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By:
Heidi MacDonald,
on 7/13/2015
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John Rogers – Comic-Con President
By Nick Eskey
San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone. As in every year, to officially close convention, we are gathered before John Rogers, Comic-Con International President, for the ever so important “Talk Back” panel. It is here that attendees can voice their concerns, suggestions, or applause this year’s convention, so that John can hear them personally.
Comic-Con’s president introduced himself, and thanked staff, security, volunteers, exhibitors, and others before opening up the microphone to the waiting crowd. And as usual, the crowd extended nearly to the back of the room.
Some of the concerns brought up dealt with the constant concern for lines. Lines for merchandising and booths have become a recent issue. One attendee brought up the issues he was having with the “Funko” booth. “The line was so disorganized, and constantly closed throughout the day. There was even one day where they stopped selling all together as of 4pm.” I have had my personal experience with Funko. To get even a chance to stand in line to buy, you either have to be the first one in the hall, or lucky to be passing by when they open up. Over the weekend, they started passing out line tickets. As people first entered the exhibit hall, they would have to get a ticket, get to the line, and then wait in line to eventually buy. This added step seemed to compound issues, as the ticket passers didn’t announce they were passing tickets, and only mentioned something if you got within arms distance. Those that raced by to get to the booth received the news there that they needed a ticket.
Another cause for concern was how exhibitors were still getting into lines by switching out for a regular attendee pass. “I was upset when I saw an exhibitor in the autograph line that I couldn’t even get into,” said one woman. “This has been an ongoing issue for a while on how exhibitors are ‘magically’ producing regular passes,” responded Rogerss. “Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do about it.”
To address the crowds on the sales floor, one man proposed the use of directional lines on the floor. “As you might have noticed, we are such things when large signings are taking place,” said John. The man wished the lines though to happen throughout the convention. Many a person in the room grumbled at this. “I’m pretty sure no one would like anymore rules to complicate things,” added John Rogers.
Reiterated by many was the lack of communication from the different security companies employed by Comic-Con. “One guard had my attendant sit far away from me in Hall H. And other guards were giving me issues over where my attendant was… I need my attendant in eyesight at all times. I don’t know why that guard would have me sit away from him.” Another attendee said that one guard was handing out passes, where there were others just standing around. When he asked why there weren’t helping, they said “oh that’s not our department.”
Now, for the most reoccurring issue: those with disabilities and the services available to them. Many of the attendees with these concerns had actually positive things to say about this year’s services. But the lines for Hall H were still major issue. “On Friday, the general line went in forty-five minutes before the ADA line… I felt like we were forgotten,” said one woman with disabilities. “When we finally got in, many of the red seats marked off for disabled were already taken.”
Another Hall H issue was that the ADA lines were uncovered. “There are many of us that can’t stand in the sun as part of our disability,” said one woman. The same issue was brought up over and over again.
New this year was the addition of wristbands for the ADA line, to help gauge the number of available spot. For the most part, it was met with positive feelings. A few issues did arise though when it came with the actual issuing of said wristbands. “Security would come out and say that there might not be enough bands. Then maybe an hour later they would come out and say there’s six. Another hour later and they’d have four more. Is it that hard to just count the spot and let us know?”
John Rogers responded, “We haven’t come up with a better system to figure out how many spaces we have left till wristbands have been passed out… It’s actually difficult to keep a working number and go off of that.” The woman then asked about making three lines then, or doing a straw pull for wristbands. “We’ll think of that,” said John.
There’s also the issue of those with disabilities and the use of elevators. “The wait for the elevator was extremely long,” said an attendee. “By the time I got to the autograph area, they had caped the line.” For this year’s convention, they’ve had those with ambulatory disabilities use the elevators as opposed to the escalators. “It was a decision we made to be fair to everyone,” replied John. “We were seeing those with ambulatory issues being rushed around by other attendees for the escalators.”
One woman suggested that Comic-Con should have those claiming they have disabilities to show proof, so as to not be accessible to services if they are not. This elicited a quick response from the president. “By California state law, the only ones that can ask for proof of disability is the police.” The woman couldn’t believe that, but many from the crowd agreed with John. “That’s how Disney got in trouble recently at their park,” he added.
The biggest upset was when one woman said, “I was told by Disabled Services that this was the last year my attendant could get a complementary pass. And if they couldn’t get one through the lottery, ‘then they would be out of luck.’ I need my attendant. If he can’t come, I can’t come either. And I’ve been coming for twenty years. I don’t mind if he needs to buy one now, but then please put into place a system that he is guaranteed purchase.”
This seemed to catch John Rogers off guard. “Attendant badges are always complementary, so I don’t know why they would say that to you,” he said. Half a dozen in the line confirmed that they also were told the same thing. John looked at the line and said “We will fix that.”
