FEZ : We noticed that when you look at the San Diego Comic-Con versus the Phoenix Comicon, the spelling is different. Is there a reason for that?
Jillian : We just wanted to be unique. If you search for “comic con” as 2 words, you’ll always get the San Diego Comic-Con. You’ll never be able to get us because there’s just no competition. They’re 5 or 6 times as big as we are. We wanted to be able to differentiate between them so when you search for “comicon” you’ll get the Phoenix Comicon.
FEZ : Do you see yourselves getting to the point that you can compete with the San Diego Comic-con or at least be on the same level so that both conventions are *the* convention to go to?
Jillian : We hope! But we’d want better lines. Not to dis the San Diego Comic-con but we’d love to have that clout so we can get any guest we want because we want to be able to give that to our fans.
FEZ : Do you feel like the success of the SDCC over the last 5 or 6 years, it’s kind of become the place to be for not just everything comics but everything comics, movies…do you think that’s effected yours as well?
Jillian : I think so because that’s brought a lot of attention to the convention circuit. If you look at 10 years ago, nobody knew about the Comic-Con in San Diego and now it’s a common thing. Even people who don’t know about comics know about it so when I talk about the Phoenix Comicon people say “Oh, I didn’t know we had one” but they know what “Comic-Con” means so it’s easier to advertise now because people associate the two.
FEZ : Would it cost us more or less than the price of a new Volkswagen to have a 30 foot Flesh Eating Zipper banner hanging from the ceiling?
Jillian : (Laughs)
FEZ : What are the best costumes you’ve seen?
Jillian : Of course I’m a huge Star Wars fan, but to be honest my favorites are the Ghostbusters costumes. I mean, have you seen the packs? They make them. They put all of those parts together and they make them look just like the ones in the movie. They’re incredibly detailed. I also saw Lelu from 5th element…She was great (ED: She sure was!! RAWR!)
Those packs were incredibly detailed with switches, lights and sound.
FEZ : Phoenix Comicon 2012. If there was one thing you could get rid of, what would it be.
Jillian : [This answer is classified. If I print it, I have to let a horse kick me in the giblets. Sorry but that’s just not going to happen.]
FEZ : What do you want here that you don’t have now?
Jillian : I want access for the media. That’s how we’re going to grow is to let my media have full access to the celebrities so that we can get people excited way before. Like, if we can get that this year then next year they’re going to be talking about what they got to do the previous year and then we can grow it even more. From an “I love Comicon” perspective, I would like to see more expanding on the costuming contests and the masquerading aspects. Maybe a little bit more attention given to the professional level of costumes.
FEZ : Speaking of costumes, have you seen any that are too risque…people that you’ve had to turn around at the door?
Jillian : Oh, yeah. We’re a family friendly event and if you’re showing too much it’s just not appropriate. With the way some movies and TV are these days, some people just don’t see the line where things are inappropriate and they think “I’m doing a costume, who cares if it’s a couple of flowers covering tiny little parts of me” and they get upset when you tell them to go away because they don’t realize.
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