Comments on: Official: Comic-Con jumps the shark http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:28:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: daz http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-3519145 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:11:42 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-3519145 ohh...paris fuck with me pleaseee ohh…paris fuck with me pleaseee

]]> by: ~chris http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2050578 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:01:02 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2050578 I talked to Lea Hernandez, bought a Scott Pilgrm <i>colour</i> :) comic and two Scott Pilgrim t-shirts, and never saw Paris "Phasmatodea" Hilton. In short, I had a great time! I talked to Lea Hernandez, bought a Scott Pilgrm colour :) comic and two Scott Pilgrim t-shirts, and never saw Paris “Phasmatodea” Hilton. In short, I had a great time!

]]> by: Cary Coatney http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2044063 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:38:06 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2044063 Dave - As a San Diegan, you should remember that there has been a number of tv shows filmed and produced in San Diego. Simon &#38; Simon Renegade The Invisible Man &#38; Night Man ...to name a few. Celebrities have been amongst you for a very long time... ~ Coat Dave -

As a San Diegan, you should remember that there has been a number of tv shows filmed and produced in San Diego.

Simon & Simon
Renegade
The Invisible Man
& Night Man

…to name a few.

Celebrities have been amongst you for a very long time…

~

Coat

]]> by: rich http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2034927 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:35:53 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2034927 Michael: "the sudden appearance of vacuous, toffee-nosed twits whose only difference from the former is that it’s hip to hate them doesn’t exactly constitute a radical paradigm shift." So, you're in favor of MORE porn stars at comics shows??? Michael: “the sudden appearance of vacuous, toffee-nosed twits whose only difference from the former is that it’s hip to hate them doesn’t exactly constitute a radical paradigm shift.”

So, you’re in favor of MORE porn stars at comics shows???

]]> by: Mark Warbler http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2030497 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:58:23 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2030497 After an hour in line I finally got into the DC party only to have Sam Jackson and Paris Hilton breeze through the velvet rope! I get up there and it's full of agents actors, a kid from gossip girl and even one of the comic editors I'd met earlier (dark horse, ddp?) making out with Noelle valdivia, professional party girl - i'm gay, I know this stuff. And Terry Tate - What? If I didn't secretly kind off love it, I wouldn't go back in '09. After an hour in line I finally got into the DC party only to have Sam Jackson and Paris Hilton breeze through the velvet rope! I get up there and it’s full of agents actors, a kid from gossip girl and even one of the comic editors I’d met earlier (dark horse, ddp?) making out with Noelle valdivia, professional party girl - i’m gay, I know this stuff. And Terry Tate - What?

If I didn’t secretly kind off love it, I wouldn’t go back in ‘09.

]]> by: Robert Etherton http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2025558 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:25:56 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2025558 Years ago, when I thought about the places I wanted to go to before I died, the SDCC was at the top of my list. Now, I wouldn't be caught dead there. Why? The arrogant, stuffy Hollywood elite have hijacked the event. I'm a lifelong comics fan who has no desire for the "bells &#38; whistles" to intice me to attend. Give me a good ole COMIC BOOK convention any day, and I'll leave the Hollyweird happenings to those who are celebrity-starved. Years ago, when I thought about the places I wanted to go to before I died, the SDCC was at the top of my list. Now, I wouldn’t be caught dead there. Why? The arrogant, stuffy Hollywood elite have hijacked the event. I’m a lifelong comics fan who has no desire for the “bells & whistles” to intice me to attend. Give me a good ole COMIC BOOK convention any day, and I’ll leave the Hollyweird happenings to those who are celebrity-starved.

]]> by: Rob (ShutUpRob) http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2024660 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:51:09 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2024660 <i>Perhaps “respect” is not quite the word, but this is an expected consequence of comics becoming more mainstream. The mainstream, after all, contains a wide swath of pop culture, including elements you may not like. … Let me amend that: “Comics never wanted to join mainstream culture; it wanted to supplant it.” See…that’s the thing. At the con, mainstream isn’t coming to comics…they’re coming to a place that comic book fans are gathered with non-comics material. Mainstream isn’t coming to comics at the San Diego Comic Con; they’re looking to supplant comics at the San Diego Comic Con. </i> This is exactly why French Capital Hotel and That Kardashian Bimbo aren't welcome at Comic-Con. We know that mainstream Holllyweird is trying to co-opt comics and SF/F geeks, but they're going to lose because we actively reject the stuff from the mainstream that they're trying to shove down our throats. It's up to them to police pondscum like French Capital Hotel; if they aren't going to do it, we're going to openly mock them for perpetuating crap that even we won't touch. We're probably the most tolerant subculture in the Western World, but even we have standards. Tabloid crap fails to meet even our slacker-by-definition minimum/minimal standards. IOW, if you've ever had a reality show on E! (much less one that Joel McHale openly mocks on The Soup), then you don't belong at Comic-Con, period. And your studio should be slapped silly(er) for even trying to bring you here. -- Rob Perhaps “respect” is not quite the word, but this is an expected consequence of comics becoming more mainstream. The mainstream, after all, contains a wide swath of pop culture, including elements you may not like.

