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Tweetby Melinda Beasi [Editor's note: when it was announced that manga-ka Moyoco Anno was going to be appearing at October's New York Comic Con I was stunned and thrilled. Stunned because Anno-sensei was probably the most prominent josei (adult women) manga artist to ever come to the the US. Thrilled because I have long admired [...]

Pop culture business news site ICv2 has announced the ICv2 Conference on Comics and Digital II to be held in conjunction with this year’s New York Comic-Con. It will be held on WEDNESDAY, October 10th,1:00 to 5:00 p.m. — in previous years it was held on the Thursday prior to the Con but NYCC is essentially a 4 day show now.

As in previous years, The Beat is a sponsor of this event. Here’s the line-up of panels, with speakers to be announce. All of them sound extremely interesting.

The ICv2 White Paper

This ICv2 White Paper will present a comprehensive look at the comics and graphic novel market in print and digital for 2011 and 2012, with an analysis of long and short term trends driving the market.
Presented by Milton Griepp, ICv2.

Kids—the Future of Everything!
The fastest growing segment of graphic novel publishing is titles for kids, tweens, and teens. Are you doing everything you can to take advantage of this huge change in the audience for comics? Learn about the kids graphic novel scene from the leaders of publishing, retail, and libraries.

Comics—The New Medium
As technology impacts the world of comics, we are seeing the biggest changes in format since the invention of the graphic novel. What will the comics art form look like in five years, and how does the essence of sequential storytelling using words and pictures change in the process? Creators and entrepreneurs discuss the question of “what is a comic” and how the revolution in technology is transforming the medium.  

Comics—The Transforming Business Model
The business of comics is changing faster than we’ve ever seen before—digital is exploding, crowdfunding is providing a new source of financing, the retail and library channels are changing rapidly, and media exploitation of comics is now an important part of the business. How does this all fit together into the new business of comics? We bring together the thought leaders of the comics world to talk about their visions of the future for the business of comics.

Sign-up details in the link.

by Merideth Jenson-Benjamin

[Once again librarian Merideth Jenson-Benjamin and her 10-year-old daughter are here to give their con report. Their piece on the Phoenix Comicon can be read here.]

In what has become an annual pilgrimage for the Benjamin family, last week we packed our Febreeze and granola bars, and headed out to San Diego Comic-Con.

Once we got home, I had a post-mortem with my ten year old daughter about the experience. Our conversation follows:

Mom: So, Let’s talk about Comic-Con 2012. I think I should mention that this is my 10th Comic-Con San Diego and your 3rd.

Mari: I didn’t have the best time.

Mom: Really? Why not?

Mari: I got elbowed in the face. A lot.

Mom: I know, that was not good. Any other reasons you didn’t enjoy it?

Mari: It was really, really crowded.

Mom: Did it feel more crowded than last year?

Mari: Yes, it did. And people seemed to be much crankier.

Mom: Many of the people I talked to seemed to be unhappy. I heard people blaming the unusually muggy weather, the Twilight fans, pushy vendors, cosplayers and security. I’m not sure there was any one reason why people were unhappy.

Mari: One thing is, it seemed to me that the prices for things were higher than they had been in the past. I understand that people need to make money, but most of the prices for prints and sketches were more than I could afford.

Mom: What was good about the convention?

Mari: There were some interesting panels. I liked the Old Masters Art Lessons for Comic Artists with Marshall Vandruff.   He had lots of useful advice. I wish I could take a class from him.

I also liked Kate Beaton’s panel. She’s really funny and has interesting ideas. I like that her comics come from literature and history.

We go to Quick Draw every year, and it is always really funny. Sergio Aragones makes me smile.

Mom: We went to a few of the big media panels. What was your impression of those?

Mari: Well, I can kind of understand why people wait in line so long. You do get to see some amazing things. I really liked the Revolution pilot, and the Mythbusters panel. All of the Disney stuff: Frankenweenie, Oz the Great and Powerful and Wreck-It-Ralph, looks really good too. But The Following panel bothered me.