This panel went on for an hour and a half; one of the longest Talk Backs to happen, with most of the issues dealing with Disabled services. Though it seems the guard issue has lessened this year as compared to others in the past, the concerns with ADA have not. If anything, they seem to be growing. When it comes to something like Comic-Con, it’s important that the whole experience is accessible to all fans that wish to partake. As the convention will remain in San Diego for at least a little while longer, let’s see if they can better address these issues.
We already knew that Warner Bros. had a big presentation lined up for Saturday mid-morning at SDCC, and outside of the Star Wars showstopper on Friday, it’s the other “biggest ticket” of the weekend.
It was safe to assume that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was going to be the center-piece of that showcase, and no offense to Joe Wright, who is a fine director, but the amount of people that will show up for Pan is significantly less is my guess.
Yesterday afternoon Warner Bros. clarified just what films would comprise their Hall H panel, here’s the full press release below:
WARNER BROS. PICTURES REVEALS SUPERLATIVE LINE-UP
FOR THIS YEAR’S COMIC-CON
The Studio gets set to hit Hall H with Fan Favorites and a few surprises.
BURBANK, CA, July 1, 2015 – Warner Bros. Pictures continues its tradition of delivering its most anticipated tentpole properties and their biggest stars to Comic-Con International: San Diego with this year’s Hall H presentation.
On Saturday, July 11, beginning at 10:30 a.m., Warner Bros. will showcase several of its upcoming feature releases and offer up a surprise or two as well.
Keen to deliver a taste of one of next year’s most eagerly awaited pairings, director Zack Snyder and stars Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill take the main stage with “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” They are joined by castmates Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter and Gal Gadot for a sneak peek at the 2016 action adventure that brings the Super Heroes together on the big screen for the very first time, from Warner Bros. Pictures and RatPac-Dune Entertainment.
From “Pan,” Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund and Peter himself, Levi Miller, together with director Joe Wright, soar into town with their high-flying adventure, coming to theaters this fall from Warner Bros. Pictures and RatPac-Dune Entertainment.
And Cavill once again takes the stage, this time with Armie Hammer, a duo with a very different dynamic in this summer’s fresh, über-stylish actioner from filmmaker Guy Ritchie, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” along with fellow stars Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Debicki.
Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, stated, “Comic-Con provides us a fantastic opportunity to interact with the fans and this year, as with every year, our aim is to surpass their expectations. We’re also thrilled to give our filmmakers and talent a chance to experience the unique energy and enthusiasm of Comic-Con.”
With “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and “Pan” headlining the bill, Warner Bros. will also present some unexpected offerings that are sure to delight the crowd.
About “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before. Directed by Zack Snyder, the film stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter and Gal Gadot. Snyder directed from a screenplay written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, based on characters from DC Comics, including Batman, created by Bob Kane, and Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film is produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder, with Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer serving as executive producers. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, an Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual production, a Zack Snyder film, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” The film opens nationwide in 3D and 2D and in select IMAX theaters on March 25, 2016, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
About “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”
Henry Cavill stars as Napoleon Solo opposite Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin in director Guy Ritchie’s action adventure “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” a fresh take on the hugely popular 1960s television series. Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, the film centers on CIA agent Solo and KGB agent Kuryakin. Forced to put aside longstanding hostilities, the two team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology. The film also stars Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, with Jared Harris, and Hugh Grant. The screenplay was written by Guy Ritchie & Lionel Wigram, story by Jeff Kleeman & David Campbell Wilson and Guy Ritchie and Lionel Wigram, based on the TV series “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” John Davis, Steve Clark-Hall, Wigram and Ritchie produced the film, with David Dobkin executive producing. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, a Ritchie/Wigram production, a Davis Entertainment production, a Guy Ritchie film, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film opens nationwide in theaters and IMAX on August 14, 2015.
About Pan
From director Joe Wright (“Atonement,” “Pride & Prejudice”) comes “Pan,” a live-action feature presenting a wholly original adventure about the beginnings of the beloved characters created by J.M. Barrie. Peter is a mischievous 12-year-old boy with an irrepressible rebellious streak, but in the bleak London orphanage where he has lived his whole life those qualities do not exactly fly. Then one incredible night, Peter is whisked away from the orphanage and spirited off to a fantastical world of pirates, warriors and fairies called Neverland. There, he finds amazing adventures and fights life-or-death battles while trying to uncover the secret of his mother, who left him at the orphanage so long ago, and his rightful place in this magical land. Teamed with the warrior Tiger Lily and a new friend named James Hook, Peter must defeat the ruthless pirate Blackbeard to save Neverland and discover his true destiny—to become the hero who will forever be known as Peter Pan. The film stars Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard; Garrett Hedlund as James Hook; Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily; newcomer Levi Miller as Peter; and Amanda Seyfried as Mary. Wright directed “Pan” from a screenplay written by Jason Fuchs. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Paul Webster produced the film, with Tim Lewis serving as executive producer. Warner Bros. Pictures Presents, in Association with RatPac-Dune Entertainment, a Berlanti Production, a Joe Wright film, “Pan.” The film is set for a worldwide release in 3D and 2D on October 9, 2015. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
The Wrap is reporting that cast from Suicide Squad are expected to appear as well. So, at the very least, we’ll be getting two DC films focused on. My guess is, we end up getting a full trailer for Batman v Superman (that hopefully will end up online in short order) and a teaser for Suicide Squad.
