As opposed to the people who had a fun time, Tom Spurgeon says NYCC 08 was “bland and pointless, the kind of event that calls into question the entire enterprise more than it makes a case for the ascendancy of a shining new example.”:

Trying to limit my time at the show to better enjoy New York forced me to make a concerted attempt to get what work I can do at a con out of the way rather than have work come to me at its own pace as I might in San Diego or at a Small Press Expo. Working the show rather than hanging out at one, I found a surprising number of booth workers and company employees to be outright unhelpful when it came to doing rudimentary things that is so easy to get people from other industries to do for you at their trade shows. You know, little things like talk to you, recognize you’re standing there, solicit a question, perhaps even agree to do something reasonable when you ask for it rather than send you to someone else. I was snubbed for photos by roughly a half-dozen professionals that chose to continue personal conversations (in a public space, badges not flipped) rather than take 10 seconds to help me cover them. I can recall three publisher representatives to whom I spoke that whiffed on basic questions like what might be coming out the next season. One benign request for help with a photo led to shrugged shoulders and a request to ask someone “in charge,” but no indication as to who that might be. I visited dozens of booths; I was welcomed and asked if I could be helped at exactly three of them. Two exhibitors picked at the legitimacy of this publication before deciding to answer rudimentary queries about future books, or, really, listen to me at all. It was a long day.

We won’t argue that perhaps there are horrible, negative undercurrents at the show that bespeak an industry in decline, but there is one message that screams out from this: People, please be nicer to Tom Spurgeon!

[Photo above from los507.]

In about 2 hours 13 minutes and 14 seconds, any mention of last weekend’s New York Comic-Con will be thoroughly passé, as Free Comic Book Day, Iron Man and Stumptown fill the news bins, but in that tiny window I had to get this out of the way, esp. after Kiel Phegley got on my jock about my late con reports. We’ll try to tell this story via areas of the con, using field evidence, i.e. quotes from other blogs.

BIG BOX, BIG PICTURE

Dee Dupuy

BTW, the weather in NYC Thursday through Sunday was absolutely heart-piercingly beautiful. That spring smell on the breeze, daffodils blooming, cherry blossoms in drifts on the wind! The weather magic’ed up everything this trip– it made everything seem fresh and clean, and the people all eager and bubbly. Even a stinky old con hall crammed full of “classic collectors.”

Mike Gold:

Next year, the New York Comic Con will revert back to its February slot – and the first weekend in February at that. This simply sucks: walking towards the Hudson River to get to the Javis Center in winter weather is like dancing in the road show of Doctor Zhivago. Not that there’s a lot of choice: The Javits Center is what it is, and the NYCC deserves better. So does New York, a town that loves to think of itself as the greatest city in the world. If they actually mean it, they should build themselves a world-class convention center that could compete with the likes of Las Vegas and McCormick Place.

Augie De Blieck Jr.

The big talk of the convention on Sunday, though, was the schedule for next year. Someone checked the calendar and realized that it’s on the Super Bowl weekend. If the Giants make a repeat bid for a Super Bowl trophy, the con is going to take a big hit. If the Jets make it to the Super Bowl — wait, no, never mind. That’s not going to happen. What crappy timing for a convention. I guess that’s why they could get the convention center to themselves for the weekend.

So yeah, this year, despite competition from Passover, the timing couldn’t have been better. The first warm weekend of the year sent everyone’s endorphin level soaring, and it was hard to get worked up about anything. Life was good.

Next year? The show takes place not only in winter…but in the DEAD of winter.

[Read more...]

Blogospheric round-up:

§ Paul Levitz:

The best part of the con, as always, was simply hanging in the DC booth and walking the halls, talking to old friends from the 95 year old Joe Simon to the 9 year old Nick Pappas Jr., and hearing how people feel about the work I’ve done or that DC’s doing today. Very few people have the good luck to keep in touch with as many folks as I’ve had the privilege to have in my diverse professional life, and cons serve me as a sort of perpetual high school reunion: who’s doing what, how life’s treating people, and how people feel my team’s treating them. We had more people at DC’s main talent party than were working in the entire comic book business when I started, and it’s incredible to hear about all the projects in motion either with us or elsewhere in the field. We got some good press on some of our announcements (I’m still checking the web to find out what we broke at the show—the gang doesn’t always tell me), and I met some of our newer contributors and touched base with some of the veterans.

