JoeCon 2010 ... meh?

So I went to Joe Con on Sunday and I have to say I was a little let down. I thought this convention was a celebration of all things GI Joe. And while the toy end was heavily represented, there was little effort to include aspects of the GI Joe universe: namely the cartoons, movie, and comics.

IDW Publishing has done a tremendous job of getting the property back on track and putting out some great books. But instead of thier involvement being recognized by the organizers, they were not mentioned at all on the convention website. If anyone visited the IDW booth, they got a chance to meet Robert Atkins. Luckily I knew ahead of time from a friend he was there and was able to grab some books from my collection to get signed. Had IDW been promoted more (really at all) there might have been an opportunity to bring in more comic fans, who may not be action figure fans, had IDW been advertised more.

The guest list was a little disappointing as well. There were many RI-based toy designers on hand, but in my time there, not many people visited with them. Perpaps the panels were full but they got no attention on the floor. Why not try to include more artists (Herb Trimpe or MD. Bright who drew the original Marvel run), maybe some voice actors from the cartoon (original or Resolute), or actors from the movie. As a fan of these works, I would have enjoyed meeting the creative people behind these projects.

I asked the organizers about a month before the convention if they considered bringing these people in, as well as Sgt Slaughter, and thier response was that they were still working on the guest list but that I would find the advertised guests very interesting. Well nothing changed in that time and the list was the same almost from day one when it was announced.

I was excited to meet Larry Hama and do give the organizers credit for bringing him in. I can't remember a time when he has been in New England so this was an opporutnity that I could not pass.

Also, it seemed like some of the dealer tables were way overpriced. That isn't somehting controlled by the organizeres but in a room full of competition, figures weren't cheap. Once being blown out for $3 at Target were selling for 2-3x that price.

Not being a cosplay person, nor being that interested in the design process of the toys left me little to enjoy about the con. I wanted more recognition of the other properties outside of the figures. BotCon several years ago in Providence had Peter Cullen, several IDW artists, and musician Stan Bush (The Touch from the animated soundtrack!)

Reading the boards, it seems like people had fun meeting and hanging together but I haven't heard much positive or negative about the con itself.

What do other people's impressions of the convention, guests, dealers, etc.

still wished i could have gone...

I guess it all depends on what you were looking for from the con. I went down for Saturday with certain expectations and had all of them blown away. I'm mostly a toy guy when it comes to Joes. I enjoy the cartoons/comics, but when I think of GI Joe, I think of a 3 3/4 toy in my hand.

I had a chance to:
Talk with fellow, like minded collectors
Talk with folks on the Hasbro development/product team
Talk with people from the boards here I've spent the last 2 years getting to know.

The prices on the floor seemed fair to me. As a matter of fact, there was not a single item I bought, that I made a cash offer for, that wasn't a square deal.

I guess the real questions is, what were you looking at getting out of Joecon?

Being in RI should have been an indication that it would be heavily focused on the toys and the design aspects of them.

RI is where Hasbro is after all. And it is a once in a lifetime to get that close to the home turf.

So it made sense that the toys were the main focus because this was a unique chance to get most of those people under the same roof.

It's a challenge to organize guests to show up at events. They start with a large list and then whittle it down to those that can show up.

The cartoon got the most time at the Hasbro panel.

IDW had a panel.

Besides, I went down to meet 'Tankers and had a great time. I hit 2 panels, spent 30 mins on the dealer floor, lol.

Originally Posted by Black Llama

I guess the real questions is, what were you looking at getting out of Joecon?

this.

I thought it was perfect.

but then again I had my goggles in everyone's business.
hahahahahahaa.

Originally Posted by Black Llama

I'm mostly a toy guy when it comes to Joes. I enjoy the cartoons/comics, but when I think of GI Joe, I think of a 3 3/4 toy in my hand.

This is where I'm at. I read the comics and watched the cartoon as a kid, but when it came down to it, it was all about the toys.

Realistically, I'll probably never get to go to a Joecon, unless it just happens to coincide with a date and destination that we are vacationing at.

I enjoyed my time there, but was let down at attendance. I like seeingbig crowds enjoying the same things. Perhaps a Cartoon or movie room, more adverts for the comics would have been nice, yes. I felt it was toy lopsided as well, and not as much eye candy as Botcon had in the same room. seems like there was less tables.

I spent most of my time at the artist booths, Logan was awesome to chat with, and he was kind enough to draw (yes draw, not sketch) for free, to anyone who wanted a piece. I ended up giving him my Baroness winning print.

I did find the prices on alot of figures high, and i'm in Canada, where we get high priced figures at the norm, and some stuff was priced HIGHER than what we pay. that was a big let down for me cuz there was figures i'd have picked up.

I came away with what i wanted, alot of awesome art, and G.I.JOE #1 autographed by Larry, but it would have been nice to get some voice actor autographs and maybe even movie actor autographs as well.

I wish I could have gone...
but alas..
finals.
boo.
education is over rated.

Like BL said, it's what your looking to get out of it. I had an Idea of stuff I wanted to get there, and there were no POC toys, No resolute packs, and no was selling the DVD foot locker, however I still managed to spend all my money and have the best time I've ever had at a con. I'm glad it wasn't overcrowded. I do like the idea of a room where maybe they show the cartoons and maybe the fan films on a loop, where you could hang out and cool off.

It was a great time the people I met made the experience not the events or exhibits.