Even if they don't have any panels, does Hasbro show up at any other US-based conventions over the course of the year? Or is it pretty much just those three?

Kevin
- I'm likely to miss out on San Diego CC 2010 & Botcon will depend on where's its located.

Not a US one, but they where at TFcon last April.

Yup, TFCon, Action Figure Expo and the Canadian GI Joe Convention have recently been having Hasbro Canada as a guest. So if you can make it to Toronto, you may want to check out those conventions too.

Although technically that's Hasbro Canada, which only has information about Canadian distribution rather than what's being designed and whatnot.

Slightly related, but is there a convention on the east coast (or maybe mid-west) that at least covers movies, video games & comics like San Diego Comic-Con?

Researching on my own, I did run into New York Comic-Con. I did find this list of events, but I still don't have a really good feel of what NYCC is like.

Anyone ever been to NYCC & SDCC? Any comparisons to be made?

Kevin

I've been going to both for years and I would say that SDCC is far and away the better convention.

While the NYCC is now (after only four years) the second biggest convention in the U.S. it can't compare with SDCC on almost any level.

SDCC offers:

Much bigger venue.

More movie studios attend.

More dealers attend.

Much, much more in the way of con. exclusive merchandise.

More celebs attend and/or sign autographs.

Better programming, ie: Hasbro did four diff. presentations (TFs, G.I. Joe, Star Wars and Marvel) at SDCC. Care to guess how many they did at NYCC this year? I'll give you three guesses, first two don't count. ;-]

While NYCC does have a large Artist Alley I find that SDCC's is bigger and gets "better" artists.

I could go on but I think I've given you enough to "chew" on,

I wouldn't miss an NYCC since I live approx. 20 mins. away from the Jacob Javits convention center and my only expense in attending is food since I don't even have to pay admission as I get a comp/professional pass for the show.

Even with all the costs associated with me flying cross country to attend the SDCC I wouldn't even consider not going every year as it is the pop-culture event of the year and is the one time a year to catch up with the many people I know in the industry.


Your friend, TSM-in-N.Y.


"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"

I think I said Hasbro Canada

And true, they don't have any designers on hand, they do still have images of upcoming figures. No gray prototypes, and they haven't really ever broke news at the events, but it's still nice to see images of product that won't be on shelves for a few months.

MAYYYYYYYBE Dragon*Con, but I find their focus is more on television and movies. There's a decent video game track, and some good comic artists and panels, but the comics folks have split off to their own convention in ATL now.

www.dragoncon.org

Hasbro also goes to Star Wars Celebration