• Jog:

I had no trouble getting in, at any time. No wait whatsoever. There was a very healthy mix of genders, and a solid diversity of race. There was no more odor than I’d expect from a ton of people stuffed into a single space. There were a lot of young people of obviously varied interests, although you’d also spot the occasional 50+ year old wearing a Yancy Street Gang sweatshirt. There was not much in the way of sensory overload. I wouldn’t call it cramped, but the show floor was a bit smaller than I’d expected. I’ve never been to San Diego, which is the gold standard for this type of show, but I kept hearing about how New York was the new 2nd place, so maybe my expectations were out of whack. The presence of non-comics media was obvious, but not overbearing; it was clearly a comics show, with some video game and movie/television stuff tossed in. I’d say manga alone wasn’t a big presence, but ‘overall J-culture’ definitely was. Neko hats were fucking huge.

§ Liz Baker of the Kyle Baker Travelling Experience

In a final note, as some exhibitor’s in our vicinity learned because I filed a police report: a mysterious fellow exhibitor stole a 72″ x 30″ white table from our booth during set-up (I had borrowed it from a friend’s construction site on the UES).

Juggling a booth and four young children for three days was hard enough, but then to have another exhibitor take our table was really disappointing. The comics industry is small, so if you took the table (or know who did), thinking that Javits provides them (they don’t) kindly replace it and I will cancel the police report. Thank you.

[Read more...]

[Photo by John Nee]

Don’t laugh: it was magical.

NYCC was magical. A lot of it had to do with the weather, which was completely utterly magical. A full moon, dry crisp air, flowers in bloom. Sparkling lights, a bracing breeze that promised adventure. Sunlight that promised laughter. Yesterday morning as I walked to catch a cab, apple blossoms were falling down like a warm, spring snow…it’s a magical time of year in New York City, and New York Comic-Con managed to ride the crest of the wave.

We’re working on our own wrap-up report, and catching up on 3,492 blog postings about the show. For now some of the most astute observations from other observers.

Valerie really nails the big movement in youth culture now.

If the big theme of San Diego Comic Con last year was regarding its “Hollywoodification,” this year it must have been its heavy Japanese/youth culture influence.
The biggest thing that struck me about this convention was the heavy manga/Japanese culture presence, and how successful it was. I remember seeing this gigantic line bisect the convention floor, and wondering who everybody was waiting for. Neil Gaiman? Jim Lee? Ron Perlman?

No, they were waiting for Japanese pop singer T.M. Revolution. A good portion of those in line were Japanese, but certainly not all.

This DESPITE there not even being a particularly big manga presence at the show. TPop, CMX and Yen were there, but Viz had only a lounge on the floor — although plenty of big announcements and movie screenings. No matter — there were cosplayers EVERYWHERE, and the Japanese influence is bigger and wider than it has ever been. This is the mainstream.

But there were other voices as well, Chris Mautner of Blog@ reports:

I did notice a large percentage of what I would term the “Old School” or “Classic Collector” fan at the show. These were the people (usually middle aged or older, though not always) eager to have get a few words with Mort Walker or Jim Sterenko, or stop by the Classic Comics Pressbooth and gush about how much they love Leonard Starr and not so much concerned about the Secret Invasion blah de blah. There was apparently a long line for Mark Evanier’s signing of his new Kirby book, for example. Oh, by the way, Classic Comics Press is planning on publishing the daily run of Roy Crane’s Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy, which is awesome news.

Tom Spurgeon makes a mockery of my own scrambled mental state with no less then 50 cogent observations on the show. I find Tom’s thought particular interesting since he has (rightly) been skeptical of some of the support for the show despite the disasters that befell the first year. His report is mostly positive, but it didn’t have to be. This show was relatively big disaster free although there were plenty of small ones.

