With rumors that 2016 may be Fun Publications’ last BotCon, John and Ant from TFU.info look back at the Fun Pub era. They credit a technically tight show and a massive output of exclusives. They fault rising costs, a fading social side and poor communication with fans. Ant lays out what a reset convention should look like.
Is 2016 Fun Pub’s Last BotCon?
John notes Fun Publications took over BotCon in 2005 and later launched the Collectors’ Club and subscription service. He says talk is building that 2016 could be its final BotCon. Ant calls Fun Pub a dinosaur that has been lapped by official channels. He argues live events matter more than ever because the experience can’t be downloaded.
Toys First, Panels Second, People Last
John says Fun Pub’s model put exclusives first, panels second and the social side last. Ant counted about 23 exclusives in 2014. He credits casino night but misses the old BotCon art room, which shrank to a corner of the dealer room.
Priced Out
Ant’s first BotCon, St. Paul in 1999, cost about $300 all in. He says a full weekend now runs four figures, which squeezes out both younger and older fans. He counts himself priced out. John warns the model leaves no room if the brand cools or the economy dips.
How Fun Pub Treated Fans
John credits Fun Pub with running a tight, on-time show. Ant feels fans were talked down to and that Fun Pub rarely owned its mistakes, recently blaming a former web developer for preregistration trouble. John cites a prayer at an early social event as a misread of a diverse crowd. Ant recalls an information-desk volunteer at his first Fun Pub BotCon who couldn’t say where the restroom was. He also tells how a lost registration fax nearly kept him out one year. John stresses that a simple apology goes a long way.
A Decade of Exclusives
Ant rates Fun Pub’s exclusives as middle of the road. He praises the Scorponok figure, Oil Master, the G2 sets and some Shattered Glass. He notes quality-control slips, including his Beast Wars-themed Megatron missing its leg weapons. Both call the first Classics box set their best. John notes the club’s coming Impactor competes with a well-reviewed third-party Impactor.
What the Next BotCon Should Be
Ant would focus on a few strong concepts so fans aren’t forced to buy figures they don’t want. John would drive prices down, since packaging matters less to most fans. Ant points out that one or two exclusives, like his 1999 Windrazor and Sandstorm, felt special. He likes moving the show around but notes Fun Pub rarely went to the Northeast. He would also pair BotCon with a larger show where Hasbro and the press already are. Ant would welcome a HasbroCon run like Star Wars Celebration, ideally run by Hasbro itself.
Contributors: John, Ant (TFU.info, guest)
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