You made the right choice! I would have done the same. I think it's time to quit calling these comic cons and start calling them pop culture cons! It's been decades since I've been to a con that has just comic books. I miss those days. Only cost around $5 bucks to get in back then.
Heroes con in Charlotte North Carolina is a true comic book show, that's the one to go to if you are a comic collector and not into the pop culture and cosplay junk.
Not really pertaining to this man's video, but to add to your "Western comics" comment; Yea they let the wrong people into the business and gave them too much power as well. Letting extreme activist types take over any business is as dumb as hiring felons to run your business. It just never ends well. Like we're seeing in so many mediums and businesses today. Plus the advertising and others taking over these cons and making them their own when they're not even into comics is just as harmful.
I have a similar but not the same experience. There used to be a summer event in my hometown where the downtown became a giant flea market where people sold the most incredible antiques and curios. But in the 80s the "crafting' craze hit and it went from being a legit flea market with awesome, genuinely old and valuable items to 50 stalls selling the same " bushell baskets with shit hot glued to them." When "collectibles" became a thing it was all beanie babies, NASCAR toys and baseball cards. I fucking hated it.
Correct. The moment they started labeling my boy as a nazi simply for trying to preserve his race, I stopped buying. Not that the mainstream books are any good these days anyways.
lol! My nephew went to that con. It’s all Pokémon cards, and Funko Pops. I saved entrance fee. I would rather wrestle a crocodile, then be surrounded by Funko Pops.
@@bushwacka5187 you've seen them. The cute action figure versions of pop culture characters, with big heads. Yeah, didn't know they were called Funko Pops then too.
On the flip side I went to a little collectors show just outside Newark and I managed to pick up a 1st edition copy of Deities & Demigods for an... Ok price.
Dude, they got me too. I spent $25 today to walk the floor for 15 minutes, go to the bathroom and leave. Only collectible cards and games. There was one line comic vendor and he had nothing priced. He checked on eBay if you wanted something. Waste of time and money. So I took an extra 30 minutes and went to Zapp comics.
You could have stayed longer. You decided to leave and now you are whining about it. Another drama queen who blames everyone but themselves. Grow up and own up to your actions.
GalaxyCon is routinely like this. You wait in line for 2.5hrs and by the time you get inside you're hungry so you have to wait in another line for food.
I live in Columbus Ohio. We have Buckeye Comic Con...$5 to get in...mostly dealers...no fancy guests. Only a couple of local artists. I enjoy going and end up spending more money than I do at the bigger cons. Best of all, I always feel like I got something I wanted at a great price. Maybe because I've gotten older, but I just don't enjoy the super large conventions anymore. I don't like crowds. I don't like going where all the prices are jacked up.
You couldnt pay me a $100 an hour to stand in a line like that, no comic con is worth that in my opinion. Id go to local flea markets or thrift stores then head back home, this is nuts.
@@garysmith1863 $100 or no pain, I choose no pain, paying money to watch a bunch of nerds dressed up like fictional characters and over priced books does not appeal to me.
I thought he had to be exaggerating about the line but nope, i admit I wrongly assessed that situation. Damn. What’s happening at the front of the line, and more importantly where’s the pot of gold.
Looking at that long line.....of hungry thirsty folk... Wondering how dumb the local taco truck owners must be..... Any ice cream vendors would have made a killing that day. I dread to think of the complete lack of toilet facilities alone.
I used to love going to comic book ( and science fiction ) conventions, but became disillusioned more than a decade ago when I noticed that these cons became less and less about actual comics and writers and more what I started to call media cons. The writers, and comic book artists became a side note as well as the panels dealing with actual comics creations or writing. And as I've discovered fans of comics and sf books are a different kind of fan than fans of media derived from comics and sf.
I used to go to 2 cons a month before Covid. Now I don't go to them at all, because my LCS has crazy warehouse sales every month, and I get 500 comics every month. I would get more if I had time to sort through them all.
You should see the line for the NYC Comic-Con at the Convention Center. You have to get there very early if you dont want to be stuck waiting in a 3 or 4 hour line. No one truly cares about the show in the NYC Con, it;s all jsut about cosplaying and walking around from booth to booth seeing how much free swag you can get and taking pictures. If you actually want ot buy comics youre better off just going directly to Mid Town Comics and opening up a pull list with them.
I’ve been there. At least the line is orderly and if you get there early enough you can wait inside and then it moves quite quickly when the show begins.
Something must have went wrong at admissions through the doors. Possibly not enough workers to handle the massive crowd to let them in efficiently. Whatever the reason, it’s clearly a major screwup by the organizers. I must confess that was an amazing turnout of people.