Indeed, the show as a gestalt seemed to overwhelm the components. I’m not entirely sure what the big story of the con was, or even the big announcements. The news headlines on the mini sites announce panels, not what was said on the panels. If there was one big log-line for the show — and I heard this from ALL levels of the industry — it’s that comics themselves were the draw. The movie stuff was important but it didn’t overwhelm the rest of the show. I heard scattered accounts of what did well and what didn’t — a lot of people made money BUT booth costs were very high. But there were crowds, and fans and buyers and costumes for ALL kinds of material.

After my side trip to Bucks County, PA on Saturday I arrived back at Penn Station around 7:30 just as the show had let out. The train station was full of people wearing con badges, wearing costumes. As we went out on the street there were even more con related people. The Tick Tock diner was chock full of people from the show.

For the first time ever in New York, you got some of that San Diego feeling where the con takes over the town and you can run into anyone on the street. Obviously, New York is bigger than any convention, bigger than any concert, bigger than the Pope, bigger than dirt, really. But this show did a good job of ranging from the Lower East Side to Midtown to Hell’s Kitchen. It really was a New York show. And it was about comics, first and foremost.

I’ll leave you for now with this shot of JG Jones and Grant Morrison, surely the best dressed big comics event creative team.

Show runner Lance Fensterman blogs:

At least 64,000 people attended New York Comic Con this weekend. We have more details to pour through from retailers and on site tickets sales, but as of tonight we know that at least 64,000 attendees were in the building over the weekend. That’s an intense jump from 49,000 last year and it seems to say this crazy little party we call New York Comic Con continues to grow as fast as a speeding bullet.

Stay tuned for final numbers in the next few days.

Fensterman is also interviewed at ICv2:

We tried to build in common space near the back of the exhibit hall that gave you a little bit of breathing room. At one point I was watching with Public Safety, because I wanted them to be involved in the process, and we all felt pretty good. We put a 20 foot aisle down the middle, which helped. But then at the busy intersections around some of the major booths, it was very tight, but when you looked at the floor as a whole, and you looked around those edges and in those common space, you could see carpet, and that’s the most important thing.

I didn’t hear too many issues of overcrowding. Exhibitors want it to be very busy but not so busy they lose control, and no-one gave me feedback that they felt that way, so I was very pleased with the traffic.

Fensterman doesn’t really address the panel room mess, but that was a sidelight to the overall success of the con.

We spent Saturday sitting on a sunny river bank watching loons dive and skim over the surface of the Delaware River.

Meanwhile tens of thousands of comic fans were sitting on a sunny glass-enlosed river bank watching loons of another sort duck and dive. (Photo via ComicMix.)

We weren’t there, but apparently yesterday at the show was mad crazy, packed and busy as hell. There were, however, crowd control issues — the hall leading to the panels had to be shut down — and snafus — presentations in the IGN Theater ran an hour late.

But what we got from all the people we talked to last night was that it was an upbeat show, propelled by a love for COMICS. In addition the party scene was hopping last night. Image, Dark Horse, Yen Press and Marvel all had bashes, and most were packed, although the Dark Horse party had a last minute change of venue and wasn’t as crowded as the other two. Nonetheless, by 11:30 just about all the people we wanted to see were there, from Scott and Ivy McCloud to retailer Chris Powell. Everyone was in a good mood, and while no event can really take over a metropolis like New York City, comics had made a good start.

The big question; did exhibitors make money? New York booth prices are very, very expensive, and all the good will in the world won’t keep publishers and artists coming back if they lose money.

We’ll be on the floor today to find out the answer.

§ Venture Brothers Season Three Preview soon to be removed by the PTB, for sure.

§ New SPIRIT trailer!

§ Marvel announced Monkey thing.

§ Brian Heater interviews Douglas Rushkoff and Scott McCloud and has a podcast of their panel

§ Wilson Tortosa will draw the Wolverine manga for Del Rey.

§ Tokyopop’s new line of color manga.

§ Joan Hilty returns to Vertigo, new graphic novel initiative launches.

§ Ender’s Game at Marvel.

§ Steve Gerber’s ashes come to panel

Well, with New York Comic-Con it’s always something. As far as we know, everyone got into the SHOW on Saturday, but gridlock erupted somewhere else.

