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Abstract for Creating Comics, Creative Comics 2020: DIY Digital Comics Without Drawing: Craft, Collaboration and Materiality in the Digital Age

I am delighted my paper for Creating Comics, Creative Comics 2020- BEYOND Symposium at the University of South Wales: Cardiff Campus (Monday 6th – Tuesday 7th April 2020) has been accepted. I am looking forward to participating.

Below I share a slightly revised version my abstract.

The Blank Page, page 4 (2014)

Abstract

DIY Digital Comics Without Drawing: Craft, Collaboration and Materiality in…

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#Cardiff #Comics #creating comics #Creative Comics #Creative Comics 2020 #Creative Commons #creativity #Materiality #symposia

Wizard World Chicago, for me, is always bittersweet – it’s my mark for the end of summer however it’s also the opportunity to go to one of the biggest comic conventions in the Midwest. Overall what was my impression of Wizard World Chicago Comic Con? Here’s the good and the bad. Bad: The layout of the show itself was confusing even with the map that was included in the show’s program, organizers divided the convention into two separate halls on opposite sides of the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center. One could easily think that this year’s event was limited to only one hall instead of two. One hall had celebrities with a handful of dealers and the other hall had a decent number of toy and comic dealers along with the artist alley. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to have the artists and the celebs share the same hall? Just sayin’.

The grouping of dealers was a skewed – earlier years attendees could always find t-shirts, crafts, and faux weaponry dealers along the border of artist alley, this year they were mixed in among the comic dealers – I actually overheard one crafts dealer complain about their placing in the convention.

Good: The security team and staff were extremely helpful and very friendly – the most I’ve experienced than in earlier years. And aside from the cluster of two convention areas in opposing halls, there was plenty of elbow room to walk down the aisles. Ticket lines seem to be moving quick so attendees can get and hopefully enjoy the show. Most dealers seemed sincere in their interactions with potential customers. I to got to meet in person a few Facebook friends who follow my page which you can check out here.

Bottomline: As a Chicago Comic Con attendee since 1982 who always looks forward to this show, I’ve watched its downward spiral since the late 1990’s. There are obvious reasons for this slow demise: no ‘name’ vendors (Hasbro and Mattel) and big house publishers (Marvel and DC) no longer supporting/exhibiting at the event and the main focus making the obvious shift from comic books and the creative talent who help create them to celebrities and their autographs. Don’t get me wrong, like everyone else I get a little starstruck and I’ve had some great encounters with actors who’ve had roles in some of the finest live action movies and TV shows of the sci-fi and comic book genre. But at a comic con, the main focus should be the premier inkers, pencillers, and writers along with the ‘old time greats’, movie/TV celebrity photo ops and autographs should be the sprinkles on the ice cream for lack of a better example. With exception of a few panels, most of the comic creative talent this year were jammed in a cramped artist alley. Speaking as a fan and collector, at previous WW Chicago Comic Con events I could always find items to fill in the gaps of my action figure and comic book collections, this year I couldn’t and that was a little disappointing – even more so because the items at the show I was interested in were overly inflated in regards to price. Perhaps that’s not the dealers’ fault, booths at big comic cons are expensive I know but maybe that cost could be covered in terms of volume instead of adopting the mentality of here’s a key book that’s hot right now so I’m going to slap a 6.0 grade price on 2.0 book. Maybe I’ve been spoiled with very good and honest dealers with awesome selections in my local area, Creative Comics and Tenth Planet. Feel free to click on their names to see what Im talking about.

Finally as a member of the press I’m usually allowed to take at least one photograph of the celebrities and displays this year was the exception. Most of the staff members this year pointed the finger at the celebrities themselves or their management. So another good and honest dealer Wade Jessie, owner of Otaku Hobbies was kind to share his photographs with us. You can visit Otaku Hobbies Facebook page clicking here.

Stay tuned for more reviews.

Review: Wizard World Chicago Comic Con Wizard World Chicago, for me, is always bittersweet - it's my mark for the end of summer however it's also the opportunity to go to one of the biggest comic conventions in the Midwest.

#creative comics #matt smith #otaku hobbies #patrick stewart #tenth planet comics #wizard world chicago comic con