Tonight I went over the top in the first wave at Comic-Con: doors opened 6:00 on the dot.
First impression is of rampant confusion. The show floor is a ravening fleshpit. Who the eff are all these people elbowing me out of the way so they can take a picture of a 6 ft Buzz Lightyear made out of Lego? I don't identify with them. It's all very boorish. The nerdy soul has gone out of it. Is this the year that it becomes cooler not to be at Comic-con than to be there? (Or was that, like, 5 years ago?)
Though down the other end of the show floor, away from the huge glittering death-towers of Mattel and Lego and such, where I wandered in an attempt to find my publishers, I stumbled on the booths of MC Frontalot and the Penny Arcade crew, major culture heroes of mine, practically back to back in the midst of the fray.
What you are seeing is the beginning of the Great Nerd Schism.
dennitzio
Jul. 22, 2009 23:42:pm
at 23:42:pm
Yeah, Hollywood does like to suck the soul out of things, but the SD does need its tourism dollars, so keep supporting it.
yogi
Jul. 23, 2009 01:10:am
at 01:10:am
I think that's what happens to many "subcultures".
I hope/think that the "hype-effect" will wear off in one or two years.
elektrojunge
Jul. 23, 2009 07:06:am
at 07:06:am
Too bad you there won't be any Galactica panels for you to attend. Because I'm sure you'd be first in line for that.....
Kemper
Jul. 23, 2009 10:01:am
at 10:01:am
You should be sure to hit the vendors' tables, Lev. I understand you can find some deals there. DVDs and such.
Church
Jul. 23, 2009 10:20:am
at 10:20:am
I'm on my way there in a few minutes. The preview night is always crazy. If you want to focus on certain things, you can. If you want Hollywood glitz, you can get that as well. There's something for everyone, which is its appeal.
And yes, I have a 4 day pass. I'll be the tall, black-draped Nasgul with Nuada and Nuala...
carpevis
Jul. 23, 2009 13:56:pm
at 13:56:pm
Comic-con has officially lost it. Last year tickets sold out a week in advance. This year tickets sold out TWO MONTHS in advance. It's gotten way too ridiculous now to be cool.
rhys1882
Jul. 23, 2009 13:59:pm
at 13:59:pm
I know it's hopelessly square of me, having my own SF site and all, but I've never been to Comicon and I've never really wanted to go. I'm sure it was the hot, burning center of geek cool once upon a time, but something about it kind of puts me off.
Is anyone here old enough to remember Science Fiction conventions before 1977? I'm not, but I'm told that they were an entirely different ballgame, primarily literary and community-oriented, and then Star Wars broke and there were a hundred zillion bandwagon jumpers who would have beat up the guys who go to cons just the year before. Some old timers complain about the same thing happeneing when Star Trek hit the airwaves in the mid-60s.
I just feel like I'd be sort of out of place there, since I don't give a crap about The Transformers, or Star Trek, and that seems to be the crowd they're gearing towards. Also - could be a faulty impression because I've never been there - it feels more like it's all about marketing and not about the subcuture itself.
republibotthreepointoh
Jul. 24, 2009 15:37:pm
at 15:37:pm
@RB3.0
Those are still around (Shore Leave and the like) but these are still around too (essentially the new version of the Creation cons.)
Church
Jul. 24, 2009 18:43:pm
at 18:43:pm
What? Really? Oh, damn, I was hoping I could get away with being all curmudgeonly and complaining about these kids today. But if the dinosaurs aren't really extinct yet, I guess I should hold off some...
republibotthreepointoh
Jul. 24, 2009 18:47:pm
at 18:47:pm