From Publisher’s Weekly about this past weekend’s Wizard World Chicago:
But the show lacked the sense some other conventions have that lots of important things are happening or at least being announced or premiered.
Yeah, and?
I wonder if Wizard World is in a damned if you do/damned if you don’t position here. In the past, they’ve been accused (and possibly justly) of signing exclusive deals with Marvel and DC to have “big” announcements at WWC. But this year when nothing huge is announced, the show ends up “lacking.”
Personally, I liked the general tone of this years Wizard World Chicago. I don’t know about anyone else, but I got a much more relaxed feeling this year than in the past. It was easy to get around and everyone from fans to creators seemed in a good, fun mood. It wasn’t the multimedia spectacle that San Diego is and it doesn’t have the new-car-smell of a New York show but Chicago was something I don’t know if it’s been in a while– a comic book show.
In the PW article, Douglas Wolk point out the lack of art comics (where was Chicago Comics’ booth this year) and manga (Tokyopop hasn’t been a presence in a couple of years and I don’t remember the last time Viz was there if ever) and those are valid criticisms, something that I hope Wizard works on. But you got to see up and comers like Matt Silady or Joshua Hagler sitting in the same areas as David Mack, Bill Sienkewicz, Jim Starlin and Matt Wagner. I don’t know what other artist alleys are like but for the last couple of years, Chicago’s has been a pleasant mix of well established and up’n'coming artists.
Like I said above, this was a COMIC BOOK SHOW this year, possibly the early steps in Wizard’s attempt to reestablish Chicago firmly as the #2 show of the comic book year. The obnoxiously loud booth that greeted everyone in 2006 (I can’t even remember who it was) was replaced by the traditional DC booth and an inventive Mattel booth (with plenty of comic book toys.) The stupid wrestling ring that last year ticked off Alex Ross enough that he completely abandoned the show this year was gone and replaced by a slightly more tasteful and much smaller wrestling mat (though I miss the days of the fake wrestlers.) Moonstone, Ape, TwoMorrows, Top Shelf and Dark Horse had good booths but I’d love to see Oni Press return, Ait-Planetlar to show up and to see a representation from Drawn & Quarterly, Fantagraphics and/or First Seconds. Some of their artists and writers were there. Why don’t the publishers come out? And why doesn’t Wizard try to reach out to these guys as well?
I look forward to next year’s earlier show, a return to the traditional early-summer dates that the much lamented Chicago Comicon used to hold but I wonder if 4 weeks between it and San Diego is still too close. Just because Chicago is first, does that mean it will be able to draw in more professional guests while San Diego suffers from con burnout? Somehow I doubt it.
[tags]Wizard World Chicago[/tags]