I have heard similar stuff at Wondercon and San Diego Comic-con - lots of wheezing old gasbags bloviating and whining about how the even does not cater to them. Well guess what Sunny Jim, the whole landscape has changed. Comics begat movies, TV show, video games, computer games, animation, toys, and made folks aware of anime, and manga. Toss in the comic book industry grenading itself means that fewer folks care about comics - especially Marvel and DC, and care more about the other stuff. I say this as a tasil-end boomer, and someone who began reading comics over 50 years ago. I have not bough any Marvel or DC in over3 decades. I have long preferred the indies, the small and mid-size press, and manga - loves me some Ninja High School. Oh yes, the other big change is demographics. 1999 Comic-con was skewed very male and very white. In 2024 there are far more women, and POC, and families - Hispanic, Black, Asian, Arabic, both as attendees and as artists, writers, producers of comics.
Sorry, if this is a dumb comment but I think comic books would be way more popular if they had more realistic stories - not superheroes only. I want to see the medium used to highlight good storytelling since we all need to read vs watch too much alt social media.
seeing that line. Would have just turned around and found a nice place for lunch. Ive not done any cons Anymore. I went to one when I moved South. Only reason was to meet Roy Thomas.
You dodged a bullet...I went today. Walked a half a mile from the car to the venue. There was only one comic vendor and then I found two or three other vendors that also had a few boxes. If you're a Pokemon fan, this was a great show (I think...), but not so much for comics.
I was there too on Saturday. The only reason I didn't turn away right away was because I arrived 30 minutes prior to opening and although there was still a line at that time, it was pretty manageable. It was a major disappointment for me as a comic collector, but wasn't a total loss since I had my kids with me and one of my boys was able to meet and take pics with his hero, Charles Martinet, the voice actor of Super Mario. But it most definitely was not a comic book convention.
I remember lines like that in San Diego Comicon. These are not comic book conventions any longer. I prefer the comic shows. Don't have too many of those in Kansas City, MO.
Last year I bought that book x-men 268 and a 9.8 CBCsS and was surprised for 72 bucks so will be keeping for now maybe in the future will sell it but now I will stay with it.
I love comics but some of these people need to stop reading for a little and go outside and walk or exercise. I really mean it. I care for their health genuinely in love.
The worst con I've been to was Rhode Island Comic Con. I only went for 1 day, because a friend with a booth asked me to go. Did have a lot of fun going, but the line to get in did take roughly an hour for me to get in. Some convention centers just lack the outside space for a good line setup and it is sad. The best con for comics I've been to has been Fan Expo Boston at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, which has a good space outside as well as indoors for the line. I've never seen a line down the street for it.
We have the Motor City Comic Con here. I went to my first one in 1999 and my last one was 2014. When I went to one, it was to meet an actor or actress from a tv show or movie I really like. Met a lot of really cool people in that 15- year time span, but never have I seen a line like that! Were they giving something away? Who or what was in there that all those people just had to get inside? If you were in the tail end of that line and if you were lucky, you might just make the last hour or so before the show ended. And I'm guessing this was also July? Standing out in that heat and sun is a good way to get sunstroke or just plain collapsing from heat exhaustion.
This is INSANE! Don’t they have advance sales, so people can walk in…like grownups?!? Wtaf? I remember 20+ years ago being turned away from a Star Trek con in king of Prussia because it was sold out. I was in shock! These events used to be a bunch of odd balls, you roll up, pay a few bucks, you’re in. Creation cons were always a hot mess, chaos, scheduling issues. Now it’s complete madness! Plus, I’m just not that interested anymore.
Consider yourself lucky there are any comic book shops in your state period! I live in Seattle and all of our comic shops have shut down... Pike Place comic shop never really counted as a Seattle comic book shop. Probably why it's the only one left.
WOW!!! Taylor Swift must have been there signing Uncanny X-Men #130! Yep, would NEVER stand in a line like that. Hate that you drove for an hour for nothing. I bet a LOT of folks sued for refunds. Glad you discovered a couple new comic shops.
Bronze you was in my neck of the woods....It's too hot to do the meadowlands flea market but I will return in the fall. I'm doing FB marketplace & mercari.
One way to tell that 268 is the barcode area. The original directs, I believe, had the standard spider-man head only as opposed to the 30 year anniversary. I realized that when I saw the same on my copy. Still needing a first print for my own collection. As for that line. That's just crazy! No chance I would have stayed for that. Ok, if they somehow brought Stan Lee back... maybe.
Wow! Are people that desperate that they'd wait in a line that long? And what about once they got inside? I'm sure it was so crowded that you couldn't even move. That's why I wish there were more shows that are just comic books, comic book artists and not various celebrities and other marginal stuff. No way would pay $40 just to look at comic books.
