ReedPOP on the SDCC-SLCC lawsuit

11 DECEMBER 2017

Last Friday a fascinating court case came to an end: the trademark lawsuit between CCI and Salt Lake Comic Con was decided in CCI's favor.


Reactions have ranged from "what a stupid lawsuit" to "Salt Lake was asking for it" to "I thought all Comic Cons were run by the same company" and more. But one of the most dramatic reactions has also been one of the most unrealistic: that this is the beginning of a trademark tidal wave that will force every Con to change its name.

That just isn't going to happen. If you have any inkling of what attorneys cost, you can understand that waging a legal battle for 2.5 years likely cost CCI far more than the paltry $20,000 they got from this trial. There's no way they can take on every Con in the world. And CCI isn't some kind of warlord that wants to crush every other Con under its heel. I suppose they could send out Cease and Desist letters and request events to enter into licensing agreements with them, as some have done already. But we're not going to see a rash of name changes where San Diego is the only Comic-Con left standing.

ReedPOP and all those other Comic Cons

That brings us to ReedPOP, the apex Con master in the world. I'm not saying that to cast shade on CCI, just pointing out that the vast number of events they manage dwarfs everyone else. It's reached the point where if our planet undergoes some kind of massive dying-off that rescrambles nation-states, I fully expect ReedPOP to have their own continent where it's Comic Con all the time.

So I asked them what they thought and if they foresaw any interaction with the naming of their own many Cons. Here's their statement:

"We haven’t seen anything issued from the Court or the jury other than what has appeared in the press. Until there is a final disposition of that case, we will reserve comment.  Nevertheless, we expect there to be no impact on our continued use of the New York Comic Con name for our annual event now well over a decade in existence or use of any of our other proprietary event names."

So yes, we will have other Comic Cons and they will keep growing and multiplying and fascinating us. This lawsuit (which I still doubt is over) isn't going to change anything for attendees. Not anything that matters.

ReedPOP created a Con for pretentious Millennials

11 MAY 2016



Take this whole post with a grain of salt, because I'm probably too uncool to understand the very special nature of this new Con. Write things like "unique event that will bring together a consumer experience carefully curated by the most influential minds in the world" and "creatively push ourselves to constantly elevate and re-imagine our shared horizons" and I go blind for a few seconds. Anyhow.

ReedPOP has partnered with COMPLEX, a "Millennial media platform," to create ComplexCon, a festival that will bring together pop culture, art, music, food, style, sports, sneakers and more. So... everything? "World renowned icon and renaissance man" Pharrell is involved and so is Takashi Murakami, who was inspired by the "good vibe and untamed, youthful energy they possess." (Sorry for all the quotes but I write like an 18th century spinster compared to this press release, and I want to do justice to the hyperbole.)

ComplexCon is in Long Beach on 5-6 November. If the terrifying robot in charge of their website is any indication, they might have some kind of brainwashing film, like LOST's room 23, to wipe this election year from your mind. That alone would be worth a ticket.

And hey, maybe this is right up your alley! My crankiness aside, this could be a fun event. You can buy sneakers, go to concerts, see innovative art, eat locally sourced loup de mer (guessing) and revel in your transcendental hipness. There's no end to the wonders ReedPOP is ready to bring you, especially involving "the brands you love."

Okay, I'm done quoting. Tickets aren't on sale yet but you can sign up on their site to get advance notice, and presumably more information on the bands, food, products and other offerings. ComplexCon, everyone! For the capitalist visionary cyborg in you.

ReedPOP predicts more brand-specific Cons

2 FEBRUARY 2016






As ReedPOP continues to spawn Comic Cons all over the globe like some kind of many-tentacled octopus, observant nerds have noticed they've also been creating more focused events. The massive fan experience organization has created several brand- or fandom-specific events like Star Wars Celebration or Star Trek: Mission New York; and in an interview with Newsarama, global senior VP Lance Fensterman says he thinks "more and more brands themselves are going to start building out their own sort of events to connect with their communities."

Why? "Because brands crave that meaningful face-to-face, physical celebration of fandom." Wait, what? I'd say the fans crave that experience and the brands recognize in it an opportunity for deeper engagement, merchandising revenue, increased audience, etc. But whatever. Tomato, tomahto.

Fensterman also offered up some thoughts on competing with CCI: namely, that ReedPOP isn't interested. "We're not in the business of competing with big shows. That's not interesting to us. And also, if fans are being served and they're getting what they really want and crave, there's no reason to build an event there.... San Diego's an amazing event. It just doesn't seem logical to build a show where there's already an amazing show."

What he didn't say: "And after all, we have events in Paris, Chicago, Seattle, Indonesia, Vienna, Australia, China and pretty soon the moon, so why would we bother with Southern California?"

