This past weekend was the 12th Annual Emerald City ComiCon in the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, and Multiversity editors Matthew Meylikhov, Brian Salvatore and myself made our way to the con for a weekend full of interviews, parties and meeting readers. It was an amazing experience, and one that was underlined by the exceptional growth of ECCC itself. This was my third time at the con – I previously went in 2010 and 2011 – and it’s astounding how much it has grown even since then. Standing tall as (maybe) the third biggest comic convention in the United States, this con’s presence is felt throughout the city for the entire weekend, with local businesses catering to con goers more than ever and Seahawks/Sounders related gear being temporarily replaced by cosplay related outfits.
There was a lot to take in from the weekend, but when I was thinking about what I saw and heard throughout, five things stood out the most. Those five things are below, but first, a big shout out to Jim Demonakos and his team. They’ve done a marvelous job of keeping this con special, even with the towering growth it’s seen.
1. It’s Hot to be a Sex Criminal or to be Carol Corps
The first time I went to ECCC, it was at the absolute apex of the popularity of “Green Lantern”, and ECCC managed to snag the team behind the main book – Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke – as well as the team behind “Green Lantern Corps” – Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason – as the arguable headliners of the con. I remember waiting in that line and thinking how damn long it was, but at the same time, it made sense because this book was the hottest game in town.
The “Sex Criminals” guys along with Kelly Sue DeConnick made that line look like nothing.
In fact, it was like the Brimpers and the Carol Corps were The Beatles and The Stones and the GL team was…I don’t know…Jethro Tull. You just can’t even compare.
The line to meet Fraction and Zdarsky to bless your Sex Crimz hardcover with whiteout stains or to take a duckface selfie with Kelly Sue was epic in nature, and when you’d walk around elsewhere, everyone would be talking about them (or dressing up as them; Captain Marvel was dominant force of cosplay). No matter where you went, they were there, as if they achieved comic book omnipresence. But if you were designed to go there? Forget about it.
The “Sex Criminals” panel? If there were tickets for that, there would have been a black market for them.
The “Carol Corps” party on Thursday? It was the event everyone was talking about Thursday night.
If anyone dominated the Con, it was Matt, Kelly Sue and Chip, and thankfully, you couldn’t get a much better trio of ambassadors than them. Or at least I assume, as I never got within 15 feet of them. So hot right now!
2. Artist Alley is Where It’s At
With a lot of cons there are prominent Artist Alleys, but they’re quite often secondary to the main booths and tables. At NYCC, for example, the Artist Alley is completely separated from the main show floor and where the panels are. It’s a nice area, but it really feels separate. You’re not going to get incidental traffic. People only will be going there if they mean to go over there.
But at ECCC 2014? There wasn’t really an Artist Alley, as there are two primary sections that are completely separate, with creators interspersed between those two. Not only that, but they were destinations. Traffic didn’t just end up there by accident, but when it did, attention was pushed to the creators. It was the ideal situation for creators of all varieties, as ECCC didn’t just highlight the big names, but little ones too, and it seemed to me that many of them were doing very well. Artist Alley not just being a secondary place for con traffic at ECCC, but a successful and energized place? I hope more than just I can learn about that from the team in Seattle.
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3. Three Artists Who Are What’s Next from ECCC
With such an extensive guest list, it’s kind of hard to stand out, but for me (and Matt and Brian, as per our conversations) at ECCC, three names stood out above the rest as next big things in comics: Benjamin Dewey, Patric Reynolds and Robert Wilson IV.
Each have tremendously different looks and feels to their art, but they also are hugely gifted storytellers who are just waiting for the right project. And from what we saw, with an upcoming project Dewey is doing at Image with Kurt Busiek, an “Aliens” series Reynolds is working on with Chris Roberson at Dark Horse, and something unannounced Wilson IV is drawing, I think they’ve each found it. In particular, Dewey’s upcoming project had Brian, Matt and myself left with our jaws dropped, and trust me when I say you’ll find yourself blown away when it’s first revealed to all.
But for all three, it’s a question of if, not when. It’s only a matter of time until they’re big creators in the industry, and everything at ECCC proved that even further to me.
4. ECCC: Putting the Comic in ComiCon
When I first went to ECCC in 2010, I was talking to a couple artists, and I asked them their thoughts about San Diego Comic Con. Their thoughts weren’t positive, and they shared with me, “if you’re into cons for comics, you can’t find anything better than Emerald City.”
Four years later, I can promise you this: that is still completely and absolute true.
Even outside of Artist Alley, you look around everywhere and comics are the hottest thing around. Whether you’re looking up into the rafters to see the Dark Horse Comics banners or down to your program with its brilliant Brandon Graham cover or around to the thousands of cosplayers representing their favorite character, you can’t find a place that is more all about comics than Emerald City. It’s hard not to leave the place and just think, “if we could just channel this energy into the whole industry, the medium has a bright future.”
If I learned anything, it’s that there is so much to be excited about in comics, and that there is so much more to come. For an industry that is so full of doom and gloom sometimes, ECCC does a hell of a job reminding you of that.
5. The Con that Welcomes Everyone
It’s one thing to say you’re going to watch out for your attendees, but it’s another thing to actually do that. Look at the sign above to know that ECCC was saying they were watching out for its con goers, but this tweet? It means they mean it.
And that’s what makes ECCC special. Whether you’re a member of the press or a publisher or a creator or a celebrity or a cosplayer or a regular ordinary con goer, you’re welcome at the con, and you’re welcomed with open arms. Are you an older couple who wants to dress as Popeye and Olive Oyl? You can do it here! Are you a pair of kids who want to dress as The Doctor? Go right ahead!
It was impressive to see the age and gender diversity on hand at the show, as my compatriot Brian pointed out that this con had an amazing amount of younger and older cosplayers, and I noticed that there was an absolutely tremendous amount of women there. And do you want to know why?
Because Emerald City ComiCon has created a culture of acceptance and fun in an age and industry that is constantly facing a lack of those two things. The whole experience left me and the thousands of others who went there thinking one thing as we departed.
I can’t wait ’til next year.
