Comments on: San Diego ’06: Viral marketing, imaginal cells http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:30:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Crocodile Caucus » Digesting the San Diego Experience http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-1380 Sat, 12 Aug 2006 18:08:35 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-1380 [...] Heidi posted a solid overview of this year’s San Diego Comic-Con yesterday. There’s one bit I want to address right away: This was the fifth San Diego I’d covered for a daily website, and my efforts seemed increasingly irrelevant. When every entertainment website and cable network sends fleets of reporters to cover the show and a group Flickr site puts up over a thousand of photos in a few days, the efforts of one little human seems pitiful by comparison. [...] […] Heidi posted a solid overview of this year’s San Diego Comic-Con yesterday. There’s one bit I want to address right away: This was the fifth San Diego I’d covered for a daily website, and my efforts seemed increasingly irrelevant. When every entertainment website and cable network sends fleets of reporters to cover the show and a group Flickr site puts up over a thousand of photos in a few days, the efforts of one little human seems pitiful by comparison. […]

]]> by: Rachel Kadushin http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-846 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 18:12:55 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-846 Okay, honestly if the middle-men were looking for the next thing, I would have sold all of the 50 or so copies of issue #1 and #2 of Heroes in Birmingham (to them) from where they were at the Friends of Lulu table during the entire convention. I think that the middle-men were just as distracted by the spectacle, and yes I hope they got around to Kyle Baker's table where he had a video segment and his comics. But were they really at the small press areas looking for the next thing? Not really. As it was I ended up media mailing most of them back to myself, along with about 40 DVDs. As I mentioned in a earlier post, what worked for me was persistent networking -- the convention floor -- somewhat similarly to the very similar NY Comic-Con in February did not make a place for me to meet too many fans or any industry. I did have a couple of nice conversations with fans curious about self-publishing or breaking into comics (while at the Friends of Lulu table), and got to meet a few people for the first time (or the first time in a long time) by visiting their tables (networking). -Rachel Okay, honestly if the middle-men were looking for the next thing, I would have sold all of the 50 or so copies of issue #1 and #2 of Heroes in Birmingham (to them) from where they were at the Friends of Lulu table during the entire convention. I think that the middle-men were just as distracted by the spectacle, and yes I hope they got around to Kyle Baker’s table where he had a video segment and his comics. But were they really at the small press areas looking for the next thing? Not really. As it was I ended up media mailing most of them back to myself, along with about 40 DVDs. As I mentioned in a earlier post, what worked for me was persistent networking — the convention floor — somewhat similarly to the very similar NY Comic-Con in February did not make a place for me to meet too many fans or any industry. I did have a couple of nice conversations with fans curious about self-publishing or breaking into comics (while at the Friends of Lulu table), and got to meet a few people for the first time (or the first time in a long time) by visiting their tables (networking).
-Rachel

]]> by: Neeb http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-832 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 08:14:17 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-832 The Hollywood Phase will burn itself out in time. Not that there won't be a presence, just that it's bound to find itself scaled back when people realize that Snakes on a Plane and movies like it (remember when Halle Barry was promoting Gothika?) won't have the lasting effect that a flash of lightning like LOTR or POTC have had. In 2008, none of you will care about Grindhouse or Transformers by Michael Bay. Right now, the nerd dollar has as much value as the pre-teen girl had in 1998 after Titanic (and while, there will always be intrinsic value, it won't rock the world that way it has with LOTR). And what happens then? I'll actually get to enjoy Saturday. Until then, does anyone think San Diego could use a real dirt-under-the-fingernails comic convention? Something like Emerald City or Wondercon or Heroes Con? The Hollywood Phase will burn itself out in time. Not that there won’t be a presence, just that it’s bound to find itself scaled back when people realize that Snakes on a Plane and movies like it (remember when Halle Barry was promoting Gothika?) won’t have the lasting effect that a flash of lightning like LOTR or POTC have had. In 2008, none of you will care about Grindhouse or Transformers by Michael Bay.
Right now, the nerd dollar has as much value as the pre-teen girl had in 1998 after Titanic (and while, there will always be intrinsic value, it won’t rock the world that way it has with LOTR).
And what happens then? I’ll actually get to enjoy Saturday.
Until then, does anyone think San Diego could use a real dirt-under-the-fingernails comic convention? Something like Emerald City or Wondercon or Heroes Con?

