And that, in a nutshell, is why you'll never catch me at one of the larger cons. EVER. Friggin' no way. Ugh. That is a Galactus-sized "Pass!"
So is Death’s Head the real deal? Trading card inspired box packaging.. SDCC exclusive actually sold at the con, then available on Pulse.
Looks that way - with language saying "some availability on Pulse after the show". Since this is the first time post pandemic that Hasbro is selling actual figures at the show, it will be interesting to see how they handle it and how widely available they will make it.
I suspect that since the character is a bit niche - it's not Thor or Deadpool or something - that they may be conservative with production numbers, preferring a sell out to product that lingers for awhile on Pulse.
The figure is great for so many reasons, but the trading card inspired packaging is fantastic. That’s a great way to push nostalgia to sell some less popular characters, like the cosmic cyborg bounty hunter in question.
Okay, I just want to say a couple of things here.
"Comic Con isn't about comics anymore." Bullshit. That's crap. Explain to me Artists Alley. Explain to me DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, IDW, Boom, and about 20 other publishers having booths there. Explain to me the Independent Comics and Small Press Pavilions. Explain to me the Golden and Silver Age Pavilions. Go ahead. I'll wait.
Listen, Comic Con is what you make it. Period. End of story. If you're turned off by the whole Hall H and Ballroom 20 thing (And I sure am) don't go to Hall H and Ballroom 20. Stay away from there. That's all you have to do. Focus on the things you LOVE. Focus on the aspects of your hobby that give you joy. Trust me, you'll have so much more fun if you stick to that philosophy.
I do not care about the likes of Stephen Spielberg, Tom Cruise or Harrison Ford. I mean, I love their movies but that's NOT why I go to Comic Con. That's not my focus. Look at this year's special guest list and that will give you an idea of why I go. Klaus Janson, Rick Marschall, Eric Powell, William Stout, Mark Evanier, Jim Lee, Meggie Ram, J. Michael Straczynski, Barbara Brandon-Croft, Mike Friedrich, Dave Johnson, Roberta Gregory, Jack C. Harris, Don McGregor, Erik Nakamura, Bill Amend, Joe Jusko, Ken Steacy, Zoe Thorogood, Jo Duffy, Patrick McDonnell, Bryan Talbot, Daniel Clowes, Gerry Conway.
Comic Con isn't about comics anymore? Seriously? You can look at that guest list and say that?
I'm really looking forward to talking to Don McGregor about Panther's Rage, Gerry Conway about The Night Gwen Stacy Died, Jo Duffy about Power Man and Iron Fist and Jack Harris about The Secret Society of Super-Villains. That's why I go. That's what I'm there for.
And I do not get the "general air of sadness" line. Uh, what? If Comic Con were really as terrible as a couple of you are making it out to be, why do they always sell out of 130,000 passes in less than an hour? Why do people keep going back? Why do they spend thousands on hotels and air fare? Surely it can't be because they want to feel sad. That makes no sense.
And the smell thing. In the 40 something years I've been going, I can honestly say that's never been a problem. I've only ever noticed it a couple of times and that was in the early 80's when SDCC was much smaller and more of a local show. The Underground Comix contingent used to come down from the bay area, and to be honest, the word "hippie" would not be out of line. They clearly never met a bar of soap they ever liked. Or even met a bar of soap. But that was a long time ago. It's a different day and age now, and it doesn't make sense to me that people would fly in from all over the country and the world, spend hundreds of dollars on air fare, thousands on a hotel, who knows how much on exclusives and a couple of hundred on food (The Gaslamp Quarter ain't cheap, kids) and then not take a shower? I went to the New York Comic Con in 2014 and that cost me about two grand. A trip to SDCC these days is an EASY three thousand. Probably more like four or five depending on your eating and buying habits. Now why on Earth would anyone who has the means to spend that kinda dough not take a shower, put on clean clothes or wear deodorant? Does that make sense to you?
The very first time I went to Comic Con I was a very young man. Only 22 years old. I'm 65 now. It was a while ago but I remember it like it was yesterday. See, back then if you were an adult and you were a comic book and sci-fi fan, you couldn't tell anyone or you would be labeled as a "geek" or "nerd". You had to keep that aspect of your life to yourself or you wouldn't have any friends. It was especially hard for me because I was in the U.S. Navy then and I was expected to maintain a level of decorum at all times. But the very first time I walked through the doors of Comic Con, I finally for the first time in my life felt like I belonged somewhere. That I could be open and honest about who I was and what I loved and no one would judge me. That I was surrounded by people who loved the same things I did. I was with my tribe. I didn't want to leave. A general air of sadness? Try just the opposite.
