SDCC --> 2013!!!!

[BobBretall]

COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL 2013: ONLINE BADGE PREREGISTRATION

Comic-Con 2013 attendee badges will be available for purchase online through the EPIC registration website in August 2012. There will be no onsite preregistration at Comic-Con 2012 for Comic-Con 2013 badges. Only those that have purchased a Comic-Con 2012 4-day attendee or 1-day attendee badge will be eligible to participate in 2013 online preregistration.

Professionals, guests of professionals, exhibitors, exhibitor purchased attendee badges, volunteers, staff, and press will not be allowed to participate in online preregistration in August. Open online registration for all categories listed above will occur at a later date.

Those eligible for Comic-Con 2013 online preregistration will be able to purchase up to 3 badges total. You will need a unique Member ID for each badge purchased. Eligible 2012 attendees may purchase badges for other eligible 2012 attendees, but they will not be allowed to purchase badges for those who did not attend Comic-Con 2012 or for any of the ineligible categories above.
 
Eligible attendees will be notified after Comic-Con 2012, via e-mail, with the date, time, and link for online badge preregistration. The notification will be sent to the e-mail associated with your Member ID account.

It's interesting that while eligible people can purchase up to 3 badges, they can ONLY purchase those for other eligible people.

Looks like Preregistration is now a "closed club".  

I'm also now ineligible (they refunded my 2012 badge when they issued my Press badge) so as soon as I stop qualifying for a Press badge, I won't be going to con any more.

I'm sure there will be some number of badges left for "open" registration, but this sounds like it's now kind of like season tickets for a sports team.  The people who are "in" will stay in.   When people drop out they will free up slots for new people.

[grither]

yeah this doesn't seem like a good direction.... seems to be more exclusive as opposed to inclusive.

i've been a few times, including this year, however the hoops i had to navigate to get a badge, hotel etc, were almost intolerable.  i actually only got in because i have a good friend who is a professional... i have no idea how i'd get in without a connection

he's also worried about losing his professional status, so i guess if he does, i'll be 'out' permanently.

thank goodness there are still some awesome smaller cons

[Christopher Stark]

Well that sealed me pretty much never attending SDCC.

[robomaniac]

Selfishly I will admit that this is a relief for me. Hopefully it means that anyone who goes will always be able to get tickets for the following year. That certainly was not the case this year.

[robomaniac]

After thinking more about this a little more, the unintended consequence of this will be that even if I wasn't able to  go in a single year I would be reluctant to not still buy a ticket since if I didn't I would be locked out in the future.   

[evaD]

That's a strange business model. I guess they don't want growth.

[Wood]

That's a strange business model. I guess they don't want growth.

There's no growth to be had. SDCC has been maxed out for years. All they can do now is maximize the quality and influence of the attendees.

[evaD]

There's no growth to be had. SDCC has been maxed out for years. All they can do now is maximize the quality and influence of the attendees.

What do you mean by quality and influenc? I know this makes me a bad comic fan, but I know nothing about SDCC other than a lot of news comes out of it. I thought it was a comic convention, but this makes it sound like something else.

[Tom Morris]

Hollywood overtook it a long time ago.  I say head other major cons instead.  Dragoncon is always Labor Day weekend and the don't have maximum attendance levels.

[BadDeacon]

What do you mean by quality and influenc?

More hotties, less mouth-breathers 

[Wood]

What do you mean by quality and influenc? I know this makes me a bad comic fan, but I know nothing about SDCC other than a lot of news comes out of it. I thought it was a comic convention, but this makes it sound like something else.

It's become an industry convention.  One could argue that it ceased being a true fan con many years ago, but at this point they appear set to commit to making this an expo for entertainment.  But what I was referring to is that they have no interest/ability in growing attendance anymore because the San Diego Convention Center is maxed out.  At this point they know it will be filled to capacity.

[evaD]

It's become an industry convention.  One could argue that it ceased being a true fan con many years ago, but at this point they appear set to commit to making this an expo for entertainment.  But what I was referring to is that they have no interest/ability in growing attendance anymore because the San Diego Convention Center is maxed out.  At this point they know it will be filled to capacity.

If it's an truly an industry con, then this should only really bother indy creators just starting out, right? Or is it really only for major publishers and their creators?

[steve bryant]

If it's an truly an industry con, then this should only really bother indy creators just starting out, right?

Nah, it shouldn't bother indie creators just starting out.

Professional badges are handled differently than attendee badges;  I don't think the current registration change affects how pro badges are obtained.