…

Let me amend that: “Comics never wanted to join mainstream culture; it wanted to supplant it.”

See…that’s the thing. At the con, mainstream isn’t coming to comics…they’re coming to a place that comic book fans are gathered with non-comics material.

Mainstream isn’t coming to comics at the San Diego Comic Con; they’re looking to supplant comics at the San Diego Comic Con.

This is exactly why French Capital Hotel and That Kardashian Bimbo aren’t welcome at Comic-Con. We know that mainstream Holllyweird is trying to co-opt comics and SF/F geeks, but they’re going to lose because we actively reject the stuff from the mainstream that they’re trying to shove down our throats. It’s up to them to police pondscum like French Capital Hotel; if they aren’t going to do it, we’re going to openly mock them for perpetuating crap that even we won’t touch. We’re probably the most tolerant subculture in the Western World, but even we have standards. Tabloid crap fails to meet even our slacker-by-definition minimum/minimal standards.

IOW, if you’ve ever had a reality show on E! (much less one that Joel McHale openly mocks on The Soup), then you don’t belong at Comic-Con, period. And your studio should be slapped silly(er) for even trying to bring you here.

— Rob

]]> by: JWH http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2022202 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 05:14:42 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2022202 <i>Perhaps “respect” is not quite the word, but this is an expected consequence of comics becoming more mainstream. The mainstream, after all, contains a wide swath of pop culture, including elements you may not like.</i> ... <i>Let me amend that: “Comics never wanted to join mainstream culture; it wanted to supplant it.” </i> See...that's the thing. At the con, mainstream isn't coming to comics...they're coming to a place that comic book fans are gathered with non-comics material. Mainstream isn't coming to comics at the San Diego Comic Con; they're looking to supplant comics at the San Diego Comic Con. Perhaps “respect” is not quite the word, but this is an expected consequence of comics becoming more mainstream. The mainstream, after all, contains a wide swath of pop culture, including elements you may not like.

…

Let me amend that: “Comics never wanted to join mainstream culture; it wanted to supplant it.”

See…that’s the thing. At the con, mainstream isn’t coming to comics…they’re coming to a place that comic book fans are gathered with non-comics material.

Mainstream isn’t coming to comics at the San Diego Comic Con; they’re looking to supplant comics at the San Diego Comic Con.

]]> by: Michael http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2022088 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:38:11 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2022088 Let me amend that: "Comics never wanted to join mainstream culture; it wanted to supplant it." Let me amend that: “Comics never wanted to join mainstream culture; it wanted to supplant it.”

]]> by: Michael http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2022070 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:32:31 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2022070 Perhaps "respect" is not quite the word, but this is an expected consequence of comics becoming more mainstream. The mainstream, after all, contains a wide swath of pop culture, including elements you may not like. If comics joins the mainstream (and it long since has, just not in a way that gives people who were outcasts in high school something to gloat over their ex-peers about, as so many of them expected it would), then it is going to mingle with the whole thing. Which, of course, lends further credence to my theory that they never really wanted mainstream acceptance in the first place, just artistic bragging rights. And quite frankly, the hyperbole seen here is ridiculous. Given how long porn stars have been a fixture at comic book conventions, the sudden appearance of vacuous, toffee-nosed twits whose only difference from the former is that it's hip to hate them doesn't exactly constitute a radical paradigm shift. Whatever "geek honor" Comic-Con may have had (a dubious concept in and of itself) has long since been compromised, and it very likely only existed in the minds of people who take the whole thing too seriously anyway. Fandom is the greatest of all granfalloons, and anything that pops a whole in its over-inflated self-importance is welcome, as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps “respect” is not quite the word, but this is an expected consequence of comics becoming more mainstream. The mainstream, after all, contains a wide swath of pop culture, including elements you may not like. If comics joins the mainstream (and it long since has, just not in a way that gives people who were outcasts in high school something to gloat over their ex-peers about, as so many of them expected it would), then it is going to mingle with the whole thing. Which, of course, lends further credence to my theory that they never really wanted mainstream acceptance in the first place, just artistic bragging rights.

