Comic book convention

A comic book convention (one-day event) or comic con is a

Comic-cons were traditionally organized by fans on a not-for-profit basis,

Internationally, the world's largest comic book convention, in terms of attendees, is Japan's Comiket (first held in 1975), which boasts annual attendance of over half a million people.^[11] Italy's Lucca Comics & Games (first held in 1965) and France's Angoulême International Comics Festival (first staged in 1974) are the world's second and third largest comic festivals, respectively.

History

Origins

In 1961 or 1962, Jerry Bails was vital in the formation of the Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors (ACBFC), the first official organization of comic book enthusiasts and historians. The ACBFC brought fans of the medium together, administered the first industry awards, and assisted in the establishment of the first comic book conventions.

The academy's first order of business was to administer the

On March 21–22, 1964, the first annual "Alley Tally" by ACBFC members was organized by Bails at his house in Detroit, with the purpose of counting "the Alley Award ballots for 1963".[12] This became notable in retrospect as the first major gathering of comics fans, predating the earliest comic book conventions, which were held later in the year.^[13] Attendees included Ronn Foss, Don Glut, Don and Maggie Thompson, Mike Vosburg, and Grass Green. Comics historian Bill Schelly notes that the Alley Tally and "even larger fan meetings in Chicago ... helped build momentum" for these earliest conventions.^[12] (The Chicago gathering occurred May 9–10, 1964; it featured "several dozen" attendees, a dealer room, and film showings.)^[14]

In addition, an unnamed convention held May 24, 1964, in the Hotel Tuller, Detroit, Michigan, was organized by teenagers Robert Brusch and Dave Szurek,^[13][15] with assistance from Bails^[12] and members of the Michigan Science Fiction Society.^[16] This gathering featured about 80 fans of the comic book medium.^[17]

New York Comicon

The first recorded "official" comic book convention took place in 1964 in New York City. Known as the "New York Comicon",

In 1966, a new convention, Gateway Con, was inaugurated in St. Louis.^[35]

In 1968, two important conventions had their start. Taking over for the Academy Con,

The 1970s and explosive growth

Comic book conventions increased dramatically in the 1970s, with many of the largest conventions of the modern era being established during the decade. In the early 1970s, conventions sprang up in almost every major American city (and some minor ones), as well as in London, with Comic Mart, a bimonthly trade show which ran regularly until the mid-1980s. Comic book creators, editors, and publishers began to make it part of their routine to attend conventions as official guests. Major comics-related news events were often broken at annual conventions: examples include the news that Jack Kirby was defecting from Marvel to DC, and DC's announcement that it was reviving Captain Marvel.^[37]

On August 1–3, 1970,

I came back into the field because of [convention organizer Phil Seuling]. I remember [him] calling me in New London, [Connecticut], where I was sitting there as chairman of the board of Croft Publishing Co. My secretary said, 'There's a Mr. Seuling on the phone and he's talking about a comics convention. What is that?' She said, 'I didn't know you were a cartoonist, Mr. Eisner.' 'Oh, yes,' I said, 'secretly; I'm a closet cartoonist.' I came down and was stunned at the existence of the whole world. ... That was a world that I had left, and I found it very exciting, very stimulating".^[47]

Beginning around 1980, Creation Entertainment expanded its conventions beyond New York, producing cons in San Francisco^[53] and Washington, D.C.^[54] By 1983, the company was the leading producer of comic book conventions nationwide.^[55] For instance, in 1986, Creation produced large-scale comics conventions in at least six cities, including Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New Brunswick, New Jersey. (The New York show featured a special tribute to Marvel Comics' 25th anniversary; guests included Stan Lee and Jim Shooter.)^[56]

During this time, Creation branched out from comics and began producing conventions in the

Both the Heroes Convention and the multigenre Dallas Fantasy Fair debuted in 1982. HeroesCon is one of the largest independent comic book conventions still operating; during the heyday of the Dallas Fantasy Fair, it was one of the largest comics conventions in the country, third in attendance behind the San Diego Comic-Con and the Chicago Comicon.^{[citation needed]} (The Dallas Fantasy Fair went defunct in 1995.)