In truth though, this is the bare minimum that Warners needs to meet. Hopefully those Green Lantern and Justice League cast gathering rumors end up being true though. This is the studio’s time to shine, especially with Marvel Studios having completely tapped out from the show altogether.
UPDATE: EW just posted a ton of images from their upcoming Batman v Superman featured issue:
The people who work at Comic-Con International, the non-profit organization that put on next week’s extravaganza, keep a pretty low public profile—SDCC president John Rogers (who now works full time for CCI) and executive director Fae Desmond hardly ever do interviews. (This 2010 chat with Rogers is the only one I ever remember seeing) but the NY Times tried to dig in a little, and spoke with David Glanzer while looking at some of the numbers of the organization:
The nonprofit that puts on Comic-Con has a longstanding reluctance to discuss its affairs or even, for the most part, to share more than rudimentary details about its leaders. “It has always been about the event, and not about the people who do the event,” said David Glanzer, the group’s director for marketing and public relations.
But during an interview at the organization’s headquarters in mid-June, Mr. Glanzer agreed to part with past practice to address questions about its structure, resources and prospects. In addition to Comic-Con, the organization runs the similar but significantly smaller WonderCon in Anaheim, Calif.
He described a vibrant, if deeply conservative operation — it has largely eschewed growth in favor of preservation — that behaves less like a business or conventional nonprofit than a collective of shadowy guardians. The group began almost by accident, with 300 friends and acquaintances meeting in 1970 to swap notes and artifacts under the aegis of the comic strip artist Sheldon Dorf in the basement of San Diego’s U.S. Grant Hotel.
Among the nuggets gleaned: according to tax documents, CCI has a warchest of some $16.4 million as insurance against a catastrophe canceling the show with money left over to pay employees and get the show running again.
Other tidbits: the con costs $12 million a year to run and the 180 degree video screens in Hall H that Warner Bros. is expected to use for their panel this year cost $600,000 to turn on.
While the CCI staff may be viewed as “shadowy” to some, Rogers does do the annual “talk back” panel at all the CCI shows, and if you’ve ever dealt with the con on a business level, you know the staff is incredibly professional and helpful in getting stuff done. Perhaps the launch of next year’s SVOD service with Lionsgate will blow the doors open a little more, but the way CCI does business seems to be working.
Life as we know it is going back to normal next year as the dates for SDCC ’16 have been revealed and it’s back to the normal third week dates of July 21-14. Thank god. None of this post Fourth of July hell.
In even better news that will shock everyone, it looks like Con will be staying in San Diego, at least through 2018. It seems SD mayor Kevin Faulconer has been meeting with CCI peeps and hotel owners to personally make sure they can stay. The biggest issue was getting hotels to agree to setting aside large room blocks at discounted rates.
Comic-Con International and the San Diego Tourism Authority, which oversees convention center bookings, declined to comment this week on when a new two-year contract would be inked. Hoteliers, however, confirmed that they have been responding to a recent request from Comic-Con organizers that they write up addendums to their 2016 room block contracts committing to not raise their rates for 2017 and 2018 and to maintain the same number of discounted hotel rooms for the convention.
“We support the mayor’s efforts to keep Comic-Con in San Diego and have worked cooperatively with our hotel members to come to a reasonable agreement between the city and Comic-Con,” said Namara Mercer, executive director of the San Diego County Hotel-Motel Association. “By and large, the majority of the hotels are on board, and the only delays were with a few hotels that were evaluating the proposal.
According to Hilton sales and marketing dude Donovan Henson, “We feel like we’re in a very good place with Comic-Con on the hotel side for ‘17 and ‘18. And we know that in their hearts they want to stay so we have to work together to extend out as long as we can.”
Ya hear that Las Vegas? In their hearts, they want to stay!
I should note here that these “discounted rates” are sort of discounts. For instance, at the Hilton Bayfront, the con rate is is $299 a night. I did a random check of Hilton rates and found this on their own website for dates later in the summer:
However, to be fair, when I checked other rates at other hotels, they were all around $300 a night for summer weekends, which is a high demand time for what is, after all, a popular travel destination even without Trigun cosplayers and Travis Fimmel. When you add in supply and demand, $300 a night isn’t cheap but it is well within the market price. Keeping these rates for the next few years is definitely a good deal for the CCI folks and hotels, and by 2019 I’ll be too old to go so I won’t care.
