Back in 1970, a group of men started the first ever San Diego Comic Convention, which would allow for the fans of comic books and graphic art to gather in one place over the course of 3 days to share in their collective knowledge and have a chance to view or purchase rare, collectible items that were related to the medium. In short, it was all about the comics.
Today, San Diego Comic Con has become known worldwide by fans of all kinds, whether it's comics, movies, television, anime, or video games. People travel from not only all over this country, but from other countries around the world to go out to San Diego, California for a chance to dress up in their favorite costumes, meet their favorite celeberties, writers, and artists, and get the latest inside scoop and teasers for what is coming up in the future for the things they care about most, whether it's comics, movies, or tv.
However, today on Twitter, I read an interesting tweet that was posted by a friend: "I'm almost tempted to help boycott SDCC and just let Hollywood have it." This got me to thinking, and he's absolutely right. In recent years, SDCC has become more about movie screenings, movie panels, meeting actors, learning spoilers, getting the scoop on upcoming seasons of television shows, and test driving video games than it is about comics. While I am not trying to degrade or downplay the importance or value of these other things, I really do feel that the purpose and integrity of COMIC cons is being compromised.
I remember reading an article online this past summer that was addressing a story from Warner Brothers studios. In it, they said that Warner Brothers was not looking to advertise or screen anything at this year's San Diego Comic Con because they felt that it was too much exposure for films that hadn't been released or completely finished yet. They went on to say that in most cases, "...fans are seeing an unfinished product that is generally out of context, and basing their opinions on these bits of information." Execs at Warner Brothers and other studios feel that they are spending more money on counter-PR campaigns and clean-up duties after events such as these to reinvigorate the audiences desire to see these movies after they have seen less than appealing footage at comic conventions.
While I, like every other fan, love seeing early footage and getting clues for what to expect in upcoming summer blockbusters, I can't help but agree with these executives. Now, don't worry, I'm not going to turn this into the age-old debate of if spoilers are good or not, but it does help to reinforce my point: SDCC becomes less and less about the comic book medium each year, and becomes more and more about movies, television shows, and video games. While movies like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Amazing Spider-Man, and The Man of Steel do feature comic book inspired characters, the fact still remains that they are not actual comic books. While comic conventions draw in large crowds and create a lot of advertising and publicity oppertunities, I think that Hollywood and also the publishing companies need to try to respect the fact that this is a comic book/graphic art based event.
Now, I'm sure that there are a lot of people out there who will argue with me that San Diego and New York Comic Con are not just comic conventions, they are also pop culture events, and movies, tv shows, and video games fall into that category. To which I would have to admit that you're right. But when I go to conventions, I look around and to see what it has become is a little bit irritating. I really just feel as though comic conventions should be reserved for those you are fans of the graphic art and comic book medium, not people who are hoping to meet their favorite tv actors or get the inside scoop and spoilers on the next big blockbuster that's coming out that summer. Any real comic fan will say that they love the comics more than they love any movie or tv show that has come out about the characters.
So, now I ask all of you: Do you believe that Hollywood has overstepped their bounds at San Diego Comic Con? Do you feel it's become less and less about comics and more about movies and tv? Or do you completely disagree with me and actually like the fact that it's more about the movies and tv shows? Or do you feel that there is no issue here and that everything is equal and fair? Post your comments below.