Comments on: The Philadelphia Experiment http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:57:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Joe Procopio http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3415101 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:08:58 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3415101 I just happened to be in Philly for business that weekend in a hotel about a block away. I was going to check out the con on Sunday--my day off--but the ridiculous $35 admission fee disuaded me from such foolishness. I could have easily seen myself spending a couple of hours wandering through the hall and pickingu p some GNs from exhibitors, but I wasn't going to spend $35 for the opportunity. I just happened to be in Philly for business that weekend in a hotel about a block away. I was going to check out the con on Sunday–my day off–but the ridiculous $35 admission fee disuaded me from such foolishness. I could have easily seen myself spending a couple of hours wandering through the hall and pickingu p some GNs from exhibitors, but I wasn’t going to spend $35 for the opportunity.

]]> by: Eva Hopkins http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3412447 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:48:10 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3412447 It's weird, I sat at that show all weekend, @ the DF booth w/ Ennis, Chaykin & my partner, Joe Linsner, & we did not meet the Beat. Alas. It’s weird, I sat at that show all weekend, @ the DF booth w/ Ennis, Chaykin & my partner, Joe Linsner, & we did not meet the Beat. Alas.

]]> by: Christopher Moonlight Is Painting A Comic http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3412192 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:44:08 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3412192 ...or DC and Marvel could make their booths more accessible to younger kids, by training their staff to be extra attentive and welcoming to them. They could also gear their free stuff towards them. You know, lay a free comic book on them, or two. Have artists show them how to draw simple versions of the heroes in the books, and then send them away with a free drawing pad, and pencil, with a DC or Marvel cover on it. I could make a list of things we could do to bring more kids in, but someone's going to have to pay me. :) …or DC and Marvel could make their booths more accessible to younger kids, by training their staff to be extra attentive and welcoming to them. They could also gear their free stuff towards them. You know, lay a free comic book on them, or two. Have artists show them how to draw simple versions of the heroes in the books, and then send them away with a free drawing pad, and pencil, with a DC or Marvel cover on it. I could make a list of things we could do to bring more kids in, but someone’s going to have to pay me. :)

]]> by: Nate Horn http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3412056 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:51:11 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3412056 "Lots of parents with young kids dressed as their favorite characters, girls and boys. The girls in particular were notably adorable and enthusiastic…oh Marvel and DC, when are you going to figure out that this is an audience that can only grow?" I dunno. I think both companies are doing the right thing in shifting their IPs to video games and movies in order to hit the younger crowd. Comics are more of a niche product for an older crowd, so may as well milk that crowd until they die. “Lots of parents with young kids dressed as their favorite characters, girls and boys. The girls in particular were notably adorable and enthusiastic…oh Marvel and DC, when are you going to figure out that this is an audience that can only grow?”

I dunno. I think both companies are doing the right thing in shifting their IPs to video games and movies in order to hit the younger crowd. Comics are more of a niche product for an older crowd, so may as well milk that crowd until they die.

]]> by: Ray Cornwall http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3411835 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:41:33 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3411835 The biggest reason that this show has lost energy was the silly, stupid decision to run it opposite the Heroes Con show in Charlotte. If that doesn't happen next year, this show could return to prominence. But if it doesn't, I can't see that this show will survive. I had fun. I told Dan Didio on Saturday that "Battle For The Cowl" was one of the worst comics I had ever read, and he replied with a spirited defense. I left with a lot more respect for him. He's obviously incredibly passionate about the comics he oversees. The Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon panel was wonderful, as was the Jimmy Palmiotti/Amanda Conner panel. And Lawler's a class act. The biggest reason that this show has lost energy was the silly, stupid decision to run it opposite the Heroes Con show in Charlotte. If that doesn’t happen next year, this show could return to prominence. But if it doesn’t, I can’t see that this show will survive.

I had fun. I told Dan Didio on Saturday that “Battle For The Cowl” was one of the worst comics I had ever read, and he replied with a spirited defense. I left with a lot more respect for him. He’s obviously incredibly passionate about the comics he oversees.

The Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon panel was wonderful, as was the Jimmy Palmiotti/Amanda Conner panel.

And Lawler’s a class act.

