If you told me, back in 1980-1981, when I attended my first "New York comic cons" (lower case c's because they were more frequent and went by name different proper names), that I would be writing about New York Comic Con 2019 on my Blog, I would stare at you in utter disbelief... I would also ask you "What's a Blog?"
Yet here we all are... with you readers waiting breathlessly for my report on the proceedings... (that is, if by "waiting breathlessly" you mean "not giving a hoot"... or maybe just a "small hoot")!
I attended all four days, filled a bunch of holes in my remaining want list, was characteristically annoyed by the usual things that annoy me (think the classic-era animated, put-upon Donald Duck type of "annoyed") - but, in the end, the now-cliched-but-often-true "good time was had by all!"
I often wonder why they call these gatherings "Comic Cons", when ACTUAL COMIC BOOKS - the first, second, third, and last reason I attend - are increasingly marginalized!
New York Comic Con has a tendency to relegate comic book dealers to a few aisles in one corner of the vast hall. Hopefully, the crude drawing below will give you a sense of what I mean.
I don't know if the use of the term "ghettoized" is still politically correct to use, but that is exactly what the comic book dealers are... and at an event that supposedly and by-its-very-name ought to feature them.
The rest is dominated by toys, gaming, apparel, props, art prints, media personality items, media giants, and more non-comics doo-dads than you can shake a stick it. ...And, if you DID "have a stick to shake", it would probably bump one of the all-too-many cosplayers, and those photographing or otherwise fawning over them! More on that later...
On the bright side the... um, er... "segmentation" (better word?) of the comic book dealers makes for an easier comic shopping experience, because there's no need for a hardcore comic shopper like me to traverse the entire space.
I will always prefer the days where comic books were - by far - the dominant attraction of something that calls itself a "Comic Con". Yes, there's much to be said for "making the tent larger"... but now that "tent" has become too large for comfort! WAAAY TOO LARGE!
Still in all, it was a successful weekend comics-wise. Sixteen issues in all, completing five runs. Virtually all of that was accomplished on Thursday, with one straggler pick-up on Friday, and three more at the close of day on Sunday, when last-minute deals are most likely to be made.
Highlights include:
ADVENTURE COMICS # 297: My last missing issue from when it ran those wonderful "Tales of the Bizarro World" backups, written by the great Jerry Siegel!
Four issues of BOB HOPE:
Here is but one.
Chartlton's JETSONS # 6 (completing that run)...
...With an AMAZING DISCOVERY THEREIN, that I plan to fully highlight on the Blog someday. But, for now, you may satisfy your curiosity by reading these two entries I made on the GRAND COMICS DATABASE (at which I've finally become a full-member indexer) - HERE and HERE!
HINT: Be sure to read the "Indexer Notes"!
And, after nearly 30 years, I finally got a really nice copy of MICKEY MOUSE # 138, to replace the terrible old... er, "ratty" (Sorry, Mickey!) one I've had all along!
...And for only TWO DOLLARS! That's a great comic, very likely written by Cecil Beard, drawn by the vastly underrated Jack Manning - and featuring villains Emil Eagle, Dangerous Dan Mc Boo, and Idjit the... the... the... um, "very nasty little person?" (...Would we even see Idjit today, I wonder?)
All this classic seventies Gold Key goodness for HALF THE PRICE of those "Fresh and Modern" things the parent company is inflicting on us today! (...Didn't ya just KNOW that was coming?)
Me? I'll take vanilla... and MICKEY MOUSE # 138!
We'll be back with more New York Comic Con 2019 posts! But, for now... As I used to say when "The Issue At Hand" was a print column... "Good Night and Good Comics Reading!"
4 comments:
1. Maybe "Idjit the vertically challenged person"?
2. Life imitates art. We no longer need Tales of the Bizarro World. We have California.
3. You actually collected a Charlton Hanna-Barbera comic?
TC:
(1:) Not bad, but what do we do when folks start objecting to the name “Idjit”? …Call him “Bertram”?
(2:) Don’t think so small! The WHOLE WORLD’S gone Bizarro! “Me am wrong about this!”
(3:) Oddly, and despite my consistently forceful criticism of Charlton over the years, I’ve noticed that, as their run progressed… it actually got better! In no way were they as good as Dell or Gold Key, but it began to approach “some level of acceptability” where, if they were like that out of the gate (…which they were decidedly NOT), I might not have bailed so early – and been such a longtime critic.
I bailed during the 15-cent issues. I never bought one that was 20-cents or higher. And, for doing so, I missed enough good stuff (…JUST “enough”, no true overabundance) that I began to track down those issues in the last two years. They’re not all great, but I’m not sorry I did.
HERE is an example of what I mean. The Barney/Haunted House stuff, found therein. I’d have bought stuff like that on a regular basis – had I known about it.
Besides, if I didn’t buy that Charlton Jetsons, I wouldn’t know about the blatant swipe it contained! ...And, most likely, neither would many of you... 'cause none of you would have bought it either! :-)
Your diagram created a vivid impression, which I think also symbolizes the status of actual comic books at today's so-called "comic cons." I can well picture a venue laid out in that manner. I have attended events where the "main attraction" was shoved to the side, not necessarily comic book conventions, but the principle is the same. Some Book Fairs I've attended followed similar practices to what you experienced. We even had a local Middle Earth festival, which over a couple of years devolved into being very little about Tolkien's world and more about whatever people wanted to sell.
One suggestion, and please forgive the "teacher in me" coming out, but I believe "consolidation" would be a more apt term, and closer to your intended meaning, than "segmentation" which suggests breaking into smaller parts. The comic vendors were put together in one area, not so much divided up, unless one considers the various separate booths and counters which would naturally be set up within their given area. Although if the entire event is being encompassed in the expression, then of course the comic sellers are one "segment" of the whole, so it does fit, in a sense. But I believe your meaning was "not scattered around but all together in one area," in which case "consolidation" might serve the purpose better.
Can't wait to find out the "amazing discovery" within the pages of Charlton Jetsons #6!
Scarecrow:
Yes, I do believe “consolidation” is the better word in this instance. Thank you.
And don’t worry about “'teacher in [you]' coming out”. You can never stop learning new things, or improving on the older ones! It’s always welcome.
As for the "amazing discovery" within the pages of Charlton Jetsons #6, you need only take the two links in the post to the Grand Comics Database – and read my “Indexer Notes”!
…Some find, eh?
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