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Photo via @eee

Possibly the best SPX ever—and definitely the most financially successful one. That’s what everyone was saying last night. By 4:30 Fantagraphics had made more money than they did at all of last year’s show. Similar stories were reported at PictureBox, Nobrow, D&Q and everywhere really. With a bigger floor space and a bigger panel room, and what looked like the biggest crowd ever, there was nothing to be sad or fret about.

Or as John Porcellino put it on the “Publishing During the Apocalypse” panel (a title everyone agreed was provocative but not very accurate), “I’m more confident in comics that I have ever been at any other point.”

So yeah, all good. We’ll have much more later.

11 COMMENTS

  1. I so badly wish I was there. But I agree with Porcellino – I think comics are doing pretty well and have made huge strides to breaking through to actual art. Conversely, I think superhero comics publishing will continue to eat itself into oblivion until the IPs are solely used for movies/TV/licensing/video games.

    I think the Web has really changed everything for comics. Largely because we don’t have to travel huge distances to find real comic stores to buy good stuff. We can just go somewhere on-line and find good comics.

  2. First time exhibiting at SPX in 13 years — what a great experience! Just an amazing room full of creative people. Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to put on such a warm and unique event.

  3. Just curious why you guys haven’t mentioned Stan Lee’s Comikaze show that happened this weekend. Some people said there were over 75k people there Saturday alone. Seems like a comic show of that size should be on your radar. Not that SPX isn’t cool and all.

  4. Perhaps we haven’t mentioned it because a gathering of the greatest cartoonists of the century is more newsworthy than a fun but common gathering of people in costumes and Stan Lee.

    Where is that 75K figure from, BTW? I have seen nothing that indicated that. Only reports of long lines to get in.

  5. Got to attend on Saturday (spotted Heidi chatting at the NBM table!) and it was a great show. Loved EMO Galactus, thank you for the recommendation. Funniest book I picked up was likely Teen Boat, which I last saw debut as a mini-comic at the last SPX I attended (2003? 2004?) The two Hernandez brothers panels were great, and I loved the Barnaby panel with Clowes and Ware sitting side by side. Sad I couldn’t attend Sunday, but ya know. Real life.

    Is it my imagination, or are more women attending the show these days? I’d love to see figures.

  6. SPX was AMAZING! It was my first time there and I tripled my sales from my best previous convention at HeroesCon this year. Can’t say enough about how well run this show seemed to be from my perspective at least.

  7. I can vouch for this! It was my best con yet, and when I finally got away from my table to make the rounds, I was really pleasantly surprised to see the huge array of comics and creators. Comics about dating! Comics about poop! Comics about meditation! SO AWESOME.

  8. I don’t know that there were more women as SPX this year, but it’s always been a very balanced show, demographically-speaking – about 50/50 men and women.

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