I was checking out the guest list for the Chicago Wizard World show, and the guest list is already very impressive. . . Here are the stars (the artist list is excellent too).

Patrick Stewart
Bruce Campbell
Morena Baccarin
Felicia Day
Christopher Lloyd
James Marsters
Julie Benz
Vivica A. Fox
Ray Park
Gareth David-Lloyd
Alaina Huffman
Tia Carrere
Norman Reedus
LeVar Burton
Pam Grier
Louis Gossett Jr.
Peter Tork
Electra Avellan
Elise Avellan
Betsy Baker
Julia Benson
Nicholas Brendon
David Della Rocco
Hal Delrich
“The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase
Brandon DiCamillo
Kelly Donovan
Lou Ferrigno
Sean Patrick Flanery
Dan Fogler
Gil Gerard
Anthony Guajardo
Noah Hathaway
Mercedes McNab
Barbara Nedeljáková
Clare Kramer
Miguel Núñez
Kai Owen
Chandler Riggs
Ellen Sandweiss
IronE Singleton
Daniel Stewart
Theresa Tilly
Virgil
Torrie Wilson

Tons more info at the show site:
http://www.wizardworld.com/home-ch.html

Hopefully we can get a better non-sport dealer turn out this year, and perhaps some additional manufacturer presence!

Jon

It is a great guest list and I'm hoping to find the money to get a table in artist's alley this year. I don't think you'll get a better turnout of non-sport dealers until Wizard lowers their table prices.

It is a great list. On the flip side, I can't believe how bad Anaheim's guest list is this year.

quote:

Originally posted by WandringRebel:
It is a great guest list and I'm hoping to find the money to get a table in artist's alley this year. I don't think you'll get a better turnout of non-sport dealers until Wizard lowers their table prices.

Well. . . I hope you are wrong, but table prices weren't much different 2 years ago when there were many more card dealers than there were last year. Note, I believe only 1 card dealer had planned a full table set up last year. Two other dealers were sharing space, but one of 'em got lucky and was able to expand on to a full table (actually several).

I think last year dealers were just in a sour mood with the economy and such -- I'm hopeful that will turn around this year.

Wizard should have about twice the attendance of C2E2, which had 2 dealers and 3 manufacturers set up in some capacity.

I'm pretty sure Nathan told me Sadlittles (The Sketch Card Studio) would be set up.

Sucks about Anaheim. . . it's hard to compete against SDCC. . . here they are by far the biggest game in town, and last year they really kicked their convention into high gear.

If you haven't been to Wizard Chicago in a few years -- it was FAAAR better last year than it has been in a very long time (despite the lack of card dealers).

Jon

Guest list looks good, but a huge guest list also sucks money out of the dealer's area.

After the massively disappointing C2E2 I don't think I'll be taking the chance at this one. The buy-in is just too big to overcome with the sales you have.

Ed

I haven't gone to the last few Wizard World Comic Con's, but I'll be going to this one.

Woo hoo. . . I've heard that from a few collectors.

I'm trying to talk Dave Moulder into coming out for the show -- if we all email him (and now Ed too) maybe we can get them to come out!

I wonder if Triangle Cards and Derek Woywood will be out this year. . .

Jon

quote:

Originally posted by webjon:
Woo hoo. . . I've heard that from a few collectors.

I'm trying to talk Dave Moulder into coming out for the show -- if we all email him (and now Ed too) maybe we can get them to come out!

I wonder if Triangle Cards and Derek Woywood will be out this year. . .

Jon

When the Heroclix were hot I could justify the 16 hour drive and expenses. They paid for everything and made me a little profit. Cards sales where a bonus. Of course some people couldn't be bothered to stop at the table and buy anything. They just complained the show was boring.

It would be nice if the dealers got the guarentees that the Guests get for showing up. Not sure if you know this or not, but a lot of the big name people get a quarentee of $10,000-$15,000. On top of that they get free tables and people to help them.

Like Ed said, the money gets sucked out of the room with all the guests. There's a line between great guests and too many guests. Unfortunately, promotors see lots of guests as a mean of selling lots of tickets. That doesn't always bring in the customers that a dealer needs to make a show profitable.

Short list of Expenses

$2400 for booths
$800 gas and tolls
$600 6 nights in hotels.
$600 food on the road for 4 people for 6 days

So I'm in the hole $4400 before I sell one item.

Now add in the cost of the product that you need to buy to try to make money on.

I'm doing a one day show tomorrow. Tables and Gas going to cost me $120 and I'll be home by 5

I always invite any one that wants to drive out to my house and see all my stuff to make the trip. You'll need about 3-4 days here to look thru it all.


Dave