WizardWorld (or other big con) experiences?

[Heath]

I'm planning on going to WizardWorld New Orleans in February. A friend of mine pitched me the idea of WizardWorld Austin in November, and it's tempting.

My question is how do these big cons work these days?

The last big con I went to was Dragon*Con around '96 or so. Almost nobody charged for autographs or pictures. I remember Adrian Paul (Highlander TV show) did and everybody talked about what a jerk he was to do so. Since then, I've only been to a very small annual con and the guest has never been somebody I really wanted an autograph/picture from so I never paid for one.

It's a different world now, I understand that and accept it. But, I'm just not sure how it works. I see "VIP" packages for pictures, autographs, etc. on WizardWorld's web site. But, do you have to buy a VIP package to get an autograph/picture? If you don't get the VIP package, how much do autographs or photos cost? I can't seem to find that on WizardWorld's site. What if you don't want a photo or autograph and just want to meet them, shake their hand, and move on? Do they charge for that too?

Are comic "Artists & Creators" handled differently than the "Featured" guests like Shatner or Stan Lee? For example, how much would Bob Layton charge to sign a book? Can I just chat with Neal Adams about the Expanding Earth theory?

[Chiclo]

I'm planning on going to WizardWorld New Orleans in February. A friend of mine pitched me the idea of WizardWorld Austin in November, and it's tempting.

We keep missing each other. I was at Wizard World Austin last year but probably won't go this year. You live closer to Austin than I do.

[Elveen]

Stone Cold, most comic dudes there sign for free. I know some do not. For ex. I'm about 99% sure that Neal Adams charges.

For sketches, everyone charges. It's all different amounts.

For the hollywood dudes, they have to charge for everything, it's the only way they can make $$$.

As for the BIG creators, Stan Lee and Jim Lee and dudes like that... the lines are MASSIVE. I know many people do buy the VIP packages. Also, if you don't get the VIP package, it can be very difficult to get anything. You can follow the rules of Cons....

1) Be nice
2) Get it together
3) Sketch hustle

and still get it done, but they do sell the VIP packages for a reason.

Also 99% of the comic creators are great to talk to.

I recommend going to as many cons as possible,

Doc, says, "the worst day at a con is better than about anything else"

[Heath]

Does WizardWorld have panels or events? Or is it just pay a bunch of money to get in, then pay a bunch of money to stand in an autograph/picture line, pay a bunch of money for cool stuff in the dealer/artist area, and that's it?

[Elveen]

Every big con has tons of lines and takes a big draw on your wallet.

I've never been to a Wizard World, but YES, there will be lines and everything will cost more money that it should.

But overall.... you will love going.

Remember....

1) Be Nice
2) Get it together
3) Sketch hustle

It make all cons much better.

[lorddunlow]

I just discovered that WizardWorld is expanding and will have a Nashville presence this fall. I'm definitely going to try to make it there.

[Heath]

I don't know... If it's just autographs and overpriced dealers and long lines, I might skip. I don't have a budget for a lot of sketches, or VIP packages. The Cons I've been to, what I enjoyed most were the panels and Q&A sessions with actors and stuff like that. Autographs and sketches were a nice bonus, but I'm not too interested if that's the focus.

[Heath]

If there were Star Wars actors to add autographs to my Star Wars poster (already signed by David Prowse, Jeremy Bulloch, and Anthony Daniels - all for free a long time ago at DragonCon), or some folks from Babylon 5, I'd be more interested. But none of the guests really interest me enough to pay their fees.

[Chiclo]

Last year in Austin, the big hook was all 8 of the main actors from Star Trek TNG. My wife paid A LOT of money for a VIP package to have a picture taken with all of them. They had panels there and we went to a couple. It was the weekend before the election and in one panel, Counselor Troi and Beverly Crusher got in an argument about who loves Obama more. Of course, being Austin, the crowd loved it*. Saturday morning, the relaunched First Comics had a panel. I went to that and there were about a dozen people in this giant room. I got something like 3 First comics t-shirts but they only had up to size XL. Why would a comic company, especially an independent comic company, give away free shirts at a con but not bring XXL? Anyway, as I was leaving the room, the line for the next panel was huge because it was Patrick Stewart. There was one super premium panel that the wife had a ticket to that came with her VIP package and I would have paid to attend. It had all the TNG cast people and the highlight was when Counselor Troi was talking about how aliens really did land at Roswell and the government should pay more to teach kids to read, LeVar Burton yelled at her to shut the F up and she didn't know what she was talking about. This from a man who made a living encouraging children to read on publicly funded television.