For those of you who just rolled your eyes at the idea of New York Comic Con NOT competing with San Diego Comic-Con, Fensterman did say that the Con is experiencing the same growth challenges as SDCC: "It has physically, within the confines of the Javits Center, it has maxed out. We can't get any bigger." He then talks about spilling it around the city "so it can be inter-meshed, if that's a word, in the city of New York itself." So if you were anticipating another smug "NYCC has 874,263 attendees!" press release next fall, we probably won't see one.

All of this keeps nudging us along in the same direction; stop putting all our eggs in the SDCC basket and start looking at other Cons, whether they're built around a specific fandom or simply in another region. I do think demand will equal out eventually (not perfectly, but somewhat balanced) and fans will stop seeing SDCC as the be all and end all of their nerd world. Which is probably not just a healthier approach to our Comic Con lives, but ultimately a more gratifying one as well.

ReedPOP launches Star Trek: Mission New York

25 JANUARY 2016




All of you hardcore Star Trek fans know that this is a special year: the 50th anniversary. While you can rightfully expect this to be acknowledged in programming and events at various Cons this year, ReedPOP has taken it a step farther and created an entire event called Star Trek: Mission New York. It will taken place Labor Day weekend at - where else - the Javits Center in NY.

What can you expect? Three days of "interactive exhibits, exclusive merchandise, celebrity guests, panels, screenings and much more." So you know - a Con. A Star Trek Con. One that gives fans "the chance to go beyond panels and autograph signings and immerse themselves in the Star Trek universe." Will this change anyone's feelings about going to San Diego Comic-Con, DragonCon or NYCC? Probably a few Trekkies.

Tickets and hotel reservations will go live soon so add this to your daily Con information stalking.

Why I have a crush on Emerald City Comicon

6 AUGUST 2015

It's that time of year when thou mayst in me behold my love for Emerald City Comicon. Yes, I know we're more than half a year away from it actually happening. But we're only mere weeks - maybe slightly longer - away from its badge sale, and last year proved that you will want to be on top of that sale like the most grimly determined SDCC combatant ever.

I say that because the Delux badges sold out in under 3 minutes last year. I got one and so did other SDCC attendees I know - and while I don't have the stats to back this up, I'm betting that our training and ride or die intensity is what helped us beat out the more laidback ECCC attendees who rolled in minutes or hours later. Not that it's a competition! They're both great Cons.

But of course it is a competition when it comes to getting the badge you want - so I'm sounding the bell now to get prepared if you're entertaining thoughts of Seattle next April.

Why you might want to go to Emerald City

• You're a comic book fan. This convention is a Valentine wrapped in a faded Silver Age issue wrapped in an indie artist's sketch wrapped in the bag and board of your most treasured comic book. But don't worry - there's decent Hollywood talent and gaming and an entire cult of cosplay there as well.

• It's manageable and comfortable in a way that SDCC can never be again. Yes, there are some lines and yes, the badge sales will probably become consecutively worse. But right now it's fairly easy to book the hotel of your choosing, get a badge and walk into the panel you want. That said, don't be lazy. You will need to move fast this year.

• The ECCC team is dedicated to attendee satisfaction.  Their social presence is attentive and positive and they genuinely care about fan opinions and input. Witness the survey many of us got from them today. When asking for possible improvements, one of the choices was "entertainment while waiting in line." Can you imagine SDCC even thinking of that? Or sending out a survey or asking our opinions at all?

• They're committed to retaining their friendly community feel while offering the excitement and versatility of a bigger Con. This is no easy feat; I'll say here that for all my snark, I do recognize the challenges that come with organizing such a major event. I get it. CCI probably does many heroic things behind the scenes that we attendees will never hear about. But that just makes it even more impressive that ECCC is willing to go to strenuous new lengths to keep us happy. Today's survey asked if we'd be interested in more outside activations around the city, more cosplay features like contests & photo booths, more ticketed and free events, special artist and writer workshops, more gaming, etc.

• They were bought by ReedPOP but seem to be adhering to their promise to keep their distinct feel. I'm sure next year will be different. Maybe we'll see it as soon as the badge sale. But I have faith in organizer Jim Demonakos and so far it seems like ECCC is keeping its special personality rather than morphing into a generic Con.

• You might not get a badge to SDCC. This is a stellar backup choice. And you can sell your badge off to anyone if you change your mind; ECCC doesn't mind.

• You want a Comicon with a progressive energy that offers content friendly to LGBTQ and diversity issues. Gender-neutral restrooms, Cosplay is Not Consent posters, after-hours events for people of every persuasion - possibly even Otherkin - it's all here.

