Fan Expo Denver

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Coordinates: 39°44′31″N 104°59′46″W / 39.74194°N 104.99611°W / 39.74194; -104.99611
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(Redirected from
Denver Pop Culture Con
)
Fan Expo Denver
StatusActive
Genre
Popular Culture
VenueColorado Convention Center
Location(s)Denver, Colorado
Coordinates39°44′31″N 104°59′46″W / 39.74194°N 104.99611°W / 39.74194; -104.99611
CountryUnited States
InauguratedJune 15, 2012; 11 years ago (2012-06-15)
Most recentJune 30, 2023; 9 months ago (2023-06-30)
Next eventJuly 4, 2024; 2 months' time (2024-07-04)
Attendance114,500 in 2016[1]
Organized byPop Culture Classroom (2012-2020)
Fan Expo HQ/Informa Connect (2021-present)
Websitefanexpodenver.com

Fan Expo Denver (previously Denver Pop Culture Con and Denver Comic Con) is a

pop culture
.

The non-profit organization, Pop Culture Classroom, founded the convention in 2012.[2][3] After being acquired by Informa/Fan Expo in 2021, the convention was renamed Fan Expo Denver.[4][5]

History

The inaugural convention was held June 15, 16, and 17 in 2012 with 27,700 people in attendance.[2] Founded as Denver Comic Con, the convention was created as a program for the educational organization, Pop Culture Classroom (formally Comic Book Classroom), and funded the nonprofit's year-round efforts.[6]

In 2015, attendance at the event exceeded 100,000, making it one of the largest fan conventions in the United States.[7]

In 2019, the convention's name was changed to Denver Pop Culture Con in response to the San Diego Comic-Con lawsuit.[8][9]

Pop Culture Classroom organized and ran the convention from 2012 to 2019. The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

In March 2021, Fan Expo HQ acquired the convention from Pop Culture Classroom and renamed the event Fan Expo Denver.[5] Pop Culture Classroom will remain a part of the event as its featured charity and by providing educational programs.[4]

Programming

The convention includes celebrity panels, seminars with professional creators, actors, and artists, workshops with comic book professionals, and the Reel Heroes Independent Filmmakers Series. Elements of the convention floor include celebrity autographs, large areas like "Artist Valley" and "Celebrity Summit", comic book dealers and collectibles merchants, as well as fan-based organizations like the 501st Legion. Cosplayers are featured during the annual Cosplay Classic (formerly known as the "DCC Cosplay Shindig"), the Opening Ceremonies with acts and other surprises, and associated events have included the Four Color Mixer and a genre-themed concert traditionally held at the Hard Rock Cafe Denver.

Among the distinct tracks of programming, for instance, the convention focused on comics and media featuring or produced by Colorado-area comics creators, women, minorities and the

LGBTQ Community.[11] In 2014, the conventions's Comic Book Corral (CBC) and 8-Bit Lounge gave more than 9,000 students the chance to meet artists, create comic book-themed crafts, and get hands-on experience with everything from stop-motion animated shorts to professional makeup jobs.[citation needed] In 2015, the Pop Culture Classroom Kids' Laboratory (PCC Kids' Lab) continued building on this success. Along with the usual mix of artist discussions, arts activities and exhibits, the PCC Lab featured activities focused around S.T.E.A.M. subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) and pop culture topics beyond comic books. They also expanded the 8-Bit Lounge to connect even more artists, educators and professionals with students ages 12–19.[12]