A few vendors I do work for cleaning and pressing their books for have had this issue as well with the host of the shows turning comic-cons into pop-culture. Which when this happens they stop signing up going as the people there aren’t looking to buy comics, but cards and just random stuff. But thankfully these same comic vendors have started getting together and starting their own true comic-cons with 90% comics and 10% random stuff. They have found that being comic people it’s easier for them to promote and set it up as a group that for 1 guy who is all only interested in making money to set it up and screw them out of making money.
Ha! Do you want to see looong lines? Try DragonCon in Atlanta Georgia. Imagine lines like the one you saw, for every individual event! Worse, you have to walk like five blocks to get to each event because it’s spread out so huge! I gave up going there and I call it Drag-your-feet-Con.
That queue looks fun...not! I love all those people dressed up with nowhere to go. We're lucky to have The Forbidden Planet in London for our comic book needs.
I went to a ToyXpo in Sacramento, CA last year and most of what the vendors were selling were Hot Wheels cars. Best thing were Frank Welker and Peter Cullen were signing and photo-ops for one time and met them. I waited over 6 hours in lines for autographs and photo ops with Peter and Frank. Other celebs were there too. Heroes’ World looks cool comics shop like my friend’s LCS. Glad you rebounded after leaving that con. I’m set for SF FanExpo this year after last year’s. And I’m still trying to get into SDCC.
I went, it really was all pokemon cards and funko pops. I wasn't really disappointed even though I'm not into cards because it literally said on their website that it's a card convention lol. I only went for the guest actors.
I feel tired just watching the video! The $40 would have been a nope from me as well. Not that I don’t think the organizers and staff deserve to get paid, but I’m just not the target audience for these kinds of shows. Nice find with the 268!
My guess is 90% of those folks standing in line are not there for the comics. More likely they are there for the cosplay or to meet their favorite Anime voice actors. That's what I see lately at my local "comic cons". I notice that starting from last year... some started renaming themselves "Pop Cons" or "Anime Cons".
I ran into a line like that at Philadelphia ComicFest 1993. My dad drove my friend and I to it … then we saw the line … and then we left! And we missed Peter David arguing with Todd McFarlane …!
I remember going to Creation cons in NYC back as far back as 1980. There were maybe a few hundred people there. Fandom was something of an elite cadre back then.
Yeah, if I hadn't paid the $40 in advance, I would have skipped it too. Used Google Maps' "Measure Distance" feature, and based on what I could see in the video (and a degree of assumption), the line was about 2,530 feet or just shy of a half mile. Absolutely nuts! Drive-In movie?? Awesome! Love a good drive-in!
Wow ! the actual end of the line. Organization looks like it needs some help. Dont blame you for bailing. In reality, i would never have even gone to that show..from the website it looks like mostly anime, pokemon, game.. those typically don't have many silver age comic books.
Went to Silicon with Adam Savage in San Jose. There were supposed to be several comic dealers. Turned out there was one. Bought a few books just to support them for actually appearing, but what s disappointment.
Wow! That was a terrible lineup! I would have turned back too. If you ever come Canada way, try making the CK Expo. They've had ten in about 11 years (missed one I think for Covid). I've made most of them. This last one I even made it into the Artist's Alley. I did well, making about a day's pay had I worked that day. Met lots of indie artist/comic people. Some letterers and colorists you would have heard of, but mostly indie. It was about half cosplay and half comics, and you could feel the division, however the comic half was so strong that if you were there for comics you were busy. They had typical cards there, but also people selling the card packages from 70s and 80s movies too. I think they had ten comic vendors, two local, 8 out of town. A great variety. One dealer even had a box of underground comics! Underground comics are hard to find in Canada as they mostly were distributed in the US and never made it over the border. I even found my Corben 'grail', a first printing of Rowlf! And I got my kid's Near Dark Blu-Ray signed by Jenette Goldstein. I got a bunch of stuff for myself from Janus Blythe and her sig on my Incredible Melting Man Blu-Ray. The comics, the cosplay, the gaming, was all in balance and the show was very well organized. Your video of just how poorly a con can be made me appreciate my good con experiences even more. And I only talked about last year's!
I went to a “Collectacon” in another town and found it disappointing. Mostly card traders, long lines for voice actors (I came to see one of them), but the prices were lower and no line to enter the venue. Would not do this brand of con again.
Pals & I go to Steel City Con near PGH... had lines like that! Maybe not quite a mile. Last time they created a dome to stash their Celeb guests that ate-up half their parking... Had to walk a fair distance instead being near the door, as we used to do!! Also lost out on the early half hour entrance b/c the longish lines!!
places like megacon have a line shorter than this....AND ITS ONE OF THE BIGGEST... i would never wait in that for a place most likley not selling nearley as much comics as they do funkos figures and other stuff.
