Comic Con 2008: Keeping it real without keeping it small

As we’re right in the middle of Comic-con, it seems appropriate that we take a little peek at the event’s history and current status as a multimedia behemoth. Broadcasting & cable has a very interesting feature up on how the show went from a comics-only event to a major convention for video games, comics, genre films and much more.

While the article doesn’t directly chronicle why or how comic-con has grown, it does lay out one of the fundamental issues with anything that grows from a niche gathering to a mainstream, money-generating event: selling out. From the post:

“When Comic-Con began 38 years ago in San Diego, it was just a small show for comic book collectors and science-fiction freaks. By last year, it attracted a crowd of 125,000, including enough TV networks and producers that now the show’s organizers, fearful that Comic-Con will lose its original flavor, are deliberately limiting the number of TV-related companies they’ll allow to attend. They’ve also refused to give several networks and studios bigger booths.”

Show organizers are keeping tabs on the number of booths big networks can use to show off their glossy content, in order to keep some semblance of balance. Meanwhile, the networks themselves clamor for real estate at the show because it’s proven a good way of reaching the ever-coveted young male demographic, and it’s often a successful place to launch new shows. It’s very yin and yang, really.

Whether or not you’re in San Diego lapping up the comic-con goodness or not, the piece is worth a read. It’s always interesting to get a feel for the finicky business side of our industry, and a fun look at what’s sure a fascinating place of convergence for many a nerd.

Read [Broadcast & cable]