Dates, attendance, and guests

No. Dates Attendance TV, film, and animation guests Comics, artist, and literary guests
1 June 15–17, 2012 27,700[13]
Steven Seagle, Tom Kane
 Adam Van Wyk, Allen Bellman,
Steven Seagle
, T. K. Miller, Zach Howard
2 May 31 – June 2, 2013 61,000[13]
Steve T. Seagle, Steven L. Sears, Wil Wheaton
 Action Lab Entertainment, Adam Van Wyk, Alfred Trujillo, Allen Bellman,
Steve T. Seagle
, Thom Zahler, Tony Fleecs, Zach Howard
3 June 13–15, 2014 86,500[13] Adam West, Aimee Major Steinberger, Alexandre O. Philippe, April Stewart, Bruce Campbell, Burt Ward, Caity Lotz, Chandler Riggs, Christy Marx, David Yost, Denise Crosby, Edward James Olmos, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Gates McFadden, Gigi Edgley, Jason David Frank, Jennifer Hale, Jeremy Bulloch, Jeremy Shada, Jim Cummings, Jonathan Frakes, Julie Newmar, Karen Gillan, Kevin Conroy, Kimberly Brooks, LeVar Burton, Lou Ferrigno, Marina Sirtis, Mark Grove, Mark Meer, Max Charles, Michael Dorn, Michael Koske, Michael Rooker, Nicholas Brendon, Peter Davison, Rachel Skarsten, Rashaad Santiago, Robert Axelrod, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Stephen Amell, Sylvester McCoy, Tyler Green, Veronica Taylor, Victor Cook, Walter Emanuel Jones, Walter Koenig, William Hart, William Shatner Action Labs Entertainment, Adam Van Wyk, Alfred Trujillo, Allen Bellman,
Matthew Inman, Max Brooks, Michael Golden, Mike Grell, Mike Kunkel, Neal Adams, Nei Ruffino, Papercutz, Patrick Gleason, Peter J. Wacks, Raphael Sbarge, Renee Witterstaetter, Rich Buckler, Robert Weiner, Ron Randall, Ryan Ottley, Sean Murphy, Shane Bitney Crone, Sherry D. Ficklin, Stant Litore, Steve Lieber, Steven L. Sears, Ted Naifeh, Tess Laeh, The Doubleclicks, The Stubby Shillelaghs, Thom Zahler, Tim Miller, Tim Sale, Tony Fleecs, Troy Little, Two Girls with Guitars, Ty Templeton, Tyler H. Jolley, Victor Olazaba, Vincent Gonzales, Yanick Paquette
, Zach Howard, Zenescope
4 May 23–25, 2015 101,500[13]
Kelly Le Brock, King of Nerds, Lindsay Wagner, Lou Ferrigno, Manu Bennett, Mark Grove, Martin Olson, Maurice LaMarche, Michael Hogan (Canadian actor), Mitch Pileggi, Nichelle Nichols, Olivia Olson, Patrick Warburton, Randy Rogel, Rebecca Mader, Rob Paulsen, Scott Wilson, Sean Astin, Sean Maguire, Tress MacNeille, Vic Mignogna
 Ahmad Nassri, Alane Adams, Allen Bellman, Amalie Howard,
Rafael Albuquerque, Ramon Perez, Rob Weiner, Robert Moses Peaslee, Shawn Crystal, Sherry Ficklin, Stant Litore, Steve Leialoha, Steve Lieber, Sue Duff, Sunnydale High (band), Ted Naifeh, Tim Miller, Tim Sale, Tom Rasch, Tommy Lee Edwards, Tony Fleecs, Trina Robbins
, Tyler Jolley, Van Jensen, Zach Howard
5 June 17–19, 2016 114,900[14] Alec Peters,
Ralph Macchio, Sean Pertwee, Shannon Farnon, Shea Fontana, Stan Lee, Susan Eisenberg, The Hillywood Show, Todd Haberkorn, Vic Mignogna, Vincent Gonzales, William Zabka
 Aaron Michael Ritchey,
Top Cow, Trekyards, Trina Robbins, VALIANT COMICS, Vivian Caethe, Yanick Paquette
, Zach Howard.
6 June 30-July 2, 2017
Chris Sabat, Sean Schemmel, Dana Snyder, Catherine Tate, Garrett Wang, "Weird Al" Yankovic
Andy Price, Humberto Ramos, Philip Tan, Ben Templesmith, Ty Templeton, Catherynne M. Valente[15]
7 June 15–17, 2018
Chris Sabat, Jeremy Shada, Mark Sheppard, Joonas Suotamo, Alan Tudyk, Eric Vale, Bonnie Wright
Frank Miller, Paul Pelletier, Raina Telgemeier, Billy Tucci, Chris Uminga, Mike Zeck, Chrissie Zullo[16]
8 May 31 – June 2, 2019 George Takei, Matthew Lewis, Dan Fogler, Michael Rosenbaum, Clifford Chapin, Jewel Staite, Summer Glau, Jerome Flynn, Christopher Lloyd, Gigi Edgley, Justin Briner, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Justin Cook, Dave Bautista, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, Tom Wilson, Michelle Gomez, Tom Welling, Victor Garber, Jim Beaver, Patrick Warburton, Ming-Na Wen, Benedict Wong, Charles Martinet, Tara Strong, Lana Parrilla
Delilah Dawson, Laurel McHargue, Wendy Terrien, Sherry Ficklin, Sue Duff, Corinne O'Flynn, Greg Neri, David Slavin, Cinda Williams Chima, Terri Libenson, Colleen Oakes
— July 10–12, 2020 Rescheduled, then canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[17]
9 October 29–31, 2021
10 July 1–3, 2022
11 June 30 – July 2, 2023 TBA TBA TBA