]]> by: Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » June 25, 2009: It doesn’t really work like that http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3411106 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:27:36 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3411106 [...] “But you could find empty patches of concrete everywhere. Wizard’s own booth was deserted all day Friday. Saturday it was empty except for a security guard posted in front of the oddly displayed WATCHMEN covers, and girls who found the mostly vacant booth a fine place to sit down, rest and read comics. It was a fitting metaphor for the fortunes of the Wizard empire — an audience they once actively excluded has now taken over squatter’s rights on their abandoned real estate.” - Heidi MacDonald [...] […] “But you could find empty patches of concrete everywhere. Wizard’s own booth was deserted all day Friday. Saturday it was empty except for a security guard posted in front of the oddly displayed WATCHMEN covers, and girls who found the mostly vacant booth a fine place to sit down, rest and read comics. It was a fitting metaphor for the fortunes of the Wizard empire — an audience they once actively excluded has now taken over squatter’s rights on their abandoned real estate.” - Heidi MacDonald […]

]]> by: Mark Coale http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3409348 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:13:02 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3409348 Lawler was an illustrator when he broke into wrestling in the 1970s. He would send drawing of the workers into the TV studio in Memphis where the show was filmed. This led him getting into the business and the rest is history. If memory serves, he also drew one of Mick Foley's books that wasn't drawn by today's featured BEAT subject Jill Thompson. Lawler was an illustrator when he broke into wrestling in the 1970s. He would send drawing of the workers into the TV studio in Memphis where the show was filmed. This led him getting into the business and the rest is history.

If memory serves, he also drew one of Mick Foley’s books that wasn’t drawn by today’s featured BEAT subject Jill Thompson.

]]> by: Blackeye http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3408941 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:19:40 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3408941 It's nice to see the fawning and love affair with the Obamas isn't going to go away for awhile. They have done some amazing things to turn the country around, haven't they? I think Heidi and Spencer (from The Hills) should run for president next, I think that would go over really well. I think they would reach a similar audience, and have just as much success. Wouldn't they look smashing on the cover of Wizturd magazine? Wait, I just had another thought... how about John & Kate plus 8, I think they would make good presidents too! It’s nice to see the fawning and love affair with the Obamas isn’t going to go away for awhile. They have done some amazing things to turn the country around, haven’t they? I think Heidi and Spencer (from The Hills) should run for president next, I think that would go over really well. I think they would reach a similar audience, and have just as much success. Wouldn’t they look smashing on the cover of Wizturd magazine? Wait, I just had another thought… how about John & Kate plus 8, I think they would make good presidents too!

]]> by: John Jackson Miller http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3408883 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:11:45 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3408883 Jerry Lawler is a comics fan, incidentally -- I saw him a couple of times buying comics at Memphis Comics & Records in the 1980s. He was a big Conan fan. Jerry Lawler is a comics fan, incidentally — I saw him a couple of times buying comics at Memphis Comics & Records in the 1980s. He was a big Conan fan.

]]> by: Joe Williams http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3408486 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:46:25 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3408486 Wizard's Chicago show leaves me depressed. Whereas any grocery store knows you put the most sought after stock in the back, forcing the customer to walk past stuff they think they don't need and hoping to prompt an extra purchase or two, Wizard just dumps all the big stuff in front, turning the back end of their shows into a wasteland where few venture and those that do are hoping to see a mainstream artist in Artist Alley, ignoring everything else. Despite being in big cities with large indy comics audiences and many indy creators and shops, Wizard shows ignore that part of the market while focusing more on wrestling and B-movie & 70s TV celebs/has beens. For a while that was good enough but the audience has changed and the market has changed while Wizard clings to the corpse of its long-dead lover hoping for another bit of action. Every Wizard show seems to feature the exact same guest list- is it any wonder people no longer think their shows are must-attend events? When you can read what Joe Q said at a panel 5 minutes after it happened (if it even takes that long) then why would a typical fan boy shell out the big bucks to attend? And when they ignore the indy, web, children and manga crowds those people don't bother to come either- so what are you left with? About as many fans as Wizard has people on staff, it seems. Wizard’s Chicago show leaves me depressed. Whereas any grocery store knows you put the most sought after stock in the back, forcing the customer to walk past stuff they think they don’t need and hoping to prompt an extra purchase or two, Wizard just dumps all the big stuff in front, turning the back end of their shows into a wasteland where few venture and those that do are hoping to see a mainstream artist in Artist Alley, ignoring everything else. Despite being in big cities with large indy comics audiences and many indy creators and shops, Wizard shows ignore that part of the market while focusing more on wrestling and B-movie & 70s TV celebs/has beens. For a while that was good enough but the audience has changed and the market has changed while Wizard clings to the corpse of its long-dead lover hoping for another bit of action. Every Wizard show seems to feature the exact same guest list- is it any wonder people no longer think their shows are must-attend events? When you can read what Joe Q said at a panel 5 minutes after it happened (if it even takes that long) then why would a typical fan boy shell out the big bucks to attend? And when they ignore the indy, web, children and manga crowds those people don’t bother to come either- so what are you left with? About as many fans as Wizard has people on staff, it seems.