Mom: I can understand that, the pilot they showed was surprisingly violent.

Mari: They killed a dog. I know it wasn’t a real dog, but it still bothered me a lot.

Mom: You and Jill Thompson had a conversation about animals and violence, d

By Gabriel Neeb

The Comic Con International: San Diego holds a Talkback Panel every year to try and figure out what went right and what went wrong. The format of the Talkback Panel does not lend itself to formation of easy narrative. One representative from CCI sits behind a desk and answers questions from the line of convention attendees, taking down notes and suggestions, and responding when necessary. This year, the task fell to John Rogers, President of Comic Con International’s Board of Directors, to moderate the panel.

I attend Talkback to start the process of bringing myself down from the experience of CCI. Four or five days of intense exposure to fantastic events and ideas alters attitudes and removes you from the experience of daily life. I love the intensity, but I need to land in the real world with the wheels down. Talkback helps to lower my mental landing gear.

When there are few problems in a given year, the panel can be full of compliments. When there are big problems, Talkback can be unpleasant.

So how, based on the questions formed by the experience of attendees, did the convention do this year? It did well- which is great for the convention. However, there are some troubling aspects that need to be addressed in the future. If you want to skip to the end, I’ll save you the trouble. I’m sure CCI will make substantial fixes to these areas, but they’ll need another Talkback panel in 2013. After all, a perfect convention wouldn’t need feedback.

The most troubling failure had to do with the treatment of disabled attendees getting into panels and having access to autograph lines and giveaways, the sort of things most attendees take for granted. For a handful of panels, and at least one panel each in Hall H and Ballroom 20, the security guards and line monitors took the number of specifically designated disabled seats (seats with a red covering) as the upper limit of how many disabled Attendees could be allowed into that panel. For instance, one attendee cited an instance where the guards allowed only 84 disabled individuals into Ballroom 20 because there were only 84 seats with the red covering (Ballroom 20 has around 3500 seats). This tactic was repeated elsewhere by what I hope were ill-informed and confused personnel. Another story related by an Attendee involved a woman on a walker being removed from an autograph line because she was “too bulky” (the words told to her as she was kicked out). There is no happy ending to any of the stories, but I took some level of comfort in the moderator’s extensive note-taking and additional questions as each attendee described their experience.

The incidents themselves are troubling enough, and they indicate a failure of training and communication with the support staff necessary to manage tens of thousands of people with tens of thousands of physical and mental differences. To make matters worse, CCI has had a traditionally robust and often commendable section dedicated to disabled services. While there’s usually one or two complaints at a given Talkback panel (out of two or three dozen attendees commenting), at least a third of the attendees had some story or request. With the culture getting unhealthier and the number of military personnel leaving service for one physical or mental issue or another, attention must be paid to this or CCI, and society in general, will have larger problems in the near future.

A popular topic at Talkback

We’re not going to stay on San Diego too long, but if the surge of traffic that just swamped the site is any indication — people just got home and want to see what they missed.

Darlene Horn has a fantastic write-up onthe food at the show, from Anthony Bourdain to the kids who recreated the Avengers at the Shawarma shop.

Bourdain was gracious and very congenial to everyone, even when interviewed by YouTube personality Chef Bigfoot. Surprisingly, Bourdain was much more reachable than most celebrities who hit the floor. I guess in the world of comics, Bourdain is a much smaller fish than Shia LaBeouf, who was swarmed by wanna-be paparazzi in Small Press while trying to give away his book.

As comics’ fiscal year ends, and we take a collective week off to recuperate, celebrate, and gossip, it’s time to note two pieces of advice that will make your Comic-Con 2013 much easier.

#1: Start your to do list now.

That’s right. Sign up for Evernote or Wunderlist and start a to do list of all the things your forgot or messed up this year. I did this in 2011 and it did make this one of the better organized shows I’ve done. In Wunderlist you can easily create a new To Do list called (if you can stomach it) “San Diego 2013″ and just add to it as you think of it along the way. Trust us, you will really be happy you did this while the pain is fresh.

