Any word on another Vancouver Comic Event?

isaacada1 · Post-Crisis Member Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 11

Any word yet on a full weekend comic book convention taking place in Greater Vancouver?

Icebreaka · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:54 am Post subject:

I talked to Leonard who does the Heritage Hall cons about it and it really doesn't sound likely to happen any time in the near future. A big con requires a lot of dealers coming and with border restrictions for bringing in comics he feels none of the bigger dealers from the states would get involved. Combine that with the small scene here and cost of venues, plus Seattle already having a big once per year type event and its not likely to happen. It would be awesome of course but no one is going to put it on and lose their shirt trying.
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isaacada1 · Post-Crisis Member Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 11

I have to respectfully disagree with the sentiment that not having enough dealers is a reason to not have the convention. I respectfully have to say that you just need to do more work to overcome this obstacle of having the border to work around.

Bellingham and Spokane Washington have begun doing annual large events in their respective cities this past year, and both have announced they're doing larger events this year. Bellingham and Spokane combined don't match the population total of Vancouver.

Calgary and Edmonton have very successful annual comic events taking place in their respective cities. For a full list of comic conventions in the Pacific Northwest(Cascadia), go to this site.
http://nwsfsnews.googlepages.com/comicandtoyconventionsorevents

Residents of Greater Vancouver, YOU CAN DO A BIG WEEKEND COMIC CONVENTION!!!!
Do not let self doubt and obstacles of venues get in your way. Heck, you're hosting the Olympics in your city. There's NO reason that an annual comic convention can't also run there.

Jason Copland · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:04 am Post subject:

Getting a large annual comic convention together would be a huge task. It would take a very devoted and business savy person to pull it off. Who even starts up these cons? Comic shop owners? Creators? Rich businessmen?
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ComicSpace

isaacada1 · Post-Crisis Member Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 11

Both the Emerald City Comic Con(Seattle) and the Stumptown Comics Fest(Portland) started small, and as one day events.

The ECCC started in this Quest Field Plaza space.
http://www.qwestfield.com/eventBooking/qwestField.aspx
The space takes up 310 booths total.

Stumptown started in an Old Church.
http://www.oldchurch.org/
THe space it took up was between 30-40 tables.

The publication Business in Vancouver publishes every year a "Book of Lists" for the greater area. Here's a link to the ebook version of it for free.
http://www.biv.com/publications/images/bol2007_ebook.pdf

Go to the section for meeting spaces.

There you can accurately look as to what type of space is available in the city and who to contact.

As for "who" puts these events together? The ECCC was started by a comic book store owner who was tired of traveling every year outside the region to a comic event and wanted one in Seattle.
Stumptown was started by an aspiring comic artists in Portland Oregon who wanted an event dedicated just to the artists themselves.
I'm sure that Bellingham and Spokane comic events were started very similarly.

It really doesn't take an outlandish amount of money for a first year event. You just need to know how to stretch your funds. Very Happy

Here's some of the costs.
Downpayment for venue reservation- (sometimes can be broken into two payments, one to reserve the space, and the rest payed the day the event takes place.
website/hosting - Needing to have a permanent space on the net
flyers/advertising - cheap as possible
equipment - do tables/chairs come with the venue space fee?
registration - badges, software to maintain reg database of attendees

Above all with putting together an event, you need PASSION and a DEDICATED STAFF to help see it through. Your staff will be your number one resource(yes MORE then money) to insure a successful show.

Come on Vancouver. YOUR TIME HAS COME!!!!!

Jason Copland · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 7:15 am Post subject:

You seem to know what it takes and you seem to be passionate about it... so why don't you set up a big con for Vancouver? Very Happy

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ComicSpace

isaacada1 · Post-Crisis Member Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 11

I am currently employed by the US Navy stationed in the state of Virginia. I'll be living here for a couple more years before I return back to the Pacific Northwest(Cascadia). I can't really do the footwork over here to make it happen. I believe the people are already there living in Greater Vancouver to make this event possible.

Also, I'm assisting a group in Seattle already trying to start a new genre film festival in the city. Vancouver is getting one again as well starting this fall.
http://www.faroutfilmfestival.com/
They also have a space on facebook.com as well that's updated more often.

I don't know what I can do more then what I've done in providing information to people about starting something up.

Ed Appleby · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:01 pm Post subject:

Rumor mill update!!! (too juicy not to share)

I'm pretty good friends with a couple who helped get a few cons up and running in toronto. They're kinda up to their elbows in starting a Rennasance Festival in BC (2nd year now, Aug 29-31 in Fort Langley), so they really can't do anything about any cons this year.

But I heard today that one of their old collegues is coming to V-con in October in order to start gaining support for a Vancouver Comic con.

Now, I hate V-con. It's expensive, pointless and their con chair is ... well politics forbids me to actualy say. (I unfortunetly have stood on the front line of V-con's madness, and know from where i speak). But I will personaly keep my ear to the ground on this matter.

I know we are all hungry for this... And I will do all I can in order to help this happen. (little as that might unfortunetly be)
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Cheers and Jitters-
Ed Appleby

isaacada1 · Post-Crisis Member Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 11

Did anyone from this list attend VCon and find out who this person is and direct him to this website? It'd be nice to get a concentrated effort into starting an annual big show in the city. Why Vancouver do you chose not to do this for yourself?