More crap about comic conventions
So, I just pulled off three conventions in a row: APE, Pittsburgh Comicon, and Toronto Comicon. April was a blur. It’s nice to be home a for a change.
Despite being fun, all three were mediocre to average in terms of sales. Since I’m doing this from a business perspective, I feel I need to analyze my take on conventions a little further…
It’s been 2 years since I started this comic book stuff and I’ve done 15 conventions in that time span. Conventions can be small or medium or large and they can be “mainstream” to “indie” or “other” (Horror, Fantasy, Not-Comics).
The largest con I’ve done yet is Wizard World Chicago 2005. In fact, I would call it my only “BIG” con. It was also my most successful. I made more than double the sales I have at any other convention. You might remember me writing a big fancy article about it. Big cons are the one avenue of conventioning I feel I need to explore further especially with the taste of high sales they have already shown me.
In terms of sales, my second and third most successful conventions are SPACE 2005 and SPACE 2004 - two of the smallest cons I’ve done. I also did really well at SNAP! 2005 - another small con.
With a few exceptions, my weakest shows have always been the medium sized “mainstream” ones. These are also the most prolific. Every major city has one and it seems to me that these are always poorly attended and those who do attend are there for DC/Marvel stuff.
To recap: Small cons GOOD. Medium cons BAD. Big cons GOOD. It’s a strange balance, but if that’s what is working for me, then I’m tailoring my schedule to it.
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Anyway, about the three cons I just did…
In a recent LJ comment-driven conversation with my new friend Leigh, I jokingly wrote up a list of questions that a creator could use to analyze any convention. They didn’t turn out as funny as I intended because, well, they really are the questions that creators/exhibitors want answers to.
1. How many artists/exhibitors were there?
2. How was the attendance?
3. Did you sell a lot of shit?
BONUS OPTIONAL QUESTION:
4. Did you have fun?
For every convention I attend in 2006, I will answer these questions starting now.
APE
1. How many artists/exhibitors were there?
120ish. Publishers and small pressers.
2. How was the attendance?
Not big. Not small. It peaked on Saturday as most cons do.
3. Did you sell a lot of shit?
Just average. Lots of lookers and no buyers. I blame my table location for part of this too. I did however make back my expenses with exception of airfare (which is okay because we stayed in SF for a week of vacation time anyway). This is twice in a row that APE has only been average for me. I think I’m skipping it next year.
4. Did you have fun?
Yes I did. APE is always a fun show with lots of good books and creators around. It’s great for meeting people too.
Pittsburgh Comicon
1. How many artists/exhibitors were there?
160ish. 50% artists. 50% retailers.
2. How was the attendance?
Poor. I felt like the aisles were empty all weekend.
3. Did you sell a lot of shit?
Not really. If it weren’t for the super-cheap $50 table fee, I would have easily been in the red.
4. Did you have fun?
I did actually. I split a room with Tim Lantz who is good company. The con itself though? Not much to see.
Toronto Comicon
1. How many artists/exhibitors were there?
150ish. 60% artists/creators. 40% retailers.
2. How was the attendance?
Very poor. Perhaps the most poorly attended convention I’ve seen.
3. Did you sell a lot of shit?
Nope. Sales were bad, which was extra disappointing considering it took eight hours to drive there.
4. Did you have fun?
Very much so. It was my first time out of the US, so my perspective is a little skewed. I managed to meet a lot of great people: Raina, Svetlana, Ugo, Derek and Chris and Erin of www.MolarRadio.ca (one of my favorite podcasts).
May 24th, 2006 at 9:09 pm
Chalk one more sale up to the Toronto Comicon.
Had an opportunity to view your work on the Sunday, but my will to interact with people had been sucked out by Dotman.
A few weeks later, and LW was still lodged in my brain. Away from the lack of crowds and painful polite nods of recognition to the artists, it was great to delve into the sample from the privacy of my own home and evaluate with a clear mind.
Now, an online order later, my mailbox brims with expectation. Thanks for coming to Toronto.