Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Days?

[TRON JA307020]

The old days I mean before 2008. Back in the old days when I went to comic con there was a lot of room to walk around and look at comics and other comic book related items. Now when I go I wonder where the heck all these people came from. There must be literally 10 times the amount of people in the building then at previous cons. I understand the plethora of people that now go to these have watched the movies and tv shows that have superheroes or zombies but its a comic con not "lets go oogle the actors" day. There was literally no room to walk when I went today. Im starting to long for the old days when I could look at comics in peace and not have some movie fan walk over desperately looking for Marvel Civil War comics in hopes the movie will increase the prices of the books. Sad to say they were mass produced and there are a lot of them out there if anyone pays top dollar they are nuts. Yeah I know others here will tell me I should appreciate that the comic medium is getting so much attention but I fear that instead of making it better the over exposure will kill it.

 

[Avon]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

i'd be more worried about the 'health' of a con if it looked empty.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

The whole point of cons is to have as many people as possible there not fewer.

 

[Mage]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

Pubert, all of the topics you start are about how things/movies/shows/events/whatever were better in the old days, and how everything is less good than it used to be.

 

[HIjol]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

You should appreciate that the comic medium is getting so much attention, and not fear that instead of making it better the over exposure will kill it.

I think I know what you mean, but better teeming hoards (like C. E. said above) than no one at all.

When I went to a Con in Rosemont, Illinois, I was also a little put off at first, but then I got into the rhythm of the thing, and realized that everyone was there for the same reason.

To give you a perspective, this Con was on when Kevin Sorbo was just becoming "Hercules", and I remember the Comics section being cram-packed!

 

[MacLeod]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

Cons no matter what they are for comics/film/TV etc... want as others have already pointed out as many people through the doors as possible. If fewer people came it might eventually reach the point that they where no longer viable to hold.

Sure there is something to be said about the smaller events, but there is also somthing to be said about the larger events.

 

[Saga]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

if you want to look at your comics in peace then you should, oh i dunno, stay home!

 

[FPAlpha]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

The point of this thread strikes me as snobbish or elitist in a way and every genre/hobby has their share.

Remember music snobs? "I listened to them when they were still a small underground band!"

"I saw him play [insert sport of choice] back when he was a student/college student!"

All these have one thing in common.. people who thought their own little world is special, they were king of the hill and the biggest fish in the pond.

It's funny sometimes how these people lament the times when they were so niche that they were regarded as freaks and weirdos and wished more people would enjoy their hobby and now that their hobby took off and became mainstream suddenly it was not cool anymore and most people were wannabe fans and just an annoyance.

It happens all the time and instead of enjoying the popularity and having more people to talk to instead of the same hardcore small group they turn their nose and start complaining.

I'll never get those people

 

[TRON JA307020]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

I disagree. The cons had good attendance back in the day and would have continued. Having a crush of people that really aren't into comics is just not fun. An example of the distortion would be that dealers will now put the price up on a book that may not be rare or have a key story but they know the new wanna be comic fans who had no interest in the comics until the moives will pay $40 dollars for a comic that just a week ago was $5. I have seen the inflated prices everywhere and dummies buying them. Why is this bad for me and true collectors? We know whats happening and we aren't going to be duped and pay these prices because we know they will be worthless once enough time has passed and the fervor dies down. The problem is I can't buy anything until much later now. I stick with only collecting key comics now and artists I like. I don't collect to read any of the stories I may want to because the prices have been skewed because of the movie popularity. I saw this all day yesterday. One dealer told me that the comics that are key and rare are largely being ignored by new collectors because they think the new massed produced ones are the way to collect. These new fans are only there for the movies and have no idea how to collect. He believes the industry is being damaged more than when people weren't buying as many comics.His opinion is that in a few years the industry will no longer be viable because the key and rare collectible books will no longer be sought after and forgotten while the mass produced books that movie fans are buying in in droves will be worthless. I mean how many more reboots do I have to see of comics like the Fantastic four go through? Its ridiculous. The industry even renumbered action comics before it every reached its 1000 milestone issue just to bring in these new people so they would all buy the first issue of the renumbered 2nd volume. To me the collecting has really been ruined and its just not fun anymore. Also so many of the newbies are older and are in it in hopes to get rich. Sorry but I don't enjoy being crushed by thousands of sweaty smelly people that are there for just the movies or to somehow strike it rich by buying over inflated priced new comics. This is no longer comic con its superhero/zombies movie/tv show con.