As for other convention data, the Unofficial SDCC blog has news that last year’s wristband system will most likely be in place this year. This new policy was instituted to cut down on “line jumpers” who send a pal to camp out and fight off zombies during the long, hard night, and waltzed in as a gang of 12 or so to get in line for The Walking Dead panel as dawn breaks. Once again, I an by nature unable to understand this line waiting impulse, but the comments on the USDCCB post are full of complaints that the system made lines longer…why, yes. That was their intent. Some people also complain that the new system is dangerous because now children have to sleep outside in line instead of having dad wait for them, and the children are hungry and oh, papa why? My question is, WHY ARE YOU MAKING YOUR CHILDREN CAMP OUT TO SEE SOME DUMB PANEL ANYWAY?
Once again, I’m sure the kids are excited to see the cast of Kiss Meets Scooby Doo, so I’m not accusing anyone of bad parenting. The comments indicate that there was actually quite a bit of confusion over last year’s wristband system, so I’m not sure if these are just comment complainers or a general sentiment. Peanut gallery what say you?
By:
Heidi MacDonald,
on 6/10/2015
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Here’s a bit of a shock; given that Marvel Studios (the feature film division anyway) reportedly won’t have a presence at San Diego Comic Con this year, you figure it’d be safe to assume that LucasFilm/Disney would save Star Wars for D23 as well.
You know what they say about assuming…
Lucasfilm announced today that Star Wars: The Force Awakens will indeed have a panel in Hall H this year on Friday July 10th. In attendance will be director J.J. Abrams, producer Kathleen Kennedy, and writer Lawrence Kasdan. “Special guests” have also been cited in the announcement released below. Who wants to bet those guests include a certain trio of Star Wars vets? Here’s the panel info and other fun events those attending SDCC will be able to take part in, provided you can handle the surely massive line to get there:
Friday, July 10, Star Wars Schedule
Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Hall H
Lucasfilm president and producer Kathleen Kennedy, director J.J. Abrams, writer Lawrence Kasdan, and special guests provide a special look at Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Star Wars Publishing 2015, Part 1: 10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.; Room: 7AB
Join a dynamic, all-star, New York Times-bestselling panel of authors including Alexandra Bracken (the Darkest Minds series), Adam Gidwitz (A Tale Dark and Grim series), Tom Angleberger (The Origami Yoda series), and Tony Diterlizzi (The Spiderwick Chronicles) in conversation with Lucasfilm’s Mike Siglain about the new Star Wars retellings for a younger generation of fans. From picture books to novels, these authors present A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi in perspectives that will change the way readers understand who these beloved characters are and how they became legends for legions of fans.
Star Wars Publishing 2015, Part 2: 11:00 p.m. – 12:00 p.m.; Room: 7AB
Join a variety of authors as they talk about their upcoming projects from that galaxy far, far away. Moderated by Lucasfilm’s Mike Siglain, authors from Del Rey and other publishers will participate in a discussion on writing stories for the exciting new future of the Star Wars universe.
Hasbro Star Wars, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., Room: 7AB Join a variety of authors as they talk about their upcoming projects from that galaxy far, far away. Moderated by Lucasfilm’s Mike Siglain, authors from Del Rey and other publishers will participate in a discussion on writing stories for the exciting new future of the Star Wars universe.
Join members of the Hasbro and Lucasfilm teams as they discuss the popular Hasbro Star Wars line. Attendees will get an in-depth look at Hasbro’s latest action figure offerings, and word on the Holonet is there may also be a few surprises, including a special product reveal.
Star Wars Collectibles Update with Lucasfilm’s Anita Castellar, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Room: 7AB
Join eFX, Gentle Giant Studios, Kotobukiya, and Sideshow Collectibles for product development insights and exclusive previews of the latest in Star Wars collectibles. In attendance will be Anita Castellar, a self-professed Star Wars fangirl who manages licensing for hardline categories at Lucasfilm such as toys, collectibles, consumer electronics, automotives, and more.
ILM 40th Anniversary, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Room: 7AB
For 40 years, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most memorable images in the history of modern cinema. From advances in the photo chemical process, optical compositing, motion control, and models and miniatures — to the company’s pioneering efforts in computer graphics, digital compositing, film scanning and recording, morphing, digital environments, performance capture, character animation and modern digital pipelines, ILM continues to break new ground in visual effects for film, television, themed attractions, and new forms of entertainment. The presenters will discuss the company’s work from its earliest days and breakthroughs along the way.
Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition at San Diego Comic Con 2015
For the first time, Star Wars joins forces with characters from across The Walt Disney Company in Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition – the next chapter in the best-selling hybrid toy/video game series. Fans are invited to the Disney Infinity Pop-Up Shop, located at the heart of Gaslamp District, for the opportunity to play as Ahsoka Tano, Luke Skywalker, Darth Maul or any of the Star Wars characters featured in Star Wars: Twilight of the Republic and Star Wars: Rise Against the Empire.