• You want to see indie creators, small presses and an Artist's Alley that is truly a bazaar of creative originality.  You want to see the rising stars, writers and artists who are working for Boom and Image and IDW and others and injecting a new color and vitality into the comics industry. They're here too. 

Okay, enough of the hard sell. I really don't have a horse in this race; I just think ECCC is an incredible Con and a great and often overlooked option for people myopically focused on SDCC.

Last year's badge sale was in September. I have no idea when this year's will be but given that we're sailing through August, it's a good time to look into this Con and decide if you'd like to go. Please get over the "San Diego Comic-Con or nothing" chip on your shoulder if you have one. ECCC and other Cons are not the participation trophy of conventions. They're exciting, they offer prestigious talent and they can be a better time than SDCC depending on your interests.

I'll post more on the badge sale when it's announced.

ETA:  Which according to Transmute Jun will be definitely in September, per ECCC's Tumblr. Actual quote: "We’ll be posting more info later this month, but you can expect ECCC 2016 tickets to go on sale in September." So it sounds like we'll know more fairly soon.

ECCC is completely sold out

6 MARCH 2015

Completely. I'm sure some people were waiting for programming to go up before deciding on buying those last passes.

If you're an aficionado of other Cons, you might be rolling your eyes and thinking, "I wish my Con still had passes/tickets/badges 3 weeks ahead." So in case you missed my SDCC origin story on Registration Eve, here's a fun fact: it wasn't that long ago that San Diego Comic-Con had badges available until almost the last minute. In 2007, 3-day badges (yes, that used to exist) sold out online in advance, inducing a wave of panic across the country; in 2008, every single badge sold out weeks in advance. Within just a few years, we were in the land of online registration nightmares.

In other words, I expect ECCC sales to get tighter and tighter in the future. And with ReedPOP in the mix, who knows how it's going to grow.

Granted, the Deluxe passes sold out ASAP to Type A attendees like me, but I think others will sell out fast next year too. 3-day passes were sold out by Halloween for 2015, several months ahead of when they sold out for 2014.  This Con is rapidly becoming one of the top Cons in the States, and I feel ReedPOP will accelerate that trend even more, despite some attendees' mixed feelings about its involvement.

I know a lot of you still have an "SDCC or nothing" mentality. But this past Open Reg made it more obvious than ever that none of us can count on going next year - and it behooves all of us to keep alternatives in mind.

Will SDCC become Los Angeles Comic-Con?

22 JANUARY 2015

Imagine the perfect Comic-Con of your dreams - plenty of badges to be had, easy hotel reservations, and of course all the Hollywood starpower and new games and comic book legends you could cram into five days. Could that happen in L.A.? Would it still be the Comic-Con of your dreams if it did - if you weren't banging around the Gaslamp at night but maybe visiting Disneyland or going into West Hollywood?

It's a question worth considering, with the expansion plan on hold. Yes, CCI recently said they were open to compromises to stay in San Diego, but other cities have come calling - namely Anaheim and L.A. Here's what we know.

The convention center expansion

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer wants to hold onto us and is trying to find another way to finance the $520 million convention center expansion. He's been quite open about this.

Alas, the San Diego Chargers want a new stadium built blocks from the convention center, and want this new stadium to also be part of the expanded center. The local hotel industry is against this - they want a contiguous convention center expansion - but the Chargers are threatening to move to L.A. if they don't get it.


San Diego Comic-Con's other suitors

CCI has stated they want to stay in Southern California. That narrows the competitors to two: Anaheim and L.A. Let's break them down.

Anaheim, near Disneyland, has the largest exhibit hall space at 815,000 square feet, with another 200,000 square feet currently being added. 9 new hotels are being built within a mile of the convention center, adding another 1500 rooms to the current 13,000 available - a savory amount compared to San Diego's 11,000.

L.A. has made a play for SDCC before and failed. What it has to offer: obviously all the studios are right there. The convention center is also next to plenty of shops and restaurants. Where it falls short: only 5,000 rooms are within walking distance. This might surprise people but remember that Vegas draws most of the convention business in this part of the country - so it's not odd that L.A. never beefed up its own convention capacity.

Worth noting: CCI trademarked "Los Angeles Comic-Con" a few years back. Could they move to Anaheim and still call it LACC? Sure, why not. It'd be a stretch, but "Anaheim Comic-Con" isn't nearly as alluring.


What's actually going to happen - for now

CCI is supposedly going to sign a deal very soon to stay in San Diego in 2017 and 2018 - if hotels agree to make more meeting space available. This isn't guaranteed but given CCI's dislike of change, it's the most likely scenario.


