When the World Never Seems to Be Living Up to Your Dreams
Caught in a Harry Situation: Garrett Wang and Me, Central Canada Comic Con 2010
No sooner had I blogged my brief thoughts on how I found this year's Central Canada Comic Con disappointing than the news came out that the whole shebang has now been acquired by Wizard World. (Credit must go to xandersgirl for first letting me know about this--and for taking the photo above. :) I have no idea how long it would've taken me to learn about this development otherwise...)
They don't waste any time, either, as the website link for the con I used in my last entry already redirects to Wizard World's company page for next year, and they're encouraging people to join their new Facebook Group for the convention instead of the well-established Facebook Group that previously existed.
I have mixed emotions about this. On the one hand, this will almost certainly lead to a better overall selection of guests than we had in Winnipeg this year, which is one of the things I was complaining about. On the other hand, this will give the event an even more corporate atmosphere than it has now as it scales up, which I was also complaining about. When lampbane let me know that Bleeding Cool broke the story, I noticed that their take on the potential changes is pretty cynical; while xandersgirl thought these sorts of things shouldn't even really be called "cons," since that term usually connotes something more fannish in a grassroots way.
If you've attended one or more of Wizard World's many events, I would welcome your own thoughts on how they run things.
As long as I'm asking for input, I'll reiterate that I'm considering a trip to one of the bigger cons out there in 2011. Here is my current shortlist, in chronological order, with some quick pros and cons:
FedCon (I could visit friends in Germany like axoaxonic, but the expense and the language barrier are serious impediments)
ConVergence (close and thus easier to get to, but I had a disappointing first impression this year)
Shore Leave (virtually every tie-in author on my friendslist will be there, but it's harder for me to get to)
San Diego Comic-Con (included for completeness, as I believe I missed the 4.7 femtoseconds when I could've bought a membership or booked a hotel room)
Worldcon (I've been to two, but 2011's Worldcon is in Nevada and I may be better off with the Chicago Worldcon in 2012)
Dragon*Con (I'd know way more people than I did in 2006, but it would be even more appealing if I also knew my friends living in Atlanta would definitely be there)
New York Comic Con (a long-awaited return to New York City, but I'm not sure how I'd work out the accommodations)
Since I know many of you regularly attend at least one of these cons, please let me know where you think I'd get the most out of my next con-related voyage...or let me know about a better option I haven't mentioned yet. :)