Comic book conventions spread to Canada and Switzerland in 1985; also debuting that year was the

In March 1996, Great Eastern, at a very late point, cancelled what had been advertised as a larger-than-usual New York show, scheduled to be held at the New York Coliseum on 59th St. & Columbus Circle.^[60] As a substitute event, comic book retailer Michael Carbonaro and others on the spur of the moment mounted the first Big Apple Comic Con,^[60] now a long-running show. Greenberg and Great Eastern Conventions disappeared from the fan convention circuit from that moment forward

Small press conventions and comic book "festivals"

In response to the big conventions' shifting focus away from comic books themselves, a number of small conventions sprang up in the mid-1990s that turned the focus back onto comics, particularly those not published by the big mainstream companies DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Many of these "indy cons" were inspired by Cerebus creator Dave Sim. In 1992, Sim partnered with Great Eastern Conventions in promoting small conventions in over 20 U.S. locations,^[61] including Indiana, Oregon, Texas, as well as in South Florida. And in 1995, Sim toured the country in a self-styled nine-stop "Spirits of Independence" tour.^[62]

The antecedent to these new "comic festivals" may have been Berkeleycon 73, held April 20–22, 1973, at the Pauley Ballroom, ASUC Building, University of California, Berkeley. Berkeleycon was the first convention devoted to underground comix^[42] (which had their unofficial mecca in the San Francisco Bay Area).

The first exclusively small press conventions were

In 2002, Wizard produced "Wizard World East" in Philadelphia, a still-ongoing show (now known as "Wizard World Philadelphia").[65] They added ongoing shows in Texas in 2003, Los Angeles in 2004,^[66] and Boston in 2005.

Beginning in 2009, Wizard made a concerted push to dominate the North American convention circuit, as it began acquiring existing conventions and starting new ones in various cities. To begin, Wizard's CEO

This explosion in Wizard-produced conventions brought accusations that the entertainment behemoth was deliberately trying to push its competitors out of business.[79]^[80] On the other hand, many praised Wizard's professional and standardized approach to producing conventions.^[4]

Conventions as big business

Starting in the mid-2000s, ongoing comic book conventions sprung up in most major U.S. cities, most of which are still ongoing. [See

Volunteer conventions, on the other hand, tend to be smaller in scope and more intimate in character. Although there are frequent autograph sessions, they tend to be less of an attraction for volunteer cons. Admission to volunteer cons is usually called "membership", thus emphasizing that the fans themselves are the ones who make up the con, rather than the staff who run commercial cons. A community of fans who run such conventions has developed, and many of them share their best practices and keep convention-running traditions alive.[37]

Comics festivals and "indy shows"

So-called "comics festivals" are based on a European model started by such long-running conventions as

• Alternative Press Expo (APE), San Jose, California (1994–2017) – produced in San Francisco for 15 years
• Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC), Columbus, Ohio (2015–present)
• Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE), Chicago, Illinois (2012–present)
• Comic Arts Brooklyn (CAB) (formerly known as Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest [BCGF]), Brooklyn, New York (2009–present) – produced by the retailer Desert Island Comics
• Comic Expo (Bristol International Comic & Small Press Expo), Bristol, England (2004–2014) – produced by retailer Mike Allwood
• East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC), Philadelphia (2002–present) – focuses on black
  creators and characters
• Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE), Boston, Massachusetts (2010–present)
• MoCCA Festival, New York City (2002–present) – originally produced by the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art; now produced by the Society of Illustrators
• Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE), Columbus, Ohio (2000–present) – Produced by small-press publisher Back Porch Comics
• Small Press Expo (SPX), Bethesda, Maryland (1994–present)
• STAPLE!, Austin, Texas (2005–present)
• Stumptown Comics Fest, Portland, Oregon (2004–2013)
• Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF), Toronto (2003–present) – produced by the retailer The Beguiling
• Legion Comic Book, Toy and Art Convention Smyrna, Georgia (2019–present) produced by Urbnpop Productions