]]> by: Mark Coale http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407843 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:49:25 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407843 "Man, Ax (he of Demolition fame) has seen better days." He should go back to appearing as the Masked Superstar. Demolition worked Chikara's King of Trios last year and everyone popped huge for them as a nostalgia act. And when Larry Sweeney did the Strut off with their six-man partner The One Man Gang aka Akeem, the place went crazy. “Man, Ax (he of Demolition fame) has seen better days.”

He should go back to appearing as the Masked Superstar.

Demolition worked Chikara’s King of Trios last year and everyone popped huge for them as a nostalgia act. And when Larry Sweeney did the Strut off with their six-man partner The One Man Gang aka Akeem, the place went crazy.

]]> by: Christopher Moonlight Wants To Go To More Conventions http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407448 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:21:24 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407448 Thanks for writing this up Heidi. I long to go to more conventions around the US and plan on figuring out a way to do it in the coming years. I LOVE Comic Con. but really feel the need to get back to comic book roots, and interact with my comic book piers. (SP?) It's sad to hear that Philly didn't go over that well, but at the same time I long for the days quieter days, like San Diego's retailer convention, where you could walk right up to anyone and they had a goodly amount of time to get to know you, as you got to know them. There were in fact a couple of years where my best friend and I got to hang out with people like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. Now you can't even get close to them for the mobs. Not that they'd remember us after all these years, but man it was cool to hear how the first four issues of the JLA were going to go down before issue #1 was even out. Now it's just a blur. I guess it's feels that way on the internet, too. There's so many people making noise, and jabbing each other with barbed sticks, so we're all stirred up like angry hornets. Right now, that's all I have, but that's going to change. I need to feel more at ease with myself and my relation to all my friends in comics again. Which conventions are those? Those are the cons I want to go to. Thanks for writing this up Heidi. I long to go to more conventions around the US and plan on figuring out a way to do it in the coming years. I LOVE Comic Con. but really feel the need to get back to comic book roots, and interact with my comic book piers. (SP?) It’s sad to hear that Philly didn’t go over that well, but at the same time I long for the days quieter days, like San Diego’s retailer convention, where you could walk right up to anyone and they had a goodly amount of time to get to know you, as you got to know them. There were in fact a couple of years where my best friend and I got to hang out with people like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. Now you can’t even get close to them for the mobs. Not that they’d remember us after all these years, but man it was cool to hear how the first four issues of the JLA were going to go down before issue #1 was even out. Now it’s just a blur. I guess it’s feels that way on the internet, too. There’s so many people making noise, and jabbing each other with barbed sticks, so we’re all stirred up like angry hornets. Right now, that’s all I have, but that’s going to change. I need to feel more at ease with myself and my relation to all my friends in comics again. Which conventions are those? Those are the cons I want to go to.

]]> by: CBrown http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407444 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:18:37 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407444 I don't know, it seemed to me that Mike Manley had PLENTY of energy to diss that show! I don’t know, it seemed to me that Mike Manley had PLENTY of energy to diss that show!

]]> by: Jimmy Robinson http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407403 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:57:05 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407403 Was it a convention special, or Heidi just used it because it's a cool image? I admit ignorance to the shelf dates on the print magazine, forgive me if this is really old news that I'm just catching up on. Was it a convention special, or Heidi just used it because it’s a cool image? I admit ignorance to the shelf dates on the print magazine, forgive me if this is really old news that I’m just catching up on.

]]> by: Jimmy Robinson http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407384 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:44:43 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3407384 How can I get hold of that Wizard Collector's edition of, "The Obamas"? How can I get hold of that Wizard Collector’s edition of, “The Obamas”?

]]> by: Box http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3406669 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:02:01 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/06/24/the-philadelphia-experiment/#comment-3406669 Man, Ax (he of Demolition fame) has seen better days. Man, Ax (he of Demolition fame) has seen better days.

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