SDCC 2024 Post Mortem

Below is my annual report of the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, held July 25–28, 2024. Or go straight to the photo gallery.

In terms of crowds, the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con felt like a return to form. The show is always crowded, but this year it felt moreso, even on my end of the floor in the Small Press. With the release of milestone issue 25 of Rob Hanes Adventures, sales were strong and steady, though 2022’s show—the first “regular” Comic-Con after the pandemic—remains my best year ever. Indeed, there seems to be an inversion law: whenever there is a level of buzz and activities outside of comics that excites and draws the crowds, that seems to slightly depress sales (at least for me).
Aside from the usual mix of longtime fans and supporters picking up the new issue and new people discovering the series, there seemed to be more than the usual number of memorable highlights for me at this show compared to years past.

The only negative note was that, for some reason, my Square app for taking credit card payments was sketchy the entire weekend—I believe it was due to a combination of both the app and poor data coverage. (I should add that I’ve been at this booth location for more than a decade and taken credit card payments on my mobile device even longer, and never before experienced such a chronic problem.) I even lost one sale though that buyer graciously returned on the last day, when the sale went through fortunately.

Sales of Original Art
Another boost to the bottom line was the sale of original art. While I have periodically sold pieces over the years, they tended to be more expensive cover art. Prior to the show, for the first time, I considered preparing and selling affordable sketches. So I did a few and brought them along, including a Will Eisner Spirit piece I had done earlier this year. I always exhibit my original art at my table and, without any signs or fanfare, displayed the sketches too. Several of them ended up being sold, along with a couple of original covers as well! In the future, I plan to include more sketches among sold items.

Catching Up with Friends and Colleagues
Even before Comic-Con kicked off with Preview Night on Wednesday evening, it started on a high note when I was on line at midday to pick up my professional guest badges. When I got on line, actor, screenwriter and comedian Thomas Lennon—who co-hosted the Eisner Awards this year as he has done a few times now—got on line behind me with a small group of companions. I didn’t bother him, but a few days later during the show, he walked by my booth. I mentioned I was a fan and handed him one of my comics (my Hollywood issue, as it happens, as that seemed apropos). He was delighted to receive it and when I asked if I could take a photo, he insisted on taking a selfie with me (see photos!).

While on that line, I also said hi and chatted a bit with TwoMorrows publisher John Morrow, and met and struck up a conversation with comics artist and writer Jimmy Palmiotti, who could not have been nicer. Then, when returning to my hotel to check in, I bumped into fellow cartoonist Andrew Pepoy in the lobby! We have known each other for years—he is a true fan of comics art and history. He has had a small press table just one aisle over from me for a few years now.

Other highlights included noted graphic designer Chip Kidd making a beeline for my booth after he spotted my work while walking by. I didn’t realize it was Kidd until after we’d been talking for a few moments. He complimented me on my work before moving on.

I also met Japanese manga artist and character designer Hitoshi Ariga, a guest at this year’s show, who was awarded an Inkpot on Thursday. After returning from a break, I found him looking through my comics and he seemed enthused by it. We chatted a little through his interpreter. Later, I posted about the meeting with a picture of the two of us on social media, and received a complimentary retweet from him! That was truly a great honor.

With manga artist and character designer Hitoshi Ariga

Other industry people I saw and chatted with include Tom Mason, David Olbrich, Charles Hatfield, Rik Offenberger, Barbara Kesel, Chad Frye, Nat Gertler, Mark Fearing, Matthew Schofield, Bill Morrison, Scott Shaw!, David Rios, Lonnie Milsap, Don Nguyen, Christie Shinn, and Craig Miller. My dinner with Andrew Pepoy included John Lustig and David Lucarelli, and his companion Jules. (Apologies for any omissions in the above list!)

Comic-Con Fever
But the enthusiasm of the crowds couldn’t be denied. There definitely was palpable excitement in the room, driven of course by Hall H programming that was back in full force after being in hibernation in 2023 due to the Hollywood industry strikes. Marvel Studios, of course, drove much f this, particularly in the surprise and last minute panels for Deadpool and Wolverine and then The Fantastic Four, which of course included the films’ stars.

From my Small Press exhibitor’s booth, the floor seemed incredibly packed, right from the get-go on Wednesday’s Preview Night. The Small Press gets its share of traffic—I’m nearly catty corner from the Charles Shulz Peanuts’ booth which often has a long line for its exclusives that snakes in front of my booth. It was even worse in the middle of the hall, extending out to the south end, where Marvel, the streamers (Hulu, Netflix, Paramount), toys (Lego and Funko Pop), and entertainment companies (including DC/Sony) all sit. Artist’s Alley is on that end of the hall along with the illustrator, comics artists and original art booths. When I walked to that end on one of the afternoons of the show, it was sometimes shoulder to shoulder! (I should add that I usually wore a mask when I was out and about in crowds.)

Because my focus is on selling comics, my time on the floor is limited, which means I don’t attend many panels or make many purchases, if at all. But being a huge fan of the Beatles, I did attend a “50 Years of the Beatles in Comics” panel that was moderated by animation historian Jerry Beck and included as a panelist Bill Morrison. I later picked up Morrison’s Yellow Submarine adaptation at Andrew Pepoy’s booth, after it sold out at the publisher’s booth where Morrison did a signing. Other purchases included a Will Eisner Spirit artist’s edition book from a French publisher and the Kong Crew #1 from the Stuart Ng Books booth and More Movie Memories by Craig Miller, a follow up to his fun memoir, Star Wars Memories, which I purchased directly from the author. (Since reading the first book I’ve become acquainted with Miller since we learned we live on the same side of town!)

Extended Stay
For the first time ever, I also stayed two extra days in San Diego, arriving a day early for the convention on Tuesday and departing the following Monday morning.

My usual routine over the years has been to drive down early Wednesday morning (departing around 4:30 am, usually arriving right before 7 am when the floor opens to exhibitors for set up, in preparation for Preview Night that begins in the evening.

While that has always worked for me, arriving Tuesday afternoon made things a little less rushed and hectic, allowing me to drop off materials at my booth in advance, and have more relaxed time with family who also arrived early before the frenzy of the show began. And while I similarly never had an issue driving home Sunday evening after the show, staying over until Monday allowed me to have a nice (if expensive) breakfast at the hotel that morning (I was really craving pancakes). I checked out and departed San Diego around 10:30 a.m. and was home in two hours!

Anyway, 2024 is now on the books. On to ‘25!

Below are additional photos from the show. Or click here to see the full gallery.