Fans will also have a chance to step into the “Disney Infinity Only in the Toy Box” mediated reality experience, where guests virtually enter the Toy Box and interact alongside their favorite Disney Infinity characters, such as engaging in lightsaber duels with Darth Vader or Yoda, and take home a customized photo and video with their chosen character. Other Disney Infinity Pop-Up Shop activities include a Toy Box TV Live Edition webcast on Twitch featuring new announcements, surprise guests, contests with prizes, and exclusive giveaways.
For years people have been saying “Why doesn’t San Diego Clear Hall H between panels so people won’t camp out all night and sit in the room all day just to see a panel at 7 and stink up the joint?” The CCI folks have considered this, but rejected the idea, as David Glanzer explained when I interviewed him for the More To Come podcast a few months back. One of the main reasons was that they didn’t know where to line people up.
NYCC’s Main Stage (Formerly the IGN Theater) isn’t as big as Hall H — it seats about 3000 people to Hall H’s 6000, so lining them up isn’t quite as hard —but getting in is just harder since it’s smaller. So this year, finally, NYCC is doing the unthinkable and will institue room clearing and wristbands. You can read the whole policy here but it runs to more than 1000 words, so here’s the outline:
- View the signs right inside Queue Hall to see which Panels have reached maximum capacity and which still have space available
- Head to the back left of the Queue Hall to line up in the chute for the specific Panel you want to see
- Wait in line until Security puts a Panel-specific wristband on you
- Do not leave the line until you have a wristband on your wrist
- If you leave the line after getting your wristband, arrive at least 35 minutes prior to the Panel start time
- Make sure your wristband is on your wrist and visible
- Head into the same chute for that Panel and wait until you are let in
- Enjoy!
This process applies to these Badge types: Special Access VIP, 4-Day, 3-Day, Single Day, Premium Exhibitor, Exhibitor, Artist Alley Exhibitor, Press, Speaker, Guest, Professional, off-duty Crew and Medical.
NYCC will only be clearing the Main Stage. No other Panel rooms will be cleared.
IN case you missed that, press, pros and Special Access VIPs must all adhere to this policy. No ins and outs. There are only five panels a day on the Main Stage so there will be five chutes. ReedPOP clears panels at Star Wars Celebration, so they have done this before and know how it works. I only found one anxious post about this, anxious because it sounds like you might just sit in a line all day instead of all night, but according to the wristband plan, once you get one you can go on your merry way. The RFID technology of the badges can also be used.
The Unofficial SDCC Blog also wrote about the new system:
Depending on your own desires for the convention, this could be a great system, or a terrible one. For someone who wants to sit up front and be close to the stage, getting a wristband and leaving the line as New York Comic Con seems to hope will happen would mean potentially giving up that great spot, and isn’t likely to happen. That person could be overjoyed not to be fighting with fans of various other things for better seats, or they could be annoyed that instead of sitting through other panels, they’ll be in line all day.
For someone towards the back of the line who is just happy to make it in, knowing they have access and being able to spend the rest of the day enjoying the rest of the con could be a much better experience than sitting in line or through panels they don’t care about.
Basically, as with all things in life, New York Comic Con is never going to make everyone happy. But will this new system make more people happy?
Predictably, the half of the people who are always moaning to clear the room may like this, and the other half won’t like standing in line ALL DAY and missing everything else at the show. NYCC attendees don’t quite seem to be as bugf•ck about getting into the Main Stage are Comic-connies are about Hall H—it just doesn’t have the mystique. Also, New Yorkers are just used to lining up for EVERYTHING.
Still, this will be interesting. Be careful what you wish for. I’ve long suspected that room clearing is the way of the future, and the future may ne now.
By:
Heidi MacDonald,
on 7/28/2014
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President of the Comic-Con board of directors, John Rogers, returns for the Talk Back.
By: Nick Eskey
Signifying the end of the four day odyssey that is SDCC is the Comic-Con Talk Back with John Rogers (president of the Comic-Con board of directors). As it normally does, the room has a line that runs the length of the room all the way to the back, and then some. The pressure is thick in the room. A mini argument even breaks out in the middle of the line before the Talk Back begins. Last year, the main points of discussion were the crass behavior of security, and Hall H issues in general.
Some of the more minor things that were mentioned maybe once or twice were; the ridiculousness of how Ace Parking decided to sell parking spots during the duration of comic-con instead of on a day-to-day basis, trying to add real-time line numbers to the online ticket queues, and how ill-informed the security can be. “If you have a solution for well informed security guards, I’d love to hear it,” said John looking over his glasses. Another thing was the bathroom passes given to those in Hall H. “How can you keep track if the same person is returning with the pass?” Rogers agreed to it, but reminded “We tried scanning people’s passes one year to keep track, but the process took too much time. I wish there was a simple way.”
