Wizard World Chicago Wrap Up
This story originally appeared in PW Comics Week on August 8, 2006 Sign up now!
by Johanna Draper Carlson, PW Comics Week -- Publishers Weekly, 8/8/2006
 The DC Booth with Bob Wayne and Fletcher Chu-Fong in foreground. |
The closest Wizard came were the large booths for Mattel emphasizing Superman and Justice League toys, as suits its location next to the large, popular and often packed DC Comics booth. There was also Spike TV (unpopular with other exhibitors because of its never-ending barrage of sound), WizKids (makers of the superhero-themed HeroClix collectible figure game) and the International Fight League fighting ring (a new Mixed Martial Arts league co-owned by Wizard honcho Gareb Shamus).
Some exhibitors were still shell-shocked and jet-lagged from San Diego, and expressed relief that it was over. Others commented on the difference in scale and attendance. One Retailer said traffic on Friday was light and sales were "okay", while another retailer mentioned being able to stare down long, empty aisles. In other words, no crush of bodies, fan traffic or sales. Floor traffic picked up considerably on Saturday. Although official attendance figures have not been released, the general feeling is that the show was down a bit from last year’s announced 56,000 attendees.
 Chuck Satterlee, Brett Thompson. |
On the floor, indie stalwart Top Shelf (publisher of Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie's controversial Lost Girls) had its usual eye-catching display, while Markosia brought its line of collected editions. On Saturday, Shooting Star Comics debuted Aym Geronimo and the Post-Modern Pioneers: Trickster, a one-shot title by John Morgan Neal and Todd Fox featuring their explorer/adventurer Apache heroine. The book is a spinoff of a series that began in a Shooting Star anthology.
Ape Entertainment had a minicomic preview of the upcoming Subculture, due next January. It’s described as a "fanboy love story" reminiscent of Alex Robinson's Box Office Poison or Scott Kurz's PvP. Two new superhero publishers launched at the show: Triumph Media's first title is Codename: Black Death, while Unknown Comics brought a preview anthology with excerpts from five upcoming titles.
 Michael Davis at the Guardian booth. |
Manga publisher DrMaster, appearing at the show for the first time, will be publishing its first original manga title, Purgatory Kabuki, in late 2007. It's written and illustrated by Japanese game designer Yasushi Suzuki, with an artbook due in April as a promotion. New Jersey indie Archaia Studios Press had the fourth issue of its runaway hit, Mouse Guard; artist David Petersen was signing at the show. The house is expanding and will offer three titles translated titles from France and plans to announce another four or five creator-owned titles later this year.
In Artist Alley, there was a noticeable lack of graphic novels, with the exception of a few experienced, established self-publishers. Craig Taillefer was promoting the upcoming release of his Wahoo Morris collection. Previously published as individual issues, the series about the lives and loves of band members will continue as graphic novels. Paul Sizer was having good luck with his giveaway plan. Issues of his fourth Little White Mouse series were free for the taking, and a number of readers returned to purchase the omnibus book collection of the character's adventures.
Web comics creators were also showing off books. Since they tend to have more publishing experience than straight-to-print folks, they were also better at audience outreach. They sold collections of their strips for about $20, often accompanied by merchandise like T-shirts or stickers.
Many at the show were concerned that next year, the San Diego Comic-con and Wizard World Chicago will be only a week apart. "That's insane!" was the general response from exhibitors, because the scheduling will create a tough decision for many publishers and artists. "I can't afford to lose two weeks!" said one creator. "I'll have to just do San Diego, even though I've been here for the last seven years."
