What's so great about icons?

[boogeyman13]

So I was perusing the HHN Collections thread, as well as watching some YouTube vids of past events, and I got to thinking about the icons we've had over the past years. What is the draw for the icons? Why do we love them so much? I'm curious to get people's feelings.

I think for me, it's because they're tied into Universal's legacy of horror, stretching all the way back to Dracula and Frankenstein. Even though they've never been in a feature film, they are still home grown Universal characters, and are therefore kind of like extended family to the Universal classic monsters. Their stories are generally just as rich, and their visages and motifs just as iconic (no pun intended). And it's because of that connection and that history that I personally feel more drawn to them than icons at HoS or other haunts.

What about all of you? If you also enjoy the icons, what is it that draws you in?

[Grimp0nd]

It's hard to say exactly what makes me like and want an icon so much. I think it rounds the event off for me having a host of sorts. I like backstory and depth and I always wished that each year the icon would have their own show (like a miniature movie) explaining their motives and methods. Part of the fun in watching shows like Dr Who or the X Files was seeing what new monster or villain would appear each week and I think the same can be said of HHN icons. I think last years Lady Luck was a token gesture that they didn't bother doing much work fleshing out but I'd still rather have her than nothing. I'm hoping that Uni didn't misunderstand the criticism of her last year. People were not complaining about the idea but the way they didn't follow through with much background or effort (do I have to remind you of the masks?). To be honest the more I think about it the more that I'm convinced that marketing wanted her to fail so that they had justification to dump the icon altogether. Poor quality costumes, drab scarezone, unoriginal idea and no real story wasn't ever going to get the fans excited was it? Is it coincidence that this year we have no icon? I know it sounds like a conspiracy theory but I honestly think A&D and marketing are in disagreement over the addition of an icon. Didn't someone say A&D's original icon idea for last year was scrapped by marketing to be replaced by their idea? Anyway, I for one want to see a proper fully rounded out icon next year and I'll be making my view known on the exit poll. For those of you who love the icons too I suggest you do the same.

[mentlegen92]

The way I see it, an icon is most effective when he/she ties all of the haunts together. Take Lady Luck for instance, she had a hand in all of the haunts last year. The Usher from 2009 was, you guessed it, a movie theater usher and most of the haunts were based off a horror movie (With the exception of Cleaver and Creatures). Bloody Mary from 2008 had all other urban legends and myths as the majority of the haunts/scare zones. Some I guess were made for advertising purposes like Jack or the Caretaker, but then again, most icons did indeed have their own house.

I guess what I'm saying here is they're good for publicity, they're good for giving HHN a face, if you will, and they can sometimes tie together the event rather than have just a bunch of random haunted houses and scare zones with little relation.

[pyrojack]

It's not about the icon per se. It's about immersion.

It's about feeling excited beyond the knowledge that you're going to a cool halloween event and actually stepping into a story. If I had it my way the hype would start early in the year in the form of an alternate reality game (think 2008's legendary truth) that worked it's way slowly to a reveal. It's just that much more exciting when you actually feel involved and connected to the event on a personal level. When you can suspend your disbelief just that much easier.

I realize that not everyone cares about these kinds of things, so a balance is hard to strike. You don't want to make the casual goers feel locked out of the loop by the time the event rolls around. Thus, the designation of an Icon with accompanying theme is usually the most efficent way to establish immersion.

[Stumpy]

I started to write a mini wall o' text about this, 'cause I love icons, but I'll cut it down into two main reasons:

1. They're creative and original. There is no other haunt in the world where you can meet Jack the Clown, The Director, etc. You can only see them by going to Halloween Horror Nights. And I am often surprised by just how creative they can get with these characters. Back in 2009, when rumors were flying around that they'd be using a theater usher as the icon, I thought "that's dumb, no WAY they'll do that" and well... Same deal with Lady Luck- I know she was created by Marketing, but who would've thought to make a character like that? Not many.

2. I'm one of those fans who becomes very immersed in the storyline for the event. Having an icon helps with that immersion. When I'm there, I feel like I'm in another world, even if that world is just "scary character comes along and takes over a theme park". And learning about the icon before I get there makes me excited to meet them at the event. I still remember my first time walking into Fear Revealed... my heart was racing, and the closer I got to Fear, the faster it went.

[Hush]

I can take or leave the icon concept. After attending the event for all these years, I've come to the realization that a main character to tie the event together is not necessarily what makes the event. While an icon is a wonderful way to tie all the houses and scarezones together, I also see no problem with letting each house/scarezone stand on its own. For me, it's not so much about having a back story that encompasses the overall event, but that each house/scarezone feels like its own little story in itself.

Ultimately I can understand why so many people love having an icon and the complete immersion that a back story provides as an overall experience.

For me, I just go to the event and enjoy it, regardless of whether there is an predetermined storyline that is offered or not.

[bubby45]

Having only experienced Jack,The Usher,Bloody Mary,Fear and Lady Luck and no year without an ICON I cannot really say if I am opposed to the ICON idea or not as while Jack,Bloody Mary and the Usher were really good,Fear and Lady Luck needed some work and were MEH. So while I really liked the back story of the first three I can see were an ICON is not necessary for the event to be great.