Comicon and the Economy.... and a little of politics

As you all know we spent the weekend at that spectacle of Geekiness. But even in an event like that, perhaps in an event like that, you can see the true state of the economy... or at least a snapshot of it.

First off they did have spots open on the dealer's room, which takes the whole of the Convention Center Floor. That caught my attention almost immediately. The other was the quality of the swag. The Convention is usually my place to pick up my summer readying (and at times all the way to the winter). This year the give aways of books were slim, to say the least. It was not the come over, take a book have a good day, and we do this throughout the show. When they did, it was a very limited thing. Translation, profits for publishers are way down.

It wasn't just books. Hat give aways, and pens and the rest was WAY down. I got one... but it was way down. And the swag bags were almost empty.

Now to the promised politics. I struck a conversation with a friend, we see every year at the convention. You should know he is having trouble finding a job because the evil feds are dicking companies with the stimulus. There might be some truth to that, but not as straight as he presents it. Oh and the latest talking point, them evil feds will take over California parks. In other words, distrust the tax and spend dems. What was amazing though is that they didn't like The Guvernaotor either, but cannot connect that it is him being a Republican... nevertheless it was fun to see that the people who'd benefit the most from progressive policies have bought the right wing crap hook line and sinker.

And of course the NRA member pushing second amendment... I offered to take him see the Recruiter. When he went through the usual, but liberals never serve, I offered to compare mickey mouse canoe club cards... aka DOD cards. He walked away.

The front lines of the culture wars were interesting, and I can tell you... the economy is NOT doing well.

It was half of what it had been in previous years (comes to LA every other year). Not only was swag pracatically nonexistant, but the exhibits were all in the smaller exhibit hall. Recruiting was big though, The larger effects companies couldn't get enough of the out-of-work twenty somethings paying their 45 dollars to stand in line.

Some of that land, such as Mt. Diablo and Border Fields, was originally federal land. It was given to the state with the stipulation that if the state didn't want it, the feds would take it back.

Well, the state closing these parks is seen as a sign that the state doesn't want the land, so they are ceding it back to the feds.

not just that were originally federal lands

As I wind down after a long day reading some vintage Savage Sword of Conan...

It also seemed a lot easier to pick up the Transformers and G.I.Joe exclusives too this year.

For the past two years even though my wife and son attended, we missed out on these and had to get them on ebay or at Hasbrotoyshop.com after the con...but this year it was cake.

and if you go to the Hasbro website today, they still have most of the exclusives listed for sale

I work the con, as a RPG producer I am stuck at the Gaming Area at the Mezzanine

That said, we got a couple Hawaiian shirts. They are cool... but at COMICON?

I did get to the booth doing political sculptures, I ALMOST got the Obama HOPE one and the Sarah the Barracuda one. The last one was just making fun of Sarah in ways that I went... I get the joke, but it will be staler than the fish on it in six months. She'll be forgotten... Imagine the you Betcha Palin in exaggerated cartoon character person, holding a barracuda on a line on one hand, and a rifle on the other. It was funny. Only thing missin was some sound

I could have put the In what respect Charlie

Or

You Betcha!

Of course that would be very stale in six months.

I would have definitely picked up an Obama sculpture

I'll have to see if I can hunt one down

My wife and I go every year..it is our annual West Coast mini vacation and this was our 6 year old son's first time.

He had an absolute blast and got what he wanted which was the Mattel Disney Pixar Rescue Mater set, a set of the Blackest Night Green Lantern's (his favorite superhero), the Destro 2 figure set and a Soundwave.

chances are I will be stuck on 15A unless they move us to the hotel, dreading that.

We also packed a lunch this year.

Oh and of course we also got the Comic Con bad luck strikes again. I have put in a claim with my vehicles three times in many years. The first was a comicon, somebody broke into the truck and stole a bunch of models. This year somebody hit my parked car at the trolley station.

:-)

Will get fixed... I just had to laugh.