And quite frankly, the hyperbole seen here is ridiculous. Given how long porn stars have been a fixture at comic book conventions, the sudden appearance of vacuous, toffee-nosed twits whose only difference from the former is that it’s hip to hate them doesn’t exactly constitute a radical paradigm shift. Whatever “geek honor” Comic-Con may have had (a dubious concept in and of itself) has long since been compromised, and it very likely only existed in the minds of people who take the whole thing too seriously anyway. Fandom is the greatest of all granfalloons, and anything that pops a whole in its over-inflated self-importance is welcome, as far as I’m concerned.

]]> by: Kevin http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2021984 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:06:28 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2021984 “Its like you guys want this to be respected” I've often argued that if comics, or indeed any media, wants to be respected, then Paris Hilton's involvement must be courted. I can't wait to see her at Book Expo America! “Its like you guys want this to be respected”

I’ve often argued that if comics, or indeed any media, wants to be respected, then Paris Hilton’s involvement must be courted.

I can’t wait to see her at Book Expo America!

]]> by: Unpopular http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2021206 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:12:50 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2021206 "And I love having the celebrities here." How so very sad.... "Its like you guys want this to be respected" What makes you think having Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian will bring comics and/or Comic-Con any respect? I think people should respect comics creators for the talented individuals that they are, and having our respected comics creators sharing the same room with Paris and her ilk is a disservice to said comics creators and their talent... because at least they have talent. "I just got home from sitting in a 45 minute line to meet Kim and she was beautiful and very nice" How so very VERY sad... "This thing is now a pop culture convention you guys are going to have to go somewhere else." I know. See previous posts. NYCC and HEROES CON!! "I mean 5 years ago when I went there were more half naked girls walking around as the models of the comics you guys love. So now instead of some girl getting paid $400 a day to parade around in your fantasy costumes. Now a girl is getting $5000 to sit and be herself. Whats the difference to you." There's no difference. Those are both equally shameful things to have at a comic book convention. At least the models had talent though. Paris Hilton isn't worth $5000. At most, she's worth a free crotch shot on the internet. Oh wait, paid in full... “And I love having the celebrities here.”

How so very sad….

“Its like you guys want this to be respected”

What makes you think having Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian will bring comics and/or Comic-Con any respect? I think people should respect comics creators for the talented individuals that they are, and having our respected comics creators sharing the same room with Paris and her ilk is a disservice to said comics creators and their talent… because at least they have talent.

“I just got home from sitting in a 45 minute line to meet Kim and she was beautiful and very nice”

How so very VERY sad…

“This thing is now a pop culture convention you guys are going to have to go somewhere else.”

I know. See previous posts. NYCC and HEROES CON!!

“I mean 5 years ago when I went there were more half naked girls walking around as the models of the comics you guys love. So now instead of some girl getting paid $400 a day to parade around in your fantasy costumes. Now a girl is getting $5000 to sit and be herself. Whats the difference to you.”

There’s no difference. Those are both equally shameful things to have at a comic book convention. At least the models had talent though. Paris Hilton isn’t worth $5000. At most, she’s worth a free crotch shot on the internet. Oh wait, paid in full…

]]> by: dave http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2020978 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:35:11 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2020978 Quit your whining. As a San Diegan I love this thing coming to town. And I love having the celebrities here. Its like you guys want this to be respected but you dont want anybody outside of yourselves to come. I just got home from sitting in a 45 minute line to meet Kim and she was beautiful and very nice. This thing is now a pop culture convention you guys are going to have to go somewhere else. I mean 5 years ago when I went there were more half naked girls walking around as the models of the comics you guys love. So now instead of some girl getting paid $400 a day to parade around in your fantasy costumes. Now a girl is getting $5000 to sit and be herself. Whats the difference to you. Quit your whining. As a San Diegan I love this thing coming to town. And I love having the celebrities here. Its like you guys want this to be respected but you dont want anybody outside of yourselves to come. I just got home from sitting in a 45 minute line to meet Kim and she was beautiful and very nice. This thing is now a pop culture convention you guys are going to have to go somewhere else. I mean 5 years ago when I went there were more half naked girls walking around as the models of the comics you guys love. So now instead of some girl getting paid $400 a day to parade around in your fantasy costumes. Now a girl is getting $5000 to sit and be herself. Whats the difference to you.

