Comments on: Horror Convention Culture: It Ain’t What it Used to Be

By: Giovanni Deldio

Giovanni Deldio — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 01:04:00 +0000

I been going to horror cons since 1990 when Fango con autographed were free. Sadly, as time had passed cons have pricing. No doubt that TWD has made them worse. Like the whole Alanna Masterson charging 10 to talk to her disgusting! !

By: Giovanni Deldio

Giovanni Deldio — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 00:23:00 +0000

In reply to Stacy. I've had the same experiences as you pretty much to a TV, expect I started with Fango in 1990. Still, it's disheartening. ..

By: Black

Black — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 22:45:00 +0000

In reply to Hart Fisher.

Feel free to promote on our own online Halloween/Horror community for free:

https://halloween.community/

And I can guarantee no one will be getting hit by a car or standing in lines or taking a hit to the wallet. ;)

It’ll never be the same as in-person meetups, but it has me thinking maybe we should consider an online convention, where fans who can’t financially or physically make it to traditional conventions could have a chance to chat with their favorite stars.

By: Hart Fisher

Hart Fisher — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 22:20:00 +0000

I quit doing horror conventions for this reason. When I saw Dario Argento hit by a car outside a fangoria weekend of horrors convention & NO ONE ran over to help the living legend up to his feet but me, I new something had changed in fandom and in conventions. I stopped doing them years & years ago & I’m leering of attending any to promote my horror channel, American Horrors.

By: Kbarbare

Kbarbare — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 18:37:00 +0000

Wholeheartedly agree. I’ve been going to horror cons since the FIRST Chiller theatre. I now am co Creator and co founder of ROCK AND SHOCK. I have nothing but love like you, for guests and shows. However it is true “they ain’t what they used to be”…and there’s no excuse for putting fans into financial ruin to look at you. Sadly we have no control and I even wanted all autographs to be free when we started the con. It’s only gone up and up and everyone wants to charge what everyone else does…etc. at some point maybe the tides will turn.
I understand people have to make money but there has to be a limit…or better yet a conscience?

By: Tim J Finn

Tim J Finn — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 15:24:00 +0000

I’m way older that 30’s and have been attending conventions of one kind or another since the 1980’s. I go see the stars, true, but I spend more time hanging out with people I’ve met over the years. I remember the days of pay your admission, buy a picture (for 5 dollars or less, sometimes included with admission) and get it signed for nada. I have met some stars who will lower the price if you’re buying multiple, one even saw me in the dealers and handed me back most of the money I spent for him…Tom Trowel from Rob Zombie’s films. Conventions are still fun and I do look forward to them, but monetary concerns have required I scale back on the number I attend. Maybe it will all come around again.

By: Steven Millan

Steven Millan — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 09:34:00 +0000

I remember in 1990 when everyone used to complain about Gunnar Hansen charging for his autographs,but he was a Godsend compared to the many celebrities and the greedy convention organizers that have been overcharging fans to death for the last 15 years(Thanks,Creation Entertainment,Chiller Theatre,and Wizard World[and all of the other celebrity convention circuits that allow overcharging the fans] !!!),for it’s nice to know that I’m not alone in this feeling.

By: Steven Millan

Steven Millan — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 09:26:00 +0000

In reply to From Zombos' Closet. Peter Cushing: the only man that Tony Timpone was never able to get at one of the Fangoria Weekend Of Horrors(back when their shows were the rage[:it seems so long ago when Fango dominated everything in the genre in the 80s.,90s,and 00s/2000s]).

By: helloweenfest

helloweenfest — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 03:20:00 +0000

https://www.facebook.com/helloweenfest You might be interested in this little con I did last year. Didn’t gross the best profit but everyone had an amazing time!

By: From Zombos' Closet

From Zombos' Closet — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 16:07:00 +0000

Sadly, you’re right. We’re customers now. I remember meeting Peter Cushing at the FM Con. Sweet man, excited we were there to see him, and he shook hands and posed for photo ops endlessly. No charge.

