Disney Staging Its Own, Narcissistic Comic-Con

Disney sent representatives and stars to last month’s Comic-Con, but apparently the company isn’t content with collective marketing, because they’re launching their own event, the D23 Expo.

The happy happening will go down at the massive 75,000 square metre Anaheim Convention centre and will feature all things Disney, including much lauding of Tim Burton’s highly anticipated—we can’t wait!—Alice in Wonderland. While that’s all well and good, Disney president and chief executive Robert Iger hopes the event will help persuade “very ardent” fans to flock to the company’s wide-ranging products:

We live in a world where digital communication enables people to express their opinions about things to a much broader set of people. We call it the combustion of digital world of mouth… Their ability to communicate with others is unlike anything we’ve seen at any time before.

Translation: “We want to make sure the little buggers don’t use twitter against us, as they have others“. Yes, the D23 Expo may sound simply like a company-specific Comic-Con, but it’s far more than that. Disney crazed masses can also join “a high-end, elite-level access” fan club.

So, what does membership cost you? $US75 per year. Now, tell us: Who on this green planet of ours, in this recession of ours, would shell out that kind of money simply to get into a glorified trade show that doesn’t feature comics?

[Image via Getty]