Phoenix Comic Fest reschedules Masquerade for today, gives Saturday attendees free Sunday access

27 MAY 2018

After last night's deja vu fire evacuation at Phoenix Comic Fest (it's happened before), all kinds of speculation raced through the restless nerds waiting in the streets. When were we getting back in? What would happen to the Masquerade and the cosplayers who've dedicated months of their lives to that moment? Why does this convention center have so many problems with fire alarms?

The crowd gradually thinned out but there were still plenty of people left by 10:30, when the event announced the night activities were officially cancelled. They held a media briefing at 7:00 am today to discuss it. Were you up at that hour? Yeah, me neither.

The 2 big announcements are this:

• The Masquerade will be held today. That's better than canceling it altogether but I'm sure cosplayers who worked themselves into a certain head space yesterday will be thrown off their game.
• Attendees with single day Saturday access will get free access today. Just bring your Saturday wristband to any redemption station and they'll give you a Sunday one.

It's worth noting that the evacuation could have been much more disastrous if it happened earlier in the day. Last night was atypically beautiful but waiting for hours under a blazing sun would have incurred a high degree of attendee wrath.

I've heard many people griping about Phoenix Comic Fest's incompetence in regard to the fire alarm - but you have to remember this is ultimately a facility issue. They rent the convention center for the event. I know people are irritated, especially if they were looking forward to last night's many scheduled events, but I can't see how Square Egg could have prevented what turned out to be a sensor issue. They've already stepped up security this year after last year's incident when a guy dressed as the Punisher showed up with guns and a knife. Their volunteer corps is also well staffed (over staffed, in the opinion of some volunteers.) There's only so much they can control.

Hopefully we don't get a repeat of the same today - or next year. While I've heard that attendance is down this year, there's a palpable uptick in the quality of talent and panels. A high number of attendees seem to be from out of state and the cosplay is better than it's ever been. It's clear that Phoenix Comic Fest is finally becoming a Con to be reckoned with and it'd be a shame if it developed a reputation as the Firedrill Con.

See you later today.

The Comic Con trademark battle keeps spreading

20 JANUARY 2018

If tedious lawsuits are your thing, and you were disappointed by the seeming resolution of San Diego Comic-Con's lawsuit against Salt Lake Comic Con in December, I have good news for you - it's ongoing and more players have jumped into the mix.

Here's where we are currently:

• Salt Lake has spent over a cool million in fees on this case and is now considering crowdfunding to pay it all off.

• There apparently will be a documentary about the case, which I am so here for. 

• Both SDCC and SLCC are dissatisfied with that December outcome and are headed back to court. 

• Salt Lake's reason: asking for a reconsideration on the genericness of the term Comic Con; also that the court precluded evidence and gave the jury improper instructions.

• CCI's reason: they don't like the tiny settlement they were awarded ($20K) and they want a stronger verdict regarding the "willfulness" with which SLCC violated their trademark. They want a new trial, some of SLCC's profits, $4.5 million in legal fees and a pound of flesh - or at least, a recognition that Salt Lake's attorneys engaged in an "all-out war" and "staggering" misconduct in that they "preyed on the sympathies of the jury."

And they may need that $4.5 million for future lawsuits. While other Cons have proactively changed their names to avoid being sued by CCI, one of those Cons, Phoenix Comic Fest (formerly Phoenix Comicon) has filed a motion to strike down SDCC's "Comic Con" trademark and have CCI pay their legal bills. Nervy!

In other words, CCI may lose their trademark, letting Salt Lake and other Cons freely use "Comic Con," "Comic-Con," "Comicon" and any other permutations of the name - setting them back where they started but millions of dollars poorer. It's dizzying to contemplate. Even if they stay victorious in all these lawsuits, it's hard to foresee an outcome where they come out on top of their attorney fees.

In the meantime, we're left with our questions.Will the lawsuit documentary be screened at the SDCC film festival? Will other smaller Cons jump on, burying CCI in lawsuits like velociraptors attacking a T-rex? How will the new trial turn out, if we get one? We'll just have to wait and see.

Phoenix Comic Con

23 MAY 2011


If you live anywhere near Arizona and you need some early Con love, Phoenix Comic Con is this weekend. It's grown a lot in its decade of existence; from a couple of hundred people the first year, it's expected to draw almost twenty thousand attendees this year.

This could be because there isn't much to do in Phoenix, since the crowd here isn't as nerd-heavy as other Cons. (Then again, Phoenix isn't as nerd-heavy as other cities.) The celebrities in attendance include Elvira, Spock, Stan Lee and Pam from True Blood, and there are panels on random topics from ghost hunting to global climate change. It's all very, well, Arizona. The main draw seems to be the many events:  a Geek Prom, Zombie Beauty Pageant, Rocky Horror Show, Steampunk Ball, Karaoke Idol, Anime-themed raves and multiple bands.There are also several film festivals, including horror, sci fi, hentai and comedy.

It's also a good networking opportunity for many industries, since you're more likely to get face time here than at San Diego; I know a few people who got their first art/writing jobs by talking to the right people here. It's also cheap ($35 for all four days, kids 12 and under are free) so if you're free, come on down.