DCON?

Discussion in 'Muton's Minute' started by leili, Sep 7, 2015.

  1. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    DCON?
    @BleedingEdges Oh, you make Bearrito! I’ve yet to meet you in person, but Amy talks highly about you! I’ll have to stop by and introduce myself this year!

    @eckotyper and @jvles I’m gonna check out both those spots for coffee DCon weekend, too. Can never have too many solid coffee recommendations!
     
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  2. bryce_r

    bryce_r Die-Cast

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    DCON?
    Very happy that DCON has surpassed SDCC. Congrats to the true artists.
     
  3. nothisisluke

    nothisisluke Toy Prince

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    DCON?
    Glad they put sour lemon and Paul kaiju next to each other. I'll likely be spending all day Saturday in that corner.

    Still enough artists that I'll grab the two day pass, but not enough to justify the vip.
     
  4. Bill

    Bill Fresh Meat

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    DCON?
    Picked up VIP passes for me and my girl, I was already planning on taking work off on Friday so I figured I might as well go to the preview night
     
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  5. animator

    animator Mr. Freshly Smacked Ass Staff Member

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    DCON?
    MVP status, is this a joke? I wish it was. Mark Hamill Pops for everyone!

    There have been a lot of little things that have pushed Dcon away from being the individual designers, toymakers, and artists con. I think this is just another 1 of those things. It's a cash grab and makes Dcon feel like every other convention that has become bloated and overcrowded. I can't really blame them and there will always be a place for individual/smaller artists at every con. It's just disheartening as Dcon was made successful by these type of individuals who seem to have been mostly forgotten and replaced by Medicom or Funko. The addition of an Artist Alley type area, with smaller and more affordable booths, only reinforces this idea. I still love Dcon, I'm just worried for its future and what exhibitors will stick around.

    Looking back to SDCC around 2009 is kinda where I see Dcon right now. Tons of vendors I collect. Almost everyone I know who collects toys is attending. Then jump to 2014-15 SDCC and there's a huge drop off. All the toys I collect are gone, or have offsite events. No one comes out anymore(myself included), except to those offsite events. I'm sure this has all been said before, and I know we're the minority. It's just tough to see something so good change into something I question going to. But when it all comes down to it, yes I'll be there as a vendor again.
     
  6. Roger

    Roger Vintage

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  7. nicholasfung

    nicholasfung Toy Prince

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    DCON?
    I 100% agree. It's in early stages of becoming the size of SDCC.

    In the latest Marsham Toy Hour, Ben is a guest and talks about this year's plans and addresses the whole Funko debacle.
    I still think he's Everything that has been posted publicly, and what he's saying on the podcast is saying, Funko is here to stay and they're just trying to make DCON bigger.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2019
  8. Anti Social Andy

    Anti Social Andy Die-Cast

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    DCON?
    Bigger doesn't alway mean better!
     
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  9. nicholasfung

    nicholasfung Toy Prince

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    DCON?
    EXACTLYYYY.
    He's making it sound like their hands are tied, that they needs to fill the space.
    Larger displays, booths, and demos isn't what made DCON special, it was the toy community.

    And it's not misinformation, DCON is purposely dodging the fact they're the ones who said Funko won't be at the DCON, and they're backpedaling. "We never said Funko would never be at the show... Also they'll be at the show."
     
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  10. foto junkaay

    foto junkaay Addicted

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    DCON?
    To be fair, funko was there last year but they didn’t sell oops. They sold those cereal box things. They were originally told they could not attend, but funko reaches out and said they wanted to so Ben said they could as long as they didn’t sell pops.
     
  11. Roger

    Roger Vintage

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    DCON?
    I want to listen to the podcast but can someone please give me a Reader's Digest on why Funko being involved caused problems with last year's show? Thanks.
     
  12. 3wing

    3wing Addicted

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    DCON?
    there were lines and lame funko stuff but, i can't remember. I think just because so many of us hate POP figures. RIP Hastings.
     
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  13. animator

    animator Mr. Freshly Smacked Ass Staff Member

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    DCON?
    Sorry, this is my second long post in a short time on this thread.

    I don't think Funko, Medicom, or anyone caused a problem at the show. I think the issue is Dcon started as a show for Designers, mostly individuals and small companies, to show off, sell, and grow their brand. Having these big, corporate, companies involved diminishes this. At the same time Vendor and exhibitor prices continue to rise each year.

    I understand that more people are attracted to the con because of Funko, which means more potential buyers for other items. I don't see this outweighing the longer lines and raised prices due to more people being attracted to the con. Comparing it to SDCC is the best example we can make. Smaller businesses and individuals(not just toymakers), were forced out due to rising costs or larger companies having a bigger audience pull which took precedence. I understand that this is how consumerism works, but I don't think a con should be solely focused on consumerism. Most cons start out as a passion project to create an experience for a select audience. As a con grows that gets diluted, but I think the creators of the con can control the direction things go with who they let exhibit.

    As of right now, Dcon is still pretty great. It is massive, lots of people attend, and there are smaller pockets of toys/prints/merch for everyone. What I think everyone fears is Funko, Medicom, etc moving in and taking over. Medicom had a massive line last year, and lots of money went to that line. Whether people would have spent this money elsewhere is in question. More importantly does Medicom need to be at a con to expand their brand or is it just a big cash grab for them.
     