@@whitebeans3557 yea but parking (if you can get it) can take up to 2 and a half hours in some cases and really everything depends on what day you go. If you go on a Saturday forget it.
I went to a toy show there a year or 2 ago, I know it is a very big building enough to have multiple shows there when I went it was the toy show and 1 more event, so it has the ability to be a big set up… the line for us to get in was big but no where near a line like that… the only thing I can think is there might have been some celebrity personalities added that people really wanted to see??? But I am in agreement with you no way no how am I waiting on a line like that
Wow! That line was ridiculous! Was that the line to get a million dollars for free or what? What in the heck was going on there that could possibly be worth that wait?
We need a revival of the old-school small show comic book exclusive shows. I'm certain with targeted Facebook advertisement that attendance would be just fine. I for one am tired if the "pop culture"/ cosplay cons...
Good call! Route 110 has been good to me as a local Long Island, NY show. I always skip pop culture-ish shows. I actually saw you today at Route 110 talking to Street Side Anthony. Have a great Sunday/week 👍🏼👍🏼
it was the NJ expo center and it was a complete mess.....apparently the line was like that all day, and up the street even today...they even denied entrance to a lot of people because of max capacity, so those people waited even longer...really only wanted to get Ray Park on X-Men mini poster, but I couldn't see waiting in that line for hours and hours. Only one door in and everyone had to be checked by security...sounds like it was mostly Pokemon cards too..never made it in, and I feel bad for the people who paid and didn't make it in.....
Been to two Cons over several years. Mostly to help work shifts Of a table of my Sci fi club. I've never seen anything like what you show in this video. Seriously who organized this? Where was this held? What was the capacity? This is sheer lunacy.
You made the right choice! I would have done the same. I think it's time to quit calling these comic cons and start calling them pop culture cons! It's been decades since I've been to a con that has just comic books. I miss those days. Only cost around $5 bucks to get in back then.
@@dlv0187 we still have a lot of those shows in my area. Went to one today with a $5 entry fee. That video will be Tuesday.
Heroes con in Charlotte North Carolina is a true comic book show, that's the one to go to if you are a comic collector and not into the pop culture and cosplay junk.
Why are there always so many fat people? 😂
i go to 2-3 small shows every month in nj. 100% comics and nothing else
To be fair this wasn’t called a “comic con” It was called Collect-a-con
The problem is that there are very few fans of comic books left anymore. Western comics basically destroyed their audience.
Thats what happens when a bunch of woke activist hijack the industry. Manga is where its at these days.
Not really pertaining to this man's video, but to add to your "Western comics" comment; Yea they let the wrong people into the business and gave them too much power as well. Letting extreme activist types take over any business is as dumb as hiring felons to run your business. It just never ends well. Like we're seeing in so many mediums and businesses today.
Plus the advertising and others taking over these cons and making them their own when they're not even into comics is just as harmful.
You are right
I have a similar but not the same experience. There used to be a summer event in my hometown where the downtown became a giant flea market where people sold the most incredible antiques and curios. But in the 80s the "crafting' craze hit and it went from being a legit flea market with awesome, genuinely old and valuable items to 50 stalls selling the same " bushell baskets with shit hot glued to them." When "collectibles" became a thing it was all beanie babies, NASCAR toys and baseball cards.
I fucking hated it.
Correct. The moment they started labeling my boy as a nazi simply for trying to preserve his race, I stopped buying. Not that the mainstream books are any good these days anyways.
lol! My nephew went to that con. It’s all Pokémon cards, and Funko Pops. I saved entrance fee. I would rather wrestle a crocodile, then be surrounded by Funko Pops.
U, me BOTH!!UGH!
Yeah, it ain't comic shops anymore too. It's a funko pop store that has some comics and action figures.
What's Funko Pop? Sounds like something I should hate lol.
@@bushwacka5187 you've seen them. The cute action figure versions of pop culture characters, with big heads. Yeah, didn't know they were called Funko Pops then too.
On the flip side I went to a little collectors show just outside Newark and I managed to pick up a 1st edition copy of Deities & Demigods for an... Ok price.
That is an insane line, I would have bailed as well. I have no energy to wait in lines like that anymore.
Good show to sell at though maybe if it gets that kind of crowd.
pop-comics - ✌🖖
Dude, they got me too. I spent $25 today to walk the floor for 15 minutes, go to the bathroom and leave. Only collectible cards and games. There was one line comic vendor and he had nothing priced. He checked on eBay if you wanted something. Waste of time and money. So I took an extra 30 minutes and went to Zapp comics.
@@oldmanlogan8904 I was thinking of hitting up Zapp but ran out of time.