A great number of discussion was over the frustrations regarding the online registration, and that people wanted a return to the onsite badge sales. John responded by saying, “Unfortunately because of the growing popularity of the convention, onsite sales would only increase wait times for everyone.” Despite this fact however, those who proposed the return stayed resolute to their request. One woman went so far as to ask, “well how about next year can you get me extra passes? I’ve been trying to get other family members some tickets, but I don’t understand the website. What can you do for me?” Rogers looked surprised, and went to say, “There’s a large demand and not enough to meet it. I don’t know what I can do.” “What about the press and the professional people? They get passes? What can you do for me?”
For those that can’t get into Hall H, or rather not brave the lines, there is a room designated for a Hall H play back. One of the downsides to it however is the lack of exclusives. Studios ask for certain things to be only viewable in the hall, so as to lessen the risk of recording. One man proposed that John give the studios an ultimatum. That they allow exclusives in the play back room, “or else. Comic-con doesn’t need them. They need comic-con.” “We are about being fair and equal to everyone,” said Rogers. “How fair would it be if we don’t let 6’000 people get to see it because 900 people can’t?”
For serious issues, there certainly were some big ones this year. An observation of mine was that there were quite a bit of handicapped individuals lined up this year compared to las. And for good reason, for all of them had something to say. A couple points were that the comic-con website was not as insightful as some of them would have liked to, sometimes even confusing to the point of frustration. A large issue was especially the handicapped line for Hall H. As one gentlemen put it, “we didn’t have provisions such as the able bodied people did, and we weren’t given wristbands.” At the part about the wristbands, Rogers looked surprised. “They didn’t give you wristbands?” he asked. About two other people in the crowd also seconded it. “It wasn’t supposed to be that way,” answered Rogers. Apparently a line moderator deemed it “useless” for those in the line to have wristbands.
For Hall H, any handicapped person is allowed an attendee to help them traverse the lines and crowds. But one oddity that one woman brought to light was how the disabled individuals were then being separated from their attendees when led in the hall, and those left behind had to wait. “By the time I was allowed in, it was an hour and a half later,” said the woman. She also observed most of the attendees weren’t even allowed to sit next to those they came with. Rogers apologized and full heartedly agreed that in no world should something like that happen, and also would find out what was going on.
Though not everything was complaints. There was quite a bit of praise over the issuance of wristbands for the Hall H line. “It made it so much easier to counter people cutting when others have been waiting all day.” One man commented on how he wished he could grab multiples for those that couldn’t be with him at the time, but John pointed out that if they allowed this, “there’d be the risk of people selling them to others.”
It was good to see that one of the main points from last year was surely worked on. I maybe heard of one guard issue this year. I personally could see that they were more professional in their manor. But the Hall H issue is still on the table. In fact, it might be getting worse. And with all the issues that arose this year with disabled services to compound it, there was definitely a disconnect somewhere.
Whaaaaaaaaaat?
Was it just a slow day in Hall H? Or were we more right than we even knew about this being the year things didn’t get crazier? Did the new wristband system—and the ban on tents, forcing people to Rambo it—work? IS this just another world? Maybe everyone went to the PetCo Park experience?
Zillions of reports all day from Twitter about minimal lines for Hall H.
And Ballroom 20
Craziest Comic-Con EVAH this year.
Yes it’s that time, people as this site and all remotely connected to pop culture begin to be obsessed with nothing but Comic-Con, the glitz, the glamour, the gallons of coffee we’ll need to get through it all. ONe of the best places for information on how to go and what to do is the official SDCC Toucan blog, and they’ve helpfully given tips and rules for lining up for Hall H. You won’t be able to officially line-up until Tuesday, but once you do get in line, you need to be orderly and plan bathroom breaks carefully. As always, safety is the primary concern. It’s not entirely clear what people will be lining up for as there is no Twilight, no Doctor Who, no Breaking Bad, but I guess Game of Thrones and Marvel and DC will do it. Or just in general sitting out for Hall H.
• Camping is not allowed.
• No tents, canopies, inflatables, cots, beds, furniture, large coolers, heaters, large fans, large umbrellas, chaise lounges, open flames, or anything of similar size of any kind as determined by the Convention Center.
• You are allowed to have one chair per person of relatively normal size. You may use a sleeping bag or blanket as well, provided it is only taking up the space of one person.
• No facilities or services will be available in Plaza Park, so plan accordingly.
• Restroom access will be available in Lobby G of the Convention Center from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM each night starting Tuesday, July 22. No other access to facilities will be available.
• Please respect the grounds and dispose of trash in trash receptacles. Please do not leave any trash behind.
The disabled attendees are by far the most privileged class at the con. I’ve never been to any other show that does as much as CCI does for the disabled and yet every year the vast majority of complaints are from the disabled attendees.
At some point there needs to be some personal responsibility. One person was upset bec he only got 16 hrs of sleep for the whole con bec he had to wait in line for hall h and needed a cpap machine. Maybe place less importance on hall h and more on your health like everybody else.