]]> by: Gerry Alanguilan http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-831 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 07:31:26 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-831 Please don't think what you're doing is increasingly irrelevant. It is true that there are thousands upon thousands of individual coverage via photos and blog entries on the event by people who went there, but very few would bother to write a long, well thought out and entertaining article as this one. In the swiftly expanding Internet world where everyone has his or her own opinion, those few who have something really substantial to say and say it well become more and more essential. Please don’t think what you’re doing is increasingly irrelevant. It is true that there are thousands upon thousands of individual coverage via photos and blog entries on the event by people who went there, but very few would bother to write a long, well thought out and entertaining article as this one.

In the swiftly expanding Internet world where everyone has his or her own opinion, those few who have something really substantial to say and say it well become more and more essential.

]]> by: Michael Grabois http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-827 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 05:51:04 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-827 Great post, Heidi! You referred to your Norman Invasion essay a couple times, I know I've read it but how about reposting it, updating it, or just linking to it? Hearing about everything going on in SD, and blogging about it from the comfort of my own living room - is there a term called niche-blogging? - reminded me a lot of the evolution of Sundance. It used to be just a film festival, now that almost seems secondary since Hollywood "discovered" it. But even with all the Hollywood trappings they've added, there's still a comic con under there, we can still find the quarter bins, we can still hang out in the Hyatt bar, and we can still even find a bargain and have fun. And when it implodes or topples from being top-heavy with Hollywood and they move on to something else, we'll still have the comics. It'll get to the point where it's like Yogi Berra said - "nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded." Great post, Heidi! You referred to your Norman Invasion essay a couple times, I know I’ve read it but how about reposting it, updating it, or just linking to it?

Hearing about everything going on in SD, and blogging about it from the comfort of my own living room - is there a term called niche-blogging? - reminded me a lot of the evolution of Sundance. It used to be just a film festival, now that almost seems secondary since Hollywood “discovered” it. But even with all the Hollywood trappings they’ve added, there’s still a comic con under there, we can still find the quarter bins, we can still hang out in the Hyatt bar, and we can still even find a bargain and have fun. And when it implodes or topples from being top-heavy with Hollywood and they move on to something else, we’ll still have the comics. It’ll get to the point where it’s like Yogi Berra said - “nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”

]]> by: Paul Worthington http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-821 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 22:42:46 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-821 Thanks -- a nice essay on the state of the comics biz. I met with Jeff Newelt the next day in SF, and he said he had fun hanging with you. But -- in response to all the 'complaints' I've read from many journalists regarding the size of ComicCon: Try covering CES every year! There are more than a dozen huge halls and pavillions, and I always have meetings also scheduled in and on hidden reception areas, different floors, and far-flung hotels... And it goes on for four days at least. I like it - but only once a year. Thanks — a nice essay on the state of the comics biz.
I met with Jeff Newelt the next day in SF, and he said he had fun hanging with you.
But — in response to all the ‘complaints’ I’ve read from many journalists regarding the size of ComicCon: Try covering CES every year! There are more than a dozen huge halls and pavillions, and I always have meetings also scheduled in and on hidden reception areas, different floors, and far-flung hotels… And it goes on for four days at least.
I like it - but only once a year.

]]> by: Darren J. Gendron http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-820 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 22:17:24 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-820 I really don't count it as an official SDCC until I spot a Waldo, dirty Wolverine and Stormtrooper Elvis. Was batting only 1-for-3 until Sunday (a better batting average than most of DC's softball team). But Sunday made it all better. Missed Black Superman, but that guy always gives me a cold shudder down the spine. I really don’t count it as an official SDCC until I spot a Waldo, dirty Wolverine and Stormtrooper Elvis. Was batting only 1-for-3 until Sunday (a better batting average than most of DC’s softball team). But Sunday made it all better.
Missed Black Superman, but that guy always gives me a cold shudder down the spine.

]]> by: Martha Thomases http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-816 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 20:42:29 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-816 Fab post, kiddo. Thanks. Fab post, kiddo. Thanks.

]]> by: Cheryl Harris http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-815 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 19:49:33 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-815 Love the filename for your Gerard Butler pic, Heidi! Love the filename for your Gerard Butler pic, Heidi!

]]> by: B. William http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-814 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 19:17:19 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2006/08/01/san-diego-%e2%80%9906-viral-marketing-imaginal-cells/#comment-814 Darth Kitty photo came from this thread, according to the Photoshopper "Count Dookie" on BoingBoing: http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13343 Darth Kitty photo came from this thread, according to the Photoshopper “Count Dookie” on BoingBoing: http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13343

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