WONDERCON Badges go on sale January 2013!

[perc2100]

APE is Alternative Press Expo. It's small press publishers/comics. I don't think there would be too much of a clash with WonderCon, although it could easily be integrated into a joint Con.

I don't know much about APE: would it kill the vibe of APE to combine it with a WonderCon type of thing?  Based on last year's WonderCon, I would guess WonderCon is quite a different thing from APE.  I honestly don't know if it would be better to keep APE its own thing and leave it separate from WonderCOn, or to combine them.  While I have zero connection to APE, I personally kind of like the idea of APE seeming to be different from the Hollywoodization of Comic-Con & WonderCon.

[hikanteki]

Yes and this event is labeled as WonderCon Anaheim so it looks like this one is here to stay

Yep...this is what I predicted when they first announced they were moving Sept. 2011.

I totally concur. WonderCon is unquestionably a few steps below SDCC with programming, guests, vendors, etc. However, it's steps ahead of pretty much all the other cons.  So a third mainstream con by CCI would likely be spreading it pretty thin to a point where it would likely be a step or two below WonderCon. At that point, it might as well be a Wizard World or similar. I'd still go because I'm a fan, but I think you'd have to be realistic of your expectations.

There are a few that are gaining fast, though.  NYCC (only started in 2006), Emerald City ComiCon, and Phoenix ComiCon come to mind.  If CCI has the resources to pull off three, the demand is there.

A big difference between CCI & WizardWorld is that CCI already has the brand & plenty of competent events under its belt.  WizardWorld got in over its head before they started.

Now I do see a scenario if they timed it out strategically, maybe there's hope. If they put it just before the Thanksgiving rush, I could see there being guests/panels that cover the movies that come out during that popular time like Hunger Games and Hobbit, even Wreck It Ralph and Twilight (sorry) got released during that stretch. I could also see maybe some vendors showing up to capitalize on the holiday spending. Hmmm...maybe it could work?! Late October or early November? 

Yes, a fall (or even winter) con would be good.  Most of them seem to be in the summer or spring.

I'd rather WonderCon just come back to Moscone though! 

Ditto.  Or have a major one in SD, Anaheim, AND SF.

That's the real trick, right: when to put the "new" Con.  When is APE?  Is APE different enough to not clash with a WonderCon North?

APE is in the fall.  It could be combined with a "WonderCon North" and CCI could possibly gear that more towards the comics underground.  I could see that working pretty well actually.

I personally think WonderCon doesn't need to necessarily cater to Hollywood.  It's OK if WonderCon is mostly comics with some movie & TV panels, but I think there's nothing wrong with WonderCon not have a star-studded, lots-of-Hollywood-panels/presence line-up.  Leave Comic-Con to cater to all aspects of pop-culture, & WonderCon can be it's own thing.

Too late; WC is about five years behind CC and it looks like they, too, want to keep on getting bigger.  I also suspect one of the reasons they moved south is so they could be closer to the studios.  (And if they do stay in Anaheim, I'm all for them filling up the convention center...anything that will prevent them from being held at the same time as a volleyball con.  )

[Zero]

Forum Housekeeping:
Moved to the Wondercon and APE forum section.

[Hidajunshin]

Just bought my WC badge.  With the rate that cons are growing, I didn't want to take the chance that it may sell out.  Unlikely, but ya never know.  I heard that ECCC sold out on Saturday, and WC last year was unexpectedly more popular than the organizers thought (or at least what they let on). 

I was tempted to get all 3 days, but that would mean I'd have to plunk down more $$ for gas, food, etc., since I'm not staying at a hotel.  And Easter is Sunday, so there's that. 

[Yzrfan]

Ya last years Saturday was pretty packed, but not SDCC packed. Last year they also had a girls volleyball tournament going on at the same time too. You won't be disappointed. Hope to see you there

[Chris]

Just bought my WC badge.  With the rate that cons are growing, I didn't want to take the chance that it may sell out.  Unlikely, but ya never know.  I heard that ECCC sold out on Saturday, and WC last year was unexpectedly more popular than the organizers thought (or at least what they let on). 

I was tempted to get all 3 days, but that would mean I'd have to plunk down more $$ for gas, food, etc., since I'm not staying at a hotel.  And Easter is Sunday, so there's that.

If you want to go, nothing wrong secure your ticket early.     

Like you said, a lot of other conventions are enjoying the success of San Diego bringing cons into the spotlight with increased attendance because people can’t get tickets to SDCC, can’t afford to or don’t want travel so they check out their local con, want to see what cons are about, etc.

For the comic collector, it took me a full day just to shop the floor of Wondercon.

[Hidajunshin]

Ya last years Saturday was pretty packed, but not SDCC packed. Last year they also had a girls volleyball tournament going on at the same time too. You won't be disappointed. Hope to see you there

The girls were hilarious.  It was really funny watching them pose for pictures with the 300 guys and the various costumes.  I hope WonderCon stays in Anaheim.  I feel bad for Bay Area nerds losing such a great convention.  Maybe APE will grow some more.

[Jim Watari]

That rain storm on Saturday last year was crazy I've lived in Southern California all my life and was one if the worst storms ever. I was soaked by the time I got to the con

[oneroomdisco]

If you want to go, nothing wrong secure your ticket early.     

Like you said, a lot of other conventions are enjoying the success of San Diego bringing cons into the spotlight with increased attendance because people can’t get tickets to SDCC, can’t afford to or don’t want travel so they check out their local con, want to see what cons are about, etc.

For the comic collector, it took me a full day just to shop the floor of Wondercon.

This is why I bought my badges over the weekend.  I don't think WonderCon will completely sell out (it being Easter weekend will definitely keep some people away) and I'd even be surprised if Saturday ended up selling out, but with the growing popularity of cons and especially the meteoric rise of things like Emerald City made me want to play it safe.

If WonderCon ends up permanently in Anaheim (or as some have speculated, WonderCon: Anaheim becomes something distinct from a San Francisco based WonderCon), I would expect that to see at least partial sell outs sooner rather than later.

[Hidajunshin]

If WonderCon ends up permanently in Anaheim (or as some have speculated, WonderCon: Anaheim becomes something distinct from a San Francisco based WonderCon), I would expect that to see at least partial sell outs sooner rather than later.

Yes.  WC Anaheim would grow faster and in a shorter time frame than WC SF has grown in years past.  I still can't help but think that the con organizers are feeling out Anaheim in case they have to move SDCC.  I know they want to stay in San Diego, but there's always that 'if'.  I remember last year there was a lot of speculation about Anaheim which organizers denied, but still...I think Anaheim has become the secondary option in case convention center expansion plans fall through in San Diego, whether they admit it or not.