As C2E2 began to wrap up on Sunday, we took to the floor to ask reps and personalities from some of the big entities present to give us their thoughts on the inaugural show. Pros readily remarked on the great building (which featured windows all the way around the convention hall) and the vibe, as well as the fact that this show is in the city, as opposed to the outer reaches of Rosemont. This is a sampling of what we learned.
Nick Barrucci (Dynamite Entertainment): This was a very well run, incredibly professional show. It’s the example for what a comic show can be, with extra media attached. Reed should be commended. Even with all of the shows that they have, they treated this as if it were their most important show.
James Lucas Jones (Oni Press): Reed puts on a great show . . . well organized. Attendance maybe hasn’t been as high, but maybe that’s [expectations after] Emerald City and WonderCon. The facilities have been great.
Mark Waid (Boom! Studios): My first Chicago show was 25 years ago this summer, and this brings back the same sense of excitement. I would come back here next year if I had to buy a ticket.
Dirk Wood (Dark Horse Comics): My feelings are pretty positive. It’s the first year, so it always takes a little time to grow. Reed’s done a great job. Love the setting, love the city.
Mike Pellerito (Archie Comics): I love Chicago! This was my first time [in the city]. Everyone seems to like [the show]. Everyone’s been friendly, from the pros and fans to just the people in the city. You ask where something is, and three people turn around to tell you. It’s great.
Paul Levitz (Writer of Legion of Super-Heroes at DC Comics): I love the daylight streaming in. It’s much more fun to be in the city. Chicago’s a lovely town.
Betsy Gomez (Image Comics): It’s a good first year show. The hall is beautiful. I think that this is going to be the show that Chicago deserves.
Arune Singh (Marvel Comics): [This has been] a lot of fun. We had a really enthusiastic crowd. I’m sure it was a huge success.
Ralph Tedesco (Zenescope Comics): It’s a good, well-run event, and looks great. We have a hardcore following in Chicago, and it’s cool seeing the fans come out.
Tiffany Kelly (Quirk Books, publishers of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”, among others): It’s my first time at a comics show. It’s overwhelming. [laughs] We’ve had a lot of enthusiastic response. People have been really excited about our books, and the authors did a panel. It’s been a good time.
April 19th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Interesting how people are are playing it safe about talking about the show. I went there this weekend as a fan and attendence was VERY light, which made things GREAT for a fan. It was like each day was merely a PREVIEW NIGHT like other shows have. The energy and hustle was just about the same as the Wizard Chicago show though, albeit with a way better guest list. I was just expecting the frenzy like the Reed NY shows. instead everyone and their brother was in line for Alex Ross, and the rest of the show was empty, free to get autographs with little lines. The retail area was light too, so alot of wheeling and dealing/bartering happened- YAY! Artist Alley had some decent action, but again, lines were small
April 19th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
This was an amazing, amazing show. Five years from now I can see it ranking second only behind San Diego in terms of fan support… if not flat-out #1. I’m still reeling…
April 19th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
I went Saturday & I have never amassed the amount of autographs on books @ Wizard World Chicago as I did @ C2E2. Probably the best Artist Alley I’ve seen in a long time. Everyone who signed was gracious to spend a few minutes to talk to you about what you, the fan, liked or disliked.
The show was well spaced out & the walking aisles were HUGE! It was nice to move from booth to booth without getting trampled.
I can’t wait for next year…
April 19th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I had a lot of fun. It felt smaller in a lot of ways, but that might have been a good thing. I think it was expected given it was a first time show. Plus, the focus of this was really comics, compared to WW which has been blown to TV, Movies, Toys, Games, etc. When you don’t have the cast of say The Dark Knight or something showing up it shows in attendance.
While it was crowded, it was also easier to move around.
It felt smaller than WW in many ways. Aside from what I mentioned before, it seem to have less venders and stand. Which made finding your way around much easier. But at the same time there was probably less stuff. But they had plenty of room to expand if they wanted to.
While McCornmick Place is not easy to get it is easier than Rosemont and its in the city. Having windows and being by the lake was beauitful. I literally can’t express how nice that is compared to the Warehouse feel of Rosemont.
Plus there were multiple resturants and food stands you could visit in the building, instead of walking a mile to get to Mcdonalds (the only option).
