• 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.

Wizard World Chicago — August 22-25, 2019
1 1

181 posts in this topic

13 hours ago, Logan510 said:

I dislike almost everything about C2E2 aside from the hall it's held in, which is nice and bright and carpeted.

Aside from all that is has the following:

Horrible to drive to.

If you don't get to park inside before it fills up you get to park outside and walk a mile + just to get into the con...yay.

I don't care what anyone says, the selection of books at C2E2 in my experience is not as good as WW Chicago.

That being said, if I were an average con goer looking for publishers and guests C2E2 has WW beat.

I’d wager that these are among the reasons that Ace relocated to the Stephens from Navy Pier. Downtown sounds great in theory, but is often pretty awful for something this level. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

C2E2 and WW are two different shows, which appeal to a different audiences which is why I usually do both 

C2E2 I Think Skews younger, and they have The major Publishers and toy guys , They Also have the A List Dealers 

 And I agree about the parking Lot I use the outdoor lot and its over a 1/4 mile hike from the lot to the show floor ,  

WW Definitely still Has that old timely feel, with a lot of  long timers still hanging , on, It has a great easy drive to your booth setup 

and the stephans center is definitely more convenient 

 The Buying remains fantastic, This has been for the last ten years My best show for buying,  

My only problem with both of these shows in booth inflation , Its now so expensive even for a single booth that doing both (let alone other 2 ) is tough 

I will continue to do both shows, which is why I am concerned about the absence of exhibitor and guest lists for 2019 

Unfortunately for the 1st time in ten years, I;m Conflicted out, But I will back next year 

A lot of people wait to make travel plans until they see these lists, the closer to the show, the higher the hotel rates 

I believe someone posted they were worried if this show was going to go off 

Off course it will, I am sure WW already paid for the hall and collected mucho $$$$$ in booth fees and tickets 

A cancelation would destroy their credibility 

They could not cancel without folding which I doubt is going to happen 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Logan510 said:

I dislike almost everything about C2E2 aside from the hall it's held in, which is nice and bright and carpeted.

Aside from all that is has the following:

Horrible to drive to.

If you don't get to park inside before it fills up you get to park outside and walk a mile + just to get into the con...yay.

I don't care what anyone says, the selection of books at C2E2 in my experience is not as good as WW Chicago.

That being said, if I were an average con goer looking for publishers and guests C2E2 has WW beat.

I used SpotHero and parked 2 blocks away for $12. Though C2E2 was a buying disappointment. I purchased exactly 0 comics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Golden Memories said:

A cancelation would destroy their credibility 

They could not cancel without folding which I doubt is going to happen 

 

 

You may be right about them when it comes to Chicago, as this show has always been a flagship if not THE for WW. 

That being said, even a casual review of Wizard’s history shows a huge number of cancellations. Most notably they announced a show in Albuquerque in three consecutive years and then cancelled all three. With a straight face. 

A year or two ago they also announced a strategy of new shows in smaller cities (Springfield, MO; Peoria, IL; Mobile, AL; and another that escapes me). Those were also cancelled a few weeks later. 

No guest list for Pittsburgh at this late stage is a bit of a red flag. The lack of 2020 dates for NO is out of character for Wizard, as they’ve been announced immediately at the close of the current year NO show for at least 4-5 years. Normally Chicago is the last show on their schedule I’d be worried about, but they should at least have a few guests by now.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, mysterio said:

You may be right about them when it comes to Chicago, as this show has always been a flagship if not THE for WW. 

That being said, even a casual review of Wizard’s history shows a huge number of cancellations. Most notably they announced a show in Albuquerque in three consecutive years and then cancelled all three. With a straight face. 

A year or two ago they also announced a strategy of new shows in smaller cities (Springfield, MO; Peoria, IL; Mobile, AL; and another that escapes me). Those were also cancelled a few weeks later. 

No guest list for Pittsburgh at this late stage is a bit of a red flag. The lack of 2020 dates for NO is out of character for Wizard, as they’ve been announced immediately at the close of the current year NO show for at least 4-5 years. Normally Chicago is the last show on their schedule I’d be worried about, but they should at least have a few guests by now.  

Art is spot on. Wizard Chicago pays for all the other Wizard shows. While there has been little doubt in my mind that the con will go on this year, current ownership is doing everything it can to run the show into the ground 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are right Wizard has changed stratagies , I was at an exhibitor  meeting 2 or 3 years ago , can't remember, when   and they stated their goal was to have (If memory serves) 40 shows a year 

Now they have obviously retrenched,   and I also agree about Pittsburgh 

That's  their 1st show there and PA is a tough saturated Market,  its 6 weeks away and to have NO information at all posted

and to not be able to buy tickets at this point is a HUGE  red flag .

To me, there are only 2 explanations 

1) because of the increased competition, they are holding all announcements  for every show until after the previous event 

    if so Pittsburgh should be filled next week  

2) They are holding on event to event  

Chicago tickets are sold out so hopefully that will be a good show  all around

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Golden Memories said:

You are right Wizard has changed stratagies , I was at an exhibitor  meeting 2 or 3 years ago , can't remember, when   and they stated their goal was to have (If memory serves) 40 shows a year 

Now they have obviously retrenched,   and I also agree about Pittsburgh 

That's  their 1st show there and PA is a tough saturated Market,  its 6 weeks away and to have NO information at all posted

and to not be able to buy tickets at this point is a HUGE  red flag .