]]> by: Unpopular http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2012621 Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:17:41 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2012621 "Too bad they don’t seem to have Anthony Stewart Head for this event, he looked pretty good in the previews" EXACTLY!!!! That's why we're bitching about little miss trust fund being there! We don't want her; we want GILES! It's supposed to be about people who contribute to geekdom. It's not about faux celebs who have their daddies buy them into every media circus event which turns them into actual celebs because if they're always where all the "cool" people are then they MUST ALSO BE COOL and therefor end up in films in which a wax house has better acting skills than they could muster. There is absolutely no reason to want to be around these people. We know it, and the sooner the rest of the world figures it out the better. “Too bad they don’t seem to have Anthony Stewart Head for this event, he looked pretty good in the previews”

EXACTLY!!!! That’s why we’re bitching about little miss trust fund being there! We don’t want her; we want GILES! It’s supposed to be about people who contribute to geekdom. It’s not about faux celebs who have their daddies buy them into every media circus event which turns them into actual celebs because if they’re always where all the “cool” people are then they MUST ALSO BE COOL and therefor end up in films in which a wax house has better acting skills than they could muster.

There is absolutely no reason to want to be around these people. We know it, and the sooner the rest of the world figures it out the better.

]]> by: Nerd Prom or just Prom? | clay harrison dot net http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2010033 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:11:18 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2010033 [...] Last year, Lori, Terry and I hit Comic-con for prolly the last time. Terry had never been and Lori wanted a vacation even if it meant me disappearing for 4 days. Now you can&#8217;t see everything in 4 days cause it&#8217;s totally out of control. Record attendance last year and I expect that this year it will be broken from what I read and see. Then I see this. Not the picture, but the comment. While it&#8217;s great we get all these comic book projects outside of the actual printed media we all enjoy, have we bumped ourself out of the convention that has COMIC in the title? This has caused 2 problems in comic fandom the way I see it. 1. The minority is now the majority. Films and Anime have boosted con attendance to unmanageable numbers. People flood this con to see the latest TV, Film and stars. Comics? Not so much. Those that actually attended Comic-con are posting 2 hour traffic jams before the weekend even started. Last year there was a line for everything. Terry and I actually collapsed in a room hours before the Lost panel just to rest only to realize that people were waiting for Lost hours before it was starting. Last year Comic-con security did it&#8217;s best to manage traffic flows and arrange lines so to move faster and be efficient. Rooms were creating lines for panels that were hours away. Times during the weekend, we just gave up on seeing something because the lines were just too long. We never waited for the bus cause it was faster to walk. Traffic was bad and the crowds riding the bus filled up before it even got to our hotel. The weekend had people lined up just to get in. Pics like this show the large crowds (as well as various Flickr streams). I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s worth it unless you live in downtown San Diego. The drive in and parking are $$$. The lines are a beating. People were on G4&#8217;s coverage talking about fights over SWAG. WTF people? I know various people I follow on Twitter would love to be there but have a list of complaints on why they are not attending. I&#8217;m curious if gas wasn&#8217;t so expensive how many more would be there but that&#8217;s another debate. Comic-con has taken it&#8217;s glasses off and let the ponytail down to show the world it&#8217;s not ugly but a total whore that will date a guy named Blaine and totally shit on a guy named Ducky. The majority of the space in the dealers room is movie promotion. Yea it&#8217;s cool to see the Owlship from Watchmen but do I need to show crack to crack heads? Marvel and DC are the 2 biggest publishers and have small areas at Comic-con. Artist alley seems to get smaller every year. The rows are so packed at times its not worth trying to go down cause some cosplay character has his 8 foot sword. Is it fun? Is it worth it? Will Comic-con become Hollywood and look down on the one that brought it to the dance? Where are we headed with it? Comic-con could go the way of E3 and fans won&#8217;t be able to attend. 2. Burnout. Once Hollywood has mined all it can from comics would it up and leave? IN A HEART BEAT. There are genres that appeal to the fanboys/fangirls but if Hollywood saw that Comic-con wasn&#8217;t worth the cost it would bail on it. Celebrities wouldn&#8217;t show to promote films and yes it would get back to where it was. At a cost. The convention center is huge and space is costly and the dealer&#8217;s tables are not cheap. So just remove all the movie companies and see what a ticket cost? See what a table cost? The struggling artist would pay premium to have any space. We are enjoying seeing some of the good stuff transfered to film but what happens when it&#8217;s a glut? (I also refuse to say GREAT cause some of the choices are meh.) Have we peaked in a area outside of comics itself? Prolly not. Marvel is betting an entire studio on it. DC is hoping to revive the Superman series. Maybe cause I&#8217;m a cynical Gen-Xer and can recall the comics glut of the 90&#8217;s and how the industry fell because of it. I look at Anime sections in book stores and it takes up huge sections and graphic novels are in the dusty corner of the store with the bad lighting. So what now? Competition? Could something in the South (hopefully) or the East coast compete with Comic-con? I hope. I would love to go to a con that had room and guest that appealed to &#8220;My People&#8221;. Don&#8217;t get me wrong, I&#8217;m not limited to comics. I love seeing Lego represent at cons. I love the costumes.