 

[martok2112]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

With all respect to Pubert's view:

Personally, I didn't really get into comics all that much, as I mentioned before except as a kid, and at that, only with a few select titles (Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica) and then a little later on in life with The Tenth by Tony Daniel. (Esperanza del Toro is one of the hottest ladies in comic character history, in my humble opinion ).

As an adult, I don't see the need to take up space with a bunch of paper that I'll likely never read. The movies (both direct to video animated, and the big theatrical live films) are very good, and they are all the comic book I need.

My roomie and I went to see Avengers Age of Ultron last night and were blown away.

How often does a "comic collector" really revisit a comic that he/she has shelved away to try and increase in value over time? Is that not just as capitalistic and materialistic as those whom you (Pubert) claim to be doing it just for the quick money?

Movies do not appreciate in resale value. It is much easier to be able to revisit those adventures without having to worry about monetary maturity. If the disc is broken or the file corrupted over time, it only takes a few bucks to replace (or, if you have the movie as a digital download, you can usually reacquire it with no extra cost).

If a comic is lost in a flood, fire, theft, or act of dog (or infant terribles), then you'll have to fork over the comics collector's value just to try and replace it, especially if that comic is in the upper hundreds or thousand dollar range...in addition to dealing with the mental/emotional strife of the loss of a bunch of paper in the first place.

If I'm going to get that worked up over paper, it's going to have to be something like a car title, or important medical or financial records that actually affect my life.

No slight intended, Pubert. It's just the facts.

 

[hux]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

The old days I mean before 2008

Ah, 2007, it truly was a different world. Children could roam the streets freely. You could leave your front door unlocked. You could buy a house for the price of Big Mac. People today don't know they're born. Things were so much better in 2007.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

I disagree. The cons had good attendance back in the day and would have continued. Having a crush of people that really aren't into comics is just not fun. An example of the distortion would be that dealers will now put the price up on a book that may not be rare or have a key story but they know the new wanna be comic fans who had no interest in the comics until the moives will pay $40 dollars for a comic that just a week ago was $5. I have seen the inflated prices everywhere and dummies buying them. Why is this bad for me and true collectors? We know whats happening and we aren't going to be duped and pay these prices because we know they will be worthless once enough time has passed and the fervor dies down. The problem is I can't buy anything until much later now. I stick with only collecting key comics now and artists I like. I don't collect to read any of the stories I may want to because the prices have been skewed because of the movie popularity. I saw this all day yesterday. One dealer told me that the comics that are key and rare are largely being ignored by new collectors because they think the new massed produced ones are the way to collect. These new fans are only there for the movies and have no idea how to collect. He believes the industry is being damaged more than when people weren't buying as many comics.His opinion is that in a few years the industry will no longer be viable because the key and rare collectible books will no longer be sought after and forgotten while the mass produced books that movie fans are buying in in droves will be worthless. I mean how many more reboots do I have to see of comics like the Fantastic four go through? Its ridiculous. The industry even renumbered action comics before it every reached its 1000 milestone issue just to bring in these new people so they would all buy the first issue of the renumbered 2nd volume. To me the collecting has really been ruined and its just not fun anymore. Also so many of the newbies are older and are in it in hopes to get rich. Sorry but I don't enjoy being crushed by thousands of sweaty smelly people that are there for just the movies or to somehow strike it rich by buying over inflated priced new comics. This is no longer comic con its superhero/zombies movie/tv show con.

First of all, here's a dollar. Buy yourself a nice paragraphs.

Secondly, are these elitist comic purity test rants going to be the new thing you start several threads over, like the four threads in as many forums you started about Sheldon getting a nuSpock instead of an old Spock cutout on The Big Bang Theory? You already looked down on the johnny-come-lately comics newbs in a recent thread, Comic Book Guy.

Thirdly, if you're going to look down on "sweaty, smelly fans only at the cons for movies and TV" (classy to see a comic fan seriously turning that stereotype around on his fellow fans, btw), it looks really stupid to then start a thread about how excited you were to see television stars Terry Farrell and Gates McFadden at Comic-Con:

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=272356

Make up your damn mind.

 

[HIjol]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

The old days I mean before 2008

Ah, 2007, it truly was a different world. Children could roam the streets freely. You could leave your front door unlocked. You could buy a house for the price of Big Mac. People today don't know they're born. Things were so much better in 2007.

