Anyone ever attend Baltimore comic-con? Wanna share your impressions?

[chimpy]

I'm thinking about attending this years Baltimore comic-con. The one and only convention I attended was back in the early 80s down in NYC, to give you an idea of my convention-going background.

Seeing the iFanboy "Sketch" episode got me really interested in trying out one of the cons. The NYCC at the Javits Center looks like it'd be a zoo. I was wondering if the Baltimore Con was perhaps more sedate and less crowded.

Will I be waiting for hours at most of the artist tables, or is it only for the big names? How about cost - has it gone up significantly since the podcast wherein the iFanboy crew talk about sketches?

Anyone want to share their experiences at Baltimore Comic-Con? Being a total con noob I'm interested in any and all details, now matter how small.

Feel free to chime in regarding the NYCC as well.

[razoredge757]

Like yourself, I am a con newbie (also a forum newbie but don't tell anyone). But I talked to the guy at the comic book store and he recommends going to this one if you have not been to one before. he said it is mid tier as far as size. I was told that some of the people who sign your books might be jerks but he said Kirkman was their last year and he was really friendly while he signed your books. I am really interested in going to a con as well and I was thinking about going to this one. All the attention given to cons by the guys that do the show has really got me thinking I need to go to one. This might be that one.

[oh_caroline]

My friend and I went last year and we wrote a guest column on ifanboy:

http://www.ifanboy.com/content/articles/Baltimore_Comic-Con__We_Are_Con_People

Basically, it's a great con; we're going again and bringing more people. The lineup this year is AWESOME, too. A couple downsides -- based on last year it's crazy crowed on Saturday, eases up a bit on Sunday; there wasn't a whole lot of organization in general, particularly in regard to panels.

Overall, though, I'd say it's a good first con experience; there weren't that many insane lines -- the only one I remember being too crazy to think about was Jim Lee. I waited a while for Bendis, but it wasn't unreasonable.

[chimpy]

Thanks for the replies!

Oh Caroline, I had run across your review when I googled "baltimore comic con review" so I had already seen it, but thanks for the heads-up. Great review, and contributed a lot to my decision to attend.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to go....being a father of three kids I don't get to geek out as much as I used to, and I feel a need to recharge my nerd battery :).

[mrmister]

Last year was my first time there, and it was the best Con experience I've ever had. Can't wait to go back this year.

[fanboydan]

This is the only con I go to all year, mostly because it's very near by. Plus, I'm a lazy bastard.

I've been going since '01 or '02 and it really isn't as insane as I hear NY or San Diego to be. Last year was a bit of an anomaly with Bendis and Jim Lee set up at facing tables right at the entrance - caused quite a bit of a log jam that was eased a little bit late Sat. and Sun. by moving Lee out to the lobby. Other than that, creator lines were tolerable at worse. For the most part, you wait 10-15 minutes, you'll get your stuff signed.

Lines were insane for tickets last year - order early if you are sure you're going.

Guest list is the best it's been since I've been going. I've also heard from a very reliable source there are at least two more big first-time guests yet to be added to the list (again, this is the only con I've ever attended, so I'm sure they may not be as blockbuster-y to some con vets). Hopefully, they'll have a deep artists' alley this year (last year was first-ever real artists' alley at Balt.). With the guest list this huge, hopefully creator lines will be a little more spread out.

I didn't have a huge problem with panels last year. Sure, the organization and last-minute changes could have been a little more managed, but for the most part, not awful. The only standing-room-only panel I've ever seen there was Bendis/Kirkman last year.

Retailers and dealers are probably your usual - not much in way of that week's new comics, but tons of trades at a discount. I can think of two dealers off the top of my head who had a great selection at about 40-50 percent off, and they weren't scratch-and-dent water-damaged trades either. Single issue selection is good, and there are quite a few .25/.50/$1 boxes with some fairly decent condition books. Not a lot of pop-culture, non-comic retailers with their bootleg DVDs and replica swords.

Also, and this is probably the best part, it's about comics, not the blockbuster movie coming out two summers from now. People there are there for the comics.

