Author Topic: RIP Mile High Comics Booth  (Read 3604 times)

Offline Mel

  • Volunteer HQ
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2014
  • Posts: 4599
  • Karma: 0
    • Flickr
  • Liked: 1923
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #15 on: July 08, 2017, 11:17:30 AM »
Mile High has been whining about SDCC for years and threatening nearly every year to pull out. I went there a few years ago in a big hurry to try and get a Red Sonja for Gail Simone to sign b/c I forgot mine and all they had were issues of it with their logo stamped on the front, calling it a "variant" and charging more for it as such. It really made me mad. I think it goes both ways with these guys and CCI both thinking they are "too big" and important.
Formerly cracksback

My Flickr
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
-----------------------------
My Twitter
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Offline perc2100

  • Volunteer HQ
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 4318
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1770
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #16 on: July 08, 2017, 06:47:46 PM »
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Mile High didn't go for a smaller booth because the booth price and the decrease in sales was only part of the reason they decided not to attend this year. They had a really bad experience with getting the booth set up last year and were treated pretty poorly by CCI. It's a whole long story but they basically felt that CCI didn't treat them right and didn't really even care if they attend or not. I've talked to some other vendors the past few years and got a lot of the same stories. CCI has kind of taken on a we are too big to fail attitude and right now in a way they are right. They know that for every vendor that leaves they have 5 ready to take there place. It's the same thing with attendees. Don't like the way they do something or handle something they know for any one who decides not to go they have 100's of other people waiting to take there place.

That is certainly one side of a story.  Chuck is generally a nice guy, and a no BS type of guy for the most part, but he's telling his side.  He also went on a HUGE tangent a few years back about SDCCI because he was essentially complaining that things aren't what they used to be, the model was changing, and it upset him and his business.  He's myopic: and as a business owner, that's his prerogative and I understand that.  I think the SDCCI model changed a long time ago and Mile High continued to try to force their round peg into a square hold.  But I would love to hear the response from CCI as to what the problem might've been/their side of the story. 

As for Mile High leaving SDCCI, I have mixed feelings.  They did charge a lot, and took up a TON of space with a LOT of junk racks of filler: more of a spectacle than anything else, IMO.  I've bought comics from them before, and used to do it every year for awhile, until I realized you could get almost anything else somewhere cheaper.  Nowadays I mainly support my favorite local comic shop and don't buy comics at Comic-Con: my LCS could literally get me any comic I would want/afford so why go through the hassle of getting it from an out-of-town company?  If Mile High had better pricing maybe they would've had higher sales and continued to go.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Mile High has been whining about SDCC for years and threatening nearly every year to pull out. I went there a few years ago in a big hurry to try and get a Red Sonja for Gail Simone to sign b/c I forgot mine and all they had were issues of it with their logo stamped on the front, calling it a "variant" and charging more for it as such. It really made me mad. I think it goes both ways with these guys and CCI both thinking they are "too big" and important.
EXACTLY: only one of those is actually pretty mammoth while the other one will be unnoticed by a LOT of the attendees. 

Friends of Comic Cons

  • Guest
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #17 on: Today at 04:18:46 AM »

Offline Pyramid

  • Supporter
  • Volunteer HQ
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 3230
  • Karma: 0
  • Comic Con is a Black Hole for my wallet.
  • Liked: 549
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #17 on: July 09, 2017, 11:50:09 PM »
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
I respectfully disagree.  There are waaaaaaaaaay less comics at the show than there used to be.

From a square footage standpoint, the comics area has shrunk to a small fraction of what it used to be where mostly it is only the old silver age pavilion that is survived because they can survive the increasing booth costs.

From a selection perspective, it has shrunk similarly where previously it was old to new with everything in between and at all the respective prices from very cheap to very expensive with everything in between.

Sad but true.  There's something wrong with going to the world's biggest "comic" convention and not being able to find the comics you are looking for; and I am not talking about something obscure either.  After scouring for a copy of Legion of Superheroes #23 and not finding it, I finally gave up searching for missing issues at SDCC.  It's great for exclusives but beyond that, I won't waste my time ... and time is so precious at SDCC.
Twitter feed:  wes@comicconster

Offline blackjet

  • Freebie Table
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2016
  • Posts: 35
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 9
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #18 on: July 10, 2017, 01:17:34 AM »
Just read this and a very sad day indeed.  SDCC has really morphed from comics into a pop culture affair.  While extremely fun for attendees with all the stuff going on now, its sad that a name like Mile High will not be represented given its historical links to comic books.