Another was upset that one person was only given water for dehydration rather than something with electrolytes. Supply the hydration you need.
Every year there is someone complaining that then didn’t get every exclusive they wanted. Nobody does.
There was another who mentioned that they would have stood in general line if they knew Ada wouldn’t get them in. If you are capable of standing in the general line, then leave the Ada live for those who really need it.
People masquerading as disabled at the con is just as bad a problem as dealers getting in line with attendee badges. Some legislation needs to be passed to fix it in the state.
Trev, There are definite problems with how the disabled are being treated or mistreated at CCSD. During the Talk Back the majority of comments and complaints were made by the disabled attendees which to me means that there is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. For many years I have seen mishandling of the disabled where they were made to suffer unnecessarily by the line policies for Hall H. The disabled are not a “privileged class” as you stated in your comment and have laws protecting their ability and right to attend Comic Con just like you. Anyone who is lucky to live long enough will eventually also need disabled services sooner or later. If you don’t want to hear people talk about their difficulties with their Con experience at Talk Back, there are other panels to attend. Overall the able bodied as well as the disabled were never angry or nasty about what they were communicating to Rogers and hopefully some positive changes can be made for next year if we are lucky enough to get tickets again.
Show me any other con that goes to the lengths of cci in their efforts – still they press for more.
Nobody has a right to anything at sdcc – they pretty much spell that out and that policy is the one that leads to the problems. If they just ticketed hall h and ballroom 20, most of these issues go away.
I think that like every other faction at the con, the disabled are leveraging their numbers and the talkback panel to get what they want.
I go to talkback to see the train wreck of ludicrous complaints. Yes there were some legit problems but most of it is people who believe they are owed something that they aren’t.
Here’s how to fix it:
1. Ticket or split off hall h – there was a good suggestion about using the arena across town.
2. Set reasonable policies on exclusives that provide more reasonable volumes or not at all.
3. Hire security that can be empowered better to help and understand what’s a problem and what isn’t. The current situation is run by hard rules and it creates unnecessary issues and confrontations.
4. Figure out a way to crack down on the able bodied abusing the disabled system.
This is that guy that only slept 16 hours and needed his CPAP machine. You apparently only caught part of what I was saying, which is, that if they had not removed the outlets I could have used my CPAP machine and slept outside just fine. Besides that, however, you missed the point completely which is not everyone with disabilities can sleep outside. Because of that they should be given special consideration for their placement in line. What other convention gives ADA this sort of consideration? Try Emerald City Comic Con and PAX Prime, both in Seattle and both allow ADA to ALWAYS be first in line. Try DragonCon in Atlanta, where ADA have volunteers that will guide them through the convention, hold their spot in line and generally assist them in whatever way needed. I was on the BoD for OkCon and we bent over backwards to assist our ADA. Maybe because we had people on the board with disabilities.
People say that anyone that can sleep outside for an extended period should be in general. Which means you are saying that people like me, veterans, that were injured serving our country should not have our service or sacrifice recognized. You are overlooking that there are a wide range of disabilities all with different needs and concerns. Someone that has lost a leg could probably sleep outside just fine but should they have to? No.
There are ways to compromise. I am not looking for a “do it my way or else” but will do my best to make sure everyone’s disabilities are recognized and treated fairly.
So here’s the trick – if nobody sleeps outside then there are no issues. How do we stop that? Rather than make sleeping outside like sleeping in your room or allowing some to not have to do tgat – why not all? If CCI gave out tix to Hall H on various days the overcapacity situation disappears and suddenly it’s down 30%. So much effort and dollars goes into something that doesn’t have to be that way.
Also let me ask you randy – why not just skip a day in hall h and do something else? You made a decision to run on 16 hrs. I’m not baiting, I’m genuinely curious. It seems like putting yourself through that over some panels isn’t sonething many would do.
I’m going to leave the politics of veterans and what they deserve aside.
if you can sleep outside just fine, why take an ADA seat from someone who really can’t? ADA accommodations aren’t a privilege or a reward. They’re a vital part of some people’s lives that allows them to enjoy experiences that would otherwise be inaccessible. If you don’t need them (or you only need them for certain things), don’t use them the rest of the time and allow those who really need the assistance to be served better.
It’s hard to wait in line and get a spot in Hall H for anyone. It will never be easy for the big panels without some major changes. And, it’s even harder to get a GOOD seat in Hall H. It is the responsibility of CCI to equalize the experience between disabled/non-disabled in that situation, not make sure the disabled are always given the best seats or that everyone who is disabled gets a seat (just like how everyone who is not disabled can’t get a seat as well). I feel like the point of ADA accommodations should be to ensure that those with disabilities are able to enjoy the experience as easily as those without disabilities. Not to elevate them above other attendees.
Beyond all this, it is very evident after attending just one panel that the ADA accommodations are abused at SDCC. Entire groups were in ADA seating at Hall H, while the one person in their group who was actually ADA was seated in the back. If the complaint is that there isn’t enough ADA seating, CCI should first crack down with the one attendant rule.