There are people like that in every business
You could have stayed longer. You decided to leave and now you are whining about it. Another drama queen who blames everyone but themselves. Grow up and own up to your actions.
I grew up going to Zapp comics. Moved away decades ago. I still remember their TV ad. Glad to know they’re still going!
GalaxyCon is routinely like this. You wait in line for 2.5hrs and by the time you get inside you're hungry so you have to wait in another line for food.
Crazy to see how many nerds exist and have nothing better to do than wait on that crazy line..😮
That why you can’t go wrong with old school comic shows like Clifton and Route 110. Thank you for the upload Jim.
I live in Columbus Ohio. We have Buckeye Comic Con...$5 to get in...mostly dealers...no fancy guests. Only a couple of local artists. I enjoy going and end up spending more money than I do at the bigger cons. Best of all, I always feel like I got something I wanted at a great price. Maybe because I've gotten older, but I just don't enjoy the super large conventions anymore. I don't like crowds. I don't like going where all the prices are jacked up.
You couldnt pay me a $100 an hour to stand in a line like that, no comic con is worth that in my opinion. Id go to local flea markets or thrift stores then head back home, this is nuts.
Not for $100 an hour? GET REAL
@@garysmith1863 $100 or no pain, I choose no pain, paying money to watch a bunch of nerds dressed up like fictional characters and over priced books does not appeal to me.
Yep, it's official. That's every nerd in America.
Looks like a business opportunity; load up a cart with water and sodas for $1 each and walk along the line collecting dollar bills.
Chuck Noris was a guest. There is your answer .
“Be punched by Chuck Norris - $50”
No, the comic-con was Chuck Norris' guest.
you chose wisely. from what i gathered, 99% of the show was GRADED POKEMON.
I thought he had to be exaggerating about the line but nope, i admit I wrongly assessed that situation. Damn. What’s happening at the front of the line, and more importantly where’s the pot of gold.
Looking at that long line.....of hungry thirsty folk...
Wondering how dumb the local taco truck owners must be.....
Any ice cream vendors would have made a killing that day.
I dread to think of the complete lack of toilet facilities alone.
Nope...would never wait in a line like that ...the YO YO PROMOTERS obviously need a bigger venue !!
100% in the NFW category
I used to love going to comic book ( and science fiction ) conventions, but became disillusioned more than a decade ago when I noticed that these cons became less and less about actual comics and writers and more what I started to call media cons. The writers, and comic book artists became a side note as well as the panels dealing with actual comics creations or writing. And as I've discovered fans of comics and sf books are a different kind of fan than fans of media derived from comics and sf.
I used to go to 2 cons a month before Covid. Now I don't go to them at all, because my LCS has crazy warehouse sales every month, and I get 500 comics every month. I would get more if I had time to sort through them all.
Where do you even put 500 comics every month? Dude it's time to admit you have a problem...
Lol, not in a million years would I get in that line.
Back in the 80s the Chicago con was a comic con. 90% comics, some toys and writers and artists. Now I'm told it's a mess too.
You should see the line for the NYC Comic-Con at the Convention Center. You have to get there very early if you dont want to be stuck waiting in a 3 or 4 hour line. No one truly cares about the show in the NYC Con, it;s all jsut about cosplaying and walking around from booth to booth seeing how much free swag you can get and taking pictures. If you actually want ot buy comics youre better off just going directly to Mid Town Comics and opening up a pull list with them.
I’ve been there. At least the line is orderly and if you get there early enough you can wait inside and then it moves quite quickly when the show begins.
What the actual f!!?? Like was Stan lee’s body there ? Who would stand in this line that’s unreal.
Something must have went wrong at admissions through the doors. Possibly not enough workers to handle the massive crowd to let them in efficiently. Whatever the reason, it’s clearly a major screwup by the organizers. I must confess that was an amazing turnout of people.
Looks like the march of the fat zombies!
I have heard similar stuff at Wondercon and San Diego Comic-con - lots of wheezing old gasbags bloviating and whining about how the even does not cater to them. Well guess what Sunny Jim, the whole landscape has changed. Comics begat movies, TV show, video games, computer games, animation, toys, and made folks aware of anime, and manga. Toss in the comic book industry grenading itself means that fewer folks care about comics - especially Marvel and DC, and care more about the other stuff.
I say this as a tasil-end boomer, and someone who began reading comics over 50 years ago. I have not bough any Marvel or DC in over3 decades. I have long preferred the indies, the small and mid-size press, and manga - loves me some Ninja High School.
Oh yes, the other big change is demographics. 1999 Comic-con was skewed very male and very white. In 2024 there are far more women, and POC, and families - Hispanic, Black, Asian, Arabic, both as attendees and as artists, writers, producers of comics.
