Comic-Con show, general observations
dcarr
Posts: 9,124 ✭✭✭✭✭
The just-concluded Denver Comic-Con is reportedly the second largest Comic-Con (only San Diego Comic-Con is larger).
This year, there were an estimated 120,000 visitors. This is obviously a lot more than the typical ANA summer show which has perhaps 7,000 visitors.
My daughter convinced me to be an exhibitor this time (she is a Comic-Con fan, and an "Exhibitor" badge gets you past the long entry lines). So I decided to display some coins along with some really large art works.
Many visitors commented on how much they liked my booth display. But my large art works were too big and/or too expensive for the typical visitor. I did sell some of my minted items (eclipse medals, pirate cobs, etc). But the wearable medals that I had on offer were not a hit (too expensive at $60 to $110).
Comic-Con, above all else, seems to be a place to go and be seen in costume. It is a fun atmosphere and people are generally very polite.
Coin shows have far lower numbers of visitors. But many of those visitors come prepared to spend a fair amount of money. At Comic-Con, the typical attendee will hesitate to spend more than about $20 on anything. Artists selling art prints in the $10 to $20 range seemed to do fairly well. If I set up there again, I will have smaller, lighter, and cheaper items (those big sculpture panels are heavy and it is a lot of effort, even for two or three people, to bring them and take them back home again afterwards).
Here is what my booth looked like just prior to public opening:
Comments
Interesting report. I've often wondered about that convention.
I'm missing the relevance of the thread unless you were trying to draw some sort of parallel between our Hobby and the other as well as a comparison of attendees. if that is the point I believe you summed things up nicely when you said that it "seems to be a place to go and be seen in costume" like a dig me fest. fantasy would seem like a nice fit for much of the younger generation if you look around to see what is going on in American society. anyone under 35 seems to either not care about anything outside of their little orbit or else they are trying to drown out the noise.
with all that said, were booths mainly for "show and tell" or for actual selling??
I wasn't really aware of "Cosplay" until I attended a Dragon*Con in Atlanta. To say I was amused, just doesn't cover it.
It's an event, and if you've never been to a *Con, you should go to one. Just to see it.
I won't hijack dcarr's thread, but if you want a link to my Dragon*Con visit, let me know...
They do a tremendous amount of business at one of these shows.
I have never been to a Comic show, -con or otherwise. There is a place that sells them near here.. never went to that shop. From what I hear, if I could have the three, three foot high stacks of comics I had as a kid, they would be worth a small fortune. They all went after I joined the Navy.... unceremoniously dumped in the trash. Oh well... Cheers, RickO
Collectors just like us with one exception,
They take it to a different level...
POST NUBILA PHOEBUS / AFTER CLOUDS, SUN
Love for Music / Collector of Dreck
The next time Daniel goes to Comic-Con, he could dress as "Merlin" and not take that large panel !
That would have been a great exhibit to see.
Merlin looks awesome! The bolt thrower is great too!
Great looking display!!!
@keets: gross generalization and fake news
@keets
Merlin and the bolt thrower are used on popular medals collected by people here. The Merlin pieces is quite innovative with its hologram use and animations have been posted here as well.
There was a Zombie-Con (yeah, it probably wasn't exactly called that) at the same convention center as the Dallas Spring ANA show last year, in the next hall over. Seemed to be quite the spectacle they were gearing up for. I think it was a Friday-Sunday event. My impression is that most of the money people spend at those is on the passes to get in, including elevated credential levels, and their costuming. Photos and autographs of celebrity zombies were probably also in demand.
Someone selling copper Zombucks probably would have done OK there.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Nice coins.
Glad you were able to sell some of your medals and cobs. I just got notice that my eclipse medal has shipped and can't wait to get it. I have one of your Atocha cobs with Atocha silver that I also like.
Do you have photos of any of your wearable medals? I haven't seen them yet.
I'll post them on my website within a day or two.
Yes, the point of this post is that a larger number of attendees does not necessarily equate to more business.
It does not surprise me on your sales at all. Definitely not your target audience, even for a crapshoot.
There are folks who spend crazy money at the cons though, for original artwork/toys/comics and a ton of other things.
I would have never imagined D.C. at a con though as a vendor. way to plant yourself totally out of your normal element Dan, must have been interesting for you for sure!
no pics of the costumed attendees?
Actually I talked to a couple of the exhibitors at the ANA about that and they said it doesn't pay. Table costs, small markup.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
Yes, but not entirely out of the realm of some of my products like the pirate cobs. A segment of Comic-Con is all about collecting.
I did it partly because it was something for my Daughter and I to do together. That was the main purpose. I did, however, make some contacts at the show and one of them might involve making some relief sculpts for a building.
I do art shows in my other business.
The best selling items are small (big margin) items at $20.
When it is here in San Diego forget about really trying to get anywhere within that area. It's like the Del Mar Fair. Lots of traffic yet I do know it is good for the local economy.
There is a bit of a skut-butt talk Salt Lake City may take away the name, ComicCon. Was there any gossip of such at your convention?
peacockcoins
I didn't hear that, but I did hear some claims that Salt Lake City Comic-Con is actually the 2nd largest, not Denver (depending on how you measure the size).
It sounds like an interesting experience. Thank you for the report.