Raymond says attendees fill out post-show surveys that help him determine which guests to book at the comic convention the next time around. The survey asks them, among other things, what their favorite horror movies are, how they feel about certain properties, and which upcoming anniversaries they're excited about.
"I ultimately look at that first," Raymond says about the blueprint for booking guests. "That's the most direct voice of the fans. That's the most honest data. You can fill that survey out one time. It's tied to one ticket."
This year's Florida Supercon takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center July 12-14 and will feature guest of honor Ella Purnell (Fallout). The lineup also includes David Tennant (Dr. Who), Harvey Guillen (What We Do in the Shadows), and Matthew Mercer (Critical Role).
As usual, Raymond will note which guest lines are long and which are not at Florida Supercon. He'll also talk to agents afterward to see how their clients fared in terms of autographs and photos sold.
It's Raymond's job to predict which properties and specific guests will be popular when the next Supercon rolls around, so he wants all the info he can get. "There's a lot of gambling that goes into this," Raymond says. "There are very few sure bets." Asked who those sure bets are these days, Raymond says voice actors have been a big draw in recent years — particularly those from the animated series One Piece and Hazbin Hotel and video games Baldur's Gate and Red Dead Redemption — and he added that David Tennant regularly commands a long line.
"David Tennant could sign autographs in space and still do fantastic," Raymond adds.
Another factor taken into account when booking guests is the market. In addition to Miami, ReedPop hosts conventions in Chicago, Seattle, New York, and London and tries to offer a lineup that caters to each city.
"We make sure that every show looks different," Raymond says. "I take a lot of time to make sure these guest lists reflect the interests of the markets we're in. With something like Supercon, it's a very young audience; it's a very LGBTQ-friendly audience. They love their anime and gaming."
In 2013, Florida Supercon attendees had the chance to meet Kristian Nairn, who played the character of Hodor in Game of Thrones.
ReedPop photo
The actual booking process for the conventions begins as far out as eight to ten months in advance, though some guests are booked three months before the show. The latter is more so for guests who might have a potential scheduling conflict and want to wait until they have a better idea of their availability. The process also involves making financial arrangements with certain guests who request a minimum fee in exchange for their appearance.
But no matter how much hard work and planning goes into the lineup, cancelations can and will happen. They're an inevitable part of the comic convention industry. Those instances are not only disappointing for the fans but also a nightmare for organizers — especially when it's a big-name guest.
"We had it in Chicago. We lost our headliner because he was sick," says Raymond, referring to actor Josh Brolin. "I told my marketing team, 'Please don't tell me about the online comments.' Fans get reasonably upset. Some folks can be quite volatile. I'll be honest — it hurts my feelings. My team puts a lot of work into getting these folks here. It sucks when people rip you apart for it. I can't help but take it personally even though they have no idea who I am."
On the bright side, booking those big-name guests is easier than it used to be. The stigma surrounding comic convention appearances is, for the most part, no more, which has led to more A-list guests. Even Raymond can't believe the big-name stars who now agree to appear at conventions.
"There's one coming down the line that I can't speak about, but I'm beside myself that it worked out," Raymond says. "Every year, we'll get a guest at a show that is like, 'Wow, that's a guest that I never thought in a million years would do anything like this.' For the longest time, working actors viewed comic conventions as this place where careers go to die. But it's never been like that; I hate that stereotype. This is a place for actors to meet their fans.
"We've had Chris Evans at three different shows. He's almost as big as it gets in that space. When some of the big MCU Avengers started to come out, that changed the way people look at this."
Florida Supercon. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 14, at Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach; floridasupercon.com. Tickets cost $50 to $300.