Sorry, if this is a dumb comment but I think comic books would be way more popular if they had more realistic stories - not superheroes only.
I want to see the medium used to highlight good storytelling since we all need to read vs watch too much alt social media.
🤡
seeing that line. Would have just turned around and found a nice place for lunch. Ive not done any cons Anymore. I went to one when I moved South. Only reason was to meet Roy Thomas.
I don't think you missed much. Looks like it was mostly anime and people there to see the voice actors etc.
You dodged a bullet...I went today. Walked a half a mile from the car to the venue. There was only one comic vendor and then I found two or three other vendors that also had a few boxes. If you're a Pokemon fan, this was a great show (I think...), but not so much for comics.
@@Matt-ge8vw thanks for the feedback.
I see! Those people are lined up like they're hungry. Looks like the town came out.
I don't go to large cons anymore. I will go to small ones, small ones actually has comics.
That has to EASILY be over 1000 people in line an HOUR + after being open already. Ridiculous.
I was there too on Saturday. The only reason I didn't turn away right away was because I arrived 30 minutes prior to opening and although there was still a line at that time, it was pretty manageable. It was a major disappointment for me as a comic collector, but wasn't a total loss since I had my kids with me and one of my boys was able to meet and take pics with his hero, Charles Martinet, the voice actor of Super Mario. But it most definitely was not a comic book convention.
I remember lines like that in San Diego Comicon. These are not comic book conventions any longer. I prefer the comic shows. Don't have too many of those in Kansas City, MO.
Yea I would have noped out of that the minute I saw that line.
Last year I bought that book x-men 268 and a 9.8 CBCsS and was surprised for 72 bucks so will be keeping for now maybe in the future will sell it but now I will stay with it.
I love comics but some of these people need to stop reading for a little and go outside and walk or exercise. I really mean it. I care for their health genuinely in love.
Jajajaja no digas blows jobs Mary jaine
99% of new comics are just propaganda first, story -maybe- second
The worst con I've been to was Rhode Island Comic Con. I only went for 1 day, because a friend with a booth asked me to go. Did have a lot of fun going, but the line to get in did take roughly an hour for me to get in. Some convention centers just lack the outside space for a good line setup and it is sad. The best con for comics I've been to has been Fan Expo Boston at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, which has a good space outside as well as indoors for the line. I've never seen a line down the street for it.
NOTHING is worth such a long line.
get in the car and get the hell outtathere .
best decision ever .
We have the Motor City Comic Con here. I went to my first one in 1999 and my last one was 2014. When I went to one, it was to meet an actor or actress from a tv show or movie I really like. Met a lot of really cool people in that 15- year time span, but never have I seen a line like that! Were they giving something away? Who or what was in there that all those people just had to get inside? If you were in the tail end of that line and if you were lucky, you might just make the last hour or so before the show ended. And I'm guessing this was also July? Standing out in that heat and sun is a good way to get sunstroke or just plain collapsing from heat exhaustion.
All those people and hardly anyone dressed up. 🙄
This is INSANE! Don’t they have advance sales, so people can walk in…like grownups?!? Wtaf?
I remember 20+ years ago being turned away from a Star Trek con in king of Prussia because it was sold out. I was in shock!
These events used to be a bunch of odd balls, you roll up, pay a few bucks, you’re in. Creation cons were always a hot mess, chaos, scheduling issues.
Now it’s complete madness!
Plus, I’m just not that interested anymore.
Consider yourself lucky there are any comic book shops in your state period! I live in Seattle and all of our comic shops have shut down...
Pike Place comic shop never really counted as a Seattle comic book shop. Probably why it's the only one left.
There's Everett Comics in downtown Everett and Subspace Comics across from Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, Great stores both of them.
Yikes! I'm getting too old for that kinda thing. I got Helen Slater to autograph a pic for me back in 2018, so I'm good. I can die a happy man. 😅
how long is the line if you show up 4 hours after opening?
Wow, that line isn’t worth it.😮
WOW!!! Taylor Swift must have been there signing Uncanny X-Men #130! Yep, would NEVER stand in a line like that. Hate that you drove for an hour for nothing. I bet a LOT of folks sued for refunds. Glad you discovered a couple new comic shops.
Oh, my God, Dazzler Swift! You win for comment of the Summer! 🏆😂
@@captainfantastic9158That would be an awesome mashup.
Bronze you was in my neck of the woods....It's too hot to do the meadowlands flea market but I will return in the fall. I'm doing FB marketplace & mercari.
One way to tell that 268 is the barcode area. The original directs, I believe, had the standard spider-man head only as opposed to the 30 year anniversary. I realized that when I saw the same on my copy. Still needing a first print for my own collection.
