By Nicholas Eskey Taking his regular seat in front of the all too familiar line consisting of convention goers, Comic-Con International’s President John Rogers readies himself for the inevitable. The “Talk Back Panel” always signifies the end of a convention, giving the chance for attendees and vendors alike to voice their opinions on their experiences; […]
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.
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.
President of CCI board of directors, John Rogers
By: Nick Eskey
Signaling the end of the three day WonderCon weekend, Comic-Con International’s board of directors president, John Rogers, was joined by Con-goers for the “Talk Back” panel.
As opposed to the SDCC Talk Back which normally has a litany of people with grievances, WonderCon’s is known to be almost completely made up of praises. This year wasn’t any different.
The first woman to speak said that she was disappointed that nothing big was in the Arena this year, but still had fun with the smaller panels. A few others came forward saying simply that they loved the convention, some even admitting to liking it better than SDCC.
Not all were compliments though. As it goes for questions and concerns, the issue of the why WonderCon always falls on Easter was addressed. Whether it was intentionally planned that way or not.
“Believe me, we would have preferred if it wasn’t Easter weekend,” said John Rogers. “It really comes to how everything falls when it comes to scheduling, availability, traveling, hotels… and it just turned out that we had to during Easter.”
A new addition to the convention was having badges first checked right before entering the front of the convention center with the fountain. It was asked what the intention of doing this was, as well as checking badges as you get into exhibit halls. “We were seeing that once you would get to the glass doors, people were being blocked by others with pamphlets and cards,” said Rogers. “It caused some congestion at the front. We felt that this would keep the doors free and accessible.”
Another concern was regarding the signature raffling, saying that it didn’t seem fair for those that would wait in line early, to find out that it was a raffle, putting them with equal footing for those who came later.
“The ticket raffling is the preferred method for CCI. We instruct all exhibitors that approach us regarding signings to do raffles… What we would foresee is that people would start lining up quite early, and then next time even earlier than that. This gives everyone an equal chance regardless of when they line up.”
But definitely the biggest question to come of the panel was, “Will WonderCon stay in Anaheim next year?” John Rogers straightened in his chair, and began with “Um… well.”
As it turned out, it was confirmed that WonderCon would not be returning to the Anaheim venue next year. “Unfortunately there wasn’t any availability next year for the convention center.”
Where then will it be?
“When we were looking for other venues and approached LA, it turned out that they had a cancellation and welcomed [the convention].” After being in Anaheim for three years, San Francisco before that, WonderCon will now be making the move to Los Angeles.
“This is going to be a whole new city, a whole new market, new facility… But we are thankfully foreseeing some fairly decent deals for the hotels.”
It’s sad to see Anaheim losing WonderCon. It personally makes sense to have it there with the abundance of hotels around it, and with Disneyland just being in fifteen minutes walking distance. But because the whole scheduling and negotiation of venues is a difficult business, I can understand the board’s decision to go.
With LA in the conventions future next year, we can rest assured to aspect some road bumps in its execution, and unfamiliarity from con goers. Let’s all hope for the best!
By Nicholas Eskey Taking his regular seat in front of the all too familiar line consisting of convention goers, Comic-Con International’s President John Rogers readies himself for the inevitable. The “Talk Back Panel” always signifies the end of a convention, giving the chance for attendees and vendors alike to voice their opinions on their experiences; […]
New York Comic Con scans badges by having staff hold portable PADDs which verify the badges.
This accommodates a variety of visitors, and offers IMMEDIATE security presence if something is amiss.
This also offers flexibility, as the gatekeepers are the gates.
As for lanyards… I’m always leery of the clips, so I thread the end of the lanyard (the end opposite the clip) through the badge hole, using the clip to act as a backstop. The clip gets hidden behind the badge.) https://goo.gl/zroCyi