Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Dec 5, 2014 21:24:10 GMT -6
Grant Stoye files a final report on this year’s Grand Rapids Comic Con and finds that it was good.
www.woodradio.com/onair/the-insider-48410/grand-rapids-comic-con-2014-final-13035276
Enough time has passed since the final day of the 2014 Grand Rapids Comic Con that we're able to collect our notes, compare experiences, and combine photos and formulate how exactly this Con compared with both the first GRCC, and with other cons we've attended and/or read about.
The verdict? Man, the second annual GRCC was an unmitigated, unbridled success.
From Day One (Friday) when it was family-oriented, to Saturday (which was packed tighter than a can of sardines), to Sunday (when things were winding down), everything was absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere was electric, yes, but more importantly there was an overwhelming sense of camraderie - there was never a showing of frustration with attendees, there was a distinct lack of rudeness, and everyone seemed genuinely interested in everyone else having as great a time as they were.
Mostly though, the con can be summed up in four parts: The Guests, the Attractions, the Vendors, and the Experience.
The Guests
It almost goes without saying that the lineup of actors, writers, artists, producers, directors, and everyone in between was star-studded. What needs to be said, however, was how wonderful these people were.
Nichelle Nichols showed as much grace as one could possibly imagine, and displayed a kindness and appreciation for her fans that can't possibly be properly articulated. Her seminar was also on point, just like just about every seminar presented. Heck, every guest put the fans at ease, whether it was Nichols' charm, David Yost's personability, or even Alaina Huffman's ability to put up with weird star-struck journalists trying to drum up viable questions (yours truly).
One of my favorite encounters was with DC Comics' artist Christopher Jones, who sat and gabbed with me for going on 20 minutes about a wide range of things, from comic book aesthetics to how the culture influences young women. He said how much fun he had had at this con, and said his only complaint was that he wasn't able to chat with more people due to an allergy attack he suffered on Saturday.
The Attractions
My goodness, some of the stuff the GRCC had on display was absolutely jaw-dropping: the car show, featuring two variations of the Batmobile and Speed Racer's Mach 5, was incredible. The sheer ingenuity of people like Squirrels Creations, makers of the Grimlock and Optimus Prime scale costumes, was beyond impressive. And the whole experience of the Lego room as both an art exhibit and a chance for families to simply bond over the plastic bricks was heart-warming.
One of the displays that absolutely knocked us on our rears was the Hall of Heroes Museum. These folks had film-used Iron Man armor and a Captain America shield, and glass cases filled with extremely rare (and culturally important) comic books. Speaking of comics and collectibles...
The Vendors
If you attended the Con and were able to spend a minimal amount of money, we're in awe of you self-control: the vendors at the con has booths and tables with so many treasures laid out that it was difficult not to simply run around throwing sweaty balls of dollar bills while screaming, "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!"
The weapons booths were incredible in design and production, as were the costume booths. The toy booths featured action figures and games that were desirable and, in some cases, extremely rare. And the comic vendors - oh the comic vendors! - had heavenly selections of issues, graphic novels, prints, manga, and anything you could ever hope to add to a collection.
And these comic vendors were so affable that it was ridiculous: from Tardy's Wheel of Prizes, whose spin could net you a bundle of comic books that featured one very rare item, to people simply clearing out their collections, every single person wanted to talk comics and help with any purchasing questions anyone could come up with. It was incredibly great to simply talk shop with these people who love comics as much as we do.
The Experience
Like we alluded to earlier, the GRCC was a wild success. All the vendors I talked to say they made a great amount of money, the cosplayers all were able to show off their epic costumes, the guests were all happy, and in general everything seemed to be working more smoothly in the Delta Plex. Last year thousands were turned away because of the size of the Home School building, but this year the Delta Plex only reached capacity for a bit on Saturday, but if you were patient you could easily get in.
