It seems that comics may be making a comeback in the Bay Area? Yesterday we had the happy news that the Cartoon Art Museum has found a new home in a tourist friendly area, despite soaring local real estate prices.
Today we have word of a one day symposium being held tomorrow, the Storytelling Across Media, part of the San Francisco Comics Fest event that’s being put on in conjunction with Comic-Con International, the Cartoon Art Museum, California College of the Arts, Museum of African Diaspora, Black Comix Arts Festival, and local comics retailers. And also something called “Comic–Con International’s San Francisco Comic–Con (SFCC).”
You can read the whole PR below (and go to the event which looks great) but you may recall that Comic-Con International, the organization that puts on the San Diego Comic-Con and WonderCon, had trademarked the names San Diego Comic-Con, Anaheim Comic-Con, San Francisco Comic-Con and Los Angeles Comic-Con.
Recently, the LA-based show Comikaze rebranded as the Los Angeles Comic Con; while CCI has been engaged in a legal battle with the Salt Like Comic Con over their trademark of the term “comic-con,” the new LACC was even more of a direct hit.
And there is also a preexisting San Francisco Comic Con that seems to have nothing to do with CCI that will be held for the second time next year September 1-3.
Also, as you may recall, WonderCon, which is now held in Anaheim, was formerly held in San Francisco, until the city’s lack of interest in hosting a comic con basically drove it away by refusing to give dates at the busy Moscone Center in time. In the past CCI’s David Glanzer has hinted that they’d like to return to the Bay Area with WonderCon or…maybe something else?
At any rate by holding this event and establishing their own claim on the term San Francisco Comic-Con, they’re planting their flag. But is it in time? We reached out to CCI for comment but had not heard back at time of this writing.
UPDATE: CCI’s David Glanzer confirmed that they are returning to the Bay Area, albeit with this smaller event. “Our hope is that we can return to the Bay Area if not with WonderCon than perhaps with another convention,” he told The Beat. “SAM, Storytelling Across Media, is our first foray in that direction. We hope the turnout will be good and we hope the community will support our efforts. My fingers are crossed for a great symposium!”
FINALLY, the event sounds fun and it’s FREE but advance registration is suggested.
This year’s events include Storytelling Across Media (SAM) a free one-day symposium produced in association with Comic-Con International’s San Francisco Comic-Con (SFCC). SAM will cap off the nearly week-long festival by offering a lineup of in-depth panels and workshops for everyone from aspiring cartoonists to professional storytellers. SAM is not your traditional comics convention. SAM is all about storytelling, through a series of talks and workshops about how to tell a story in various media, including comics, gaming, animation, movies, and more. It explores the similarities and differences in telling stories through different media and focuses on the craft of telling a story through creator lectures and workshops.
This year’s celebration will kick off Wednesday, November 2nd with satellite events held throughout the city culminating in the SFCC sponsored Storytelling Across Media event on Saturday, November 5th.
Festival events include a sketch kick-off at 111 Minna, Comix Experience Trivia Night, and an evening with Ajuan Mance and Shawn Taylor at MoAD. A full listing of festival events can be found at: http://www.sfcomicsfest.com
With special panels presented by Cartoon Art Museum, California College of the Arts, the Queer Comics Expo, Last Gasp Books, Telltale Games and more, the Storytelling Across Media event will have something for everyone. While free and open to the public, space is limited and attendees are asked to register online prior to the event.
WHO: SAM: Storytelling Across Media
WHAT: A one-day symposium devoted to talks and workshops about storytelling in various forms of media. Part of San Francisco Comics Fest.
WHEN: Saturday, November 5, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM
WHERE: Marriott Marquis Hotel, 780 Mission St., San Francisco, CA, 94103
ADMISSION: Free; online advance registration is encouraged. Seating is limited.
WEBSITE: https://www.comic-con.org/
frontpage/sam-storytelling- across-media
Even if Moscone doesn’t allow CCI:SFCC back inside, CCI could go the Dragon*Con route, and stage everything in the giant convention center hotels surrounding Moscone.
It’s nice to see San Diego Comic Convention sponsor an event outside of their more commercial conventions.
Might we see an annual writers/creators workshop, similar to the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop at UC San Diego?
Or maybe summer art programs aimed at children and teens?
Or perhaps a Comics Art Festival, promoting the art and creativity over IP and activations? (Maybe in conjunction with the San Diego Public Library?) (Yes, there’s APE… and it’s new space seems good. But would it get better press in San Diego?)
Or perhaps a comics scholarship for area high school students? (See: Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards)
How about sponsoring an ambassadorship for comics? (See: National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature)
Maybe CCI could take 1% of its cash reserves and use it to incubate some of these ideas…
Seriously… 45+ years of Comic-Con in San Diego, and what comics legacy exists in the area?
What would remain if CCI left San Diego tomorrow?
How well is CCI fulfilling its mission statement?
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