I had a great time. Like I said this was for COMIC fans. I just went Sunday and saw more A-List comic talent than I have a WW. PAD, Gail Simone, Sean McKeever, Dustin Nyguyen, J Scott Campbell, Gerg Horn, Adam Hughes, Majorie Liu, and many more.
Well done! Please come back next year!
April 19th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
I’ve gotta say that C2E2 profited greatly from NOT having wrestlers, playmates, and C-movie actors choking the rows. The lack of that might have kept some casual fans away, but I think that it was a huge upside. I talked to some pros, and they called it a “rebuilding year”. That’s a good way to call it. This was awesome, and it’s gonna be huge.
April 20th, 2010 at 6:32 am
It was an incredible show. Very professionally run. And believe me, while it didn’t seem crowded, there were a LOT of people there. There was just that much space that it didn’t seem crowded.
Every panel I went to was very well attended. Artist’s Alley was always full of fans. The publishers were always packed, but not over-crowded. The dealers part of the show was the only slight disappointment as there weren’t as many comics delaers as I would have liked. Hopefully next year there will be many more dealers showing up.
Overall, a huge success as far as I’m concerned. This is what the Chicago ComiCon should have evolved into, not the Wizard crap that we’ve gotten.
April 20th, 2010 at 10:29 am
I went all 3 days, and yes, it seemed like the attendance was light, however, there were 3-4 panels going at any one time and the space was larger. Even if the attendance was double, it would still have seemed light. Most of the dealers I talked to said they did “OK” but not great. (Which was fine for me as a buyer…) But then again, how much of that may have been due to a still sluggish economy?
Getting there is no worse then getting to Rosemont (in fact, parking was faster and easier, but was $4 more). But I live in the city, so it was a simple 15 minute drive down LSD for me…
And Rosemont isn’t in the “outer reaches” – it’s right next to O’Hare.
Either way, I’m glad to see the companies show up (as they have so obviously given up on the Wizard shows).
April 20th, 2010 at 10:38 am
I thought the show was a big step up from Wizard World (which last year wasn’t even really called ‘Wizard World’) in terms of who was there. Just wandering the floor I met Jim Lee, Adam Kubert, Khoi Pham, Dustin Ngyuen, Mike Choi, Geoff f*cking Darrow, Valentine DeLandro, Jill Thompson, and so many other cool cats.
I think it was a tad difficult to figure out where the panels were, but I caught the “Trek Nation” panel and was one of only ten or so people in attendance. The preview for the film, ‘Trek Nation’, was really interesting even though I’m not a fan of the series.
I think overall attendance was what was to be expected considering both the BlackHawks and the Bulls entered the play offs that very weekend (with the Hawks playing at home), and to be honest I attended two of the three days, skipping only saturday because I assumed it would be a mad house. My con experience was beyond phenomenal.
April 20th, 2010 at 11:05 am
@A Comic Fan
Regarding my comment on Rosement being in “the outer reaches” . . . in practical purposes in terms of downtown Chicago, it is. Yes, the show is near O’Hare, but I don’t know anyone that considers O’Hare the center of entertainment and culture for the city. We both know that if you’re in downtown Chicago, then you at least need to take one train to the end of its line to get to Rosemont.
April 20th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
My last con in Chicago was the first WW Chicago, back when Men In Black premiered. If I compare C2E2 to that, then they are equal.
Transportation was easy… the #3 bus was a quick ride down Michigan Avenue. I took the shuttle back Saturday, and that was also convenient.
I LOVED the vending machines! And there’s a McDonald’s in the Center.
The show was amazing! DC’s signing schedule on Saturday would have been a great convention by itself! The aisles were wide, the Artists Alley was stellar and easy to move around in (NYCC… you gotta bring your A-Game now… no more cramped tables back by the loading dock!) and full of amazing talent, some I met for the first time!
A good mix of retailers… better than NYCC. I especially liked the non-comics booths, like the corsets and the needlepoint t-shirts. (When I attend a con, I want to see stuff never seen before!)
A great mix of publishers. Most mainstream pubs were absent… they’re based in NYC, plus the London Book Fair is this week. I missed a few booths… the layout was confusing, and I’m the kind of guy who visits ever aisle.
Overall, a good show. Next year… it will be packed. Look at NYCC 2006. Then 2007. Mistakes corrected, space enlarged, show improved. If the Diamond Premiere publishers skip Wizard World again, then this show will be that more exciting.
This is a nice balance to NYCC. I’ll be back next year!