#2: Never, ever, ever EVER say “I’ll get that done at the show.”

Despite our to dos and pre-show prep, due to the sheer volume of it, there were a few key items that we left to do in San Diego, thinking that we could do that Tuesday night, or Wednesday morning. Of course they were then put off until the middle of the scrum with the result that we missed many things that we otherwise wished we might have done. Which was, frankly, a bummer. But it was our own damned fault.

Anyway, DON’T LEAVE ANYTHING MORE COMPLICATED THAN PICKING UP SOME LUNA BARS TO DO AT THE SHOW. The stress level will intensify commensurately.

A few supplemental tips:

• Go to Ralphs as soon as you land! Seriously! The best tip.

• Get a good team! Beat Events editors Jessica Lee was on hand to help with little logistical matters on site and she was an absolute necessity. “Assemble a team” was one of the things on my to do list after 2011, and getting it done helped immeasurably.

That’s it—we still have some panel reports, photos, and the big think piece to go this week but thanks for everything, people. We laughed, we cried, we had Con.

by Gabriel Neeb

The 2012 Convention is winding up and news about who will attend next year is starting to emerge.

At the Fables panel in Room 6DE, Fables creator Bill Willingham announced that he would not be attending the 2013 convention. This was not unexpected given a convention dedicated to Fables will take place in (snowy) Rochester, Minnesota from 22 to 24 March 2013. As the majority of the panel was a celebration of the series’s 10th Anniversary, the atmosphere of the panel, panelists, and attendees was receptive and tranquil. So when Willingham announced that he would not attend in 2013, it came as a mild shock to the audience.

However, for those who follow Willingham on Twitter he revealed an incident which occurred around 4:30 pm where:

Some ridiculous bodyguard of some pissant little minor TV personality, I couldn’t recognize, just threw a hand in my chest, to clear the…
…path for his pissant little celebrity, who’s actually been on TV once. Dear pissant little wannabe celebrity, next time come heavy. 

Later, Willingham was able to identify the “pissant little minor TV personality” as:
Okay, I found out the diminutive celebrity who needed the pushy bodyguard in order to feel adequate was some lost soul named Paul Scheer.

(I know, I’ve never heard of him either. Why did he need a bodyguard?)

Whether this incident was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” is unknown, but it seems reflective of some feelings of many long time attendees, that Comic Con has changed, and not necessarily for the better.

Paul Scheer has claimed on his Twitter feed, that he had no personal security and that:

Been wracking my brain. It might have been the SDCC security who we were forced to have. He was a dick. Not affiliated.

However intended, such a statement is a long way from any sort of reconciliation or apology. It is also a failure to acknowledge that whatever action that occurred against Willingham, was done on the behalf of Mr. Scheer.

Also unknown: will there be a Fables panel in 2013 at SDCC.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, while everyone is loin girding for The Big One in a few weeks, New York Comic Con, the other Big One, is also gearing up, and like San Diego Comic-Con, they are beginning to tighten things up. Press registration has just opened, but it’s a far more arduous process than before and NO on-site registration this year.
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NYCC is adopting a two-step Press Registration process this year. All applicants must first submit their information online on the form below. This alone does not guarantee you a Press Badge. Instead, you must next complete step-two. After NYCC receives your online application, you will be sent an email with a Press Identification Number and link to the NYCC Press Accreditation Profile. You must complete this full form and fax it along with all required attachments to NYCC. It is only after this full form is received, reviewed, and approved that a Press Badge will be issued. Online applications only and incomplete Press Accreditation Profiles will not be approved. Press Badges to NYCC are limited, and the show reserves the right to approve or deny any application. NYCC’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.