There is no arguing with the abled bodied who perceive the disabled as being “privileged” or abusing the system. Since 1990 the American Disabilities Act has protected the rights to help remove barriers so that the disabled could participate in all facets of daily life. I myself have gotten tickets for Comic Con for 10 consecutive years but spent the first 5 years not knowing that there was a Disabled Services at Comic Con and spent the majority of my time in a nearby hotel room while my family enjoyed the Con. The prior posts have detailed solutions to solve the Hall H problem for both the able bodied and the disabled. Over the last 10 years I have seen Comic Con grow to the point where crowd and line management are problematic. The heart of the problem is the fact that SDCC has outgrown its facilities and that in order to accommodate the increased numbers of attendees a bigger convention center is needed. I hate to say this because I love the San Diego location but maybe Comic Con should have moved instead of prolonging the misery until 2018. Without a bigger venue there will be a repeat of the Hall H and the ADA compliance issues.
Can someone please answer this question? Since SDCC is a Non-Profit 501c3, is the full cost or part of the cost of my badge considered a tax deductible donation? In order to claim it as a tax deductible item you will need proof that has SDCC’s tax I.D. number on it. Just wondering, since I just heard about their tax exempt status a few days ago.
I have a question. Since SDCC is a tax exempt 501c3, is full or part of the cost of the badge tax deductible? The cost of the badge would have to be considered a donation. If it is then to claim it on your taxes you would need something from SDCC that has their tax I.D. number on it. I just heard about this a few days ago and was surprised by their 501c3 status.
I just sent my question about the tax deductible badge to the SDCC website. I’ll tell you what they say.
The biggest issue I saw with the ADA lines started on preview night at the Funko booth. Myself and another person were attendants for two ADA people. They don’t require a wheelchair but one has had spinal fusion surgery and can’t use a whhelchair. Anyway we asked the person at the booth where the ADA line was and we went to stand in it. Well Funko were only helping ADA people if they were in a wheelchair and skipping the ones in line with them who were not in a chair. They said they were told by Comic-Con to only help ADA people in wheelchairs only. This happened at several booths. That is illegal. That’s discrimination. Not all ADA people require a wheelchair to get around even though it may be difficult for them. They prefer to be independant. But I saw it happen at several booths this year. All insisting it was comic con that told them to do that. I think it would be great if they could require paperwork to verify they are ADA to help weed out the ones who aren’t. But it needs to be fair to everyone.
@Trev I have a little girl with cerebral palsy and caring for her is a 24/7 part of my life. For one week out of the year, SDCC, I get away and recharge my batteries. I love movies, all of them. Old black and whites, B movies…I sometimes feel like that movie Get Shorty, John Travolta’s character, was me…minus the mob connection. In Hall H I can see actors that I adore, previews for coming movies and be among a host of geeks/nerds that love the same thing as me. It gives me the energy I need to go home and make it through the rest of the year. Would I survive if I didn’t get to go to Hall H, sure, but going to Hall H helps me to forget about everything even if its just for the duration of the convention.
As for the other people that don’t think ADA deserve special treatment. You are one slip on the steps, car accident, stroke…turn of fate away from having a disability. A drunk driver hits you and suddenly you are in a wheelchair, through no fault of your own. Or worse, you are partially brain dead and unable to communicate with anyone. Locked in a body that will not respond but fully understanding everything going on around you. Until you have a disability or have a close family member or maybe even a friend have a disability you will never understand why getting a little advantage here or there makes a big difference for them. My first two years at SDCC I didn’t realize there even was an ADA line. I suffered through the general line watching people that could move at normal speeds rush by me, cutting me off and generally not being concerned that I was limping along. I have been in both lines and know how it is from both sides. As I mentioned before I am looking for a fair compromise for both sides and have something in mind that will work. There’s no reason to voice it here, I talked to John Rogers about it already and will be emailing him a full write up this week.
Randy, Thank you for sharing your stories. As a survivor of brain surgery, cancer and now an autoimmune disease I understand your need to recharge and escape and recharge. We can’t escape our physical limitations but we can all join in the fun and fantasy of Comic Con.
I was standing in the Hall H line next to a young woman in her twenties who had been in a car accident when she was 16 and required 25 operations to to a point where she was walking and standing in line with two crutches. She couldn’t stand for long so her Attendant would hold her place in line while she sat on a distant concrete planter. I learn a lot about how lucky I am to still be alive from the people that share the Disabled line at Comic Con.
I tried looking for a Facebook page that focuses on the Disabled who attend SDCC but didn’t find anything. If there isn’t one already it would be great if someone started one and have it be a closed group so that the able bodied trolls would not be able to access the page. If you know of one please post that information.
Here is a link to a feel good article, “Comic-Con and beyond: Why many disabled people find comic culture relatable.”