comic book show

[michael c]

i just got home from the "big apple comic book show".i'll start by saying that the penn plaza pavillion makes the tarrytown marriot look like the four seasons.total gross-out.

anywho,in attendence of course were kathryn leigh scott,diana millay and marie wallace.apparently nancy barrett had already left.slow business .
diana was more personable than she had been when i met her in the past.she's working on two new books.one she hopes to have ready for this year's fest in l.a. and the other in time for the 40th anniversary fest in n.y..marie(in a girlish side pigtail!)was very nice too.she seemed flattered when i told her that i was just now watching her portrayal of eve and was enjoying it.kathryn was pleasant but briskly businesslike.she "offered" to autograph her cd of "my dark shadow memories" if i bought it.i already have diana's book and really didn't want to shell out $10 for a picture of marie so that was my purchase.

all three actresses confirmed that the 2006 fest will be the last.we've heard that before but somehow i believed them.none of the participants is getting any younger and in terms of merchandising diana suggested that they were "beating a dead horse".

not otherwise being interested in comics/science fiction/fantasy there wasn't alot there for me but i took a spin anyways.there were several gold key comics but at $75(!) a pop i couldn't do it.i found two marilyn ross novels in pristine condition.at $1 and $4 each they were the day's bargain.
for anyone in the n.y. area they d.s. actresses will be on hand again sunday.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Thanks so much for the report, mscbryk. 

i found two marilyn ross novels in pristine condition.at $1 and $4 each they were the day's bargain.

They definitely sound like a bargain! The later books are usually the most expensive because they're harder to find. But even the early-to-mid books, particularly if they're in pristine condition, are usually much more expensive than that - especially at trade shows. It sounds like you got an amazing deal! Good for you. 

[Mary]

all three actresses confirmed that the 2006 fest will be the last.we've heard that before but somehow i believed them.none of the participants is getting any younger and in terms of merchandising diana suggested that they were "beating a dead horse".

Thank you for the report, mscbryk.  I'm totally devastated to learn that the 2006 Fest will be the last one.  Going to the Fest is always the highlight of my year.  I always make a big touristy vacation out of it and I've made so many friends over the years at the Fests and I always look forward to seeing them again each year.  Did they say anything about having some sort of other annual event instead of a Fest?  Does anyone else know if they would do that, like the "weekend" last year or a day trip to Tarrytown or somewhere?  I need one of Julia's sedatives at this point.  Moan.   

[michael c]

mysterious,the books that i found are "dark shadows" and "strangers at collins house".they are very early books.centered on victoria.apparently when these books first came out there was an illustration on the cover.in later reprintings it is a photgraph.it's funny that when they reprinted the early books they included barnabas on the cover with vicki even though he hadn't been a character yet when these were written so he's not actually in the story.i guess he had become the "brand identity".they must have done a special round of photos specifically for the books because they're not stills from the show.they're staged shots and vicki's wearing a blue and brown outfit that she never wore on the show.i'd love to read them but the spine hasn't even been bent.they're in such good condition i hate to damage them.

mary,the actesses didn't say whether or not there would be some other event.as kls has pointed out before they are not the fest's organizers but invited guests.so they probably don't know.it will be a bummer if there is no sort of gathering for fans.

[PennyDreadful]

all three actresses confirmed that the 2006 fest will be the last.we've heard that before but somehow i believed them.none of the participants is getting any younger and in terms of merchandising diana suggested that they were "beating a dead horse".

 Wow, that's really a shame about the Fests.  Hopefully they'll create a smaller event to keep it going.  I've never been to one, and hope to make the 2006 Fest (which I assume will be in NYC).

  As for merchandising, I think Diana is quite wrong there.  The DVDs keep on coming out (a sign they are doing well enough to justify producing them for this long), there are also the upcoming Majestic Studios action figures, and MPI is planning a complete box set of DS music, plus other MPI items like puzzles, etc.  In terms of mass public release of stuff - yeah, that's unrealistic since DS is a cult show.  However, there are certainly enough fans to support DS-based merchandise.   

 ~Penny Dreadful~

[michael c]

hey penny, i think what diana was talking about in terms of merchadising was not so much new product releases by mpi and a few other big players but the small-time vendors of the original d.s related merch:pictures,trading cards,comics,books.that type of stuff.those were what made the festivals fun.there is less and less of that stuff to go around.
at last years fest mpi was by far the biggest vendor and that's not that interesting.people can just pick up the phone and order mpi products.it doesn't require an event.

[PennyDreadful]

 Ah, thanks for clarifying mscbryk.  It makes sense that there'd be less and less of the 60s/70s merch to go around.  In addition, I assume most of the small-time vendors prefer to put their stuff for sale on eBay nowadays - less hassle/travel/cost/etc..

~Penny Dreadful~  

[Mary]

mary,the actesses didn't say whether or not there would be some other event.as kls has pointed out before they are not the fest's organizers but invited guests.so they probably don't know.it will be a bummer if there is no sort of gathering for fans.

Thanks, mscbryk.  Yes, it will definitely be a bummer if there is no gathering for the fans.