"Comics-only" shows

Comics-only conventions emerged in response to the sprawling pop culture-focused conventions epitomized by

• Baltimore Comic-Con (est. 2000 in Baltimore, Maryland)
• Big Apple Comic Con (est. 1996 in New York City)
• Heroes Convention (est. 1982 in Charlotte, North Carolina)

Organization and staffing

Comic book conventions were traditionally run and staffed by volunteers,

• Most fans would have to take a vacation from work or study to attend an event held during the workweek.
• Transportation costs are often lower for weekend travelers.
• Hotels have few business travelers during the weekend, making it much easier to reserve a block of rooms and secure space for programming at a reduced price. Many fans are students and have little
  discretionary income, so hotel and convention fees are important factors.^[84][85]

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both WonderCon and Dragon Con were canceled, and San Diego Comic-Con moved its programming online.[86]

Anatomy of a typical convention

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Although wide variations exist between different conventions, there is a general pattern to which most adhere.

Attendees

Attendees include artists and dealers offering products and services for sale to fans, and those who wish to buy them. Others come for the programming, or to meet friends or other comic book fans in general. Many attend for all of these reasons. Some later publish a "con report" detailing their experiences.

Attendees of major conventions receive a bag with the convention program, a lavishly illustrated volume featuring themed artwork, articles submitted by members and the official guests, along with a description of the event's programming, staff, rules, guests, and any charity being supported by the convention.^[87][88] Local restaurant information and a combination pocket schedule and map may also be included. Sponsors often receive additional items such as T-shirts, pins, or ribbons, as well as faster registration badge pick-up and on-site meals.^[89] They may also be displayed prominently in convention publications.

Official guests

Comic book conventions typically feature official guests or guests of honor. These guests are to some extent the headliners of the convention. A convention may have as many guests of honor as the convention committee wishes. A guest can be an industry figure – some notable and frequently appearing examples of industry guests include Stan Lee, George Pérez, and John Byrne. More and more, guests also can include film and television directors and actors, as more of these cultural products are based on comic books. Examples of this sort of guest, frequently seen on the convention circuit, include William Shatner, Bruce Campbell, and Norman Reedus. Comic conventions represent an opportunity for fans to interact with such individuals that may not be possible outside the event.^[4]

Professionals at conventions

Conventions provide a forum for fans to see first-hand and meet their favorite authors and artists. They also serve the interests of authors, editors, and other publishing professionals, providing opportunities for networking, promotion, and a convenient location for contract negotiations and other business meetings.

A number of cons include a category for "Attending Professionals": professionals who pay a (possibly reduced) price to enter but also get a special name badge that proclaims them to be professionals in the field.^{[citation needed]}

In the early days of comic book conventions, there was little or no distinction made between the "pros" and the "fans". (After all, many professionals in the field began as fans, and may still consider themselves fans; and more than a few fans have also worked professionally or semi-professionally in the field.) Nowadays, other than in the so-called "Artist Alleys", there is more of a caste system among professionals and enthusiasts.

Artist Alley

Artist Alley is a fixture at most comic conventions. It is an area where creators display and sell their work (including original art), take commissions, sign autographs, and interact with fans. These areas may also include crafts, drawn art, self-published books or video, fanzines, and more.

Con suite

At North American conventions, a hospitality suite is often provided as a room reserved for light refreshments, a quiet conversation, and a place to briefly rest. The refreshments typically include coffee, tea, juice or soda, and light meals appropriate for the time of day. Depending on local liquor distribution and liability laws, the suite may serve alcohol. At conventions in the rest of the world, the hotel or convention center bar typically offers the same social function. At conventions in the United Kingdom, the provision of

Cosplay

Traditionally, conventions held a costume contest called a masquerade, where persons go on stage and compete for nominal prizes based on their skill in assembling and presenting genre-inspired outfits. This, however, would be more accurately labelled a "talent show" rather than the "fancy dress ball" that the term suggests (although British fandom sometimes uses the term "fancy dress").