As for that line. That's just crazy! No chance I would have stayed for that. Ok, if they somehow brought Stan Lee back... maybe.
The Great Humungus feels your pain. I would have walked away too
Wow! Are people that desperate that they'd wait in a line that long? And what about once they got inside? I'm sure it was so crowded that you couldn't even move. That's why I wish there were more shows that are just comic books, comic book artists and not various celebrities and other marginal stuff. No way would pay $40 just to look at comic books.
Same. $40 would cover my pull list most weeks with some left over
A few vendors I do work for cleaning and pressing their books for have had this issue as well with the host of the shows turning comic-cons into pop-culture.
Which when this happens they stop signing up going as the people there aren’t looking to buy comics, but cards and just random stuff. But thankfully these same comic vendors have started getting together and starting their own true comic-cons with 90% comics and 10% random stuff.
They have found that being comic people it’s easier for them to promote and set it up as a group that for 1 guy who is all only interested in making money to set it up and screw them out of making money.
That’s crazy line longer than nycc
Hopefully you didn't buy the ticket ahead of time before seeing that line. I'd be like NOPE too..
Ha! Do you want to see looong lines? Try DragonCon in Atlanta Georgia. Imagine lines like the one you saw, for every individual event! Worse, you have to walk like five blocks to get to each event because it’s spread out so huge! I gave up going there and I call it Drag-your-feet-Con.
I've never been to a con. I've considered going. Thank you for helping me make my decision to stay far, far away.
When it gets like this at SDCC / San Diego Comic Con, the fire marshall steps in to control numbers / access.
That queue looks fun...not! I love all those people dressed up with nowhere to go. We're lucky to have The Forbidden Planet in London for our comic book needs.
I went to a ToyXpo in Sacramento, CA last year and most of what the vendors were selling were Hot Wheels cars. Best thing were Frank Welker and Peter Cullen were signing and photo-ops for one time and met them. I waited over 6 hours in lines for autographs and photo ops with Peter and Frank. Other celebs were there too. Heroes’ World looks cool comics shop like my friend’s LCS. Glad you rebounded after leaving that con. I’m set for SF FanExpo this year after last year’s. And I’m still trying to get into SDCC.
I went, it really was all pokemon cards and funko pops. I wasn't really disappointed even though I'm not into cards because it literally said on their website that it's a card convention lol. I only went for the guest actors.
😂😂😂 I would’ve been so pissed.. Good thing the comic stores were better anyway.
Yeah, Collect-a-Con is mainly a TCG show as others probably noted.
Worst money ever spent.
I feel tired just watching the video! The $40 would have been a nope from me as well. Not that I don’t think the organizers and staff deserve to get paid, but I’m just not the target audience for these kinds of shows.
Nice find with the 268!
My guess is 90% of those folks standing in line are not there for the comics. More likely they are there for the cosplay or to meet their favorite Anime voice actors.
That's what I see lately at my local "comic cons". I notice that starting from last year... some started renaming themselves "Pop Cons" or "Anime Cons".
yeah thats 100% an anime crowd
I ran into a line like that at Philadelphia ComicFest 1993. My dad drove my friend and I to it … then we saw the line … and then we left! And we missed Peter David arguing with Todd McFarlane …!
San Diego Comic Con is this week there long lines. and 365 now. you have get oct or nov before sell.
Sheesh. That line gave me flashbacks to waiting 2 hours to ride Back to the Future in the 90s.
But at least I got a fun ride out of it.
I remember going to Creation cons in NYC back as far back as 1980. There were maybe a few hundred people there. Fandom was something of an elite cadre back then.
"KAHNnnnnn! KAHNNNNNNNNnnnnn!".
Crazy. Not enough people on the doors? Tiny doors?
Why are they standing in the road? You can obviously see there is plenty of room to stand on the grass.
Was this the first time for the organizers? It looks horrible. The last in line will get inside right before closing time.
Yeah, if I hadn't paid the $40 in advance, I would have skipped it too. Used Google Maps' "Measure Distance" feature, and based on what I could see in the video (and a degree of assumption), the line was about 2,530 feet or just shy of a half mile. Absolutely nuts!
Drive-In movie?? Awesome! Love a good drive-in!
Wow ! the actual end of the line.
Organization looks like it needs some help. Dont blame you for bailing. In reality, i would never have even gone to
that show..from the website it looks like mostly anime, pokemon, game.. those typically don't have many silver age
comic books.
Went to Silicon with Adam Savage in San Jose. There were supposed to be several comic dealers. Turned out there was one. Bought a few books just to support them for actually appearing, but what s disappointment.