(Just in the contest and maybe not so much on the floor.) I recall the great days of the Dallas Fantasy Fair/Festivals. I saw Jack Kirby. A young Peter David took fans out to the lounge to continue talking after a panel. Comics were read and not graded and sealed. Maybe I&#8217;ve just got a case of the &#8220;Gold Ol&#8217; Days&#8221;. I don&#8217;t know. I just felt like doing a comic book post about the industry and Comic-con is looking like it&#8217;s about to burst. I&#8217;ll leave with this. As fans we should enjoy what&#8217;s available and not belittle what&#8217;s available. I liked Iron Man more than Dark Knight. That&#8217;s not me saying I hated Dark Knight. I enjoy that I got to see both. When Tim Burton did Batman in 1989 we all enjoyed Batman because it was what was available and it was done well. Don&#8217;t get me wrong here either, if a film is bad it&#8217;s just bad and their is no saving it in any genre. What it did to was shift the way people looked at comics for the better. So I let people read. Friend of mine enjoyed Wanted so I let him read the graphic novel. I said it&#8217;s WAY different than the movie but read it, none the less. I recommend Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale books to any fan of the TV show Heroes as well as a launching point for Hulk, Spider-Man, Daredevil and Superman. [...] […] Last year, Lori, Terry and I hit Comic-con for prolly the last time. Terry had never been and Lori wanted a vacation even if it meant me disappearing for 4 days. Now you can’t see everything in 4 days cause it’s totally out of control. Record attendance last year and I expect that this year it will be broken from what I read and see. Then I see this. Not the picture, but the comment. While it’s great we get all these comic book projects outside of the actual printed media we all enjoy, have we bumped ourself out of the convention that has COMIC in the title? This has caused 2 problems in comic fandom the way I see it. 1. The minority is now the majority. Films and Anime have boosted con attendance to unmanageable numbers. People flood this con to see the latest TV, Film and stars. Comics? Not so much. Those that actually attended Comic-con are posting 2 hour traffic jams before the weekend even started. Last year there was a line for everything. Terry and I actually collapsed in a room hours before the Lost panel just to rest only to realize that people were waiting for Lost hours before it was starting. Last year Comic-con security did it’s best to manage traffic flows and arrange lines so to move faster and be efficient. Rooms were creating lines for panels that were hours away. Times during the weekend, we just gave up on seeing something because the lines were just too long. We never waited for the bus cause it was faster to walk. Traffic was bad and the crowds riding the bus filled up before it even got to our hotel. The weekend had people lined up just to get in. Pics like this show the large crowds (as well as various Flickr streams). I don’t think it’s worth it unless you live in downtown San Diego. The drive in and parking are $$$. The lines are a beating. People were on G4’s coverage talking about fights over SWAG. WTF people? I know various people I follow on Twitter would love to be there but have a list of complaints on why they are not attending. I’m curious if gas wasn’t so expensive how many more would be there but that’s another debate. Comic-con has taken it’s glasses off and let the ponytail down to show the world it’s not ugly but a total whore that will date a guy named Blaine and totally shit on a guy named Ducky. The majority of the space in the dealers room is movie promotion. Yea it’s cool to see the Owlship from Watchmen but do I need to show crack to crack heads? Marvel and DC are the 2 biggest publishers and have small areas at Comic-con. Artist alley seems to get smaller every year. The rows are so packed at times its not worth trying to go down cause some cosplay character has his 8 foot sword. Is it fun? Is it worth it? Will Comic-con become Hollywood and look down on the one that brought it to the dance? Where are we headed with it? Comic-con could go the way of E3 and fans won’t be able to attend. 2. Burnout. Once Hollywood has mined all it can from comics would it up and leave? IN A HEART BEAT. There are genres that appeal to the fanboys/fangirls but if Hollywood saw that Comic-con wasn’t worth the cost it would bail on it. Celebrities wouldn’t show to promote films and yes it would get back to where it was. At a cost. The convention center is huge and space is costly and the dealer’s tables are not cheap. So just remove all the movie companies and see what a ticket cost? See what a table cost? The struggling artist would pay premium to have any space. We are enjoying seeing some of the good stuff transfered to film but what happens when it’s a glut? (I also refuse to say GREAT cause some of the choices are meh.) Have we peaked in a area outside of comics itself? Prolly not. Marvel is betting an entire studio on it. DC is hoping to revive the Superman series. Maybe cause I’m a cynical Gen-Xer and can recall the comics glut of the 90’s and how the industry fell because of it. I look at Anime sections in book stores and it takes up huge sections and graphic novels are in the dusty corner of the store with the bad lighting. So what now? Competition? Could something in the South (hopefully) or the East coast compete with Comic-con? I hope. I would love to go to a con that had room and guest that appealed to “My People”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not limited to comics. I love seeing Lego represent at cons. I love the costumes.(Just in the contest and maybe not so much on the floor.) I recall the great days of the Dallas Fantasy Fair/Festivals. I saw Jack Kirby. A young Peter David took fans out to the lounge to continue talking after a panel. Comics were read and not graded and sealed. Maybe I’ve just got a case of the “Gold Ol’ Days”. I don’t know. I just felt like doing a comic book post about the industry and Comic-con is looking like it’s about to burst. I’ll leave with this. As fans we should enjoy what’s available and not belittle what’s available. I liked Iron Man more than Dark Knight. That’s not me saying I hated Dark Knight. I enjoy that I got to see both. When Tim Burton did Batman in 1989 we all enjoyed Batman because it was what was available and it was done well. Don’t get me wrong here either, if a film is bad it’s just bad and their is no saving it in any genre. What it did to was shift the way people looked at comics for the better. So I let people read. Friend of mine enjoyed Wanted so I let him read the graphic novel. I said it’s WAY different than the movie but read it, none the less. I recommend Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale books to any fan of the TV show Heroes as well as a launching point for Hulk, Spider-Man, Daredevil and Superman. […]