I remember my first Con. My Grandfather took me to the train station, and tucked a shiny new fifty cent piece in the pocket of my dungarees. He told me to use ten cents for lunch, and the rest for my comics. He said, "be a good boy!" and then I was on my own. The nice train conductor reminded me where to get off, and before I knew it, I was there! It was such a blur, but when I finally decided on my comics, the Comics Man (there was only one booth, and not a lot of people at it) told me to keep them safe and clean. He told me it would be different in the future. Big crowds and comics that might cost a whole dollar! Or even more, he said. He said my comics could be worth more than the price of a Big Mac! I didn't know what that was, but it sounded important. Or. worth more than a house, even! Wow! Golly, mister, I told him, thanks a lot! What a day!

 

[Nerys Myk]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

I disagree. The cons had good attendance back in the day and would have continued. Having a crush of people that really aren't into comics is just not fun. An example of the distortion would be that dealers will now put the price up on a book that may not be rare or have a key story but they know the new wanna be comic fans who had no interest in the comics until the moives will pay $40 dollars for a comic that just a week ago was $5. I have seen the inflated prices everywhere and dummies buying them. Why is this bad for me and true collectors? We know whats happening and we aren't going to be duped and pay these prices because we know they will be worthless once enough time has passed and the fervor dies down. The problem is I can't buy anything until much later now. I stick with only collecting key comics now and artists I like. I don't collect to read any of the stories I may want to because the prices have been skewed because of the movie popularity. I saw this all day yesterday. One dealer told me that the comics that are key and rare are largely being ignored by new collectors because they think the new massed produced ones are the way to collect. These new fans are only there for the movies and have no idea how to collect. He believes the industry is being damaged more than when people weren't buying as many comics.His opinion is that in a few years the industry will no longer be viable because the key and rare collectible books will no longer be sought after and forgotten while the mass produced books that movie fans are buying in in droves will be worthless. I mean how many more reboots do I have to see of comics like the Fantastic four go through? Its ridiculous. The industry even renumbered action comics before it every reached its 1000 milestone issue just to bring in these new people so they would all buy the first issue of the renumbered 2nd volume. To me the collecting has really been ruined and its just not fun anymore. Also so many of the newbies are older and are in it in hopes to get rich. Sorry but I don't enjoy being crushed by thousands of sweaty smelly people that are there for just the movies or to somehow strike it rich by buying over inflated priced new comics. This is no longer comic con its superhero/zombies movie/tv show con.

You're acting like this is something new. Dealers have been jacking up the price of comics based on consumer demand ( real or imagined) since people realized other people would pay good money for old comics. The speculators aren't new either. You might not be old enough to recall the "Speculator Boom" (followedby the Speculator bust) that happened way back in the 90s. It was fueled partly by the success of the Batman films. So n00bs coming in from films, also not new. The dealers want to make money, they're business people and not there out of charity. The speculators are there to make money too. The people running the con, also out to make money. Yay Capitalism!

Comic cons stopped being for comics only a long time ago as well. They've evolved into multi media cons with guests, dealers and merchandise from TV, Movies, literature and yes, comics. I don't think I've ever been to a comics only con and the first con I attended was in the late 70s. It was crowded and I'm sure lot of people were there because of a little film called "Star Wars". Damn n00bs.

To my knowledge, the FF has never gone through a "reboot" in comics. So that's an odd example. DC is the reboot company, not Marvel. As for renumbering? What difference does it make to the content? Are you reading for the stories or the numbering?

More people is a good thing. It's a healthy thing. Most wont stick with it, but those that remain will help the industry grow and survive.

And if you don't like crowds, a con is a bad place to be.

 

[Icemizer]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

I remember when comic cons actually had comics for sale. Thousands and thousands and thousands. Now not so much. Loved walking out of a con with two or three long boxes full of back issues that filled in holes or complete runs of books I had missed out on. Now i have to struggle past fat Joker and stinky Captain America and I am dressed like the White Queen but dont look at my boobs lady, just to get to look at the tiny amount of books available.
I understand the economics of more people equals more cash but yes I do miss the old days as well.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

Who knew comic book-only fans were so svelte and hygienic versus other con attendees that they've now taken up "fat and sweaty and smelly" as insults for TV and movie fans as if the rest of the world doesn't apply the same stereotype to them? This thread is illuminating.

 

[FPAlpha]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

I remember when comic cons actually had comics for sale. Thousands and thousands and thousands. Now not so much. Loved walking out of a con with two or three long boxes full of back issues that filled in holes or complete runs of books I had missed out on. Now i have to struggle past fat Joker and stinky Captain America and I am dressed like the White Queen but dont look at my boobs lady, just to get to look at the tiny amount of books available.
I understand the economics of more people equals more cash but yes I do miss the old days as well.