By: Jaysin

Jaysin — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 11:51:00 +0000

In reply to John Squires. See, I think this exchange right here will be awesome! I hope you write a follow up after the exchange of emails. It'll be interesting to see what goes on 'behind the curtain' so to speak

By: Cusco Ailes

Cusco Ailes — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:42:00 +0000

The actors don’t receive much of the money they bring in. I go to all of them I can. I love meeting the stars and one of their represenatives told me they get around 30 percent of their take in. The guests also have to get pay for their travel and hotel costs. Their meals are usually catered, but they still have to purchase their drinks. That is why the costs have gone up over the years. I agree, though, that a baby is not proper for a convention.

By: Toxic_Avenger

Toxic_Avenger — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 19:44:00 +0000

Can’t agree with this article. Horror cons are still just as awesome as they have always been and there are still many small cons that are run by fans for the fans. Sure, prices may have gone up, but events with inevitably get more expensive as time goes on…supply and demand, inflation, etc. It’s pretty lame that you’d rather drink than attend an awesome convention. Oh well, you’re missing out.

By: James

James — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:29:00 +0000

The Walking Dead has brought a whole new type of fan to conventions. Especially Norman Reedus. A lot of his fans are soccer moms and their teenage kids who have never watched any horror outside of their favorite Sunday night cable show. I hate going to shows where he is appearing. Granted it is cool for the promoters but not for the die hard horror fan who loves seeing the actors and actresses they grew up loving. And 80 bucks for is autograph? Glad I met him when he charged 20 bucks. And don’t get me started on Walker Stalker. Seems like a bunch of money hungry promoters who only care about filling their pockets with cash!!!

By: Jeremy Woodworth

Jeremy Woodworth — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 02:14:00 +0000

supposedly stallone charges 400 for picts w him. absolute ridiculousness! More power to paparazzi who annoy these rapists!

By: Jeremy Woodworth

Jeremy Woodworth — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 02:12:00 +0000

I love a lot of big stars but make a stand when they try to rape fans wallets like say chritopher lyoyd who’s worth was 70M and wanted to charge 70$ just to get a picture with him. I’ve been a fan since cukoos nest and refused to pay 70. I got a beautiful b and w poster w every next generation character for around 20 until I met Patrick stewart who wanted 100 and I said no way!

By: EllenRipley112

EllenRipley112 — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 01:30:00 +0000

Totally down with this. I was blessed to catch Norman Reedus at a horror con (forgive me, can’t remember which one) right when The Walking Dead was still fresh, and I was able to score numerous FREE photos with and of him–I only had to pay if I need him to sign something at his table. I mean, I walked up to him at least 3 times during that 3 day weekend and got a free table shot each time. He was that awesome. Last con I was at where he was a guest, I didn’t even bother trying–$40 or so just to walk up and say “HI”, NO photos at the table, and the professional photo-op was the most expensive for one person (as opposed to a cast shot), and the most heavily booked, of all the photo-ops. I like to believe the actors don’t have a say, because they got “people” who deal with the cons and work out the financial details, but still. It was kinda sad.