Additionally, I see new faces all the time in Small Press and on the convention floor, so fledgling creators/publishers have plenty of opportunities to purchase exhibition space.

[turtleboy8]

This is a little interesting in the fact that based on reports from people who actually go (I've never been to SDCC), but that the most popular parts are things like Twilight panels.  So does this mean that after this year's SDCC (and the last movie) that all those Twi-hards won't be buying tickets next year?  It seems like comic fans would want to go every year, where as people going for one event or panel wouldn't want to keep buying tickets for every year.  Especially with the price tag of $175 I am not sure if non comic fans are interesed in other panels and events year after year.

[Wood]

This is a little interesting in the fact that based on reports from people who actually go (I've never been to SDCC), but that the most popular parts are things like Twilight panels.  So does this mean that after this year's SDCC (and the last movie) that all those Twi-hards won't be buying tickets next year?  It seems like comic fans would want to go every year, where as people going for one event or panel wouldn't want to keep buying tickets for every year.  Especially with the price tag of $175 I am not sure if non comic fans are interesed in other panels and events year after year.

That's cyclical. As Twilight ebbs, the Hunger Games crew will roll in, etc...

[evaD]

Thanks for clearing it up for me guys. Sounds like SDCC is it's own strange thing. I wonder if something more comic-centric will spring up in its place for comic fans.

[LA Rabbit]

Thanks for clearing it up for me guys. Sounds like SDCC is it's own strange thing. I wonder if something more comic-centric will spring up in its place for comic fans.

I probably should just shut up but what the hell, its the internet.     There is plenty of comic book goodness to be had at SDCC.  Everyone makes a big deal about Hall H and Ballroom 20 because they get plenty of ink being about movies and TV.  That being said, there is a ton of comic based programming.  Take a gander at the programming (this is just Thursday):
http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci12_prog_thu.php

I mean check this:
1:00-2:00 CBLDF Master Session: Gilbert Shelton— With his creations The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Fat Freddy's Cat, and Wonder Warthog among others, Comic-Con special guest Gilbert Shelton is a master of establishing iconic characters and presenting them in scenarios that underscore his expressive cartooning abilities. Get a rare glimpse into the drawing process of this master of the Underground Comix movement, hosted by Tom Spurgeon of The Comics Reporter. The pieces created in this Master Session will be auctioned off at CBLDF's Art Auction on Saturday night. Room 11AB
Tags:  Art and Illustration | Cartooning and Comic Strips | CBLDF Events | Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances

Gilbert Shelton!!!  The man is a freaking legend.  That panel alone is worth the price of admission.  Maybe he shows up at your local cons (or at your house for all I know) but for me that alone is a big deal.  I have not gotten to see him before.  There is other great stuff and that is just the first day. 

It is also a chance for us west coasters to see artists that live on the east coast (or even from around the world).  We have fun local cons but they usually don't pull people from across the country.

Now it has reached max attendance for the convention hall and you will have to deal with lines and crowds.  If that is a no go, then you should not go.  If you think the NYCC is too crowded, then SDCC would not be for you.  Also the floor is a zoo.  It really can be a trap.  Further, because there is lots of different things, there are diverse fans there.  I am generally not much a newspaper strip fan but glad to have them.  Lots of spotlights on those creators, it just isn't my favorite thing¹.  I have learned about new properties at SDCC. 

Remember movies and TV are WAY MORE POPULAR than comics, so that stuff gets more attention and is in the larger halls but come on, there is plenty there for any comic fan.  If they stripped that stuff out, plenty of us would still go.  It would be interesting to see if a comic book only convention could make it that large but outside of France I am unaware of it.  I went to the last NYCC and they had the video games and Hollywood elements as well.  Besides, what would Lou Ferrigno do without the conventions? 

If you go through the four days of programming and don't see anything you like, than let me know and I will concede.  I just can't believe that with the coverage of Marvel, DC, independent and newspaper stuff, there isn't something that most comic fans would dig.  Of course if you don't like panels at all, there is still the impressive exhibit floor.


¹Even there, I do like Popeye, Far Side, Peanuts and Calvin Hobbs but those are all retired.  I do like Get Fuzzy well enough but doubt I would go to a panel on it. 

[evaD]

I probably should just shut up but what the hell, its the internet.     There is plenty of comic book goodness to be had at SDCC.  Everyone makes a big deal about Hall H and Ballroom 20 because they get plenty of ink being about movies and TV.  That being said, there is a ton of comic based programming.  Take a gander at the programming (this is just Thursday):
http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci12_prog_thu.php

 Calvin Hobbs but those are all retired.  I do like Get Fuzzy well enough but doubt I would go to a panel on it. 