]]> by: Michael http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2009879 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:52:08 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2009879 Thank you, Andi. Thank you, Andi.

]]> by: Andi http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2009130 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:35:25 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2009130 Would you guys get over yourselves. They are only there to promote the movie that they were in, it's not like this is some random public appearance. I guess you are just riled up because its just so horrible that Hollywood crashing the party. REPO! looks like it could be interesting for horror and music nerds (like myself) despite Hilton's involvement (Too bad they don't seem to have Anthony Stewart Head for this event, he looked pretty good in the previews). Disaster Movie looks like it would at least be interesting to those who want to see spoofs of the latest super hero movies. Would you guys get over yourselves. They are only there to promote the movie that they were in, it’s not like this is some random public appearance. I guess you are just riled up because its just so horrible that Hollywood crashing the party. REPO! looks like it could be interesting for horror and music nerds (like myself) despite Hilton’s involvement (Too bad they don’t seem to have Anthony Stewart Head for this event, he looked pretty good in the previews).

Disaster Movie looks like it would at least be interesting to those who want to see spoofs of the latest super hero movies.

]]> by: Synsidar http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2008789 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:28:32 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2008789 Kim Kardashian is on the highly-rated (relatively; see http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/e!-renews-keeping-up-with-kardashians-for-third-season-7456.php) "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" on E! She’s also said to be planning to compete on "Dancing with the Stars" (see http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/helio-castroneves-kim-kardashian-going-dancing-with-stars-7506.php ). Is Kardashian getting the gigs because she’s famous, or have the gigs made her famous? Americans tend to respond positively to good looks, and Kardashian isn’t depraved, so. . . There’s an audience for celebrity goings-on, like it or not. Kardashian’s talent for self-promotion aside, the track SDCC has taken reveals the downside to comics’ involvement with Hollywood. People and publicity always go where the money is, and celebrities generate more money and publicity than mere creators and their paper-and-ink products can. SRS Kim Kardashian is on the highly-rated (relatively; see http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/e!-renews-keeping-up-with-kardashians-for-third-season-7456.php) “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” on E! She’s also said to be planning to compete on “Dancing with the Stars” (see http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/helio-castroneves-kim-kardashian-going-dancing-with-stars-7506.php ).

Is Kardashian getting the gigs because she’s famous, or have the gigs made her famous? Americans tend to respond positively to good looks, and Kardashian isn’t depraved, so. . . There’s an audience for celebrity goings-on, like it or not.

Kardashian’s talent for self-promotion aside, the track SDCC has taken reveals the downside to comics’ involvement with Hollywood. People and publicity always go where the money is, and celebrities generate more money and publicity than mere creators and their paper-and-ink products can.