I have million great memories of Comic Con, but here's a few. Alan Moore made his first and only North American Convention appearance at SDCC 1985. He told me and a couple of others who were standing at the DC table that he and Brian Bolland signed a contract with DC to do a Joker graphic novel. That graphic novel came out a couple of years later and was called The Killing Joke. I heard about it before the rest of the world did. The next year I remember having a nice conversation with a gentleman right outside the convention center about Superman's upcoming 50th anniversary. He was the nicest man. So polite and well mannered. It wasn't until after I got home and thumbed through my program book and saw his picture that I realized he was Ray Bradbury. Damn, I wish I would have known that. I did eventually get his autograph a couple of years later. And then there was that time I got stuck in an elevator with Stephen King. That was every bit as bizarre and wonderful as you might imagine.
I have lots of memories just like that. Someday I'll write a book. My point is Comic Con is what you make it. Focus on what you love, ignore what you don't and I guarantee you will have a good time.
Or not. It's a free country. You do you.
And I do not get the "general air of sadness" line. Uh, what?
There's for sure pockets of enthusiasm and joy, but if you just scan the hall, it's wall-to-wall people shuffling around or standing in a corner hoping somebody would notice their Jack Sparrow costume.
It felt like the one time I went to a casino and there were just people laboring away at slot machines hoping to get back at least some of what they lost.
I don't know, maybe I just happened to go on the day where some famous celebrity dog had died, but it was like a cloud of disappointment and annoyance.
The sight of Daniel Clowes at a comic con itself worth the price of admission
So, I tend to be more with SD's view on this - as someone going again this year and this will be my 17th time going to San Diego Comic Con. It is still an incredible show with tons and tons of great stuff for people who want to find that stuff.
I've also been to a handful of Wonder Cons (when they were in the Bay Area - boo on them for moving to LA); and at least 5 Wizard World LA's (maybe its 6?) and the Wizard World Sacramento they had once (womp womp) and San Diego is the best by a country mile.
I will say that the demographics have changed over time - and with Hollywood using the con more and more to promote it's content it has attracted a different audience than the comic book hard core's that prevailed the first time I went 27 years ago. And because it has become sort of a culturally iconic badge of honor to be able to get in, there are some people who attend 'for clout' to be able to brag about being there, who don't care that much about what's actually going on there. Those are the people you tend to see dragging around being miserable. Also, because of the expense associated with attending some guys make it a part of their family vacation and drag their family along - and the family would rather be at Sea World or the beach - and don't have the patience for the long lines and crowded aisles.
So, absolutely you can find pockets of misery on the con floor for sure. You can find those anywhere there are 30,000 people crammed in a single space. But if you are there to engage in the things that make you happy - that stuff doesn't matter.
Every year I attend with a group of my 5 best buddies. We go down a few days early. We hit the golf course on Monday and go out to a brewery for dinner. We go to the beach on Tuesday and hang out. We check out the gaslamp on Wednesday and eat great food before rolling into Preview Night on Wednesday. We share some interests but also have differing passions - some of the dudes are big anime guys, I'm not. I'm a big action figure guy, most of them arent - we attend some panels together and split up and do our own thing as well. Then we meet up again for dinner and drinks every evening and it is always one of the best week's of my year, every year.
There's for sure pockets of enthusiasm and joy, but if you just scan the hall, it's wall-to-wall people shuffling around or standing in a corner hoping somebody would notice their Jack Sparrow costume.
And I would counter that with the argument I made before: If Comic Con were really that terrible of an experience, why does it sell out almost instantly? Why do people keep going back year after year?
But I'm not going to argue with you. If that's the way you see it, that's the way you see it. Certainly not my experience in the 40 something years I've been going, though.
The sight of Daniel Clowes at a comic con itself worth the price of admission
Yes sir. I can't wait to go to his panel. Ghost World is one of the best books I've ever read. It's right there with J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. A true masterpiece.
People have different experiences in life? Wild.
But I'm not going to argue with you.
Sorry, I thought "uh, what?" was asking for clarification.
130,000 go to this event every year so they can look sad and just shuffle around. That was your observation the one and only time you ever went. Okay, that's fine.
Not going to argue with you, dude. It's pretty silly.
Have a nice day. And I mean that. You seem like a good guy, we just have two totally different views of the same thing. I hope this year's SDCC Legends reveals bring you much joy. Peace out.
@sdcomics, yeah, I didn't want to beef with you either; I think I've always liked your posts here.
In my defense, though, I'm not put off by the idea that 130,000 people would spend money on something that annoys them, I spend my free time on a toy collectors forum. (ZING!)
Well, yeah. That's a good point. 😉
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