San Diego Comic-Con may become an online convention 1 1

[The Lions Den]

19 hours ago, goodrockrich said:

I used to have to work the SDCC.  Trapped behind a booth, hundred's of thousands of people, traveling across the country, and jet lag.  To be honest I don't miss it.  The free dinners at nice restaurants were nice the first couple of years.  That even got old.  

I know exactly where you're coming from...   

[Dark Knight]

I really don't see it happening.  Like most have said, way too early to open up for fear of a 2nd wave of infections that can happen and no vaccine.  If for some miraculously reason it is not cancelled, I can see some people going  and some vendors setting up.  Perhaps the organizers will set up a mandatory temperature check per person and a mask requirement to enter that should be worn at all times. It's a far cry from happening, but it's the governor's decision.

[wombat]

I might rush to get to my local comic shop, but no chance I'm rushing back to a crowded event. On the plus side maybe that leaves more space for the rest of you. 

[Domo Arigato]

5 hours ago, Callaway29 said:

Pie in the sky day dreaming, but it would be cool if someone utilized a game-type format...where people could walk around in a virtual environment with an avatar, bump into people, have conversations, visit booths and look at their inventory, etc... 

[paperheart]

this is as bad as the IOC, make the call- it ain't happening

[Mercury Man]

Still haven't truly seen the economic shakedown of this.   I mean in regards to going to a comic convention, between admission, photo ops (if you are into that), autographs, and buying merch, it will be interesting to see peoples disposable cash, if any, given the circumstances.   

Will any real stars want to hang around with thousands of people?  A head nod, and a smile, and give me your cash fan boy.   No more handshakes I am sure.  No more putting an arm around somebody for a photo.  Weird times. 

Edited April 14, 2020 by Mercury Man

[Xela]

21 hours ago, Ares said:

Sad to say probably way to many.

People still gather in large groups here in Toronto even with  the city on lock down

Same here in the UK. The beaches and parks were full this past weekend.

[Buzzetta]

16 hours ago, Coolio McCool said:

Maybe they can do a "retro" style con and kick out all exhibitors not selling or promoting comic books. That would easily leave enough floor space for social distancing, just need to be careful to not hover over people going through dollar bins.

No one would go and it would not allow the con to be feasible.

Disney/Marvel and Time Warner/DC are the largest of the comic companies.  As of 2016(?) Disney has scaled back appearances at other people's cons and have made the gradual shift toward making their reveals at D23 Expo.  San Diego is starting to need Disney/Marvel more than Disney/Marvel needs San Diego.   

As it is companies find NYCC too cost prohibitive to have a setup on the floor.  Hasbro rents an area offsite every year to showcase their wares.  If you eliminate them out of SDCC?  Well, Hasbro already laid down the foundation for HasCon and I have a suspicion that once they launch Transformers again and IF GI Joe Snake Eyes is successful, we will see them start to shift some of their focus away from there as well.

Take out everything but comics and you do not have enough vendors that can financially support what SD wants in terms of space.   Sure, they will scale back, but to what point?  Will it be worth it? 

Like it or not, the show has evolved. 

Same is true with NYCC. 

It 7:15.  I have to get out of bed and get ready for my commute... to the other side of the house to go to work.  

[mrc]

3 hours ago, Xela said:

Same here in the UK. The beaches and parks were full this past weekend.

Really, where were they full?

[Ken Aldred]

On 4/15/2020 at 10:31 AM, Xela said:

Same here in the UK. The beaches and parks were full this past weekend.

I read today that my local area Lancashire police have issued the largest number of fines for lockdown violations in the country, ' for parties, barbecues, and visits to Blackpool beach'.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Ken Aldred

[slym2none]

Sounds kinda like Hawaii...



-slym

[James J Johnson]

On ‎4‎/‎13‎/‎2020 at 5:20 PM, Ken Aldred said:

SDCC has been described by many boardies as a great thing to experience in person.  NYCC as well.

I can't see how an online alternative could be made to work on the same emotional level.  A bit lightweight, detached or sterile.  

The physical vs digital comics argument again.

 

Exactly. I can well understand wanting to salvage some vestige of the convention in some way other than in person, but a virtual SDCC is going to be like trying to experience a virtual amusement park on your computer screen. The whole idea of something the magnitude of the SDCC, a thing you experience live, in "Sensurround" with its interactions with creators and exhibitors is ridiculous.

