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quizzicalTopic: Comic Cons
TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE': Lately it seems I can't pick up a Sunday paper or turn on a local TV news program without hearing about the Comic Con International possibly / probably leaving its' birthplace...San Diego. Whereas old timers such as myself still call it the San Diego Comic Con, (SDCC), the name was changed years ago to the Comic Con International: San Diego. Indeed, when listing items for sale on our online store that come from Comic Con, I use the accronyms: SDCC, SDCCI, CCI and the words Comic Con, because those are the most popular names for the Comic Con International: San Diego. My history with the San Diego Comic Con as a dealer goes back to 1972 when I bought out a dealer on the next to last day at the El Cortez Hotel and proceeded to sell the remainder of what were his wares, and then set up my own table in 1973 when the SDCC was held at the Sheraton on Harbor Island. (See photo top left of this post for a photo of tht.) So it kind of hurts to think that I may not be going to what I and many others still call the 'San Diego Comic Con' in 2013, when the contract with the San Diego Convention Center expires after 2012. Yeah, I realize it's probably all politics and bargaining chips being thrown around in the newspapers, on TV, and on radio interviews, but I for one would definitely miss the Comic Con NOT being in my own "backyard". Sure, Anaheim isn't that far away from myself in North San Diego County, and for that matter neither is Los Angeles where their other convention center is mentioned in this Sunday's North County Times is located. I have suggested before that the third suggested location, Las vegas, wouldn't make sense for that city to host it. That's because the 'comic con crowd' is not the gamblers nor high-end restuarant diners that Las Vegas would prefer to have. Note: I notice that Las Vegas isn't mentioned in this referenced article, althought that location was highly touted to be a major contender for Comic Con International in earlier articles. The following is an excerpt from the North Cunty Times article on the front page, below the fold, Sunday March 14th for those of you that are not local to San Diego, but are interested in what's happening. Additionally there is a link to the rest of the story that follows the excerpt. "Even as two cities try to lure Comic-Con International away from San Diego, the mayor and local business and tourism leaders are pushing hard to keep the popular four-day pop culture convention in town. Parking problems, a lack of vacant and affordable hotel rooms and a cramped convention center threaten to end San Diego's association with the overcrowded fan gathering that in 40 years has grown into an internationally recognized celebration of pop culture and Hollywood fanfare. "We just don't have space to accommodate the amount of people who attend the show or want to exhibit at the show," said David Glanzer, director of marketing and public relations for Comic-Con International. "Capped attendance means capped income, but costs continue to rise." This year's convention is scheduled for July 22-25. And although it's still more than four months away, the four-day passes and single-day passes for Friday and Saturday sold out as long ago as September. The only tickets left ---- single-day passes for Thursday and Sunday ---- are going fast. Some 126,000 people attended the convention last year". Please click the following link to read the rest of the article:I have been asked my thoughts repeatedly since this news first started appearing. I have preferred not to write anything publicly until now. The reason why I'm blogging about it this morning is shown at the top right photo of this blog post. What that photo shows is that of March 12th, 2010, that of the four days scheduled for the 2010 Con, Friday and Saturday memberships are sold out, (and have been before the 2009 Year ended!), and now the Thursday single one day membership is 97% sold out! Take a look at Sunday, which is considered the 'slow day' and even that is 77% sold as of the 12th of March! All this with a little over four (4) months left before Opening Day! I for one don't like everything that the old San Diego Comic Con has 'morphed' into, but this is ridiculous! With a fixed number of memberships set, there is only one way membership costs are going to go and that is UP! I for one, being basically a comics purist, don't like all of the changes that the CCI has evolved into. However, people like my wife Tina, who does not have an affinity for comic books, are going because of the Hollywood influence. And yeah, I do attend several of the Hollywood panels and programs with her! Something's gotta be done, and I hope that all parties concerned do what they can to keep the Comic Con International in 'my own backyard' of San Diego! 'Nuff Said! For Now at Least! My thanks to Gary Warth at the North County Times for writing this article, and to the North County Times itself for placing it online for others to read! AND...My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'. And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this 'Main Feature' article at the bottom right! ~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com
http://www.comicbookscircus.com/
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Note: Comic books / fanzines / and graphic novels that are sold at comic cons such as the one mentioned above can also be found at our own web site for sale at:
We also have an on-line exhibitor table at the virtual Facebook Comic Con. You can view the table by 
If you are a Facebook member and would like to join my Facebook Network, feel free to send a 'friend request' to 'Michael D Hamersky'.
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