There will be NO on-site Press Registration at NYCC this year. Should you wish to attend as a member of the media, you MUST apply online and complete the full Press Accreditation Profile. Registration will close at 11:59 PM NYC Time on September 14. Applications will be reviewed in three blocks this year, with acceptance status emails sent out in three blocks as well. Should you not receive your status by your acceptance email date (below), contact NYCC’s Press Office ([email protected]). We encourage Press to apply early.

Pro reg has yet to open but we advise everyone hoping to get on the list to keep an eye open, as it will probably be harder to get in as well.

Looks like we’ll be slogging over to the Javits Center for a while yet, as NY state Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan for a giant convention center in Queens has fallen apart for now. The reason? Negotiations didn’t go so well with Genting, the Malaysian casino company that would have funded the plan in return for building a giant casino adjoining the facility:

Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, said during a radio interview that negotiations between the state and the Genting company, which was expected to pay the development costs, had broken down.

“The conversations haven’t really worked out,” he said.

The revelation left a fog of uncertainty over Mr. Cuomo’s drive to bring casino gambling to New York City, which his administration views as a key source of jobs and revenue. The Genting proposal alone was expected to create 10,000 construction jobs and 10,000 permanent jobs.

Genting issued a statement saying that company officials “continue to want to invest in New York and plan to do so for years to come,” but that the uncertainty surrounding Mr. Cuomo’s efforts to push through a constitutional amendment to create a framework for casinos in the state made it difficult to reach a deal.


A few notes about this fall’s New York Comic Con. ReedPOP has made official what everyone took for granted: the New York Anime Festival will officially fold into NYCC. Launched as a separate event just before the manga/anime implosion began, the event was soon co-located with NYCC while keeping a separate identity. This year, the programming and guests list—which are pretty extensive and popular among the fan community—will stay the same but the event itself will be part of NYCC.

While the PR, which you can read below, stresses that the content will remain the same, it glosses over what actually did in NYAF: not enough exhibitors who afford the high prices of the Javits Center in the shrinking anime economy.

Speaking of the Javits, several outlets have picked up on the story we’ve been covering for awhile, NY state governor Andrew Cuomo’s nutty plan to build a giant convention center in Queens somewhere—possibly with Singapore casino money—and tear down the Javits. ReedPOP is among the giant show running entities that have signed a petition AGAINST this plan, pointing out that a Manhattan location is what makes many trade and consumer shows attractive, especially in tourist and alien invasion mecca Manhattan. PLUS at least one of the proposed new locations has mass transit problems that make the Javits “Oh-my-god-I-must-walk-2-blocks-to-get-a-falafel!!!!’” annoyances look as rinky dink as they really are.

ANYHOO, here’s the NYAF PR:

Officials at New York Comic Con (NYCC) have today announced that the New York Anime Festival (NYAF) will become an integral part of the massive pop culture convention rather than continue to operate as a separate co-located event.   NYAF was launched in December 2007 as a stand-alone festival delivering quality content and entertainment to anime fans and professionals in New York City.  NYCC organizers note that while NYAF will no longer be staged as a separate entity, their mission to serve the anime community will be a priority and will remain consistent with past standards of excellence.  Since its inception, NYAF has presented the latest and the best in anime, manga, Japanese cinema, music and games and this programming will be a vital part of NYCC planning moving forward.  New York Comic Con provides something for attendees across diverse fandoms, and in this new configuration, the anime fan will play a central role – as opposed to a separate role – in defining convention activity by being part of the NYCC pop culture community.  
 
New York Comic Con, which attracted over 100,000 visitors in 2011, will take place October 11 – 14, 2012 at the Javits Center in New York City.  Last year’s edition of NYCC sold out and this year’s show is also expected to sell out.   Fans of this year’s convention are encouraged to purchase 4-Day tickets which are already on sale via the show’s website, www.newyorkcomiccon.com. 
 
