Author Topic: WonderCon 2014 News  (Read 85858 times)

Offline Bert Su

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #15 on: August 03, 2013, 11:34:19 AM »
Why rebrand it? Wondercon is already popular.
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Yzrfan

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WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #16 on: August 03, 2013, 11:39:33 AM »
It went from WonderCon to WonderCon Anaheim this year.

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #17 on: Today at 03:45:35 PM »

Offline hikanteki

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #17 on: August 04, 2013, 11:37:21 PM »
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Looked at the calendars for both Moscone and Anaheim. If I'm reading it right, Moscone is busy just about every weekend in March/April while Anaheim has a lot of free dates. Take that for whatever it's worth...

Not really. Most of the SF bookings listed are on weekdays. As of today, Moscone's calendar for Fri-Sun in March and April 2014 looks like:

3/7-3/9: Free
3/14-3/16: Free
3/21-3/23: Free
3/28-3/30: North booked 3/28 and 3/29 for MacWorld (WonderCon typically only uses South, but I doubt they'd have it the same weekend as MacWorld)
4/4-4/6: North booked 4/4-4/5 for Rock & Roll Marathon, North & South 4/5-4/6 for Surgeon Conference
4/11-4/13: Free
4/18-4/20: Free
4/25-4/27: West booked on 4/25 for Materials Research, North booked on 4/26-4/27 for Plastic Surgery conference.  South not booked yet.

The last couple of years, WonderCon only used the South Hall.  Both SF and Anaheim are big enough to usually have multiple conventions going on at the same time.
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Offline hikanteki

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #18 on: August 04, 2013, 11:49:01 PM »
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This has been suggested before, but APE and WonderCon are not the same at all. APE is *Alternative* Press Expo. Small, independent publishers of comics and graphic novels. No big names, no Hollywood, not even Marvel/DC/Dark Horse/IDW. Turning APE into WonderCon means that APE goes away altogether. The people who attend APE want the antithesis of what SDCC has become, whereas the people who attend WonderCON want another SDCC.

I agree that they're not the same, but I think they could find a way to incorporate the independent publishers into a bigger convention like WonderCon.  A convention with an attendance of about 50,000 won't work with only APE material, but it could still have a strong focus on APE material like 30-40%.

APE states that 2013 will be their last year at the Concourse Exhibition Hall since it is scheduled to be demolished, but that APE is definitely returning to SF in 2014.  That, and with the talk about WonderCon returning to SF with fall dates, makes me believe that they could be planning to merge the two and that this has been in the works for some time.
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Offline SamTurtledove

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #19 on: August 05, 2013, 12:45:13 AM »
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It probably won't be April of 2015.

If Easter is the motif, WC 2014 will be weekend ending April 20th.  For WC 2015, weekend of April 5th, a good week before CVII.

Yzrfan

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WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #20 on: August 05, 2013, 06:47:39 AM »
Hope they wont keep it on Easter Weekend. Not alot of people were happy about it falling on Easter Sunday this year.

Offline Stitch101

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #21 on: August 05, 2013, 09:04:15 AM »
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I agree that they're not the same, but I think they could find a way to incorporate the independent publishers into a bigger convention like WonderCon.  A convention with an attendance of about 50,000 won't work with only APE material, but it could still have a strong focus on APE material like 30-40%.

APE states that 2013 will be their last year at the Concourse Exhibition Hall since it is scheduled to be demolished, but that APE is definitely returning to SF in 2014.  That, and with the talk about WonderCon returning to SF with fall dates, makes me believe that they could be planning to merge the two and that this has been in the works for some time.

I have heard talks about it returning to SF, even talks about them possible splitting the event into two slightt smaller WonderCon's, one in the spring in Anaheim and one in the fall in SF. At the end of the day though, it's all talk and speculation on the part of fans and such. CCI isn't giving anything away at this point.

However, the only slightly official information we have got about WonderCon seems to point to it returning to Anaheim in 2014. I posted this a while back in the WonderCon 2013 thread, so I'm just copying and pasting it:

" I found an interesting article from the San Diego UT newspaper. The article was posted July 17th 2013, a few weeks ago, and is about SDCC and the rent price decrease that the convention got for the next few years, but the writer also mentions Wondercon. In it he interviewed Jay Burruess, new head of the Orange County Vistor and Convention Bureau and claims that Wondercon is returning to Anaheim again next year. While I wouldn't take that as an offical announcement, I think it's interesting and could be a little telling. But anything can happen and Ill wait for an offical statement from CCI.

