Comicon.Com Relaunches With No Fan Input
My earliest venture into comic discussion online was Usenet, then CompuServe, but the first bulletin board/webforum I remember being a part of, back more than 20 years ago, were the boards at Comicon.com, a site then run by Rick Veitch and Steve Conley. There were lots of cool people there, pros and fans alike, back when online hangouts were both more egalitarian and focused.
That’s also where Heidi MacDonald got her blogging start. Two years ago, she noted that the URL had new owners. I don’t know if they’re the same ones behind the latest incarnation, but at the beginning of the month, the site posted this:
Comicon.Com Announces Grand Opening, Increased Content, And Mission Statement
…readers can expect to encounter an increase in content running daily on the website, ranging from wider coverage in comics to an expansion in the realm of TV/Film, gaming, collectibles, and more. Comicon.com will be unveiling a number of hires in the form [of] contributors to the site as well as a major TV/Film writer through its on-site “About” page today. Backed by a group of entertainment investors whose goal is to rejuvenate comics and pop culture journalism, Comicon.com will continue to add staff over time.
At this time, Comicon.com would like to introduce Hannah Means-Shannon, Ph.D., in the role of Executive Editor. Means-Shannon joined Comicon.com after working as an Associate Editor at Dark Horse Comics and was formerly the Editor-in-Chief at Bleeding Cool, as well as the EIC of Bleeding Cool Magazine. Prior to this, she was a Contributing Editor at The Comics Beat….
At this time, Comicon.com would also like to express their mission statement as a pop culture media outlet. The origin of Comicon.com as a website dates back to the late 1990’s and the origin of comics communities online. The first iteration of Comicon.com acted as a virtual platform where creators and fans could meet, and fans could encounter new works to spur their enthusiasm for the medium. That focus on enthusiasm for the medium of comics, as well as for the popular culture that is so much a passion in fans’ daily lives, is what has led to the re-launch of Comicon.com.
Comicon.com aims to light that spark of enthusiasm in readers once more, leading them to explore the world of comics more fully, as well as the worlds of TV, Film, and many other fandoms. Comicon.com’s goal is to engage with fans in ways that create a personal drive to support these arts and build communities that continue to celebrate them in the future. The role of Comicon.com is to be educative, incisive, balanced in critical approach, and also relentlessly inclusive in attitude.
Along with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram links. No comments, though. That’s just too much trouble to moderate these days. And along similar lines, it’s hard to see how a comic site with increasing pop culture coverage is going to set itself apart in any significant way.
It remains to be seen how “spurring enthusiasm” translates. Does that mean no critical reviews? I like the emphasis on inclusion, although my strongest feeling about the new site so far is that they need to trim their top nav bar. At a reasonable-sized browser window on my laptop, the search icon runs into the “About Us”.