My feelings and idle speculations

I no longer care where Comic-Con happens. Yes, I like it in San Diego, but I don't like the endless turmoil that swirls around every badge sale and Hall H panel.

Ideally I'd like SDCC to stay in San Diego and a new Con in L.A./Anaheim. Maybe CCI would own both. Maybe the ever-growing Con-monster that is ReedPOP would create a huge new show in L.A., having solved the hotel room issue with their bankrolled genius, and it would quickly become as big and magical as SDCC. Don't laugh; I see this happening. SDCC turns away thousands of people with their thousands of dollars every year and some smart capitalist is eventually going to offer them and their money a new home. It's inevitable. And ReedPOP has the ambition and vision to create a West Coast version of NYCC/Super Week. They've already shown they think bigger than most Cons and they would understand how to translate Hollywood proximity into new Con success.

And it wouldn't take anything away from SDCC, either. You'd just have two appealing choices instead of one and a more manageable demand for badges. Yes, it might split up some panel choices but you're already forced into reducing your options anyhow. And if you were local and could swing the time off, you could attend both.


I don't think this will happen overnight, but I do see someone - if not CCI - pouncing on the LA/Anaheim area fairly soon. It's hard to imagine SDCC leaving San Diego, given how important tradition seems to both CCI and attendees. But I'm sure they're as sick of the struggles and limitations as we are, and they may see a bright future in a move. Anything's possible. We'll just have to wait and see.

So ReedPOP bought ECCC: my thoughts

14 JANUARY 2015

So everyone knows by now that ReedPOP, the owner of New York Comic Con & a jillion other events, has added Emerald City Comicon to its crown. Or in the words of euphemistic press releases, "partnered with" and "joined its family of leading experiental fan events."

I hate to start off on a negative note, but I have to say this - if you want to assure people that their beloved comic convention is going to stay the same, don't call it "a leading experiental fan event." Call it a comic convention. Call it a Con. Call it anything that doesn't sound like a word jumble generated by a cyborg publicist.

I'll say right here that I know my opinion isn't worth much in this matter. I'm not from Seattle, I don't have a decade-long history with ECCC, and as a complete outsider, I have no realistic idea how this merger will manifest. But as a lover of comic conventions, the kind with real comic book nerds, struggling creators and a slightly shabby ambience, I dread a future where Cons become slick corporate events.

I do appreciate the improved organization that can come with a sophisticated company at the helm. Emerald City could benefit in some strong ways from ReedPOP's power. But it's hard to deny that small independent Cons have a certain energy that will inevitably change when a major player like ReedPOP takes over. I think one reason people are freaking out about this particular move is that for many of us, ECCC was the comic-centric answer to SDCC's growth and glitter. Their social presence, transparency and attentiveness toward fans has given this Con a very community feel. Now we're wondering - is that going to be taken from us too?

All the reassurances have been made. From ECCC founder Jim Demonakos (cool name, by the way): "We are huge fans of what ReedPOP is doing across the globe in the pop culture space and the ECCC team is excited to have them help us elevate the fan experience at our event." You could read into that, if you wanted- as in "don't elevate anything, please" - but he also says that ECCC will be bringing their fan focus to ReedPOP's events. Which could be quite nice if it happens.

If you're not familiar with ReedPOP - and that's probably the case for many West Coasters - they're kind of like the Napolean of Cons. They recently bought up Paris Comic Con, staged events in Germany, London and Singapore, organized more events throughout India, and created an Australia team to colonize Down Under. I have no doubt they're working with NASA at this very moment to launch the first Comic-Con on Mars.

As for their mission and personality, they describe themselves as producing "exceptional experiences for fan audiences and growing the industries surrounding these passions." Okay then. I'm surprised they didn't throw in creating a disruptive B2C marketing opportunity for pop culture visionaries and innovators. And they say this like it's a good thing - that their philosophy has led to "burgeoning attendance." Hi, welcome to what fans DON'T want more of. The whole idea of more-more-more is exactly what so many of us are sick to death of.

Enough kvetching. Here's what we know:
- ECCC team will still run the show
- There will be "minimal impact" in March because everything's already finalized
- It will be a gradual transition
- There could be "additional entertainment aspects"
- The cross-pollination will go both ways - in theory

In the end, we won't know what's going to change for a while. Some people will love the changes, others will lament losses, but above all the shift will feel insidious and inevitable. And because there likely won't be a drop in attendance, any feelings of fan dismay will probably be ignored.

But I don't want to end on a gloomy note, so I'll say this - I think old-school comic book conventions will be around for a while, even if they're in addition to the behemoth conventions. San Diego Comic Fest, for instance. And who knows - when all is said and done, maybe Emerald City will retain its charm.

Maybe.