As far as merchandise at the Fests goes, from what I understand (and someone correct me if I'm wrong), it's not a lack of merchandise or purchasing interest from the fans that's the problem.  It's more like TPTB at the Fests don't want all the dealers for what reasons I have no idea.  Until the past few years there were lots of vendors in the dealers room selling a much bigger variety of merchandise than what they've had recently.  I can only guess that they've cut back on dealers in order to make the Fests smaller, again for what reasons I don't know.

[Midnite]

Thanks SO much for your wonderful report, mscbryk!

A friend attended yesterday (the con's final day) after having read this topic.  Marie Wallace and KLS were asked about the 2006 Fest being the last, and they both said they'd been asked that question before but didn't know the answer.  "We're the last to know," they added.  Only Diana Millay was reporting something similar to it, but I don't know her exact words, sorry.  Please know that I'm not at all (!) suggesting that your account isn't accurate, and goodness knows that backpedalling has been elevated to a fine art by some of the representatives of DS (!!!).  I'm just saying that according to a friend, at the AppleCon on Sunday those 2 ladies were no longer confirming that the 2006 Fest would be the last.   :-

[Nancy]

all three actresses confirmed that the 2006 fest will be the last.we've heard that before but somehow i believed them.none of the participants is getting any younger and in terms of merchandising diana suggested that they were "beating a dead horse".

Hi!

I remember you talking to Marie as I was seated next to her but I think you misunderstood about any confirmation that the last DS Festival would be the 2006 event.  Only Diana Millay said it would be and quite frankly, as I have said to her even this past weekend, she tends to represent many of her opinions and theories as fact when they are not fact, sometimes even going as far as to quote other individuals who never made any such statement.  Nancy Barrett, Marie Wallace and KLS did not believe the 2006 would necessarily be the last festival.  It is impossible to predict what is going to happen in the DS world between now and the 40th anniversary in 2006.  I sat with these ladies the entire weekend so I know  are not operating under any assumption that 2006 is the last festival.

Nancy

[jimbo]

As far as merchandise at the Fests goes, from what I understand (and someone correct me if I'm wrong), it's not a lack of merchandise or purchasing interest from the fans that's the problem.  It's more like TPTB at the Fests don't want all the dealers for what reasons I have no idea.  Until the past few years there were lots of vendors in the dealers room selling a much bigger variety of merchandise than what they've had recently.  I can only guess that they've cut back on dealers in order to make the Fests smaller, again for what reasons I don't know.

Mary I am only guessing that DCP has clamped down on permitting other vendors from selling DS merchandise because it may violate DCP's licensing and for other legal/financial reasons. I do agree with you that the Dealer's room at recent Fests have truly become a real bore. MPI does in fact dominate the room and I hope I am not offending here at the board, but it is just my opinion that MPI has zero creativity or innovation and/or perhaps they are not permitted to come up with new merchandising ideas because of the aforementioned issues. But here it is 2005 and MPI is still hawking the 1998 DS ornament and those boxers. It was a hell more fun when other vendors were allowed to demonstrate their unique DS related items. It was indeed a more "festive" dealer's room. Perhaps this year we will get a chance to see the new DS busts that hopefully will see the light of day.

[michael c]

i really have no reason to lie about it.perhaps in hindisght marie and i didn't touch on this particular point but after my brief conversations with both diana and kathryn i came away with the strong impression that they both believed that the 40th anniversary fest will be the last.diana practically insisted.i'm sorry if i mislead anyone.

nancy wasn't around when i was there so i didn't get her take.

[Nancy]

Only Diana Millay was reporting something similar to it, but I don't know her exact words, sorry. 

She told several people that the 40th would be the last one and then turned around to those of us sitting there with her, asking her source, and said "Well, I think it would be . . the 40th is a perfect number. I would think Jim would be tired of doing it."  Obviously, she was just guessing and projecting an opinion.  It would be easy for anyone to be misled by her comment.

What many fans do not realize is that the festival  is basically an arm of DCP marketing. Jim Pierson is the marketing person for DCP.  It's not an issue of someone "being tired" of doing it.  The issue is whether or not there it is viable to do especially in lieu of no active DS showing anywhere or any new production.  Who knows what will happen before 2006.  The series may be in syndication again by that point or other things will be happening.

Nancy

[ClaudeNorth]

Ahhhh...what would fandom be without rumors, eh?  <lol>

This does bring up an interesting point, namely, how much longer the Fests will continue.  As hard as it might be to believe, most of the cast members are close to retirement age, i.e. 65, and after 20+ years of attending the Fests, they must be getting at least a little bit tired of it.  Perhaps the Fests will morph into smaller, fan-oriented gatherings rather than large events built around the cast members.

[victoriawinters]

There are many such Dark Shadows activity clubs in existence at the moment where smaller number of fans can gather either for a special events, parties or relaxed video days.  However, any larger events not officially the Fest are going to be hampered by DCP licensing issues.  Should the Fests cease, any fan events would have to be sligh creatures of the night.  Publicity would be limited to word of mouth, etc. without such permission.

It's still going to be in MPI's interest to still have the Fests, since I'm sure they make plenty of money from their products.