I think you're missing the point of this whole thread and my part in it. You sound really excited, and that's cool. I'm just not sure why you're encouraging me to look at what will be going on at the convention. I'm not planning to go, and never was. It doesn't soundalike this is a "tickets will be available at the door" event. I have very little knowledge about the con and was asking why the people running it were restricting who could attend. Based on the first post in the thread it sounds like people who don't already attend will have a difficult/impossible time getting tickets. Your post runs totally contrary to that in that it almost sounds like you're trying to convince people, presumably me since you quoted me, to give it a try. What I'm curious about is more to do with what SDCC will become, and less about what it currently is. The announcement they just made seems like it could have a transformative effect on a convention but from what other folks are saying, it's already that way, this just pushes it a little further along.

[LA Rabbit]

Your post runs totally contrary to that in that it almost sounds like you're trying to convince people, presumably me since you quoted me, to give it a try. What I'm curious about is more to do with what SDCC will become, and less about what it currently is. The announcement they just made seems like it could have a transformative effect on a convention but from what other folks are saying, it's already that way, this just pushes it a little further along.

There were two reasons¹ why I replied in such a manner.  Firstly, I admit I am too quick to correct what I believe to be misconceptions about SDCC.  It was your post about "something more comic-centric" which in my mind goes to the criticism that SDCC is all about Hollywood/TV/Video games and not really about comics.  I was just trying to illustrate that there is more comic-centric programming at SDCC than any other convention that I have gone to in my limited experience.  It is comic books and all that other crap.  At this point, I think more comic-centric programming would be unprecedented, however if your point was it would be interesting to see if you kicked out all the Hollywood, TV and video games stuff, what would happen, then that is separate.  As I said, I don't think it could be as big because there is nothing that is that big that doesn't have a Hollywood, TV, Video Game component.  Still an interesting thought experiment. 

Secondly, while I did not think you were going to attend, I did think that if you did "wonder if something more comic-centric will spring up in its place for comic fans" than you would presumably need to know what the current level of comic-centric programming is so that you would know what could be more.  That was why I provided the links.  You may (or may not) have thought there was little or a lot comic-centric programming, but without a baseline there is no way to judge more.  However as you may have noticed from previous posts, I sometimes take this hypotheticals to stupid lengths that ordinary people would not waste their time doing².

Nonetheless Karma for your time.   

¹There is the unspoken, but passive agressively suggested motivation that I am just some internet douche bag which [sigh] I can't unfortunately dismiss out of hand but hopefully a summary of my previous posts will do something to answer that question.  Still your perogative to conclude so, however that would make further discourse not profitable.  I leave it to you to decide. 
²Alternatively you could have just been politely musing as a way to conclude the matter.  In which case I have gone on to waste everyone's time (and not for the first time). 

[BobBretall]

It was your post about "something more comic-centric" which in my mind goes to the criticism that SDCC is all about Hollywood/TV/Video games and not really about comics.  I was just trying to illustrate that there is more comic-centric programming at SDCC than any other convention that I have gone to in my limited experience.  It is comic books and all that other crap. 

It's true that there is a tremendous amount of comics-related content at SDCC.  It does tend to get lost in all the hype about Hollywood & video games, though.   You see that stuff in the media when you're not there.  They don't hype up the Gilbert Shelton panel all over the internet.

I have a press badge & 90%+ of the e-mails I've been getting over the past few weeks for "Do you want to interview xxxxx?"   "Hey come attend yyyyy" have been totally non-comics related.

But, you know what?    I don't attend anything but comics related panels at SDCC.   I can attend comics related panels all day every day.   Generally having to pick between 2 or 3 options at various times because there is so much comics content running in parallel.

So, it's not "Is there a more comics oriented show?"
It's really "Is there a show with less overwhelming Hollywood content?"

Regarding crowds.  I've been to smaller shows that are just as crowded as SDCC.  This happens when you sell out on tickets.   There is a max # of people the fire marshals will let on the show floor of any show & this is a point that gets hit for any show that sells out of tickets.   I'm actually thankful for the Hall H & Ballroom 20 Hollywood stuff on Saturday.   I pulls ~10,000 people off the floor & has them sitting up in these rooms not bothering those of us who attend the show for comics.   That said, it would SUCK to attend SDCC if you want to go to the Hollywood stuff.   Far too crowded for my tastes.