“This move has nothing to do with our loyalty or commitment to the anime community and everything to do with the growth and identity of New York Comic Con as a leading pop culture event,” notes Lance Fensterman, Group Vice President of ReedPOP and Show Manager of NYCC.  “

6 Comments on New York Comic Con stuff: NYAF merges; Javits Center endangered, last added: 5/30/2012

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Ed Sizemore said, on 5/29/2012 10:46:00 AM

What the PR doesn’t say is that in both 2010 and 2011 NYAF was held as part of NYCC. While technically separate conventions. They were held on the same day and in the same venue. So this is just adding a tombstone onto a 2 year old coffin.

Chris Hero said, on 5/29/2012 11:36:00 AM

I really, really hope the NYAF keeps its own floor. That floor was where the fun was at last year.

I only went to NYCC once, but I *hated* the Javitz Center. I thought it was poorly laid out and difficult to navigate. I also like staying out of Manhattan as much as possible. I say move it to the Brooklyn Nets new stadium. ^_^

Torsten Adair said, on 5/29/2012 12:29:00 PM

There is a subway stop at Aqueduct. (50 minutes from Times Square to JFK. 30 minutes by car?)

Transportation? JFK is right next door. I-678 plus Belt Parkway.

My suggestion?

Build a super-convention center with hotel and casino at Aqueduct, just like Vegas does.

Keep Javits open, and let them compete. Maybe Aqueduct can steal some business from Vegas…

Zone it between Rockaway Boulevard and the Belt Parkway. As demand grows, build more halls, rezoning the neighborhood street by street until it reaches the Van Wyck Expressway. (See: Hannover, Germany: Messegelände Hannover)

As the “fair grounds” expand, a subway spur is extended along Rockaway Boulevard, on the north side.

Place the truck parking south of the airport parking along the Bergen Basin.

Cross Bay Boulvard south of the parkway can be turned into a hotel strip, overlooking Shellbank Basin. The basin can be developed into a promenade with quaint restaurants. (Or people can stay at the hotels near JFK.)

—
Willets Point
35 minutes by subway, 20 minutes? by car.
Good transportation, near LaGuardia.
Airport hotels.
The site is smaller, so if it is mixed use, there might not be as much space for a large convention center.
Food? Um… can one walk along Roosevelt Avenue to Flushing? It looks like you could, but it’s like walking along an interstate. Or walk the other way towards Corona.

They could build it over the railyard near Shea… but that would complicate freight.
–

Naw… go big, or go home.

Hmmm… Governors Island is a good location, but most of that is already planned.

Over the railyard near Queens Plaza?
15 minutes by subway! 15 minutes to La Guardia! But if that space is available, why not expand Javits south to 30th Street?

Leigh Walton said, on 5/29/2012 12:58:00 PM

I actually quite like the Javits itself, it’s just surrounded by a drab industrial wasteland… Now if the 7 subway (December 2013) and the High Line park (?) finish their planned extensions to reach it, that would really class up the area.

ed said, on 5/29/2012 4:59:00 PM

Trading in (a DAREDEVIL-less) Hells Kitchen for a future Casinoland in Queens seems like an upgrade for groups wanting to hold their Convention in the NYC area, be they Comics Nerds or not.

Javits is just too drab, dark, industrial, and isolated for attendees looking for nearby extra-curricular activities that the seasoned Conventioneer have experienced at other
Con Centers. Like the other entertainment and food options available at Las Vegas, or at SDCC and WONDERCON’s original SF location, say.

I can imagine groups bypassing Javits just for these very reasons.

jaroslav hasek said, on 5/30/2012 9:53:00 AM

anyone know whats going on with the west side rail yard site adjacent top the javits center? last i heard several few years ago it was slated for a the new jets/olympic stadium before MSG/Comcast squashed it. then NYC lost its olympic bid and the jets decided to stay co-tenants with the giants in the meadowlands, mooting all stadium/exhibition space plans. MSG had a legitimate beef that the stadium was being pushed through at below market deals. i’m guessing mixed use residential/commercial/retail space would make more economic sense for the city then a convention center but the location has to be light years better than anywhere in queens.

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