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NEWS > ENTERTAINMENT > FANS COMPLAINING THAT COMIC CON BECOMING TOO SOCIAL
FANS COMPLAINING THAT COMIC CON BECOMING TOO SOCIAL
July 24 2010
San Diego, CA – There was a period in the 1970’s when it appeared that comic books were about to become a major cultural force. A combination of more complex storytelling in mainstream books, the rise of underground comics, and artistic works 
such as ‘Maus’ took the form from children’s hands and put them into the libraries of adults. By the 1980’s seminal works had been produced. Pieces like ‘Watchmen’ and the aforementioned ‘Maus’ (a Pulitzer Prize winner) had pushed the medium to all new creative heights, but by that time it was also clear that the mainstream opportunity had passed.
By the time videogames entered into the mainstream in the mid 90’s, comics had been forever shut out, watching from the outside as that younger medium grew into a multi-billion dollar industry. In recent years the creations of comics have enjoyed a resurgence in another medium, film, but the books themselves have continued to be a niche medium. Still, one of the biggest fan conventions in the world still has ink and paper at its heart and as the Comic Con gets started in San Diego, millions of fans are coming together for the medium they love. Some fans though are not totally pleased as the convention branches out into fandom that is most definitely not comic based with more than a few wishing for a return to the good old days of dusty comic stores and relative anonymity.
“I love the Comic Con but it has changed so much that it’s starting to not be what I remember. I mean there’s a ‘Glee’ booth. I don’t have a problem with ‘Glee’ or anything but it’s not a comic so I don’t really understand what it’s doing here. It’s just not the same,” said Blake, 20, at the con. “There are other things too that don’t make much sense and it makes it all seem to not be the same thing. I liked it better when they had fewer booths and less people. It was much better then.”
Blake did mention that although it has nothing to do with comics he was looking forward to the ‘Hawaii Five-0 panel which may or may not feature ‘Battlestar Galatica’ babe Grace Park, though admitted he wouldn’t ask any questions.
“Like any major gathering it’s inevitable that things are going to expand. The biggest problem with comics has always been that they are a niche medium. If they had made efforts to expand their audiences beyond the book so-to-speak back when things were flying high they might be in a totally different world,” said Scrape TV Entertainment analyst Tracey Temple. “You hear the occasional gamer whining about the old days in the smoky arcades but for the most part they are totally happy with what success has brought them. Video games may not be the same as they used to be but they are better, something that can’t really be said for comics. They’re hardly even popular anymore.”
Reports from San Diego indicate that a number of hardcore fans have stayed away and been replaced with shinier people, though unlike previous years all lockers have been removed from the show floor.
“Any time you feel something is yours and starts to take off with other people inevitably you are going to get a little uptight, particularly when it starts to be taken over by the very people who once made fun of you. That is life though,” continued Temple. “The biggest challenge for many of these fans though, and the biggest complaint year after year, is that all the people make it difficult to walk down aisles to visit the appropriate booths. After a certain size there’s really no sense in trying anymore and too many comic fans are starting realize that.”
Many fans have also complained about the showering policy that was instituted two years ago.
Samantha Dryden, Entertainment Correspondent
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