Silicon Valley Comic Con

[Drunk Monk]

7.2 mi
6 flights

[Drunk Monk]

Actually is was only like 4+ miles on Friday and the same today. Misread my iPhone.

Well that was fun. Got a ST - disco mirror universe pin and some sailor moon stuff for Tara. Saw Anson amount (disco’s Pike) he’s cool - smart and trained in classical theater). Spent most of the day with my old neighbor who I haven’t seen in 20+ years - it wasn’t great to catch up. He still plays D&D and is as nerdy as ever. More so.

Cosplayed as Pai Mei as an experiment for our KFM coverage (gotta produce something relevant to justify the press pass). It was fun and got some great responses. Stache & beard we’re a hassle.

[Greg]

You spent all day with him but it wasn't great to catch up? Auto correct strikes again or Freudian slip?

[Drunk Monk]

feckin autocorrect.  tis my bane.  it's worse when i'm accessing DOOM via my iphone. 

it was fascinating really.  he's got a good job as a data analyst for kaiser, and he's still runs a d&d table that's 10 members and meets twice a month.  i met one of his players - we all watched anson together.  fun to nerd out and reminisce with him.  both his parents have passed now.  he lives with his wife in san jo and does nerd stuff in his free time. 

me, i do nerd stuff for work.  

case and point: 

[Drunk Monk]

BTW, VIP passes were $900. A photo op with the govenator = $450

They sold plenty of both. So if this was the last one, wth did they lose $$$?

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Not a cheap venue. Also, being run for profit, maybe not enough profit? Does Morena show up on her own, or does she get paid?

Dude, you should like TOTALLY got to DragonCon, man!

[Drunk Monk]

Not a cheap venue. Also, being run for profit, maybe not enough profit? Does Morena show up on her own, or does she get paid? 

Morena gets paid.  For sure.  I didn't price out her photo op or autographs, but they were surely top tier and she surely gets a cut, plus appearance fees, travel, room & board.  She had top billing.  

Figure a minor autograph or photo op sells at $20 min and most are 2-3X that.  There are dozens on the floor and people like Lou Ferrigno and Adam 'asshole' Savage drew long lines.  That's pure $$$.  Plus the floor was full and all those vendors and exhibitors buy in, even the indie artists and cosplay 'celebs' in the back must drop a K$+ or so.  Most of the small panels are free - volunteer - they actually approved me to do one last year but I had to cancel due to a tournament conflict (I didn't know what I was going to do anyway - just submitted on a whim).  Staff is mostly volunteer except security (which was heavier than usual - Arnie's high fee was justified by his heightened security fees after he was attacked publicly recently at a gym) and house staff (concessions, janitorial, etc).  

And I know the price of that venue very well.  Remember that's were we've held TCEC for over a decade now.  We use South Hall (much cheaper - SVCC just used it for badge & wristband pick up) but we've used one of the rooms for our 20th and have access to all the numbers.

Dude, you should like TOTALLY got to DragonCon, man!

WTH is that?

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

LARP-Central, dude!

---

So do the Adam Savages just pay a booth fee and then make what they make, or does the con get a cut? Quid-pro-quo for appearance/panel vs booth fees? I have many questions.

Dragon Con is big and the specialize in LARPing. You could be The LARP-King!

[Drunk Monk]

I’m not sure how the money works for the various celebs. It’s a sliding scale for sure. Usually there’s a ‘has been’ alley where low level celebs pay for the booth and take their whole cut. But a bigger celeb is invited, taken care of, and gets a percentage.

I don’t LARP. I’m just nibbling at cosplay. It was an experiment ... for work ... grist for my report. Srsly. There’s a distinction.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

It’s just a hop, skip, and a LARP to the next level, DM.

[Greg]

Dressing up is the first step through the gateway.

[Drunk Monk]

Dressing up is the first step through the gateway.

I've been telling the Maestro that about knickers for years.  Now he's hopping and skipping like he still lives in some urine-soaked alley in SOMA. 

Meanwhile, I'll be hanging out with my villainess sistas.

[Greg]

I built the one on the right's apartment.

[Drunk Monk]

I built the one on the right's apartment.

pix or it didn't happen...

[Greg]

You think I don't have pictures of a set I built?