Friday night we wrote:

Panels were all well attended — there was a HUGE line to get into the Neil Gaiman speech, while an equally huge crowd was filing out from a Marvel panel. In fact the corridor outside the panel rooms was the most consistently jammed part of the show, which people filing in and out past clumps of folks meeting and greeting.

Saturday this area had to be shut down:

Between 4 and 5 p.m., the Venture Bros. were in one panel room, while Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia was in another. At 5 p.m., a Robot Chicken panel featured Seth Green, while other panel rooms previewed various movies that crowds wanted to see. Cup O’ Joe started at 5:30, and other premiers and Hollywood presentations soon followed.

“We had to cut everyone off and let them in a little at a time. We had to. It was just wall-to-wall people. Basically, we had to make sure the people are safe,” Bouchahine said. No Fire Marshall came, as far as Bouchanie knew, but the staff themselves made the decision to stop the crowds.

Occasional Superheroine: New York Comic Con, Part One
Occasional Superheroine Photos
ComicMix Photos 1.0
ComicMix Photos 1.1

(Above photo taken during the trade only part of theshow…it got WAY more crowed very soon.)

Well, we’re just about all paneled out after today. Our day started at 11 am with the “mid sized publishers” panel. Brave Eric Lieb (our boss at Fox Atomic) and heroic James Lucas Jones from ONi made it to the panel, and since both are loquacious gents, they just took the ball and ran with it. The conversation perhaps veered too far into the comics-to-Hollywood connection, there was much interesting talk on screenwriters moving into comics, the continued viability of the pamphlet, and Scott Pitgrim. Asked what trends he saw, Jones mentioned that “post apocalyptic stories are the new zombies” in terms of the submissions he sees.

(Photo by Jody Culkin.)

After an hour spent taping a video for future broadcast on the Publishers Weekly channel, along with plucky Laura Hudson, and a brief episode of losing our cel phone, we were back downstairs for the McCloud/Rushkoff summit. Honestly, this could have gone on much longer; it was lively, thought provoking stuff. (We hear someone recorded it for later podcast.) The two talked about not only comics as a medium but the strengths and failings of the internet. Rushkoff mentioned that “comics are the pill Hollywood should not swallow,” claiming that their guerilla energy is too much for the media machine to digest. He also pointed out that back in 1984-1994 when he first got on the internet he felt energized and part of a community after going online; now after a few hours he just feels exhausted.

Which is exactly how we felt at the subsequent “online comics journalism panel” which included all-stars Matt Brady, Johan Weiland, Brian Heater, Rick Marshall and Richard George of IGN. We don’t know if this was as interesting for the audience as it was for the panelists but it was another lively, frank discussion of reporting the news and the constraints therein. Brady mentioned that it is very difficult to get loose from the constraints of major media companies who want their news packaged exactly the same from everyone; protests are met with the reaction “You’re the only one who is complaining” — a statement which may not even be true. The importance of blogs was also mentioned, and a strange viral marketing letter from DC which everyone has received was also dissected. Reportedly the payoff is at the show, in which case irt should have been sent out this week.

We had a two hour panel break and wandered the floor, greeting people and seeing the sights. At one point someone asked “Do you want to meet Milo Ventimiglia?” to which we could only say…no. We’re sure Mr. Ventimiglia is a wonderful fellow, but it just wasn’t the proper moment. We did however spot Larry Hama at the Devil’s Due booth and blabbed with him for a while. He mentioned that while he was on staff at Marvel he could never get a job writing comics there; it took Louise Simonson at another company to give him a writing job. He was then given GI JOE to write, but only as an afterthought. “It’s okay though,” he said. “I got to have a great life,” he added, referring to his exploits in music, acting, comics and raising a family. Once again, Larry Hama shows today’s comics crossover people how it’s done!

After the schmooze hour it was off to the “Women in Comics” panel with Abby Denson, Gail Simone, Becky Cloonan, Karen Green, Shelly Bond and Jen Grunwald. While we didn’t like the “Comics c. 1987″ title, this was an awesome panel with awesome people on it, and we were proud to be speaking with them.

