redneckgaijin

#78: Demand exclusive appearance clauses in your dealer contracts that prevents dealers from appearing at competing events.

Got this from Cap'n Dave Merrill,

davemerrill, who got it from

cro2.

Just to simplify if you don't want to read all of this: The people that traditionally do the 'big con at the end of August' here in Toronto (also known as 'Hobbystar Marketing') have sunk to a new level in their scummy behaviour and business practices, one that is quite probably illegal. I'm passing along this message from a Toronto comic shop retailer and convention exhibitor (that I have no affiliation with whatsoever) because what he's saying needs to be said.

My name is Daryl Collison.

If you are familiar with the Toronto Comic Book scene, you know that I own and operate 3rd Quadrant Comics. If you are familiar with the comic scene at all, you may have actually seen me at a show or two. I am a relatively big guy with dreads and a huge McGuiness Superman tattoo on my right calf (think Samoan wrestler). I have run my store for almost 10 years now.

I am giving you a little background prior to giving you the juicy bits about why I am here to grind an axe.
On Saturday July the 15th at approximately 4 pm I received a phone call from Aman Gupta, the owner and operator of Hobbystar Marketing â€“ they are the hosts of the Comic Book Expo held annually in Toronto Canada. I have been a supporter of Aman and HobbyStar for about 8 years now. I started of with 1 table and bolstered it to two tables about 4 years ago (I may be wrong on the dates, so do not quote me). I also have done a number of his smaller shows.

On Thursday July 13th Paradise Comics announced that they were doing a 1 day SUPER FAN COMIC BOOK SHOW in Toronto. (please note there is a LOT of history here and I am not going to go into it here. Suffice to say Paradise was doing the right thing in my opinion. BUT I will say this: Hobbystar has for the past two years put on a 1 day Fan Appreciation show ONE WEEK before the Paradise convention and saw no repercussions from Paradise. Paradise decides to put on a 1 day show 1 tenth the size of the Fan Appreciation show 2 WEEKS BEFORE the Expo and Aman has a hissy fit)

The gist of Aman's call was to tell me, in no uncertain terms, if I did the Paradise show on the 20th, that he would refund my money that I have deposited for his Expo which is to be held September 1-3 and that I would NOT be able to do his show. He told me that he was doing up the contracts and wanted to know what I was going to do. I suspect that he asked that so that he can CHANGE all the contracts NOW to include some ridiculous clauses about NOT doing competing shows within a certain time frame (does the term restraint of trade ring any bells) to his show. He really is running scared, isn't he? The fact that I cemented my tables by paying him hundreds of dollars almost a year ago apparently means nothing to him.

Where does he get off telling ME what I can and cannot do? In a free market place I can do whatever show I want and he tells me that? Needless to say I am not pleased. I asked him, so you are telling me that whoever is doing your show is being told that if they do the Paradise show that you are telling them they will get their funds returned and they cannot do your show? He said yes. THE REASON I asked him that was to see if he was targeting me or if all retailers and hobbyists were being told the same thing. I am sure if some of the "bigger retailers" were told what he told me, they would tell him what he could do with his tables. I am furious.

I WILL do the Paradise show on the 20th of August as is my right. If Aman tells me that I cannot do the Hobbystar show, then you will know why I am not at the show.

I have been a little vocal over the last few years about the 'battle' that exists between Paradise and Hobbystar. BUT I have always been civil in public and NEVER took a 'round' out of anyone. But this is just unbelievable.

I beseech all the small retailers out there that feel they do not have a voice to raise it now. Yes, I know this sounds trite and somewhat political, but I have been sitting on the fence long enough and not publicly voiced my disapproval of what is going on, I guess it is my own fault that I am doing this in the 11th hour, but ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Please take the time to re-post this or forward it to whomever you think might like to get a little bit more insight into what Aman is about.

...

Daryl
The little guy who has had enough. And I ain't THAT little!

If you're involved in Comics or Anime fandom, please do me a favour and repost this on your blog to spread the word far and wide. Fans, exhibitors, and professionals should be informed as to exactly what kind of people they're giving their money to by attending the convention being held September 1-3.

Needless to say, I am not exhibiting or attending.

- Christopher