Yeah well, times change and i dare say that without the resurgence of comic book movies the entire genre would be way worse off.

It may suck for those who are really there for the comics only but i guess there will still be some small booths in some faraway corners where the vendors can afford the booth prices (or you go to small, local cons and not the juggernauts that are Comic Con San Diego or New York).

There's always the local comicbook shops or online vendors for those looking to complete collections though i understand the preference for the feeling of looking through rows of comics instead of clicking away on some internet site.

 

[RoJoHen]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

Be glad you live in a time where it's cool to be a nerd.

 

[MacLeod]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

An example of the distortion would be that dealers will now put the price up on a book that may not be rare or have a key story but they know the new wanna be comic fans who had no interest in the comics until the moives will pay $40 dollars for a comic that just a week ago was $5. I have seen the inflated prices everywhere and dummies buying them. Why is this bad for me and true collectors? We know whats happening and we aren't going to be duped and pay these prices because we know they will be worthless once enough time has passed and the fervor dies down. The problem is I can't buy anything until much later now.

Isn't that just econmics at work? You might think the price is inflated and it might well be, but from a sellers point of view you sell an item for the maximum you can get for it. If people weren't buying them at X price the price would soon come down. And as you say you have the option not to buy, but you are gambling on the price coming down, it might, it might not.

 

[TRON JA307020]

Re: Went To The Comic Con Today. Things Have Changed Since The Old Day

I disagree. The cons had good attendance back in the day and would have continued. Having a crush of people that really aren't into comics is just not fun. An example of the distortion would be that dealers will now put the price up on a book that may not be rare or have a key story but they know the new wanna be comic fans who had no interest in the comics until the moives will pay $40 dollars for a comic that just a week ago was $5. I have seen the inflated prices everywhere and dummies buying them. Why is this bad for me and true collectors? We know whats happening and we aren't going to be duped and pay these prices because we know they will be worthless once enough time has passed and the fervor dies down. The problem is I can't buy anything until much later now. I stick with only collecting key comics now and artists I like. I don't collect to read any of the stories I may want to because the prices have been skewed because of the movie popularity. I saw this all day yesterday. One dealer told me that the comics that are key and rare are largely being ignored by new collectors because they think the new massed produced ones are the way to collect. These new fans are only there for the movies and have no idea how to collect. He believes the industry is being damaged more than when people weren't buying as many comics.His opinion is that in a few years the industry will no longer be viable because the key and rare collectible books will no longer be sought after and forgotten while the mass produced books that movie fans are buying in in droves will be worthless. I mean how many more reboots do I have to see of comics like the Fantastic four go through? Its ridiculous. The industry even renumbered action comics before it every reached its 1000 milestone issue just to bring in these new people so they would all buy the first issue of the renumbered 2nd volume. To me the collecting has really been ruined and its just not fun anymore. Also so many of the newbies are older and are in it in hopes to get rich. Sorry but I don't enjoy being crushed by thousands of sweaty smelly people that are there for just the movies or to somehow strike it rich by buying over inflated priced new comics. This is no longer comic con its superhero/zombies movie/tv show con.

First of all, here's a dollar. Buy yourself a nice paragraphs.

Secondly, are these elitist comic purity test rants going to be the new thing you start several threads over, like the four threads in as many forums you started about Sheldon getting a nuSpock instead of an old Spock cutout on The Big Bang Theory? You already looked down on the johnny-come-lately comics newbs in a recent thread, Comic Book Guy.

Thirdly, if you're going to look down on "sweaty, smelly fans only at the cons for movies and TV" (classy to see a comic fan seriously turning that stereotype around on his fellow fans, btw), it looks really stupid to then start a thread about how excited you were to see television stars Terry Farrell and Gates McFadden at Comic-Con:

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=272356

Make up your damn mind.

First this is a informal atmosphere so I really don't check my punctuation. paragraphs at times. Sorry.

Secondly I am not a purist in the way you think I am. I am just stating the comic con was much better a few years ago. Now its a frenzied mess with barely any room to walk and little room to sit. I think I also mentioned how the comic industry is changing and not for the better in my opinion.

Thirdly I go to the comic con mainly for the comic books and of course all things trek so of course I will go see Gates and Terry talk. Plus Terry is looking really good these days.