SRS

]]> by: Blog@Newsarama » Blog Archive » SDCC: Selling out in San Diego http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2008457 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:14:27 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2008457 [...] There&#8217;s a rising concern in some quarters that Comic-Con International has sold out in ways that go beyond the lack of on-site registration. What once had been an educational community seems to have morphed into a PR-palooza, with the celebration of an art form giving way to corporate hype and celebutards. [...] […] There’s a rising concern in some quarters that Comic-Con International has sold out in ways that go beyond the lack of on-site registration. What once had been an educational community seems to have morphed into a PR-palooza, with the celebration of an art form giving way to corporate hype and celebutards. […]

]]> by: Rob (ShutUpRob) http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2008427 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:06:52 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2008427 "Wait, it’s okay for comic artists to draw comics featuring women who resemble Khardasian, but not for her to show up to promote herself?" Yes. Especially if you're a comics artist named Frank Cho. ;) The double-standard is there for a reason. Frank Cho and The porn stars (great band name, btw) are there for the geeks who are too afraid to buy porn in pub(l)ic otherwise. French Capital Hotel and other poseurs who have had reality shows on E! that Joel McHale ridicules on The Soup have no business whatsoever in being here because they're only here for themselves. Regardless of the fact that Mewes was in a movie starring French Capital Hotel a couple of years ago. Grrr! -- Rob PS: Oh yeah -- I'm sure that somebody paid French Capital Hotel to be here as she doesn't do pub(l)ic appearances for free. In which case, we should hunt that somebody down and make him watch all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls in one week-long marathon, a season a day, and drinking nothing but cocktails that taste like My Little Pony.[1] [1] Only Gilmore Girls fans will get that joke.[2] [2] I'm giggling at the fact that my PS has a footnote and my footnote has this footnote. Okay, it's early in the morning. I wish I were hung over -- it'd make a great excuse, but I already naturally act like I'm hungover anyway. Sigh! I like real hangovers. Especially when the room spins around me. “Wait, it’s okay for comic artists to draw comics featuring women who resemble Khardasian, but not for her to show up to promote herself?”

Yes. Especially if you’re a comics artist named Frank Cho. ;)

The double-standard is there for a reason. Frank Cho and The porn stars (great band name, btw) are there for the geeks who are too afraid to buy porn in pub(l)ic otherwise. French Capital Hotel and other poseurs who have had reality shows on E! that Joel McHale ridicules on The Soup have no business whatsoever in being here because they’re only here for themselves. Regardless of the fact that Mewes was in a movie starring French Capital Hotel a couple of years ago. Grrr!

— Rob

PS: Oh yeah — I’m sure that somebody paid French Capital Hotel to be here as she doesn’t do pub(l)ic appearances for free. In which case, we should hunt that somebody down and make him watch all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls in one week-long marathon, a season a day, and drinking nothing but cocktails that taste like My Little Pony.[1]

[1] Only Gilmore Girls fans will get that joke.[2]

[2] I’m giggling at the fact that my PS has a footnote and my footnote has this footnote. Okay, it’s early in the morning. I wish I were hung over — it’d make a great excuse, but I already naturally act like I’m hungover anyway. Sigh! I like real hangovers. Especially when the room spins around me.

]]> by: Al http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2007652 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:55:23 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2007652 Wait, it's okay for comic artists to draw comics featuring women who resemble Khardasian, but not for her to show up to promote herself? Wait, it’s okay for comic artists to draw comics featuring women who resemble Khardasian, but not for her to show up to promote herself?

]]> by: Bomster http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2005998 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:24:19 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2005998 Hm. Considering she and her sisters (Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian) were obviously created as characters by Stan Lee in the 60's, I can see the reason she's at SDCC. Hm. Considering she and her sisters (Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian) were obviously created as characters by Stan Lee in the 60’s, I can see the reason she’s at SDCC.

]]> by: Kung Fu Rodeo » Blog Archive » SDCC DAY 1: Kneejerk Reaction http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2005109 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:02:05 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2005109 [...] I loved the title to Heidi&#8217;s post - because I thought it meant something else - but nonetheless when Kim Khardasian (sic) and her ass is at Comic-Con I think that something is wrong. It just seems like how the hot girl in grade school tricked me (the class nerd) out of my lunch money everyday. [...] […] I loved the title to Heidi’s post - because I thought it meant something else - but nonetheless when Kim Khardasian (sic) and her ass is at Comic-Con I think that something is wrong. It just seems like how the hot girl in grade school tricked me (the class nerd) out of my lunch money everyday. […]

]]> by: toby http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2005083 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:57:28 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2005083 I'm kind of entranced by that picture of Paris Hilton. I like to imagine that her vagina is like Felix's bag and she can pull out anything she wants out of it. I’m kind of entranced by that picture of Paris Hilton. I like to imagine that her vagina is like Felix’s bag and she can pull out anything she wants out of it.