By: Josh

Josh — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 02:35:00 +0000

I whole heartedly agree with this article. I have been attending conventions since 2008, and it was around 2010 only after 2 years going to them that I saw things becoming mainstream. I have done a couple photo ops, only because the proceeds went to a charity and was the only way to get you picture with the celebrity.
An example was JLC at Horror Hound in 2012, but she held the directors slate used on the set of HALLOWEEN (1978), so it was worth it to me. I am attending Horror Hound this coming weekend mainly for the MaskFest side of the convention, it’s the part I truly enjoy, and because I usually buy a mask or 2, because they are hand made and are usually 1 of kind pieces and not cookie cutter Halloween Express crap. If it wasn’t for MaskFest I probably wouldn’t go, I am getting a few of the celebrities signatures, I think maybe a total of 6 and that’s the least I have ever got at one of these events, but the guest list I have met most of them and the ones I haven’t met I don’t care to.
This is the only event I have attended this eyar other than Full Moon in Nashville, but that’s a day trip for me, because I live 2 hours from Nashville.
I’ve just reached the point I have met everyone I care to meet, I met every Jason, even Brooker before he passed away, I’ve Gunnar, Pinhead, Freddy and so on. It’s just come to the point that the convention scene isn’t fun anymore, and seems more like a job, than a vacation for me. I do like hanging with the like minded fans, and it’s fun to hang with the “Poser’s”, they’re easy to spot. Love the article, you hit the nail on the head, and I think the 2 Judith’s is way over board imo.

By: Josh

Josh — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 02:14:00 +0000

In reply to Jaysin. Unfortunately I have to stay the weekend at most of these events because the closest ones are at least a 3-4 hour drive one way for me. I agree, after Saturday afternoon I'm ready to go home.

By: Psy-Ko Smiley

Psy-Ko Smiley — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 18:37:00 +0000

All things have their heyday and horror cons are in theirs now. I like TWD but have to say I don’t like what it’s done to conventions. It’s brought in many people who are there just for that. Especially 14 year old screaming fangirls (Oh my god it’s Norman, I’m just gonna die!”) Normans a nice guy and luckily I met him a few years back when TWD wasn’t so popular. Paid $30 for an autograph and pic with him. Now when he appears I just walk by his 3hr wait line and think no way! The amount of people wanting to meet TWD guests is what I think raised a lot of prices. Sure some went up before that but it wasn’t an epidemic. I noticed at my last con that Kane Hodder had gone from $20 to $25, for years he’s been $20 but you know, who can blame him. He looks around and sees Chandler Riggs charging $30 or some of the other TWD who go $40 or $50 and it’s got to piss him off that he’s only getting $20. So yeah it bothered me that he went up but I get it. The good news is sooner or later TWD will end and when it does so will the majority of it’s fandom, horror cons will go back to being what they were or close to it and the fans will go back to being people who like more then one show.

Photo-ops – I can kind of see someone wanting a group photo op with a great backdrop and I actually did one with Joe Turkel behind the bar, $30 and totally worth it but I wouldn’t pay a cent for a prom picture with Reedus or even one of my heroes. To me when people post those and brag about them it makes me laugh because I know they just spent a minimum of $50 for 2 seconds of time and a pic that usually looks pretty crappy.

Baby Judith – yeah saw that last night and laughed my ass off. What are they gonna do, sign footprints??? Guess I’ll just look at it the same as random zombie #5 who promotes themselves as a TWD guest and charges for their autograph. Must be some people who want it and willing to pay for it. More power to em I guess, make that money while it’s there but you won’t make it from me.

As for cons that are great I can think of two, Days Of The Dead in Atlanta was awesome, went for my first time this year. It was well organized, had lots to do besides getting autographs and they encourage guests to keep their prices low. I also don’t think there were any pro photo ops which is great! I had a blast at that con! The other is Mad Monster Party, I’ve been to the 3 in Charlotte and one in New Orleans and all were great. They are actually my go to con because if I can only afford one I know I’ll have fun at that one! The prices don’t stay as low as DOTD but they get stars that no one else gets and they have a good mix. I mean name me another con inthe past 10 years thats gotten Rutger Hauer?!? They have a lot of programming as well so if you don’t have alot of $ for autographs you’ll still have fun. Their film festival is great and they usually premier 1 or 2 features that aren’t yet out (Go see Smothered when it’s released! It’s great!) Lots of night events too so just a great party atmosphere. MMP is my family and they treat me like it.

By the way, my first Horror con was World Horror Con in 95′ where I met Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Tony Todd, David Prowse and Clive Barker all for free :)