Partnerships

Since the inaugural 2012 event, Breckenridge Brewery has collaborated with the convention to brew and sell a specialty beer, with the name chosen by a fan contest.[18] The 2012 beer, an American wheat ale, was named, "The Fantastic Pour."[19] The 2013 beer, a Belgian Wit brewed with Buddha's Hand fruit, was dubbed "The Caped Brewsader.[20] The 2014 beer, an amber ale, was named "Brews Wayne."[21] In 2015, "Hulk's Mash", a pale ale brewed with mosaic hops and mango puree, was debuted. "Snape-ricot", an Apricot American Lager, was voted 2016's beer name, in honor of the late Alan Rickman.[22]

Aurora Rise, a non-profit group founded to provide financial support to victims of the

2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting, appeared at the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 conventions.[23] In 2016, Denver Pridefest was partnered with the convention, and there was LGBT related content.[24]

Awards

In March 2013, the event was voted "Best Fan Convention"[25] by the editors of Westword, a local alternative press publication.

References

  1. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (20 June 2016). "Record attendance at Denver's Comic Con". The Beat.
  2. ^ a b Wenzel, John. "Denver Comic Con goes beyond most sci-fi and fantasy festivals". Denver Post.
  3. ^ Moore, John. "Pow! Comic Book Classroom project takes on illiteracy in metro schools". Denver Post.
  4. ^ a b Salkowitz, Rob. "Comic Con-Solidation: Fan Expo HQ Adds Huge Denver Show To Its Portfolio". Forbes. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Denver Pop Culture Con Changes its Name to FAN EXPO Denver". 303 Magazine. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Pow! Comic Book Classroom project takes on illiteracy in metro schools". Denver Post. 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2013-11-16.
  7. ^ "Record attendance at Denver's Comic Con". 9News Denver. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
  8. ^ Wenzel, John. "Denver Comic Con will change its name to Denver Pop Culture Con for 2019". Denver Post.
  9. ^ Bohlen, Teague. "Why Denver Comic Con is Changing Its Name to Denver Pop Culture Con". Westword.
  10. ^ "Denver's Pop Culture Con Canceled For 2020". Denver CBS4. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Denver Comic Con announces guests, diversity commitment". 18 February 2014. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  12. ^ "Kid's Lab". Denver Comic Con. Retrieved 2015-05-26.
  13. ^ a b c d "Denver Comic Con : About Us". popcultureclassroom.org. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  14. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (2016-06-20). "Denver Comic Con draws about 114,900 people". The Beat. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  15. ^ "Denver Comic Con 2017 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
  16. ^ "Denver Comic Con 2018 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
  17. ^ "Denver's Pop Culture Con Canceled For 2020". Denver CBS4. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  18. ^ "Breckenridge Brewery and Denver Comic Con will team up again on a superpowered beer". Westword. Archived from the original on 2013-05-02. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  19. ^ Shikes, Jonathan. "Fight evil with the Fantastic Pour, a Denver Comic Con/Breckenridge Brewery beer - Denver - Restaurants and Dining - Cafe Society". Blogs.westword.com. Archived from the original on 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2013-04-15.
  20. ^ "the caped brewsader - First Drafts". Denver Post.
  21. ^ "Brews Wayne". www.breckbrew.com. Archived from the original on 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  22. ^ "Snapricot Release Party @ Stoney's Bar & Grill – PorchDrinking.com". PorchDrinking.com. Retrieved 2016-05-28.[permanent dead link]
  23. ^ Parker, Ryan. "Aurora Rise officially founded, will appear at Denver Comic Con". Denver Post.
  24. ^ "Denver Comic Con Announces Partnership with PrideFest 2016". Archived from the original on 2016-07-12. Retrieved 2016-07-21.
  25. ^ "Denver Best Fan Convention - Denver Comic Con - Best Of Denver". Westword. 2013-03-25. Retrieved 2013-04-23.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Denver Comic Con (category)
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