]]> by: Rob (ShutUpRob) http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2004749 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:06:44 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2004749 "Psh, you wouldn’t bat an eye if that Big Beautiful Ass was packed into a Wonder Woman outfit. " Yes, I would indeed vomit at the sight of either of these idiots dressed up as Wonder Woman -- and I'm straight. I'd rather see the return of the trannie/drag queen who dressed up as Supergirl a couple of years ago. Now, if Emily Deschanel would show up to the Bones panel in her Wonder Woman outfit from the Halloween episode this past season, I would need to have a cold shower ASAP. That would just be the bees knees. -- Rob “Psh, you wouldn’t bat an eye if that Big Beautiful Ass was packed into a Wonder Woman outfit. ”

Yes, I would indeed vomit at the sight of either of these idiots dressed up as Wonder Woman — and I’m straight. I’d rather see the return of the trannie/drag queen who dressed up as Supergirl a couple of years ago.

Now, if Emily Deschanel would show up to the Bones panel in her Wonder Woman outfit from the Halloween episode this past season, I would need to have a cold shower ASAP. That would just be the bees knees.

— Rob

]]> by: toby http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2004521 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:21:00 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2004521 Psh, you wouldn't bat an eye if that Big Beautiful Ass was packed into a Wonder Woman outfit. Psh, you wouldn’t bat an eye if that Big Beautiful Ass was packed into a Wonder Woman outfit.

]]> by: Rob (ShutUpRob) http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2004321 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:33:37 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2004321 Man, if I'd known that French Capital Hotel was going to be there tonight, I wouldn't have left the Con early. I would have bought a V For Vendetta mask, run past the L. Ron Hubbard booth wearing it and screaming "Free Katie!" and then wear the mask to that whatever panel to ask Ms. French Capital Hotel, "This convention is for geeks and REAL porn stars, so what the heck are You doing here?" And then I'd go off mumbling, in righteous indignance, "Not One of Us. Not One of Us. Not One of Us . . ." At least, that's what I'd do if the question screening was at least as fast and loose as French Capital Hotel. But the convention holds the speakers to higher standards than . . . err, these two unwanted guests. -- Rob PS: Here's hoping that the crowd boos French Capital Hotel for me. Man, if I’d known that French Capital Hotel was going to be there tonight, I wouldn’t have left the Con early. I would have bought a V For Vendetta mask, run past the L. Ron Hubbard booth wearing it and screaming “Free Katie!” and then wear the mask to that whatever panel to ask Ms. French Capital Hotel, “This convention is for geeks and REAL porn stars, so what the heck are You doing here?”

And then I’d go off mumbling, in righteous indignance, “Not One of Us. Not One of Us. Not One of Us . . .”

At least, that’s what I’d do if the question screening was at least as fast and loose as French Capital Hotel. But the convention holds the speakers to higher standards than . . . err, these two unwanted guests.

— Rob

PS: Here’s hoping that the crowd boos French Capital Hotel for me.

]]> by: Lea Hernandez http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2003255 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:25:54 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2003255 What this demonstrates is that no matter how low a group is perceived to be, they can always be dragged down just a bit more. This is the time to point out that there are about 125,998 people in San Diego who are not these two champs. See you there. What this demonstrates is that no matter how low a group is perceived to be, they can always be dragged down just a bit more. This is the time to point out that there are about 125,998 people in San Diego who are not these two champs.
See you there.

]]> by: Michael http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2003036 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:57:59 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2003036 Ah, nerd snobbery. Ah, nerd snobbery.

]]> by: theLadiesMan http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2002637 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:28:53 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/24/official-comic-con-jumps-the-shark/#comment-2002637 The more ladies the better:) Let's not forget ComicCon is also about the parties -and now ComicCon is getting the stamp of approval from the premiere party girls: so you know it's fun. Not a bad thing. Oh heck, I just want a piece of that ass! The more ladies the better:)
Let’s not forget ComicCon is also about the parties -and now ComicCon is getting the stamp of approval from the premiere party girls: so you know it’s fun.
Not a bad thing. Oh heck, I just want a piece of that ass!

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