You can take a look at the article here: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login "



While I know there are a lot of fans up in SF that are desperate for WonderCon to return there, it seems that for either better or worse, it could stay in Anaheim. It makes sense for CCI when you think about it. There has seemed to he an increase in Hollywood presence at WonderCon over its many years, and being in Anaheim gives filmmakers and TV producers easier access to the convention and more incentive to be involved.
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Offline hikanteki

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #22 on: August 05, 2013, 09:40:08 AM »
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I have heard talks about it returning to SF, even talks about them possible splitting the event into two slightt smaller WonderCon's, one in the spring in Anaheim and one in the fall in SF. At the end of the day though, it's all talk and speculation on the part of fans and such. CCI isn't giving anything away at this point.

No, it's not just fans that have said that.  While it's true nothing official has been set Glanzer said it himself that CCI was looking at splitting it into two cons: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login  (I also heard from a couple people that the WonderCon program book said something to that effect too, although I haven't been able to get a copy of it so I can't say for sure.)

Although by this point I take what Glanzer says with a grain of salt until I see it.

Quote
While I know there are a lot of fans up in SF that are desperate for WonderCon to return there, it seems that for either better or worse, it could stay in Anaheim. It makes sense for CCI when you think about it. There has seemed to he an increase in Hollywood presence at WonderCon over its many years, and being in Anaheim gives filmmakers and TV producers easier access to the convention and more incentive to be involved.

Yes, this is one of the reasons why I suspect they moved...there's more to it than the construction.  I doubt they would have promoted it as "WonderCon Anaheim" if they really thought the move was just temporary.
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Offline Stitch101

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #23 on: August 05, 2013, 10:00:43 AM »
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No, it's not just fans that have said that.  While it's true nothing official has been set Glanzer said it himself that CCI was looking at splitting it into two cons: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login  (I also heard from a couple people that the WonderCon program book said something to that effect too, although I haven't been able to get a copy of it so I can't say for sure.)

Although by this point I take what Glanzer says with a grain of salt until I see it.

Yes, this is one of the reasons why I suspect they moved...there's more to it than the construction.  I doubt they would have promoted it as "WonderCon Anaheim" if they really thought the move was just temporary.

Well, that article was mostly talking about possibilities for the 2013 Con and were all things that ended up not happening, though it could have some baring on the 2014 Con. With the Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau claiming that WonderCon is returning to Anaheim in 2014, it makes one wonder what exactly CCI has up their sleeve. The WonderCon website still says "location to be announced" on the vendor application page.

I personally think it makes sense at this point, with the Con having been away from SF for so long and making a name for itself in Anaheim the way it has been, that if they decide to start up a new Con, that it would be better to leave WonderCon in Anaheim and start a new Con, or even split it into two Cons, in SF under a new title.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2013, 10:03:03 AM by Stitch101 »
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Yzrfan

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WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #24 on: August 05, 2013, 10:10:56 AM »
My money is on them revamping APE to make it more like WonderCon. That way the north and south each will have a con with the main event being SDCC. This time the South will win!

Offline Stitch101

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #25 on: August 05, 2013, 10:38:38 AM »
Yeah, with APE moving locations for next year, I could see them expanding it to be a larger Convention in vain of WonderCon. I would have only two things to say about that though:

1. Don't lose the APE aspect of it! I think they should still set aside at least 35%, if not more depending on the new locations size compared the room they had at Concourse, of Exhibit Hall exclusively for independent and self publishers. Doing this could actually help those independent publishers. APE bring in about 5-6 thousand attendees every year. By expanding the Con around them, they expand the "audience" of people who attend and boost overall attendance close to WonderCon numbers in the tens of thousands. They would have the opportunity to present their work to guests who would have skipped APE all together.

