IDW Says “No More Comic-Con?”
There’s been no shortage of discussion, complaints and analysis to be found around the ‘Net the last few months with regard to the changing focus of San Diego’s Comic-Con International, but the recent suggestion that this year’s show could be the last for publisher IDW still created quite a stir. Tom Spurgeon recently spoke with IDW’s president, Ted Adams, about his buzz-worthy proclamation, and the interview is must-read material for anyone interested in the evolution of comics’ place in both Comic-Con and the convention scene as a whole.
SPURGEON: How much has the way the show’s transformed itself the last half-decade had an impact on your decision?
ADAMS: It’s part of it.
I should make a point of saying that the people that put on San Diego Comic-Con are pretty extraordinary. This show, what they do every year is I think is flat-out unbelievable. You couldn’t pay me enough money to take on any of their jobs. They’ve done nothing but treat us with respect. The decisions I’m weighing have nothing to do with the way we’ve been treated by San Diego or really this sort of perceived — I see these things on-line about the perception that Comic-Con is getting away from comics and becoming an entertainment show, and there’s no question that’s true. But I don’t have the angst over those things. I think we’re just seeing the free market at work here with San Diego Comic-Con. The market is saying "We want to see Hugh Jackman." [laughter] I don’t know how Comic-Con could make that not be. What are you going to do, go to Fox and say, "You can’t have Hugh Jackman here"? [Spurgeon laughs] You’re going to disappoint the tens of thousands of people that want to see that.
Head over to The Comics Reporter for the rest of the interview.
You might remember Brent Rinehart, the Oklahoma county commissioner who mailed a crudely drawn and deeply offensive comic (one page at right) to voters in the hopes of winning reelection.
It had to happen. The Presidential Battle spills over into the comic shops with a one-of-a-kind new set of graphic novels from IDW, plus:
or 
In today’s brand-new episode of 
Dark Horse was nice enough to compile a full list of the publisher’s announcements out of San Diego (including a new Martha Washington — at right — book).
is a pretty stupid book on its face. And it’s pretty stupid inside too.
For anyone in that weird cross section of humanity that enjoys Margaret Cho and superhero comics, this next item of news is sure to bring nirvana to your soul.
