4 MARCH 2015
If there's one aspect of Emerald City Comicon that seems foreign to me, it's the system of photo ops, autographs, rules and prices. Probably that's because I can't imagine paying someone $60 to write down their name; at the same time, I do understand that many attendees would cut off a toe to get their picture taken with Norman Reedus or Lena Headey. Possibly this is the determining line between nerd and fan.
If you're an ECCC attendee ready to plunk down your cash for a photo, the schedule is up and the pre-sales are live. The most expensive option is the Avengers group photo for $205; the cheapest are a smattering of people like Finn Jones and Clare Kramer for a mere $30. You can see the autograph fees here.
What you get is a professional 8 x 10 lab-quality photograph, printed as soon as it's taken. Photo reprints are $10, digital copies $10, and $5 sleeves are also available for purchase. So if you want to send out that picture of you and Chloe Bennet as your holiday card this December, you can. (I think. Maybe there's a rule about that.)
Yeah, the paid autograph and photo thing creeps me out a bit too. It reminds me of Creation and Wizard World cons, which are just a little mercenary and slimy. Not to say that I haven't had fun at those kinds of cons (particularly Creation cons) but the whole thing just reeks of a money grab from the moment you buy your tickets to the moment you leave. ECCC doesn't seem like a money grab at all... until you get to that autograph/photo area. It just rubs me the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteI guess, to be fair, SDCC has that area in the Sails where B and C list celebs charge for their autographs. But they have to sign a contract with CCI that they will sign the program guide for free. So it feels a bit less weird... maybe it's just me.
I think that makes a difference too - the free program guide autograph. On the whole, I'm just not an autograph (or even celebrity) person. But I guess if people don't mind, they don't mind.
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