Offline Vapors

  • Ballroom 20
  • ****
  • Join Date: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 837
  • Karma: 0
  • 1999-current
  • Liked: 268
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #19 on: July 10, 2017, 10:32:09 AM »
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Sad but true.  There's something wrong with going to the world's biggest "comic" convention and not being able to find the comics you are looking for; and I am not talking about something obscure either.  After scouring for a copy of Legion of Superheroes #23 and not finding it, I finally gave up searching for missing issues at SDCC.  It's great for exclusives but beyond that, I won't waste my time ... and time is so precious at SDCC.

This is so true.  Not only does hunting for exclusives take time, but add in panels, offsites, autograph/sketch hunting, I usually find myself with maybe an hour or two here and there to stroll around the exhibit floor.  With that time, I usually don't want to spend it looking through a ton of stuff looking for a handful of backlog items.  And believe me, as someone who collects music and comics, I have no problem spending hours looking through bins and bins of things.  But at Comic Con, there is not much time to do this without missing out on the rest of the massive floor, so I usually keep my browsing brief and to the point.

EDIT: Oh yea and there's the cost factor too.  If you spent $200+ getting a ticket and another $1K for transportation and hotel, why would you spend your time hunting for things you may never find in the booths. Going to a local store or looking online doesn't cost anything.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2017, 10:36:22 AM by Vapors »

Offline cabler30

  • Ballroom 20
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 948
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 62
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #20 on: July 10, 2017, 12:10:04 PM »
My first time back in years, i dont expect to waste time really. i never used to spend alot cause tried to see anything and everything possible so no time was wasted really, was able see panels, take pics, get stuff signed, and besides all freebies i thought i wanted or needed i now know from reading alot and vids to just take alot pics worthy, grab freebies u think usable or u just weigh ur self down over time lol. i really dont wanna have to carry a alot weight before end of day either going home lol. so heres to going lite but heading home with alot gems or treasure i wanted most lol  :P >:D

Offline cire_raeb

  • Gaming Lounge
  • ****
  • Join Date: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 339
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 88
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #21 on: July 10, 2017, 12:54:59 PM »
Unwillingness to adapt to the changes in the industry and the lack of  business acumen,  the Mile High Comic dude is going  to run his business into the grounds in a few years.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2017, 01:52:42 PM by cire_raeb »

Offline perc2100

  • Volunteer HQ
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 4318
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1770
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #22 on: July 10, 2017, 02:59:35 PM »
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Unwillingness to adapt to the changes in the industry and the lack of  business acumen,  the Mile High Comic dude is going  to run his business into the grounds in a few years.
IDK about that; the business has been around for several decades and is probably a haven (either in person or online/via mail order) for folks who don't have great local comic shops.  Plus Chuck sold one of their huge buildings for a ginormous profit because it was pre-zoned for commercial indoor pot growing (irony: he named the place because of his affinity to weed, not because it was located in Colorado).  He's going to be fine, though he doesn't seem setup to conform to Comic-Con's tendencies, logistics, or attendee wants/needs.

Offline matthew

  • Room 6BCF
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 215
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 16
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #23 on: August 01, 2017, 04:22:43 PM »
people are there for panels and possibly a party.

i have wondered if a massive dancefloor, that made money selling from a bar, would be a good addition to a comiccon. all those costumes need a place to party. add in a dj with videogame themed music. add a overall cheap theme too, like castlevania (paintings on walls, sconces, candlesticks), or greek /rome culture (toga dj/bartender, pillars holding statues of toga wearing superheroes), etc.


comicbook only comiccons have a place. but do not mix well with the current environment.

Offline cabler30

  • Ballroom 20
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 948
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 62
Re: RIP Mile High Comics Booth
« Reply #24 on: August 29, 2017, 01:06:16 PM »
Talking about changes at Comic-Con, it seems to have changed alot since i used to go in the past years ago. had chance volunteer all 4 days since had the days off so didnt wanna waste it just going one day seeing how things worked being part of staff and all. but yes con has changed in ways. i made a note to do a beeline to artist alley and small press to visit any people i knew or stuff wanted to check out ea day even though once i got there all the traffic and entering place after so many years lol i kinda lost focus in ways. had my notes but only like maybe covered a part of it had adjust to being inside what i call the castle of everything lol. heres hoping next year i more focused if all goes right. but yes the event has changed alot from all i have read and videos i seen.