The final day of next year’s BookExpo America is beginning to look a lot like ComicCon. In the latest issue of “The Bean,” BEA events director Steve Rosato writes, “a big transition in 2013 for BEA will be opening wider to consumers.”

As in 2012, consumers, or Power Readers, will be limited to the final day of the show, which next year will be Saturday June 1. But one big difference is that books and other products will be for sale by exhibitors, who are registered with the state of New York and collect taxes, and approved vendors which would include booksellers.

“Power Readers will make BEA a pop culture event that is a complement to the industry’s trade show,” writes Rosato, who predicts that a consumer day will open new promotional opportunities for publishers.