Comments on: HeroesCon 2010 Report: The Long Con http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/ Rich Barrett - Web Design | Online Marketing | Web Comics Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:54:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: HeroesCon 2011 Report « Rich Barrett – Web Design | Online Marketing | Web Comics http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/comment-page-1/#comment-243 HeroesCon 2011 Report « Rich Barrett – Web Design | Online Marketing | Web Comics Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:53:33 +0000 http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/#comment-243 [...] year after appearing at my first HeroesCon I wrote up a lengthy Con Report about my experience. Having just completed my second HeroesCon I figure I’d do another one since this was a vastly [...] [...] year after appearing at my first HeroesCon I wrote up a lengthy Con Report about my experience. Having just completed my second HeroesCon I figure I’d do another one since this was a vastly [...]

]]> By: Brian Wingrove http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/comment-page-1/#comment-131 Brian Wingrove Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:35:16 +0000 http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/#comment-131 This year I sold around $120. Last year was around $140, so they were comparable, but not quite the same. From what other people told me about how bad their weekend was (saleswise, everyone always seems to have a good time at Heroescon) I was quite pleased to be that close. I think my number of sales were close to the same, but not everyone bought a set like they did last year. Like you i try to keep my prices low ($2.50 cover price), so it keeps it as an impulse buy. But I want to get more issues in people's hands to read so they will (hopefully) get hooked and want to keep reading so i have a better deal for the set. I sold some of the sets as well, but last year every sale was for a set and no one bought single issues. I know how nerve racking that first con was, so hang in there. I've done a bunch in the past year. I think that helps a lot. Next is baltimore. Maybe I will see you there. This time I will be sure to talk. This year I sold around $120. Last year was around $140, so they were comparable, but not quite the same. From what other people told me about how bad their weekend was (saleswise, everyone always seems to have a good time at Heroescon) I was quite pleased to be that close. I think my number of sales were close to the same, but not everyone bought a set like they did last year.
Like you i try to keep my prices low ($2.50 cover price), so it keeps it as an impulse buy. But I want to get more issues in people’s hands to read so they will (hopefully) get hooked and want to keep reading so i have a better deal for the set. I sold some of the sets as well, but last year every sale was for a set and no one bought single issues.
I know how nerve racking that first con was, so hang in there. I’ve done a bunch in the past year. I think that helps a lot. Next is baltimore. Maybe I will see you there. This time I will be sure to talk.

]]> By: Rich http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/comment-page-1/#comment-130 Rich Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:12:49 +0000 http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/#comment-130 Brian, thanks so much for taking the time to respond here. Really interesting to hear about other people's experiences. What works for them, what doesn't. I'm especially interested in hearing how your sales went down possibly because of the higher price point of your package. Maybe there is a sweet spot for comic sales at these things and the range is somewhere around $3-6. Anyway, thanks for commenting! Brian, thanks so much for taking the time to respond here. Really interesting to hear about other people’s experiences. What works for them, what doesn’t. I’m especially interested in hearing how your sales went down possibly because of the higher price point of your package. Maybe there is a sweet spot for comic sales at these things and the range is somewhere around $3-6.

Anyway, thanks for commenting!

]]> By: Brian Wingrove http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Brian Wingrove Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:52:42 +0000 http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/#comment-129 Last year i was in the same boat, my first big convention, so i really related to your post and wanted to write. I've heard from everyone i spoke with that this was a slow year. Numbers were down for everybody, so judging success by numbers is not the way to go. Looking past the "I only sold __" mentality you have is a lot less stressful. Also, I agree with your "two is better than one" comment. Last year I sold my first three issues of Intermezzo (my self published comic) as a special 3 for $6. Every sale I made was for all three, if people were interested enough to spend $2.50 for one they would spend $6 for all three. This year differed because I had a lot of people buying just the first issue instead of a set (I had five issues this time, and a set of 5 plus a tshirt for $10). That was the big difference I saw this year was people were still willing to try something new, they just were more frugal. Don't have Twitter so i can't comment about that, but the other comments i agree with completely. I liked reading your blog, sorry i did not meet you in person. Maybe next year. Brian Wingrove Bear Butt Comics Last year i was in the same boat, my first big convention, so i really related to your post and wanted to write. I’ve heard from everyone i spoke with that this was a slow year. Numbers were down for everybody, so judging success by numbers is not the way to go. Looking past the “I only sold __” mentality you have is a lot less stressful.
Also, I agree with your “two is better than one” comment. Last year I sold my first three issues of Intermezzo (my self published comic) as a special 3 for $6. Every sale I made was for all three, if people were interested enough to spend $2.50 for one they would spend $6 for all three.
This year differed because I had a lot of people buying just the first issue instead of a set (I had five issues this time, and a set of 5 plus a tshirt for $10). That was the big difference I saw this year was people were still willing to try something new, they just were more frugal.
Don’t have Twitter so i can’t comment about that, but the other comments i agree with completely. I liked reading your blog, sorry i did not meet you in person. Maybe next year.
Brian Wingrove
Bear Butt Comics

]]> By: Heroes Con: Southern Comfort | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/comment-page-1/#comment-103 Heroes Con: Southern Comfort | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:01:36 +0000 http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/#comment-103 [...] Rich Barrett has been going to Heroes Con for years, but this was his first time in a professional capacity, and he posts about what he learned last weekend. [...] [...] Rich Barrett has been going to Heroes Con for years, but this was his first time in a professional capacity, and he posts about what he learned last weekend. [...]