2. Don't brand it WonderCon and rebrand WonderCon in Anaheim. I have two reasons for this. Firstly, if they do go the route of expanding APE, the convention would be a new animal all together, a hybrid of sorts, and branding it WonderCon I think would do a disservice to the APE roots. It would almost be a whole new con. Give it a new name it can grow by on its own merits, not on the tails on WonderCon. Secondly, WonderCon itself has already made a name for itself in Anaheim and has been picking up Hollywood support. Up and rebranding it could cause apprehension on the part of Hollywood studios who would be willing to back WonderCon because of the recognition the name carries, but possibly would be more hesitant of giving support to the Con, especially when they don't know how the rebranding will effect attendance numbers and how people view the Con. Of course that apprehension could be lessened because of CCI being behind it, but it's still a gamble.
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Offline Miss Kitty

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #26 on: August 05, 2013, 10:52:46 AM »
It's a VERY safe bet that Wondercon is staying in Anaheim and that they are gearing up for Wondercon SF, but a scaled down version as soon as next year.

And regarding SDCC, it's staying in SD. When you hear these stories about Vegas or other locations, don't get caught up in the feeding frenzy. It's just not going to happen for sooooo many reasons.

Offline SamTurtledove

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #27 on: August 05, 2013, 11:08:03 AM »
I agree about the A.P.E/WC possibility, Yzrfan.

Do you get an uneasy feeling that WC Anaheim, in light of the ongoing pattern of possible 2015 Disney D23 and SWCelebrations, seem inviting as an easy sell for Disney's growing convention pattern?  Reed Pop does multiple cons, which right now include Celebrations, but only WC seems on par with a more mature D23-Hollywood.  Plus, didn't CCI hedge out/capitalize on Wizard World's groundwork in Anaheim?

I think CCI really does want to go back to the North, but not to have three Cons.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2013, 11:11:41 AM by SamTurtledove »

Offline hikanteki

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #28 on: August 05, 2013, 11:08:57 AM »
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1. Don't lose the APE aspect of it! I think they should still set aside at least 35%, if not more depending on the new locations size compared the room they had at Concourse, of Exhibit Hall exclusively for independent and self publishers. Doing this could actually help those independent publishers. APE bring in about 5-6 thousand attendees every year. By expanding the Con around them, they expand the "audience" of people who attend and boost overall attendance close to WonderCon numbers in the tens of thousands. They would have the opportunity to present their work to guests who would have skipped APE all together.

I agree with all of the above.

Quote
2. Don't brand it WonderCon and rebrand WonderCon in Anaheim. I have two reasons for this. Firstly, if they do go the route of expanding APE, the convention would be a new animal all together, a hybrid of sorts, and branding it WonderCon I think would do a disservice to the APE roots. It would almost be a whole new con. Give it a new name it can grow by on its own merits, not on the tails on WonderCon.

These same arguments could be used in favor of calling the Anaheim con something other than WonderCon, IMO.  WonderCon was in SF for 10 years and Oakland for 15 before that, so it could be argued that calling the con in Anaheim "WonderCon" does a disservice to its Bay Area roots, and that the con in Anaheim should have grown by its own merits rather than take the name of something that was already around for 25 years.  (For the record, I don't really have a problem with either of them being called WonderCon, but it makes no sense to say that a CCI convention in SF is going to be riding on the tails of WonderCon.)

Quote
Secondly, WonderCon itself has already made a name for itself in Anaheim and has been picking up Hollywood support. Up and rebranding it could cause apprehension on the part of Hollywood studios who would be willing to back WonderCon because of the recognition the name carries, but possibly would be more hesitant of giving support to the Con, especially when they don't know how the rebranding will effect attendance numbers and how people view the Con. Of course that apprehension could be lessened because of CCI being behind it, but it's still a gamble.

WonderCon had made a name for itself and had Hollywood support when it was in SF, primarily because of CCI being behind it.  In 2011 the attendance by CCI's own estimates was at 49,000+.  As long as it's somewhere where the studios are willing to travel, I doubt attendance would be hurt.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2013, 11:14:12 AM by hikanteki »
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Offline Khaaaaaaanh!!!

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Re: WonderCon 2014 News
« Reply #29 on: August 05, 2013, 11:52:46 AM »
During the Talkback Panel, one of the attendees thanked CCI for bringing WonderCon back to SF for 2014. John (the CCI rep) did not comment or confirm one way or the other. The attendee made his comment, some folks applauded and then he walked back to his seat so I don't know if he was stating something fact that wasn't announced yet or if he was asking a question in the form of a statement?
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