Layout of the floor is good in theory - retailers on one side, creators on the other with a wide aisle separating the two. You'll get your usual log jams on occasion, but the floor pretty much moves along with just enough space if you want to stop and look. Long creator lines get a bit wonky if they get too long and can add to some confusion. Don't know the layout for this year, but I'm going to assume the same.

Convention center isn't in the "The Wire" part of town, so you don't need to be concerned about getting shot/stabbed/raped/mugged/drugged/whatever. Lots of parking garages with variable rates - Sunday there is a Ravens game, so get there early and get a good spot. That may drive up the parking rates a bit. Center is about three-four blocks from Inner Harbor - lots of restaurants and other shopping if you're interested or bringing the non-comic fan as a tag along.

Like I said, I've been going for years and have never had a bad experience. A few minor frustrations that probably go along with any con, but for the most part, I always have a good time and come away with a renewed interest in the medium.

EDIT: Just read you have three kids - very kid friendly con. Every year, there seem to be more and more parents with children. Sunday is usually a big kid-friendly day with a panel or two geared specifically toward the younger crowd. Also, there's a lot to do outside the con right in the general area - aquarium, one of those hands-on museums, peddle boats in the harbor. If you get con fatigue, you could always try one of those.

[bccguy]

Let me start by saying, in the spirit of full disclosure, I am a biased respondent. I am part of the show's executive staff at this point, maintaining the social network sites, releasing PR, etc., but I've been an attendee (even as a staff member -- I work all year leading up to the Con, but when the show starts, I'm there to play) since the first year.

So with that out of the way, I can honestly tell you this is a great show. It is a big little show (as opposed to San Diego, New York, Chicago), and the guests, with a few noteworthy exceptions (previously noted), are extremely accessible. If you are bringing kids, there are absolutely kid-friendly areas of the show, specifically around the Kids Love Comics tables (see our Press Release later this afternoon for details on that). There are also more adult-oriented displays, which we try to keep on a separate part of the floor as much as we reasonably can, so you'll have to use good judgment when doing your browsing. A map of the floor will be in the program guide, so you can figure out where you want to go before entering the hall.

Guests, exhibitors, and retailers all come from all over the country (and world in some instances). If you're looking to fill holes in your collection and haven't been able to find stuff locally, you're bound to be able to do so, as shops and dealers from all over the country come to Baltimore to sell. The show typically has some Con exclusives too, which many collectors love to get. And yes, there are some costumed attendees every year.

From the other side of the table, guests love the show. I don't know why specifically, but it probably has to do with the fact that we're a comic show and that's all we are, we treat our guests well and with respect, and Marc Nathan, the show promoter, is a good guy.

If you're going, I recommend paying the couple of extra bucks to buy on-line ahead of time, as the ticket line gets long. It was out the door in the rain last year until the afternoon on Saturday, and we opened at 10am! If you're traveling to Baltimore, the show has negotiated with the city to get special (lower) hotel rates, but act soon, as it was for a limited time! Links to both are on our website (www.baltimorecomiccon.com).

If you're on Facebook, you can friend us, and/or go to our event (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=101088666317) and RSVP that you'll be there, or follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/baltimorecomics).

Net-net, if you're a fan of comics, this is a great show.

Randy

[chimpy]

Awesome, thanks for the really detailed write-ups fanboydan and bccguy!

I'm not bringing the kids - there's no way they could stand waiting in one 15 minute line for something non-theme-park-related - even at Disney that's about their limit for waiting. There's no way they could wait for 15+ minutes only to find out the payoff is meeting someone they have no desire to meet :).

My main interest as a first-time goer is artist alley - does BCC have a substantial one planned?

[fanboydan]

My main interest as a first-time goer is artist alley - does BCC have a substantial one planned?

Check the site - they threw up what looks to be a substantial Artists' Alley list - mostly small publishers.
http://www.comicon.com/baltimore/guests.htm

[chimpy]

Check the site - they threw up what looks to be a substantial Artists' Alley list - mostly small publishers.
http://www.comicon.com/baltimore/guests.htm

Cool, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

[fanboydan]

One of the two I heard about has been announced. Neal f'n Adams!!! Just made this show so much better. If you've never been, you've got to go.