]]> By: TomD. http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/comment-page-1/#comment-100 TomD. Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:09:34 +0000 http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/#comment-100 Fellas, you both rock. Don't be afraid to take chances. And keep making great comics and getting them out there! :) Fellas, you both rock. Don’t be afraid to take chances. And keep making great comics and getting them out there! :)

]]> By: Rich http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Rich Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:25:29 +0000 http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/#comment-99 Henry, it was really cool meeting you this weekend. It's great to meet another like-minded cartoonist in Charlotte because there are so few of us. We all need to stick together. I definitely dig your work. I totally understand your feelings going into it about being a make or break moment. My previous con experiences left me feeling like this sort of thing was a waste of time for me simply because it took up an entire day with very little prospect of reaching new readers. And it had me wondering if my type of book was even "con-friendly" since it wasn't light reading and not easily made into a t-shirt. HeroesCon was a different story I think. I feel much more optimistic about it all this time. Just need to pinpoint the other shows out there that will also make me feel this way. Henry, it was really cool meeting you this weekend. It’s great to meet another like-minded cartoonist in Charlotte because there are so few of us. We all need to stick together. I definitely dig your work.

I totally understand your feelings going into it about being a make or break moment. My previous con experiences left me feeling like this sort of thing was a waste of time for me simply because it took up an entire day with very little prospect of reaching new readers. And it had me wondering if my type of book was even “con-friendly” since it wasn’t light reading and not easily made into a t-shirt. HeroesCon was a different story I think. I feel much more optimistic about it all this time. Just need to pinpoint the other shows out there that will also make me feel this way.

]]> By: Henry http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Henry Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:56:31 +0000 http://www.richbarrett.com/2010/06/06/heroes-con-2010-con-report-the-long-con/#comment-98 Thank you so much for your all too kind words up above. This was my first big con as well and I went into it pretty petrified that I was making a fool of myself with my childish and messy little print offerings. Both yourself and Tom did a lot to make me feel comfortable (well, as comfortable as a man of my size squeezed between two table ends can be) about passing myself off to strangers as a semi-real cartoonist. Sitting out the weekend with you guys really made me feel a part of the little secret comics community that's lurking in the shadow's of this banker's burg. Nathan Sorry really impressed me too. I had casually glanced at two pages on the web but, because of my own short attention span in computer related matters, didn't pursue the story. Fortunately, your print books spoke directly to my old man analog brain and, boy, did it light that geezer up with joy. I really, really, loved the story and I'll be reading loyally along from this point forward. While you were away from your table I was glad to be able to whole heartedly remark to the oft curious passers by that, "Oh, you should really read this guy's stuff, it's super good." I also throughly endorse your inclinations to get to some other cons. You are for sure ready to rock a SPX or even a MoCCA and could blow the doors off Fluke. I've gone to Fluke two years running and I can't recommend it enough. I'd be so thrilled to see you down there next year. I'm glad to hear that you too had a good meet up with Ed Piskor, that guy is so generous and friendly. He's really done a lot to encourage me and, I'm sure, lots of other amateur cartoonists to get our feet wet jockeying tables in the big halls. Anyway, HeroesCon was a better experience that I had even dared to hope for and it was largely due to the good fellowship stirred up between us locals and the friendly people all around us. I kinda felt this con was either going to kill my desire to keep publicly cartooning or propel me on into taking it seriously at last. I'm really glad to have landed on the latter side with guys like you. Thanks, again! Thank you so much for your all too kind words up above. This was my first big con as well and I went into it pretty petrified that I was making a fool of myself with my childish and messy little print offerings. Both yourself and Tom did a lot to make me feel comfortable (well, as comfortable as a man of my size squeezed between two table ends can be) about passing myself off to strangers as a semi-real cartoonist. Sitting out the weekend with you guys really made me feel a part of the little secret comics community that’s lurking in the shadow’s of this banker’s burg.

Nathan Sorry really impressed me too. I had casually glanced at two pages on the web but, because of my own short attention span in computer related matters, didn’t pursue the story. Fortunately, your print books spoke directly to my old man analog brain and, boy, did it light that geezer up with joy. I really, really, loved the story and I’ll be reading loyally along from this point forward. While you were away from your table I was glad to be able to whole heartedly remark to the oft curious passers by that, “Oh, you should really read this guy’s stuff, it’s super good.”

I also throughly endorse your inclinations to get to some other cons. You are for sure ready to rock a SPX or even a MoCCA and could blow the doors off Fluke. I’ve gone to Fluke two years running and I can’t recommend it enough. I’d be so thrilled to see you down there next year. I’m glad to hear that you too had a good meet up with Ed Piskor, that guy is so generous and friendly. He’s really done a lot to encourage me and, I’m sure, lots of other amateur cartoonists to get our feet wet jockeying tables in the big halls.

Anyway, HeroesCon was a better experience that I had even dared to hope for and it was largely due to the good fellowship stirred up between us locals and the friendly people all around us. I kinda felt this con was either going to kill my desire to keep publicly cartooning or propel me on into taking it seriously at last. I’m really glad to have landed on the latter side with guys like you. Thanks, again!

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