This was a fantastic experience for young and old, new fans and veterans, and all those in between. There was a silent confidence from all participants that in time the Grand Rapids Comic Con would continue to grow and eventually be forced to keep moving to larger venues in the future. If things keep going as well if not better than they did this year, that's not a pipe dream, it's a garauntee.
www.woodradio.com/onair/the-insider-48410/grand-rapids-comic-con-2014-final-13035276
Enough time has passed since the final day of the 2014 Grand Rapids Comic Con that we're able to collect our notes, compare experiences, and combine photos and formulate how exactly this Con compared with both the first GRCC, and with other cons we've attended and/or read about.
The verdict? Man, the second annual GRCC was an unmitigated, unbridled success.
From Day One (Friday) when it was family-oriented, to Saturday (which was packed tighter than a can of sardines), to Sunday (when things were winding down), everything was absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere was electric, yes, but more importantly there was an overwhelming sense of camraderie - there was never a showing of frustration with attendees, there was a distinct lack of rudeness, and everyone seemed genuinely interested in everyone else having as great a time as they were.
Mostly though, the con can be summed up in four parts: The Guests, the Attractions, the Vendors, and the Experience.
The Guests
It almost goes without saying that the lineup of actors, writers, artists, producers, directors, and everyone in between was star-studded. What needs to be said, however, was how wonderful these people were.
Nichelle Nichols showed as much grace as one could possibly imagine, and displayed a kindness and appreciation for her fans that can't possibly be properly articulated. Her seminar was also on point, just like just about every seminar presented. Heck, every guest put the fans at ease, whether it was Nichols' charm, David Yost's personability, or even Alaina Huffman's ability to put up with weird star-struck journalists trying to drum up viable questions (yours truly).
One of my favorite encounters was with DC Comics' artist Christopher Jones, who sat and gabbed with me for going on 20 minutes about a wide range of things, from comic book aesthetics to how the culture influences young women. He said how much fun he had had at this con, and said his only complaint was that he wasn't able to chat with more people due to an allergy attack he suffered on Saturday.
The Attractions
My goodness, some of the stuff the GRCC had on display was absolutely jaw-dropping: the car show, featuring two variations of the Batmobile and Speed Racer's Mach 5, was incredible. The sheer ingenuity of people like Squirrels Creations, makers of the Grimlock and Optimus Prime scale costumes, was beyond impressive. And the whole experience of the Lego room as both an art exhibit and a chance for families to simply bond over the plastic bricks was heart-warming.
One of the displays that absolutely knocked us on our rears was the Hall of Heroes Museum. These folks had film-used Iron Man armor and a Captain America shield, and glass cases filled with extremely rare (and culturally important) comic books. Speaking of comics and collectibles...
The Vendors
If you attended the Con and were able to spend a minimal amount of money, we're in awe of you self-control: the vendors at the con has booths and tables with so many treasures laid out that it was difficult not to simply run around throwing sweaty balls of dollar bills while screaming, "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!"
The weapons booths were incredible in design and production, as were the costume booths. The toy booths featured action figures and games that were desirable and, in some cases, extremely rare. And the comic vendors - oh the comic vendors! - had heavenly selections of issues, graphic novels, prints, manga, and anything you could ever hope to add to a collection.
And these comic vendors were so affable that it was ridiculous: from Tardy's Wheel of Prizes, whose spin could net you a bundle of comic books that featured one very rare item, to people simply clearing out their collections, every single person wanted to talk comics and help with any purchasing questions anyone could come up with. It was incredibly great to simply talk shop with these people who love comics as much as we do.
The Experience
Like we alluded to earlier, the GRCC was a wild success. All the vendors I talked to say they made a great amount of money, the cosplayers all were able to show off their epic costumes, the guests were all happy, and in general everything seemed to be working more smoothly in the Delta Plex. Last year thousands were turned away because of the size of the Home School building, but this year the Delta Plex only reached capacity for a bit on Saturday, but if you were patient you could easily get in.
This was a fantastic experience for young and old, new fans and veterans, and all those in between. There was a silent confidence from all participants that in time the Grand Rapids Comic Con would continue to grow and eventually be forced to keep moving to larger venues in the future. If things keep going as well if not better than they did this year, that's not a pipe dream, it's a garauntee.