If you've followed CBO over the last 15 + years you will know that I have been somewhat outspoken about UK comic conventions. Others in the United States have noted similar with their comic events but I am only dealing with the UK here and my 40+ years of experiences.
We used to think and moan about the old UK Comic Art Conventions (UKCAC) but for various reasons not associated with costs. There were at these events, however, plenty of creators as well as small pressers and comic dealers/traders. All talk was about comics -hey, it WAS a comic book convention.
Someone else who used to attend the old UKCACs and one day comic marts (such as the Westminster Comic Mart ) told me that he decided to "get out of the old armchair and go to a couple conventions/events". His response after these was "WTF happened?? At the convention it took me an hour -because not one of those involved in organising was interested in pointing me in the right direction- to find some people selling small press and a table with real comics!" At the second event he went to "It said 'comics event' but no one was selling comics. Lots of small press stuff on tables that seemed to focus on "My Life Sucks" or cutesy stuff and being sold by hipsters and I assume people over the age of 18 who looked about 15 and terrified if you spoke to them!"
The thing is that comic event organisers are not really that interested in comics. The excellent Bristol International Comic Expo ran for years and was highly regarded and incredible value for money. The two temporary wannabes who took it over killed it in the first year and also added insulting exhibitors and guests. It was a mess. But guess what? They were into cosplay so cosplay seemed the focus. Look how that worked out. At the final 'event' I spoke to several long term expo goers who simply said it was all "a ******* great mess" and "The event is dead".
Focus moved more away from comics in the early to mid 2000s and merchandise and sponsored promotions became the norm with comics being "that other thing" that got tucked away or put in a side room/hall. I talked to comic traders and they were finding it hard to justify the expense of transport and accommodation AND the amount they were asked for each table at an event. Most of those traders are now gone as the Millennial 'non comic event' organisers moved in. Three tables at £200 each = £600 then the £200 for transporting stock =£800 and accommodation and food £100 some slept in their vehicles for a weekend) and you are up to £900+ and the total sales for the weekend = £300-450.
I was once talking to a certain event organiser in front of a comic traders table: "Oh the traders do well here and never go home without a profit!" I was told as a very dour voice from the trader responded: "In total £1,500 for me to get this event and be tucked away behind pillars in a side room and so far I've sold £400 worth of comics same as last year -do you do basic maths?" The organiser was rather red faced with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance as they walked off! Incidentally, that particular trader shut up business in 2012 because he could not afford all the costs -event after event were hiking up table prices and hotels/B&Bs as well as van hire firms and even rail costs rose.
These traders had tables at most of the year's comic events and that was their business, along with some mail order trade. They were the integral part of comic events -comic fans went to these events to buy back issues or find new hidden treasures in those long boxes. The traders went and so did the comic fans.
"Hey, cosplay is the big thing -it'll bring in the money!" and so more and more cosplay was drawn in. I have no objection to cosplayers as some put a lot of work into their costumes -Stella Chu, Ace Cosplay and so on- but most have no knowledge of the characters they are dressed as. Uh, most I spoke to had no idea who Stan Lee was and the names Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby drew blank expressions! Large groups of 5-10 cosplayers, or cosplayers and their entourages, aimlessly wandering about and blocking off access to traders tables -at two incidents I was witness to- caused more than a few very harsh words.
I was also witness to a very -very- nasty outburst from an action figure trader about "all the ******* comic T*** blocking view of my table!" The people in question were browsing through long boxes at the next table. Organiser: "Not my business!" No, it was not their business -their business was taking the money and letting comic fans take verbal abuse -one cosplayer (Manga character I think) had some 6 followers taking photos of her and saying how great she looked but at one point they tried to barge people looking through long boxes out of the way but backed off in the face of a few well chosen "F yous".
From being big events for comic fans we have seen almost outright discouragement of fans in favour of merchandise, games promoters and things not associated with comics. Events are organised to earn money for organisers and anything they can slap a price on they do. I have no problem with people making an honest profit but when greed is the main driving force I have a problem.
"Comic Convention" you take to mean comic book related not action figures, computer gaming, RPG centred with an over the top number of cosplayers. It's rather like organising a "Bandes Dessinee" event in Europe and people turning up to find no BD just computer gaming or merchandise sellers. Or in the US organising a "Super Heroes Comic Con" and...finding the same with maybe the odd comic trader tucked away. I have watched You Tube videos where "Fig" and Funko Pop collectors have gone to clearly described "Comic cons" and complain that there were no "figs or pops"! The clue should be in the title "Comic Con".
I know people are waiting for me to lay into the Small Press events. No. They do their own thing and 99.9% of those involved have "never read comics" and I think my conversations show where they come from. Talking about Marvel Comics I referred to Stan Lee and got the famous response "Oh, that character from the Big Bang Theory?" Apparently I was in shock for several hours later and only a copy of Incredible Hulk #181 held under my nose revived me. Millennials doing their own thing and who are terrified and not sure what to do if they meet people over thirty years old.
It is probably far too late to reverse the current situation since 'comic events' quite literally added to the fall of comics fans getting together...and a heavier impact on the UK industry. L{ook at all of those "comic Cons" that shot up out of nowhere from 2009 on. You needed to keep a diary to keep track of them and boy did they demand that you promoted their event (like that works with me -or the way they bad mouthed other 'rival' events). Where are 90% of them now? Got into comics as 'fans'. Made their money then fecked off to the next money maker.
Until people organise comic book events that focus on comic fans without exploiting them or traders there is no point attending events. There are problems, however: most of the good old traders that attended these events have retired or shut down business for good because of what event organisers did. And the comic fans were driven away and it will take a very good event years to attract them back as they will rely on what other fans say and even then be cautious.
Greed has probably put the final nail in the coffin of real comic events.
And this post -thanks to a rapidly breaking down laptop- has taken over two hours, So my piece written and done.
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