San Diego Comic-Con International 2004 Report #4

Howdy!

I'm going to try something a little different today, as I am going to have my daughter Tanith present you with her interpretation of the convention. While this action on my part might appear on the surface like just another doting dad allowing his little girl gain some notoriety, the reality is that Tanith is actually quite insightful, and has been a successful writer in her own right for several years. Given that she has been blessed with those talents, I thought you might find her views on this year's show more enlightening than my own. Especially considering that she attended this show through nearly every year of her childhood. (click on image for larger view)

    Hello there,

    So, with the hum of convention's crowds in my ears I begin guest writing my Dad's column with much anticipation. Filling my Dad's shoes is nearly impossible, but writing this column is a task that this convention has inspired me to take on. I think that hearing multiple perspectives on this convention is something that everyone deserves if they aren't lucky enough to be here on this busy Saturday. Please believe me when I say that there is no better sound in the world than the white noise of San Diego convention center. Though I am not a big fan of huge crowds--and this is certainly the wrong place to be if you don't like crowds--there is something about this convention that puts me at ease. I am 19-years-old and I have come to this con off-and-on since I was just a baby. Overall, I have probably been to about 14 of these conventions; I can honestly say that I grew up at this convention. My younger years were spent napping, playing with my sisters, and reading Archie comics under our booth's tables next to long white boxes of comic books. As I have grown older, many things about this convention have changed...the tables are too small for me to nap under, my sisters and I now work side by side with employees who have seen us grow up, and this comic book convention has grown by leaps and bounds.

    Things just aren't what they used to be...and I mean that in a good way. In my Dad's last column he mentioned that there are more women here than before, but I think that is just scratching the surface when it comes to the diversity present at this convention. There are people in costume...adult and child alike, little girls with their fathers pointing out Batman and Spider-man comics that jump out to them from the shelves, mothers with babies, swarms of teenage girls and boys, and even among those categories there is diversity within age, dress, and taste. They opened the hall an hour early this morning just so all the fans wouldn't have to stand in long lines in San Diego heat. I walked around the main hall this morning through large crowds of people, and felt thick waves of enthusiasm washing over me. Honestly, people are SO excited to be here, and everyone is so happy that you can't help but enjoy yourself. People walk the long length of the hall, and they all seem joyous in losing themselves--sometimes literally--in the masses of other fans and hundreds of booths. (click on image for larger view)

    Something in particular that I noticed this year is that it doesn't matter if you have never heard of Mile High Comics, Marvel, D.C., Image, or Dark Horse...this convention has something for everyone, whether the veteran collector or the newest fan. There are booths for movies, video game companies, toys, and artists. But that isn't all this Con has to offer. It is the independent companies and the fans that keep the heart of this industry beating. People who wake up at eight in the morning and pour into the hall ready to walk through aisles of booths, and wait in the sometimes lengthy lines for autographs of their favorite artist, that keep this con growing every year. When I was little I thought it was cool to impress people with my limited knowledge of the biggest comic book companies and creators, but now I find that knowing the smaller up-and-coming artists and companies can be the more interesting information. Likewise, it is the spread of that information that keeps this industry growing. While I don't know as much about comics as my father or oldest sister, or most of the people at this convention, I do know that it is the littlest booths that sometimes interest me the most as a fan.

    Another difference I see this year is that everywhere I turn technology is buzzing in the hall. When I was younger it was amazing to find a booth with a computer. Now, as the Internet and CG technology abounds, there are monitors, TVs, and computers everywhere. Not to mention the technology that fans bring in with them. Besides Disneyland, I have never seen so many cameras around people's necks. People are constantly stopping (myself included) to pose with people in costume or fun props at booths. As I was posing at one booth I noticed three people standing around with video cameras turning in slow circles around the room, taking it all in, which is a hard thing to do considering how huge this hall is. It is probably a good thing I'm not little anymore or my Dad would probably never find me. Anyway, I guess my main point in this column is that this convention, and this industry, (and me), are changing a lot, which I think can only be a good thing. This convention serves as somewhat of a mirror into the world of the comic book industry, and I like what I see. It isn't just movies like Spider-man that are bringing back fans to the industry, it is the industry taking steps forward and fans following that are making events like this so successful for everyone. Thanks for listening to a different perspective.

    Happy Collecting,
    Tanith Rozanski

As regards my own perspectives on the show, I have a long list of observations that I am currently compiling. As has been my habit during the past few years, I spent over an hour standing in the middle of the show between 1 PM - 2 PM. By standing still I was able to observe not only the overall flow of people, but also what patterns of behavior were being manifested by the attendees of the convention. I also spent some time observing the convention as a whole, and discovered several interesting new traits. I'll have those results for you tomorrow... (click on image for larger view)

While you're waiting for my next report, I hope that you enjoy the photos of the show taken by Pam, Aleta, Will, and Tanith. I think they give you a great sense of how much fun can be had here in San Diego.

Happy collecting!

Chuck Rozanski,
President - Mile High Comics, Inc.

Pictures from Day Four! (one more to go!!)

Chuck and Tanith

Cobra Unit

Dawn

Happy Squirrel visits our booth

Hawkman, Wonder Woman and Hawkman

The Endor Forrest from Star Wars built out of legos

Princess Leia

Ninja

Pam & Sid Haig from a House of 1,000 corpses

R2-D2 roaming the hall

Superman

Tank Girl

Harold, Kumar and Pam go to White Castle

Wolverine & Captain America

Outside viewing banners

Robot World

Kirk Kushin - Babe Force

Jason Brightman - Frayed Ends

Species III

Elsbeth & Darth Vader (lego)

Dancing

Tanith tests her luck

Abraham Lincoln & Aleta

Tanith & Aleta

Lynne & Dominic Monaghan Merry from Lord of the Rings,

Dawn

Joker stealing a snack

Night Crawler








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