The 55th annual San Diego Comic Con is coming up in two weeks, so expect to see a lot of news between now and then not only on upcoming comics and the like, but also on the convention itself, pop culture trends, its impact on the economy and whatever other angle news outlets can squeeze from the event. I’m sure there are mainstream journalists chomping at the bit to do cosplay round-ups as I type this.
One question that comes up every few years related to the con is, “Will it always be in San Diego?” San Diego is an events city with a huge convention center and a welcoming downtown area, and SDCC means big business for the businesses in the area. But this article by Rob Salkowitz for Forbes notes that the Comic-Con International team is concerned about hotel price gouging in the city during the convention, as hotels are putting fewer rooms into the block offered by CCI every year because they can book them for more on the open market.
“We would never want to leave, but if push came to shove and it became untenable for us, it’s something that we would certainly have to look into,” David Glanzer, Chief Communication and Strategy Officer for Comic-Con International, told Forbes. “As event planners, we’re always contacted by different cities and it would be reckless for us to not at least acknowledge that.”
CCI has a contract with San Diego through 2025, so any changes would have to come after that.
Awards | With SDCC also comes the Eisner Awards, and CCI has announced the nominees for two other awards that are given out in conjunction with the Eisners. This year’s Clampett Award, the humanitarian award named for animator Bob Clampett, will go to Women in Comics Collective International, or WinC for short.
According to CCI:
Women in Comics Collective International (WinC for short, pronounced “wink”) is an artistic and informative initiative that began in May 2012. WinC “serves to highlight the merit and craftwork of marginalized voices, especially that of women and Queer folx of color, who work in various industries, such as comics, publishing, gaming, media, education, and multimedia.” The organization hosts educational and professional events across the country. With traveling art exhibitions, workshops, and a long-running panel series, WinC has been hosted by institutions such as the New York Public Library System, the San Diego Public Library, the Schomburg Center for Black Culture & Research, and Fordham University, among others. The WinC Media Fellowship provides funding to support the creative endeavors of WinC members, especially students and up-and-coming professionals.
Awards | Another award given out at SDCC is the annual Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award. The award, which was initiated by Will Eisner in the early 1990s, is presented to a retailer that has “done an outstanding job of supporting the comic art medium both in the industry at large and in their local community.” This year’s nominees include:
- Akira Comics in Madrid, Spain
- Bat City Comics in Bradenton, Florida
- Blackbird Comics and Coffeehouse in Maitland, Florida
- Comix Experience in San Francisco, California
- Hello Comics in Charlottesville, Virginia
The winner will be announced during the Eisner Awards presentation at SDCC on July 26.
Publishers | First Second, the graphic novel founded by Mark Siegel and owned by Macmillan, is getting a sister imprint. 23rd Street Books will focus on graphic novels for adults, and First Second’s back catalog of more mature graphic novels will move to the imprint. While First Second has always published material aimed at a variety of audiences, in recent years you could see their number of kids-oriented OGNs growing at a much more rapid pace. Siegel will run both imprints
According to the press release, 23rd Street will launch in 2025 with new titles by Gene Luen Yang, Ben Hatke, Damon Wayans Jr., poet/performer Saul Williams, Jesse Lonergan, Anna Meyer and more.
Publishers | DSTLRY has announced that they have gone exclusive with Diamond Comics Distributors, and Lunar will no longer carry their books. The deal will mean that DSTLRY will move into Diamond’s Deluxe Tier of publishers, meaning they’ll be in the front of the monthly Previews catalog.
“We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with DSTLRY following a truly amazing first year,” said Tim Lenaghan, Chief Purchasing Officer for Geppi Family Enterprises, which owns Diamond. “They’re innovating the comic book medium in both editorial and production, and we can’t wait for retailers and fans see what they have prepared for the rest of the year and beyond.
Creators | And here’s my favorite recent comics-related news story — veterinarian and award-winning cartoonist Emily Carrington has a chicken that has been declared the world’s smartest chicken. Lacey the Gabriola Island hen, who was trained by Carrington, has become the Guinness World Records title holder for the most identifications by a chicken in one minute. Learn more about Lacey on her YouTube channel.