And may Rao bless that fact from here to the next Crisis.Ĭomic book conventions have become less and less about comic books. Conventions are no longer shows about commerce, product launches, and celebrating the people who created this genre in the first place.” She’s absolutely right. Dorman continued “I have slowly come to realize that in this selfie-obsessed, Instagram Era, cosplay is the new focus of these conventions – seeing and being seen, like some giant masquerade party. No one I interviewed made money at that show.” Ultimately Denise falls back on her assertion that it’s these quasi-fans that are most likely the culprit to her husband’s decline in sales specifically at conventions. Asking artists equally in demand, equally famous. You start to think, ‘Is it only us? Is Dave no longer relevant?’ So I began covertly asking around. Her column went on to note as sales were simply non-existent at ole’ Wally World: Those who show up not being card-carrying comic book fans. This new breed (and those who specifically come to the new larger shows), per Denise, are hangers-on to the fad those who come because they think it’s en vogue. These conventions were small – starting out in gymnasiums, VFW halls, and hotel ballrooms.
To that point: Comic Conventions weren’t founded with the expressed concern of making creators money, they were ways to bring a community of fans together for the opportunity to commiserate, a way to trade and purchase issues to build budding collections, and meet those would-be creators who were the reason the conventions were created. In her second blog on the matter, Denise points blame to the “ new breed of attendees who are there because someone said its cool to be there.” And for those playing at home, Unshaven Comics beat our desired sales goal by over 25%.Īt first, Bleeding Cool would have you believe that she blamed the Cosplayers. And while I did hear from some folks around us that the show wasn’t bringing them tons of business, only our neighbors decided to cut ties early. In fact, at the Cincinnati Comic Expo I attended this past weekend, with Mark Bagely, Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Neal Adams, and Bob Layton I saw only smiling faces – even when lines weren’t incredibly overcrowded. But in the time that we have been active, I have never heard a single peep (and we in the Artist Alley tend to be a gossipy bunch to begin with) about this discussion. In no way, shape, or form do we come close to the level of fame and success her husband has enjoyed. Unshaven Comics has been independently producing comic books and attending comic conventions regularly for only seven years or so. There’s a fine line between being accessible to and pleasing the fans vs. She has since posted a second response to make her points more clear.ĭenise’s original piece began: “Privately, famed comic book industry personalities everywhere are discussing with each other whether to stop exhibiting at comic book conventions. This past week, you’ve likely seen it: Denise Dorman, wife of “Famed Comic Book/Sci-Fi/Fantasy illustrator Dave Dorman,” decided to write an op-ed concerning the decline of sales she and her husband have been privy to over the last years.