  14. nicholasfung

    nicholasfung Toy Prince

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    DCON?
    Agreed. I don't think Funko or Medicom is a make/break for the show. I genuinely enjoyed Medicom's presence and their booth (although I didn't buy anything from them). Obviously I'm biased, but seeing a giant booth for cereal, and everyone carrying around giant Funko bags with cardboard cereal spoons just screamed "I'm a flipper", and is not too far off from the crowds at SDCC or NYCC.

    SDCC is a perfect example of how local and non-local comicbook stores can no longer afford a booth or table. And if it wasn't about the money, you have several artists around the world not returning to DCON because they can sense the change that's coming.

    When you think DCON, do you think Mark Hamill Pop Vinyls and Chevy Metal live? I certainly don't, I'm there to spend the weekend with friends I don't see very often. I understand the consumerism and profit side of the show, but it doesn't mean I, or anyone that's attending, have to enjoy that part.
     
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  15. eckotyper

    eckotyper Post Pimp

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    DCON?
    mind you this is last year leading up to dcon when ben spilled Funko was coming.

    https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-gi6yu-95bb77
    22:00
    "We've had to turn down certain vendors not because they didn't carry cool products but its just because their products don't fit into our demographic"

    39:00
    " I got a vendor request from Funko, and Funko wanted to be a vendor, and my reaction was of course no. There's no way i'm going to let Funko into the show. I don't want a Funko booth I don't want pop vinyl being like this huge booth selling pop vinyl where there is massive lines and that stuff, and I was just like no, This is not going to happen at Dcon "

    50:00
    " This is a completely different product, There's going to be no pop vinyl being sold, this is completely different aspect this is something fun for the collectors"
     
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  16. Madmax405

    Madmax405 Addicted

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    DCON?
    For the life of me I can't wrap my head around how those "cereal box" things are "completely different" from Pops.
    Aren't they basically the same thing in a different package?

    It's just blowing smoke...
     
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  17. eckotyper

    eckotyper Post Pimp

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    DCON?
    I'm looking for the fan made video they spoke about on the current episode. anyone got a link? lol
     
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  18. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    DCON?
    “Their products don’t fit into our demographic.”

    Products/booths that didn’t fit the demographic was a pretty big portion of DCon last year.
     
  19. eckotyper

    eckotyper Post Pimp

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    DCON?
    I just don't see why we need this much space still in my opinion. The aisles were about 15 feet wide? I know it sounds like we are just bickering and bitchy.
     
  20. Roger

    Roger Vintage

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    DCON?
    Thanks for the context, everyone.

    In the early aughts I went to quite a few SDCCs and enjoyed it because it was a place to see small-scale vendors and artists, but it gradually got more commercialized and the independent stuff started taking a back seat to whatever the big studios and networks were pushing. I think the last year I went was the year they were pushing Snakes on a Plane. After I stopped going I would see panel announcements for shows like Glee and realized that I made the right choice to skip.

    It sounds like D-Con is at risk for something similar happening, which is too bad. I'm looking forward to experiencing it, anyway.
     
  21. eckotyper

    eckotyper Post Pimp

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    DCON?
    Well... Funko isn't having a booth this year. just pop is an exclusive, incentive offer for purchasing vip
    VIP($70) you are offered a chance to pre order a mark hammil pop for $40
    with the MVP ($200) you get 2 exclusive Hammils pops with badge.

    It seems like a cash cow regardless if Funko has a booth or not by pushing the pops. I'll still be there. mainly for a few artists/booths, and mostly for the hangs with friends. That's really nothing against Pop... I have a few. but I will never run down that rabbit hole of chasing them to have a wallful. I usually open them violently too and careless about the box. there are people who look for the littlest dent,imperfection in the box to cry about. that doesnt seem fun.
     
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  22. animator

    animator Mr. Freshly Smacked Ass Staff Member

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    DCON?

    I wonder what changed between last year and this year. This year there will be Mark Hamill pops for everyone!
     
  23. 3wing

    3wing Addicted

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    DCON?
    As a comic creator, SDCC and what we now call "Pop Culture Cons" got bad when Grey Area Fan Prints and Movie Stars got involved.
    I think the Pin alley is akin to the Comic print issue. If you dont own the IP and it's not satire GTFO.
    I was bummed when i went last year and Saw Terry Huddleson's 45 ft wall of fan prints.
    That's not design and barely art... It's fucking insincere.
    Once something goes outside of its realm, then it becomes threatening to the creators who give up so much to be a part of the scene.
    A lot of issues can be thinned down to bad curation and grabs at having booths filled.
    I'm not a fan of the BIGGER IS BETTER mentality. Just because someone wants to show... shouldn't mean they get to.
    I don't see funko as much of a threat, as I do ignorant people being lazy, and bad show curation.
    I do understand dude's got to put asses in seats.
     
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  24. foto junkaay

    foto junkaay Addicted

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    DCON?
    Ben only has a two year contract for the convention center unless he decided to never go back to Pasadena again...
     
  25. nicholasfung

    nicholasfung Toy Prince

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    DCON?
     
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