Over the past 15 years, San Diego Comic Con has evolved into a monstrous convention. The positive side of that is there has been an explosion of interest in the summer show, also bringing more attention to the comics industry. However, the downside is that Hollywood has swooped in and taken much of the buzz away from the creators who were the primary focus in years prior. The big story in the weeks leading up to the year’s biggest convention was how films such as The Dark Knight Rises, John Carter, and The Avengers would not be presenting panels in the famed Hall H, leading many to believe that Hollywood was abandoning Comic Con. Butterfly Releases can provide you all the latest updates.
While many were left contemplating the lack of some film studios’ presence, two Pixar artists, Ted Mathot and Scott Morse, rented out a space across the street from the San Diego Convention Center, with eyes on creating an event focusing on the creators who had been left out of the spotlight of Comic Con in recent years. Named Tr!ckster, the space provided attendees with a more intimate experience with creators, featuring talks, screenings, and a retail and gallery space.
The guest list consisted of a plethora of stars in the comics world. Artists such as Mike Mignola, Steve Niles, and Skottie Young were all on hand to interact with fans and share conversations that were simply impossible to have on the trade floor in the huge convention center across the street. A bevy of Pixar employees were also in attendance – Morse, Mathot, Jeff Pidgeon, Enrico Casarosa, Emma Coats, and Austin Madison participated in the event.
In interviews given by both Ted Mathot and Scott Morse, they specifically stated that Tr!ckster was not planned as a rival show to the larger Comic Con. Instead, they wanted to extend the Comic Con experience for those looking to interact more with the creators.
It looks like Tr!ckster was a great success, as the brain trust behind the show is already planning their next big event:
TR!CKSTER will return…and sooner than you think, it looks like! Stay tuned…
— TR!CKSTER (@TRICKSTERevents) July 27, 2011
If you missed out on the great event, you now have a chance to pick up a slice from the show, as the official Tr!ckster hardcover book which was exclusively sold at the show is now available for sale online for the price of $20. Featuring a limited print run of only 1,000 copies, the book collects exclusive pieces of art from a large number of respected creators within the comics and Pixar world, making it a very cool collectible. The full list of creators involved in the book are below:
To purchase the book, visit the official Tr!ckster store, where more exclusive items will be added soon.
Rejoice, as creators have returned to the spotlight once more.