[Robot Man]

Ferget about SDCC just ferget about it, period. It ain’t gonna happen. CA hasn’t even reached what they think the peak will be. Gov Newsome is a very smart man. He got on this before anyone else. We’ve been self quartined longer than anyone else. It ain’t over. They are talking about possibility a little open up mid May but I doubt it. 

Does anyone really think CA is going to be fully opened by July? I don’t think so. There is no way he will allow a gathering of this size and rightly so. 

And has been said, SDCC is a “people” experience. It simply would be a waste of time to do it virtually. I’ve been to most of them. I can’t imagine even bothering to watch it on my device. Might as well just wait until it can be done right. 

[paperheart]

San Diego Comic-Con Cancels 2020 Event, Sets 2021 Return

https://deadline.com/2020/04/comic-con-cancels-2020-event-sets-2021-return-1202911260/

Edited April 17, 2020 by paperheart

[dupont2005]

On 4/14/2020 at 1:31 AM, James J Johnson said:

Doesn't this hobby, and every other one, already have an online convention called ebay? It's open 24/7/365, there's millions of sellers, billions of buyers, unlimited floor and retail space, many of the SDCC vendors already sell there and when you have to use the rest room there aren't any lines?  

Most people who attend comicon aren’t there to buy comics. 

[James J Johnson]

3 hours ago, dupont2005 said:

Most people who attend comicon aren’t there to buy comics. 

While this may have been true 20 years ago, since then, the elaborate exhibits and the emergence of Marvel and DC superhero movies make it a huge attraction; a mecca, for hobbyists of other than only comic books.

[NP_Gresham]

Looks like the question is answered.

To hold the con would be a 100% money grab. 

Many of the attendees would stay away and the size of the hit to the current economy would take a sizable chunk out of sale$

The question now is the feasability of mega gatherings like this in the near future.

The economy is heading into the toilet, disposable income is heading down a hole.

As someone still working with lots of OT, I am REALLY hesitant to spend any money. 

Prices need to drop in scale similar to my 401k, real wage deflation and employment. All those are off by a factor of 25% or more.

Comics are for disposable income. Prices need at least a 25% adjustment downward before I would feel comfortable buying again.

Does it not make more sense to have cash on hand for RE when that starts to retreat as many are predicting?

[blazingbob]

Where is the thumbs down emoji?

The first insight into how large gatherings would eventually play out are sports.  Money and the need to keep the natives calm will lead the way into how this gets resolved.  Staying locked up is not a great long term solution.  

This is a virus,  there are a lot of people working on drugs that knockdown symptoms,  drugs targeting the virus if you have it and eventually vaccines.  This is not a movie where the vaccine gets worked up in a hour and a half.  Unfortunately there are a lot of people that think if I get it I'm dead.  Which is reinforced by the media every day when the number of reported cases go up and death tolls rise.  Throw in some tragic "young person" dies story and we are off to the races.  Don't think that if people had a way to know they would be okay things wouldn't be different.  But right now everyone looks at the other and wonders,  looks at a doorknob and whips out the clorox wipes.  Washes their hands,  a sneeze is a death sentence.   

Prices need to fall like your 401?  When did the comic market sync to the stock market?  The comic market has been suffering from ST-19 (Sales tax 2019) long before the CV-19 virus hit.  

Recessions are a normal part of life,  we've just had a government/fed that has kicked the can on them for a long time.  

[Mercury Man]

1 hour ago, blazingbob said:

Recessions are a normal part of life

Exactly.   Which is why there are some great opportunities on Wall Street, if you have the patience to wait it out. 

[TerrysComics]

I am oddly relieved that they are cancelling this Convention, I have felt for many years that it was no longer a ComicCon but a Hollywood / Pop culture convention.

Don't get me wrong I always had very good sales there but the expenses vs actual income were getting worse every year.

The main reason I kept doing the show was because every other Major dealer was still doing it and it was only 80 miles from my home.

In the old days it was so much fun but it has not been fun in a long time, more like a week of obligation that I dreaded.

In the old days it made up to 1/2 my annual Comic book sales income, in recent years it has become less than 10%.

I have been an advocate for smaller Comic Book / Comic Art  / Comic Professional focused shows for a long time now.

I think we can get these going with Masks and Gloves if need be, much sooner than the Major gatherings will ever be able to.

Best to all in the Collectors world,

Good Health to you all and your family,

                      Terry O’Neill - Terry's Comics