From press coverage of comic book and anime conventions has arisen the widespread tendency of fans in general attendance at the con to dress up as their favorite characters in elaborate costumes (known as cosplay) that are time-consuming and/or expensive to assemble.

Weapons policies

At some conventions, attendees carry costume props that appear to be weapons. To forestall concerns about misuse of real weapons at such events, the security team "peace-bonds" anything that might look like a weapon.^[90] (Peace-bonding is a conspicuous lock, tie, or mark which makes or identifies something unusable, such as a weapon, and shows that the owner's intentions are purely peaceful.)

The event's "weapons policy" may offer objective criteria to determine what looks like a weapon. For example, a weapons policy may require a peace-bond for anything that a reasonable person might recognize as a weapon from a short distance in dim light. Real weapons, if allowed, are disabled, secured, and marked. For example, bright orange zip ties may be used to hold a sword in a scabbard or to hold a pistol in a holster. Simulated or costume props may require conspicuous marks, such as bright ribbons or zip ties, to show that security has deemed them safe to be carried. Simulated weapons or props which can be used as a weapon may be disabled or secured in the way as real weapons.

Peace-bonding helps security control the use or abuse of real weapons at a convention or other event: anything that looks like a weapon but which is not peace-bonded is immediately deemed to be suspicious.

Programming

Panel-led discussions, or Panels, usually fill up the daytime hours of most conventions with typically one-hour discussions involving some pre-determined topic, usually related in at least some way to comics. Panels usually come in two segments: the host puts on a presentation or does an interview with a guest, and then the fans are asked to give questions. The topic scope for panels is varied and can include things from new releases to author spotlights.

There are also workshops, that are like panels but are more geared towards instructions through a major or specific task such as how to draw comics, or use industry-specific software. Another event at most comic book conventions include screenings of films and TV shows that can last through the day.

Panel members (even professionals) are not customarily paid for their appearance, although many North-American conventions waive membership fees for program participants or rebate them after the convention.

Special events

Some conventions feature award ceremonies, in which the best works and most notable individuals are recognized for their contributions to the field. [See Awards, below]

A convention may have one or more auctions. The Art Auction is an event where the most popular items from the art show are sold to the most interested buyers at the convention. Many conventions also have auctions for charities.

Evening entertainment often includes a combination of official and unofficial events, including formal invitational dinners, and fandom-themed room parties.

A few conventions and festivals have a closing ceremony to formally mark the end of the convention. Depending on the convention, this can be a major gathering of most of the membership, or it may be lightly attended or dispensed with entirely as members are occupied with packing up and checking out of the hotel.

Exhibits and fixed functions

An exhibit hall or dealers' room is a popular feature at comic book conventions. Publishing companies, distributors, and other proprietors often arrive to exhibit and/or sell their newest products to fans. Wares can include back issues of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks,

Many conventions have video rooms in which genre-related audiovisual presentations take place, typically commercial Hollywood movies, genre television show episodes, and anime. If there are multiple media rooms, each one may have themed content. Larger conventions may also have a genuine film room, for presentation of actual movies on film instead of video.