To me, there are only 2 explanations 

1) because of the increased competition, they are holding all announcements  for every show until after the previous event 

    if so Pittsburgh should be filled next week  

2) They are holding on event to event  

Chicago tickets are sold out so hopefully that will be a good show  all around

 

3) Wizard doesn't have the money to cover the advances necessary to book the comic/celebrity guests

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Golden Memories said:

You are right Wizard has changed stratagies , I was at an exhibitor  meeting 2 or 3 years ago , can't remember, when   and they stated their goal was to have (If memory serves) 40 shows a year 

Now they have obviously retrenched,   and I also agree about Pittsburgh 

That's  their 1st show there and PA is a tough saturated Market,  its 6 weeks away and to have NO information at all posted

and to not be able to buy tickets at this point is a HUGE  red flag .

To me, there are only 2 explanations 

1) because of the increased competition, they are holding all announcements  for every show until after the previous event 

    if so Pittsburgh should be filled next week  

2) They are holding on event to event  

Chicago tickets are sold out so hopefully that will be a good show  all around

 

I’d argue that increased competition should do the opposite: Wizard ought to be posting guest lists ASAP to drive advance sales to recoup expenses like advances. This strategy of delaying announcements does not help them secure limited con dollars for themselves (keeping it away from competitors). Your point 2 and @TheWatcher‘s point 3 overlap nicely. I have to wonder if the truth resembles those more closely. 

Brie Larson in the same building 6 weeks later is not going to help Wizard here. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After doing this show for the past three years, I think think this will be a hard pass this year. Not worth 20+ hours each way to set up at an expensive show with no guest list, no communication to dealers, and declining sales year to year. It’s such a shame, going to this show used to be a highlight of the year.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

 @mysterio     Of course you are correct, I only postulated  the theory in point one as an alternative to to the  seemingly more likely point 2.

  Having a convention in 6 weeks In a major city (Pittsburgh) only a few hours away from philly  ,

with no guest list, No artist list,  no exhibitor list, and no way to buy a ticket, to me at best is absurd.   

and at worst indicative of a serious problem .  I would actually have liked to do that show, as it is on an open weekend for me 

but was waiting for  some sort of idea where the show was going , Coming from NY Its 5 days away from the house, plus hotel  etc, etc, 

I can't do that based on what I am seeing on the website 

 

@Monster's Lair Comics  Thanks for posting , You have highlighted the problem , WW Chicago has been on a slow decline (sales wise)

       YTY , partially due to c2e2 and convention overload, and partially due to dealer attrition (my best sales are to other dealers) 

Keep in mind I am not posting here because of any animosity toward wizard, They have always treated me well and been fair with me,

I love the  Chicago and Philly shows and will  continue to do them, However its come to the point where if its a conflict 

such as this year where WW  Chicago conflicts with reed Philly , I had to make a business decision and miss Chicago., which I would not have done 5 years ago .

 I just think as @mysterio said both exhibitors and attendees have LIMITED $$$$ and WW does not seem like they realise they in a battle for those $$$$ 

 

  I truly hope someone from WW is following these posts, There is a maxim in business, That  a customer who complains is actually doing you a favor , because for every one who complains there are 20 who just leave, the ones who complain, help you find your problems and fix them 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Golden Memories I’m with you on that. My only animosity towards Wizard is their propensity to run once good shows into the ground. 2009 WW Austin was the first show I had gone to in many years, and it was a fun show for buying. Just a few years later that show was garbage. I enjoyed the NO show the two years I went, but from more recent reports it has not done as well. 

My main gripe is Chicago, and this one is personal. Having grown up with this show it is special to me. If I could go to one show a year, like when I was a kid, it would be this one. IMO I can’t imagine a show that could be better for buying, the depth and variety of material is superb. I never come home with money (and often come home in cc debt). Wizard got a special show when they took over the Chicago Comicon, and for quite a few years they seemed to handle that legacy pretty well. I’m much less confident lately, and this one bugs me. I love shows, but I particularly love THIS show. I missed last year, will have to miss this year, and the thought that the summer Chicago show may become just a fond memory is something I’d prefer not to consider. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Monster's Lair Comics said:

After doing this show for the past three years, I think think this will be a hard pass this year. Not worth 20+ hours each way to set up at an expensive show with no guest list, no communication to dealers, and declining sales year to year. It’s such a shame, going to this show used to be a highlight of the year.....

:sorry:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to add my own two cents in for what they are worth, not much I imagine, though I have not been to Wizard World Chicago, I really do enjoy going to C2E2 because they always have a great lineup of artist and other creators that I typically do not get to see at other shows.  All of the major comic book dealers are  there with some great books, especially golden age stuff, but I did not buy a lot last year and even less this year.  I honestly felt like the majority of the books were way overpriced.  When I compare my experience at C2E2 this year to Planet Comic Con, which was the following weekend, Planet seemed to have more comic dealers and prices were better.  I have started to think of C2E2 of the con where I go to get artwork and maybe pick up a golden age book or two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/8/2019 at 4:22 AM, jsilverjanet said:

ACE announces a show in October same location 

that’s 3 comic shows now in convention center that used to be exclusive to Wizard 

times are changing 

I mentioned on the ACE Chicago thread last time that Navy Pier was a bad location, and the promoted came on and argued with me a bit. It looks like they're moving to Rosemont.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ticket sales for this show seem odd. Twice now I've seen it go from general admission sold out to early bird discounted 4 day g/a passes available (which you can buy now if you thought it was sold out).

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
1 1