Wow! That was a terrible lineup! I would have turned back too. If you ever come Canada way, try making the CK Expo. They've had ten in about 11 years (missed one I think for Covid). I've made most of them. This last one I even made it into the Artist's Alley. I did well, making about a day's pay had I worked that day. Met lots of indie artist/comic people. Some letterers and colorists you would have heard of, but mostly indie. It was about half cosplay and half comics, and you could feel the division, however the comic half was so strong that if you were there for comics you were busy. They had typical cards there, but also people selling the card packages from 70s and 80s movies too. I think they had ten comic vendors, two local, 8 out of town. A great variety. One dealer even had a box of underground comics! Underground comics are hard to find in Canada as they mostly were distributed in the US and never made it over the border. I even found my Corben 'grail', a first printing of Rowlf! And I got my kid's Near Dark Blu-Ray signed by Jenette Goldstein. I got a bunch of stuff for myself from Janus Blythe and her sig on my Incredible Melting Man Blu-Ray. The comics, the cosplay, the gaming, was all in balance and the show was very well organized. Your video of just how poorly a con can be made me appreciate my good con experiences even more. And I only talked about last year's!
God, I hate lines. That was a good move to turn around, Jim.
I went to a “Collectacon” in another town and found it disappointing. Mostly card traders, long lines for voice actors (I came to see one of them), but the prices were lower and no line to enter the venue. Would not do this brand of con again.
Pals & I go to Steel City Con near PGH... had lines like that! Maybe not quite a mile. Last time they created a dome to stash their Celeb guests that ate-up half their parking... Had to walk a fair distance instead being near the door, as we used to do!! Also lost out on the early half hour entrance b/c the longish lines!!
I am also a fan of jc comics being from nj. What comic shows are ya going to this summer?
places like megacon have a line shorter than this....AND ITS ONE OF THE BIGGEST... i would never wait in that for a place most likley not selling nearley as much comics as they do funkos figures and other stuff.
I’ve been stuck in some long lines trying to get into Megacon similar to this…
@@TheSpawn67 well idk where you been cause the lines may be long but nowhere near the person per minute as this they move fast
@@whitebeans3557 yea but parking (if you can get it) can take up to 2 and a half hours in some cases and really everything depends on what day you go. If you go on a Saturday forget it.
They had a good amount of stars there dude, what the hell were you expecting 😅😅
Is your (brain?) numb?
I have been in shorter lines at New York comic con. AND. the temp was on the high 80s last weekend
I went to a toy show there a year or 2 ago, I know it is a very big building enough to have multiple shows there when I went it was the toy show and 1 more event, so it has the ability to be a big set up… the line for us to get in was big but no where near a line like that… the only thing I can think is there might have been some celebrity personalities added that people really wanted to see??? But I am in agreement with you no way no how am I waiting on a line like that
Wow! That line was ridiculous! Was that the line to get a million dollars for free or what? What in the heck was going on there that could possibly be worth that wait?
🦁i been there years ago for a model train show but it wasnt like that. you did the right thing for leaving. no way i was waiting on that line. 🦁
Line will disappear after it opens. I'd just wait for the line to go away.
Never seen anything like that either
We need a revival of the old-school small show comic book exclusive shows. I'm certain with targeted Facebook advertisement that attendance would be just fine. I for one am tired if the "pop culture"/ cosplay cons...
Good call! Route 110 has been good to me as a local Long Island, NY show. I always skip pop culture-ish shows. I actually saw you today at Route 110 talking to Street Side Anthony. Have a great Sunday/week 👍🏼👍🏼
Don''t they market Collect-a-con as a trading card and anime convention? I don't think comics are even in their images on their websites
@@Undeadmuppet they listed it as things vendors had. I should have gone to Queens.
“Easily a mile long”, and I think, “No way”. Watches video….. omg. That’s easily over a mile. That is wild!
I spent a fortune at JC back in the 90s buying Valiant comics. 😢 I should go back and buy something good.
Looks like the line for the vendor hall at DragonCon.
Could have made a fortune selling soy food by the looks of those line holders. 😂
it was the NJ expo center and it was a complete mess.....apparently the line was like that all day, and up the street even today...they even denied entrance to a lot of people because of max capacity, so those people waited even longer...really only wanted to get Ray Park on X-Men mini poster, but I couldn't see waiting in that line for hours and hours. Only one door in and everyone had to be checked by security...sounds like it was mostly Pokemon cards too..never made it in, and I feel bad for the people who paid and didn't make it in.....
Been to two Cons over several years.
Mostly to help work shifts
Of a table of my Sci fi club.
I've never seen anything like what you show in this video.
Seriously who organized this?
Where was this held?
What was the capacity?
This is sheer lunacy.
Slowly going through the line didn't add value to the video.
I love seeing the diversity in this crowd 😊😊