Comments on: Wizard World Chicago 2009 – What Happened to the Exhibitors?

By: D.S.Torres

D.S.Torres — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:35:11 +0000

I have gone to Wizard World: Chicago/Chicago Comic Con since 1998 and I’ve noticed the change every year since then.

In all honesty, I’d blame the lack of DC/Marvel/Top Cow booths on 2 things.

1) The Economy. The state of the economy has caused people to have to limit which conventions they will be attending. Which leads into reason #2

2) The San Diego Comicon – Like 2 years before, Wizard’s Chicago Com fell 2 weeks after San Diego. That meant that people had only 1 week from packing up after SDCC ended to then take a break and head to IL.

So with the #1 reason, I doubt Marvel/DC really had any announcements on hold that they didn’t release 2 weeks earlier and it was cheaper just to pay creators to get a table in artist alley.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:08:13 +0000

As for artist alley, please realize that Wizard used to do this thing where they listed your guest badge person as an artist. So, the list was horribly inflated and very confusing, as well as very funny(friends, wives, fake names, etc…all artists!).
They stopped doing that this year, and for the first time, are putting up photos and bios of folks in artist alley. So, they’re trying at least…

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:55:59 +0000

Its disappointing but such is life. When something is embraced by the mainstream, it is destined to be co-opted and changed..pandering to the masses and in most cases, to make a quick buck. And the people that were there at the beginning are almost guaranteed to reminisce and talk about how great it used to be “in the old days.”

I’ve recently caught myself doing just that…about how much I miss the old monthly comic shows at the Congress Hotel “back in the day.” Nothing fancy, just comic books and people that love comic books. It would be great if San Diego or another of the big shows were to say, “no comics at your booth? No booth for you.” But that would eliminate Hollywood and toy makers and everyone else that has “co-opted” our beloved hobby.

Did you read that Chuck Rozanski article on the state of Comic-Con’s show last summer? It’s worth reading but it’ll make you sad.

http://www.milehighcomics.com/tales/cbg182.html

I wouldn’t be upset if I didnt have to see another g-damned sword retailer or wresting ring at a Wizard World show.

(not to jump out on a tangent but…this was my problem with Joe Quesada taking the helm at Marvel; less concern for the stewardship of their institution and more concerned with how much cash they can generate and their own personal standing/image in the industry.)

By: THE BEAT » Blog Archive » Links of repute

THE BEAT » Blog Archive » Links of repute — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:03:35 +0000

[...] § Todd Allen delves into Wizard World Chicago 2009;s exhibitor list. [...]

By: Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources - Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment » Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:44:38 +0000

[...] | Todd Allen compares the exhibitors list for this year’s Wizard World Chicago Comic-Con to the one from [...]

By: Joe Chiappetta

Joe Chiappetta — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:07:49 +0000

Todd, Nice research, as always. I must say, I am not surprised, though. For as many decades that I have been in the business, the market has been flooded with junk not fit for toilet paper.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:05:13 +0000

For what it is worth, I think Marvel has been an exhibitor at Wizard World Chicago in name only for years. Sure, they have some tables with blue table cloth and crowd-control tape set up, but that was only for the occasional signing. Marvel never exhibited anything like DC, Moonstone, et. al. Even Dark Horse, limited to a small booth, exhibited their product.

Personally, I think that the excuse of the economy is why DC is not exhibiting this at Wizard World Chicago this year, but the real reason is that the company sees WWC on life support, which it is, in my opinion. I have not felt any excitement regarding the show since 2005, people I talk to often going out of obligation and regarding it as a chore. DC will probably send a token representative or two like it did to WW Philadelphia, but I think it is holding back its resources to exhibit at the Reed Exhibitions-sponsored Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) in April 2010. In just a few years, the New York Comic Con appears to be the premiere convention on the east coast earning praise for the way it is run (Reed appears to actually learn from its mistakes) and the way it treats exhibitors, retailers, and attendees. Why wouldn’t DC spend money to exhibit at a show people in this area are looking forward to embrace? Plus, one of the biggest complaints has been how Wizard has too often scheduled WW Chicago a week or two after San Diego; C2E2 is four months earlier, giving DC (and other exhibitors/retailers) sufficient breathing room, but it also far enough from the San Diego convention that the company can actually use the show as a platform for announcements, etc.

Finally, take the exhibitor list with a grain of salt. Why I think that there will be a lot of open space this year, I also don’t think that the exhibitor list is accurate. For instance, my attending this year is predicated on Discount Comic Book Service exhibiting. They are still not listed as exhibiting and on the official DCBS forum at thecomicforums.com I asked about that. Zack Kruse, DCBS front man, replied it is 100% assured it will be there and then he added, “I have no idea as to why we wouldn’t be listed on the WWC site yet.” Also, Graham Crackers, a huge presence at the convention, isn’t listed; I can’t believe it won’t be there.