BTW, an aside about Jen Grunwald. It was brought to our attention that one of the reasons she is widely suspected of being rogue blogger Marvel Boy is that the supposed Marvel traitor mentioned that “Jen Grunwald is the cutest girl in comics,” to which we can just say…Jen would not say that but someone else would! Come on now, people.

By then it was time to hit the cocktail hour. We ended up at a nearby watering hole where all the Brits and freelancers who didn’t go to the DC Party at the Empire State Building were hanging out. It was loud and boistrous…like the show.

News? You want news? Nothing earth shattering hit our ears, but THIS from Chris Butcher may be the big big news leak:

The con was really interesting today. I had a good conversation with Marc Weidenbaum, editor of Shonen Jump and Shoujo Beat. Viz has just started a new original content line, graphic novels etc. More to come on this. Don’t send pitches, just approach him with printed work.

Viz’s formidable marketing and publishing chops behind original materials could be VERY interesting.

Overall…the place is jammed. Panels were all well attended — there was a HUGE line to get into the Neil Gaiman speech, while an equally huge crowd was filing out from a Marvel panel. In fact the corridor outside the panel rooms was the most consistently jammed part of the show, which people filing in and out past clumps of folks meeting and greeting.

Oh here’s our weird photo of the day: while Bryan Hitch signed, Orson Scott Card read Jane Austen. Go figure.

Live blogging from the PW booth #1164. Event coordinater Ada Price just wandered back into the booth and murmured “It has started.” The general public was let in about 30 minutes ago and the floors are crowded — not TOO crowded, mind, but crowded. “Bigger space, more costumes,” PWCW writer Trevor Soponis muttered. Indiana Jones, Dragonball Z, stormtroopers, sand people, Storm, Jack Sparrow Lara Croft and a Nazi have all been spotted.

This show is big. Much bigger than last year with book publishers, toy manufacturers, video games, movie companies and all the various comics publishers thrown together in either a tasty gumbo or mind-frying miasma, depending on your viewpoint.

Our panels this morning went off well. The McCloud/Rushkoff panel was packed — thanks! Everyone showed up for the journalism panel, and a lively discussion ensued on viral marketing, objective journalism and whether you whouldread your comments section or not.

Big ups to Roger Bilheim of Reed and his staff for all their help.

We’ll be back with more from the floor when the coast is clear.

Just as a reminder although its listed on the website as being tomorrow, this is actually being held today:

Friday 1:00 PM Room 1E16
Scott McCloud and Doug Rushkoff
Join Scott McCloud and Douglas Rushkoff for an hour of debate, theory and commentary on the state of the inudstry. The panel will be moderated by NYU’s Marianne R. Petit.

The Beat is going to be tied up most of the day but we’ll update when we can with the latest news. In the meantime both Newsarama and CBR have spiffy new mini-sites to update the show. Live blogging cons? Hey where did THAT idea come from? Anyway, keep checking back!

Hey here’s what we’re up to at the REALLY BIG SHOW:

FRIDAY
Friday 11:00 AM Room 1E09
From the Back of the Catalogue to the Top of the Charts
As the audience for graphic novels expands, there are more options for creators and readers than ever. James Lucas Jones from Oni, Ross Richie from Boom! Studios, Eric Lieb from Fox Atomic and Nick Barrucci from Dynamite talk about the issues of opportunities facing mid-level publishers. I am moderating this panel.

Friday 1:00 PM Room 1E16
Scott McCloud and Doug Rushkoff
PLEASE NOTE THIS PANEL IS ERRONEOUSLY LISTED AS BEING ON SATURDAY BUT IT WILL BE HELD FRIDAY
Join Scott McCloud and Douglas Rushkoff for an hour of debate, theory and commentary on the state of the inudstry. The panel will be moderated by NYU’s Marianne R. Petit. I’m listing it here because I put it together just to hear these fascinating people talk and you should go!

Friday 2:00 PM Room 1E09
Choosing the News: The Changing Face of Online Journalism
It’s a fact – journalism has changed. With more outlets than ever, more demands from news sources, and comics increasingly covered by the mainstream, how do comics news sites navigate the uncharted waters? Join Matt Brady (Newsarama), Richard George (IGN), Rick Marshall (ComicMix), Brian Heater (Daily Cross Hatch) and others for this engaging discussion, moderated by The Beat’s Heidi MacDonald. NOTE: CBR’s Jonah Weiland has joined the panel so this will truly be the epic journo roundtable to end epic journo roundtables!

