Posted by Bob Luedke on December 16, 2009 at 1:33pm
Attention those of you out there who have previously exhibited at, or thought about exhibiting this year at Comic Con International at San Diego (July 2010). The small press deadline for applications were in late Oct.. The deadline for artist alley was in September. And to top it off...they've already had their hotel reservations for exhibitors! All exhibit space is already sold out!I have traditionally sent in my application anywhere from Decmember to Feb. 1st as the deadline for small press has always been sometime in March to April. But not only did they move it up by 6 months, they did not even have the courtesy to even send out an postcard, or even an email to previous exhibitors alerting them to this change!What is really annoying is that when you talk to them on the phone about this, they know they've got you "by the short hairs" since they have what everybody wants....and they are incredibly smug. When I told them, it would have been nice if they would have let previous exhibitors know about these dramatic changes in deadline, the response was...we told all exhibitors last year of the changes (which I wasn't one of because of how they screwed up the hotels for small press) and it was posted on the website. End of story.Anyway, if you'd like to roll the dice you can send in your small press, artist alley or comic-con table request and be put on the waiting list (don't have to send any money till they pick you...if they pick you). Good luck with that. And, then you can try to secure a room (battling against the 100,000 other people in attendence) when the CCI room reservations open on March 18th (see site for details). For someone like me, one without the other just doen't work.So for the second year in a row, I may be shut out of CCI after 8 years of exhibiting. But the good news is, I'm going to be going to almost every corner of this country in 2010 promoting Unknown God and I guess I'll just have to add the Long Beach Comic Con to the list to make up for CCI!bob-www.headpress.info
Well, I'm still holding out for a couple more weeks to see if the waiting list thing comes through. If not it's off to Washington state that weekend for the Creation NW Christian Music Festival!
Well, as much as some people have their reservations over it, I believe this is the reason they need to move to a bigger space. Simply because, the times are changing. It's not only about comics anymore, and the exhibit space is being taken over by non-comic book related exhibitors. Moving to a bigger convention center like LA, that offers an extra 100,000 sq ft of space, make more sense, so that the small press can not be filtered out.
Bob,
If you plan to be out there, you can share a room with us and if you want some time to sell your book at the CCAS table, you're more than welcome.
Daniel...I don't think that's correct. I've been told all exhibit space had been sold out (at the time of the original posting)...cause I've got my name on THAT waiting list also. But if you've got different information and can secure a table, by all means let me know about it. FYI...The CCAS does have a table each year (and this year is no exception). Check with Ralph Miley for information.
another option could be if the $850.00 Comic con tables aren't sold out- i don't think a deadline has been passed for this. if you'd be willing- i'd be interested in splitting one- that could roughly be the same price per person as the small press table was- also- we could try a 3rd person to join in? I don't know- theyr'e some ideas and if CCAST doesn't have a table, i really might want to consider this. let me know!
wow- that's really a shame. I can't believe they moved it up that far- but then again, it could be that they get so many applications by October that it sells out and they figured what's the point in having a deadline of later on if they can close it sooner. Who knows.
I hope that CCAST will have a booth this year. Also- thanks for the tips on using this site-i don't think i understand it fully yet!
The problem with CCI is that it's become such a huge internationally covered event, dealing with so much cashflow, that they've had to take on a corporate mentality to deal with it.
Comments
Hope and Pray it all works out for you!
If you plan to be out there, you can share a room with us and if you want some time to sell your book at the CCAS table, you're more than welcome.
I hope that CCAST will have a booth this year. Also- thanks for the tips on using this site-i don't think i understand it fully yet!