I asked Dino if they were going to have a presence at WWA after we had interviewed him for the podcast and he said that the Wizard World shows are not really comic shows and geared more towards D-list celebrities. After looking around the convention, he was right. The way the convention floor was set up, you had to walk through the dealer's area to get to the autograph area or the artist's area. That suggests that the people who laid out the show floor think their customers have more interest in the artists and in the autographs than in the dealer's area and that laying it out this way will encourage more traffic through there and in theory, increase sales. There were other tv people signing autographs. I remember the little Scottish guy from Stargate Atlantis was there. He was friendly and approachable. Dean Cain was there and his people had a sign up that you could not talk to him or take his picture without buying anything. Of course, Lou Ferrigno was there. He will show up at any con he can.

There was a Babylon 5 reunion panel in Phoenix that had pretty much everyone but Bruce Boxleitner earlier this year. Byron was even there. I wanted to go there and re-enact my favourite scene from season 5 and punch Byron in the face three times and taunt him, asking him about the blouse he was wearing but then I realized that if your fandom of a sci-fi property moves you to the point of making terroristic threats, then something is wrong with the equation.

*- I am from Texas, Heath is from Texas. He gets what I am saying about Austin.

[Heath]

Dude, I SO wanted to go to Phoenix for that B5 reunion. If there was any possible way I could have done it, I would have. I've watched, with great envy, all of the videos from that event that I have found on YouTube. I was really hoping WizardWorld would add some B5 love, but I don't see any so far.

Austin... lol... Yep. It's an island surrounded by Texas.

And Lou Ferrigno was even at a Dukes Of Hazzard event in Baton Rouge this year. I went to that Dukes event last year, but skipped this year because I had to buy new tires for all 3 vehicles (plus brakes and rotors for the car, and a drive belt for my bike - it all seemed to hit at once) AND I wasn't happy with all the "reality show" people being added to the event.

I remember that TNG gathering. I can't remember if they did that in New Orleans as well, but I want to say they did. I had thought about going to New Orleans last year, but decided against it.

So, if you DON'T do the whole "VIP Package" thing, how much does it typically cost for a picture? I'd be willing to stand in line all day to meet and take a picture with OR get an autograph from William Shatner or Scott Bakula if the cost wasn't too lofty. But it's not worth the "VIP" price.

Thanks for the information, guys! I appreciate it!

[Chiclo]

So, if you DON'T do the whole "VIP Package" thing, how much does it typically cost for a picture? I'd be willing to stand in line all day to meet and take a picture with OR get an autograph from William Shatner or Scott Bakula if the cost wasn't too lofty. But it's not worth the "VIP" price.

I want to say most pictures are around $40 but bigger names like Shatner, Patrick Stewart and McGyver can go from $60 to $100.

I think we paid $199 for the Klingon picture?

[Blood of Heroes]

Did the $199 cover the makeup and costume, or were you already dressed for the occasion?

[Heath]

That's a Gowron headpiece. Gowron and Martok were the guests at the small con in Lake Charles that I go to. Their panel was rather lacking, however. They just seemed to be winging it, with no plan, and not sure what to do which seemed surprising given how many cons they do. I made this video: http://youtu.be/09Eib5rQ2mw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chiclo]

That's a Gowron headpiece. Gowron and Martok were the guests at the small con in Lake Charles that I go to. Their panel was rather lacking, however. They just seemed to be winging it, with no plan, and not sure what to do which seemed surprising given how many cons they do. I made this video: http://youtu.be/09Eib5rQ2mw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was not wearing a Gowron headpiece in the picture. I did not own a Gowron headpiece... at the time.

[Phantom]

Stone Cold, most comic dudes there sign for free. I know some do not. For ex. I'm about 99% sure that Neal Adams charges.