Game rooms are also available at some conventions for attendees to play a variety of genre games, including

Thematic Areas

Thematic areas are set up in the comics fairs where cosplayers and visitors can take photos in an environment that follows that of a specific comic, anime or video game or participate in various themed activities. These areas are set up by not for profit associations or sometimes by video game developers or Anime producers. Some examples of these areas are those dedicated to Star Wars, Fallout or to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Idiosyncrasy

Many con-goers take pride in being interesting and unusual, and naturally many cons are highly idiosyncratic. Cons often have activities, running jokes, organizational methods, and other features that not only differentiate them from other cons but are often a point of pride. Most cons vary from the above outline in one or more important ways, and many have their own unique cultural characteristics. Most cons will tend to evolve many of their own idiosyncrasies along these lines. To fans, these are often part of the charm each convention offers.^{[citation needed]}

Awards

Almost since their inception, comic book conventions have hosted comic awards. Two of the longest-running and most prestigious awards are the

Defunct awards

United States

• Academy Con (1965–1967)^[28] and Comic Art Convention (1968–1970)^[28]
• Chicago Comicon (1983–1996)^[91]
• Don Thompson Award – presented at Motor City Comic Con
  (1992–1998)
• Comic Fan Art Awards – presented at Comic Art Convention
  (1971–1974)
• Howard E. Day Prize – presented at Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo
  (S.P.A.C.E.) (2001–2007)
• Ignatz Award (not the same
  Ignatz Award presented at the Small Press Expo) – presented at OrlandoCon
  (1975–1994)
• Klein Award – presented at MoCCA Festival
  (2002–2012)
• San Diego Comic-Con International
  (1997–2009)
• Chicago Comicon
  (1995–2006)

United Kingdom

• Ally Sloper Award – presented at Comics 101 (1976)
• London MCM Expo (2010–2012), and London Film and Comic Con
  (Eagles rebranded as "True Believer Comic Awards") (2014)
• National Comics Awards – presented at United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC) (1997–1998) and Comic Festival (1999, 2001–2003)
• British Comic Awards – presented at the Thought Bubble Festival (2012–2016)

Italy

• Lucca Comics & Games – Yellow Kid Awards (1970–2005)

Timeline of New York City comic book conventions

New York City has had a checkered history with comic book conventions. It was the first U.S. city to host a convention (the 1964 "Tri-State Con"), but was poorly served for conventions from the late 1980s until the mid-to-late 1990s – despite both major mainstream comic publishers, DC Comics and Marvel Comics, being headquartered in New York during that time. Presently, New York is flush with comic book conventions, with at least five annual shows being produced. The following is a timeline of New York City comic book conventions.

Timeline of British comic book conventions

England has hosted comic book conventions since 1968 (the

MCM London Comic Con (est. 2002), the London Film and Comic Con (est. 2004), and the Thought Bubble Festival

(est. 2007).

See also

• List of comic book conventions
• List of defunct comic book conventions

References

Notes

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85. ^ Parry, Laurence "GreenReaper" (May 5, 2007). "UC Davis posts furry survey results". WikiFur News. Retrieved May 5, 2007.
86. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved July 26, 2020.
87. ^ Anthrocon (March 29, 2006). "Anthrocon Convention Book Submission Guidelines". Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2006.
88. ^ Anthrocon 2006 convention book
89. ^ Anthrocon (March 29, 2006). "Anthrocon Registration". Archived from the original on January 12, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2006.
90. ISBN 9781557783479
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92. ^ Newswatch: Greenhill Sues Great Eastern and Wizard," The Comics Journal #172 (Nov. 1994), p. 40.

Sources

• Duncan, Randy; and Smith, Matthew J. The Power of Comics: History, Form and Culture (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2009).
• Gabilliet, Jean-Paul (trans. by Bart Beaty and Nick Nguyen). Of Comics and Men: A Cultural History of American Comic Books (University of Mississippi Press, 2010).
• McCarthy, Helen (2006). 500 Manga Heroes & Villains (Chrysalis Book Group).
  ISBN 978-0-7641-3201-8
• Schelly, Bill. Founders of Comic Fandom: Profiles of 90 Publishers, Dealers, Collectors, Writers, Artists and Other Luminaries of the 1950s and 1960s (McFarland, 2010).

External links

• Wikinews attends ComiCon in Tyler, Texas at Wikinews
• 1960s Comic Conventions from the pages of Rocket's Blast Comicollector — comic convention news and advertisements from the 1960s