the demand to get badges is well over 1 million now but this chart still gives you an idea of what a lottery it really is.

 

IMG_0199.thumb.JPG.44251236128c2ce2720ba6b3f8a07eae.JPG

 

 

Edited by N e r V
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes the odds have gone up....but for every true comic book collector, its 5x as many  gamers, toy collectors, Hall H addicts....everybody who I have talked to noticed the change..the comic book sections compared to the media sections were very noticeably thinner than EVER. Why use the word "comic" or even" comic con" call it what it is a circus...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, N e r V said:

 

I think you have to clearly divide this thread into what's wrong/right with the SDCC for fans and what's right/wrong for dealers of back issue comics. 

Different animal to both.

In the past comic cons were a great source of back issues but in the internet era I find myself seeing the boxes and back drops as a source of browsing for comics rather than looking for a certain issue. I do go after certain dealers like Harley Yee since he no longer seems to do much online

 

Harley is my favourite to deal with as well , he has always treated me fairly and gone the extra mile for me. I spoke to him on a number of occasions this weekend and he was able to find me something specific I was looking for at sdcc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Mmehdy said:

Yes the odds have gone up....but for every true comic book collector, its 5x as many  gamers, toy collectors, Hall H addicts....everybody who I have talked to noticed the change..the comic book sections compared to the media sections were very noticeably thinner than EVER. Why use the word "comic" or even" comic con" call it what it is a circus...

I saw Mitch clowning around my table! :kidaround:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, MrBedrock said:
18 hours ago, Mmehdy said:

Yes the odds have gone up....but for every true comic book collector, its 5x as many  gamers, toy collectors, Hall H addicts....everybody who I have talked to noticed the change..the comic book sections compared to the media sections were very noticeably thinner than EVER. Why use the word "comic" or even" comic con" call it what it is a circus...

I saw Mitch clowning around my table! :kidaround:

Isn't Mitch the one that started this whole tirade about how SDCC is now nothing more than a circus sideshow and then he goes running around acting like a circus clown when he should be like a old time comic collector down on his hands and knees digging through your dime boxes?  (:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
2 2