"

Neal Adams in London HATTED to sign for free, was on the edge of being rude ( to the point - where on the tip of my tonge was a sharp reply)

He had to sign for one hour for free in a two day period, he was a massive jerk about it. I watched and heard for over 20 min.

Yet at his booth he was all smiles charging people for signatures.

Sorry for the downer, it was my biggest gripe of London con. If I could subtract that, it was perfect.



As for sketches get in early, as they may not have time to complete before end of convention.

I got alot of books remarked - it took balls, and I was nervous, but just did it. Plus most people just books in front of them to be signed - say something! To Kevin mcquire I talked about the Thames barrier, to another I spoke about Magnusr coming from Sweden. Anything.

Plus as Magnusr said, I proposed to the artist. Rather than stand above them, I kneeled to their seated level - so face to face.
Rather than standing to someone sitting.
More personal. But I am that kind of person - as a teacher I want interaction - not to be a dictator.

[Blood of Heroes]

That's a Gowron headpiece. Gowron and Martok were the guests at the small con in Lake Charles that I go to. Their panel was rather lacking, however. They just seemed to be winging it, with no plan, and not sure what to do which seemed surprising given how many cons they do. I made this video: http://youtu.be/09Eib5rQ2mw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was not wearing a Gowron headpiece in the picture. I did not own a Gowron headpiece... at the time.

Now I'm confused. Who's headpiece were you wearing?

[Heath]

Ok, so all current (WizardWorld) convention plans are being scrapped. I just found out there will be a big Babylon 5 "reunion" of sorts at Space City Con in Galveston in January. I'm shooting for that instead!

http://spacecitycon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[lorddunlow]

Ok, so all current (WizardWorld) convention plans are being scrapped. I just found out there will be a big Babylon 5 "reunion" of sorts at Space City Con in Galveston in January. I'm shooting for that instead!

http://spacecitycon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MUST GO! I must go!

[Chiclo]

Ok, so all current (WizardWorld) convention plans are being scrapped. I just found out there will be a big Babylon 5 "reunion" of sorts at Space City Con in Galveston in January. I'm shooting for that instead!

http://spacecitycon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That might be doable, especially if we scrap Wondercon.

[Elveen]

Ok, so all current (WizardWorld) convention plans are being scrapped. I just found out there will be a big Babylon 5 "reunion" of sorts at Space City Con in Galveston in January. I'm shooting for that instead!

http://spacecitycon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That might be doable, especially if we scrap Wondercon.

WHAT!!!!!!!

[Heath]

Do it, Chiclo! I'd love to meet up with you! (Same for anybody else here.)

[Heath]

Space City has added Peter David as a guest! He's one of my favorite writers. He wrote some of the best Star Trek books, a couple Babylon 5 Episodes, etc. That's on top of all the great Spider-Man stories.

[DrSoup007]

Stone Cold, most comic dudes there sign for free. I know some do not. For ex. I'm about 99% sure that Neal Adams charges.

For sketches, everyone charges. It's all different amounts.

For the hollywood dudes, they have to charge for everything, it's the only way they can make $$$.

As for the BIG creators, Stan Lee and Jim Lee and dudes like that... the lines are MASSIVE. I know many people do buy the VIP packages. Also, if you don't get the VIP package, it can be very difficult to get anything. You can follow the rules of Cons....

1) Be nice
2) Get it together
3) Sketch hustle

and still get it done, but they do sell the VIP packages for a reason.

Also 99% of the comic creators are great to talk to.

I recommend going to as many cons as possible,

Doc, says, "the worst day at a con is better than about anything else"

Neal Adam does charge...I would know. My dad got a A & A book signed by him and he sent it to CGC it came back flubbed. 8.4, I think. It was sad

[AnthonyF]

Steranko charges for signatures too, he's a hoot. And has an impressive signature. But he doesn't force you to personalize everything like Neal Adams does.

[Elveen]

Steranko charges for signatures too, he's a hoot. And has an impressive signature. But he doesn't force you to personalize everything like Neal Adams does.

A few years ago Chain took me over to see Steranko. It was quite an experience.
There was a dude getting like 50 soft cover books signed that Steranko did the covers for. The dude had like bags and bags of them. The entire time Steranko was holding court. Telling stories and jokes, the dude was harlarious.
But I can tell you, Steranko did not sign nothing until he got paid.