Comic Con 2008: Going, Going, Gone
Plenty to look forward to for people headed to San Diego for Comic Con International 2008, at least as long as you already have tickets.
According to the CCI Web site, single-day passes for both Friday and Saturday are sold out, as are four-day passes.
Sounds like more proof positive of the idea brought up by Laura Hudson in this Publishers Weekly story, that Comic Con has possibly grown too large for its own good.
Even publishers aren’t sure if they’ll make it inside:
Exhibitors are also feeling the pinch as they compete for limited space on the convention floor. At the recommendation of fire marshals, aisles in the giant halls D and E were widened, meaning there’s even less available acreage overall. As a result, many professionals and publishers, including book publishing giant HarperCollins, are still on a waiting list for a booth only weeks before the show opens—and unlikely to come off of it.
I had no doubt after last years show which features lines that were hours long for many panels and a show floor that was almost impossible to move on at most times that the show has gotten too large for the convention center but where would they go? Certainly they would have to leave San Diego but I doubt if they want to leave the West Coast since it has become such a magnet for the La movie/TV crowd. I don't know much about that area. is there some place larger for them to use?
That article makes it sound like the small press area and artist's alley are one and the same. Which its always been my understanding is not the case. Weird.
I'm thinking Anaheim. And monkeys. How about you?
Yeah, well, they've got contracts with the city of San Diego to use the convention center for a few more years — until 2012, I believe.
I will say I took issue with a couple of items in the article. As an example; the area given to Small Press has not changed. And, in regard to Artists Alley, this year we are able to accommodate 210 artists, up 43 artists from last year when we had 167 spaces. And I should point out that the 167 was up 20 people from the year previous where we accommodated 147. And I will state emphatically that no publisher, or any exhibitor, for that matter, has been asked to reduce their booth size to make way for Hollywood. Or any other exhibitor.Each year the floor changes in configuration. Some exhibitors hope to expand their space, some exhibitors reduce their space and still others elect not to return for any number of reasons. This is true this year as well. When additional space becomes available, we try to accommodate requests of long time exhibitors first, while still keeping the floor dynamic by welcoming new exhibitors.I liken it to a restaurant. If I go to a restaurant and ask for a table for one (which, sadly, happens more often then I care to admit) sometimes the establishment can accomodate me, even on a busy night. However, if I ask for a table for four, or six or more, well then it gets tricky. The same is true for Comic-Con.
David, you are too cute to have to eat alone when you don't want to. Please let me feed you sometimes!
Martha, I can't imagine a better offer!!