Friday 5:00 PM 1E07
Women in Comics
Gail Simone, Heidi MacDonald, Karen Green, Jennifer Grünwald, Shelly Bond and Becky Cloonan will discuss the State of the industry from their perspective, plus insight into their exciting current projects, moderated by Abby Denson. We will kick ass!

SATURDAY — I will not be at the con. Instead I will be celebrating the 90th birthday of my grandmother, Ilene Lasker. She is my last surviving grandparent and there is no way I could miss toasting this incredible woman. So, enjoy the con without me — I’m sure I’ll be reading about it everywhere and you can all tell me what REALLY happened. I will be back in time for the night’s festivities.

SUNDAY — no panels, schmoozing. Ask me about Veitnamese coffee.

A smattering of newsie items we just coudn’t fit anywhere else.

• Don’t miss Kyle Baker at booth #2441. He’ll be selling copies of THE BAKERS: BABIES & KITTENS (Image) – nominated for an Eisner (Best Writer/Artist-Humor)! – selling sketches and displaying his award-winning animation on a giant flat-screen TV!

• Alex Ross will be appearing and signing Alex will be at Table # 1 on Friday afternoon from 4:00 – 7:00. On Saturday, Alex will again be at Table # 1 from 1:00 – 4:00. Alex will not be doing commissions or reviewing portfolios.

AlexRossArt.com will also be exhibiting at the New York Comic Con and selling new original artwork by Alex Ross. Please stop by Booth #1720 to check it out.

• Harris Comics‘ debuts and incredible show specials headline its offerings at this year’s New York Comic-Con. Harris will be at booth 1707 nearby one of the show’s main entrances!

Harvey Award nominated writer Joshua Hale Fialkov will be on hand to sign the brand new Vengeance of Vampirella trade paperback, collecting his blockbuster storyline from the Vampirella Quarterly. The newly released Best of Vampirella, Volume 1: Lost Tales trade featuring stories by Alan Moore, Warren Ellis and James Robinson will also be available at a special show price. We’ll be offering steep discounts on signed books, convention exclusives and hard to find collectibles, like the reissuing of the classic Jose Gonzalez Wall Poster! These are some of the very last posters we have available so get one while you still can!

• MK Reed writes to say the new issue of PAPERCUTTER will be out at the show at the Indie Spinner Rack table once the show opens to the public with copies of the new issue of Papercutter. There has been hardly any small press/indie news for this show so it’s nice to see a little of the indie spirit representing.

• Kunoichi, Inc., is holding a 2008 Artdrop New York Comic Con Talent Search. Kunoichi, who has provided comics illustration, concept design, and packaging design for companies including Hasbro, Cartoon Network, and Rockstar Games, will be reviewing artwork samples at Booth #1551 during New York Comic Con April 18-20.

Art samples submitted can include comics pages, or character designs. Kunoichi is seeking talented artists in all styles, beyond comic books and into other entertainment mediums. All materials submitted should be labeled with your contact information.

• Scott Wegener artist/co-creator of Atomic Robo will be at the Double Midnight Comics Booth (#2702) on Friday and Saturday.

• Finally, there will be a Carousel! In 3D:

NICK MAG PRESENTS 3-D COMIC CAROUSEL
Sunday, April 20
3 PM – 4 PM

A series of cartoon slide shows of comics from Nickelodeon Magazine, presented by an array of artists and other characters. Plenty of gags, goofiness, audience participation and 3-D action! Definitely for kids and alternative-comics-loving adults. Free 3-D glasses and magazines!

Speaker(s):
Chris Duffy – Magazine Editor – Nickelodeon
Dave Roman – Magazine Editor – Nickelodeon
R. Sikoryak (Drawn and Quarterly)
Sam Henderson (Magic Whistle)
Kim Deitch (Alias the Cat)
Michael Kupperman (Tales Designed To Thrizzle)

Assisted by Karen Sneider (Pony Up!)
Adapted for 3-D projection by Gerald Marks