New School vs. Old School: Comic Con vs. Comic Show

Everyone has their opinion on what a “comic con” or “comic show” means to them. What you expect to see, who you expect to see, what you are going to do. These are the factors you consider when deciding to go to a convention or show. While I feel every show does serve its purpose, what’s good for one attendee may not be good for another.

In my opinion, most large “comic cons” have turned into a media show. Media implying a focus on television and film rather than comic books. These usually take place annually and are held in mega venues like convention centers to accommodate hundreds of thousands of people over several days. The theme of comic related material is there, but the show may be more concentrated on celebrity guests and signings, panels, or cosplay to name a few categories. While big comic cons are a ton of fun (I attend several a year), sometimes it can be difficult to discover great comic books at these larger venues. The inventory brought in by dealers often focuses on collectibles, toys, knickknacks, and t-shirts, etc. Basically, items which will fly off the shelves to adoring fans of all ages and not necessarily rare comic books worth thousands of dollars for diehard collectors.

So where do you go to find those rare books? Believe it or not, not that far.

It does not matter where you live or what state you are in, there is always a true local comic book show. What is a true comic show you might ask? These shows are held at small local venues, think VFW halls or Elks lodges. In that type of setting, dealers get there around 6:00am to set up for a show that opens at 10:00am and closes by 3:00pm for a one day event. Hardcore comic book collectors could not ask for a better situation. There aren’t thousands of people decked out in costumes packed into a three day convention. It’s a simple Saturday or Sunday morning drive with a coffee and you can be home by noon if you don’t dally while you are there. These are the true comic shows I live for. You never know what you are going to find, and there are always incredible books to be seen. If you are keen, a great deal will be had.