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Just how many places can Norman Reedus be in at once?

As we’ve been mentioning here time and time again at the Beat, comic cons are big business now, even in smaller markets and clearly Wizard World, the pop culture expo company, has noticed this. They’ve just announced SEVEN new shows, including Sacramento, Louisville, Atlanta, San Antonio, Richmond, Minneapolis, and Tulsa.

Wizard is everywhere. Except New York. No mention of the show that was held here in May, although that was branded differently.

Wizard attempted to go into some of these markets before in a previous expansion, but the market for comics/pop culture shows wasn’t then what it is now.

Here’s the upcoming schedule:

September 20-22 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con

October 18-20 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con

November 22-24 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con

Wizard World 2014 Schedule

January 24-26 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con

February 7-9 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con

March 7-9 – Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con

March 28-30 – Wizard World Louisville Comic Con

April 4-6 – Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con

May 2-4 – Wizard World Minneapolis Comic Con

May 30-June 1 – Wizard World Atlanta Comic Con

June 19-22 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

August 1-3 – Wizard World San Antonio Comic Con

August 21-24 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con

September 12-14 – Wizard World Richmond Comic Con

September 26-28 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con

October 11-12 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con

October 31-November 2 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con

November 7-9 – Wizard World Tulsa Comic Con

We haven’t checked this against the existing con schedule but it’s sure to overlap with many other shows. Many of these are smaller markets with smaller existing shows. Wizard’s usual plan is to partner with an existing show so some of these may have been buyouts of older shows.

Our DMs just lit up with folks who have interest in going to Tulsa, but surely fans there are dying to meet and greet cast members of the Walking Dead and CM Punk, frequent guests at Wizard shows and regulars on their circuit.

Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD), the world’s largest pop culture convention series is announcing a large-scale expansion to its already largest Comic Con Tour. Fans of movies, TV, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, games, sci-fi, sports entertainment, music and more across the U.S. will now be treated to a whopping 15 events in 2014, potentially with room for additional expansion.

Wizard World promises to continue bringing top-level celebrities for autographs, photo ops and panel programming as well as top rated TV show and blockbuster film and game releases to engage with the Comic Con audience. Additionally, while industry trends show artists exhibition areas shrinking at many other convention show floors, Wizard World has a strong commitment to including leading and up-and-coming comic book artists and writers from the U.S. and from all over the world. Over a dozen countries’ top talent have been represented at Wizard World 2013 events including Canada, Mexico, Spain, Great Britain, France, Italy, Philippines, Turkey, Singapore, Croatia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and more.

Fans can expect to see community fueled costume contests, evening panel programming, live video streaming, top industry exhibitors, retailers, fan groups and exclusive attractions (like the Frank Frazetta pop-up museum collection) that are staples of the Wizard World experience, providing memorable and long-lasting experiences for attendees of all ages.

Eight cities from the 2013 schedule return next year: Portland, Ore. (Jan. 24-26, Oregon Convention Center); New Orleans (Feb. 7-9, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center); St. Louis (April 4-6, America’s Center); Philadelphia (June 19-22, Pennsylvania Convention Center); Chicago (Aug. 21-24, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center); Nashville, Tenn. (Sept. 26-28, Music City Center); Austin, Texas (Oct. 11-12, Austin Convention Center); and Columbus, Ohio (Oct. 31-Nov. 2, Greater Columbus Convention Center).

The tour has expanded to include the following new shows: Sacramento, Calif. (March 7-9, Sacramento Convention Center); Louisville, Ky. (March 28-30, Kentucky International Convention Center); Minneapolis (May 2-4, Minneapolis Convention Center); Atlanta (May 30-June 1, Georgia World Congress Center); San Antonio (Aug. 1-3, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center); Richmond, Va. (Sept. 12-14, Greater Richmond Convention Center) and Tulsa, Okla. (Nov. 7-9, Cox Business Center).

“Our mantra has been, ‘Give the fans a great experience, give the celebrities and creators a great experience, take care of our exhibitors and everyone will want to come back,’” said John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO and Chairman.  “We have had such an overwhelmingly positive reaction to all our 2013 events, both first-year and existing shows, that it was obvious what the fans were telling us – ‘We want more!’”
Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.  Three events in the coming months conclude the 2013 slate: Columbus, Ohio (Sept. 20-22); Nashville, Tenn. (Oct. 18-20); and Austin, Texas (Nov. 22-24).
About Wizard World:
Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.
The full event schedule can be found at http://www.wizardworld.com/wizcon.html.

11 COMMENTS

  1. If Wizard follows the “auto show” model, then this franchise can be replicated across the country.

    Take a list of the Top 100 MSAs in the country:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_metropolitan_area
    Cross off any with a major comics event, or one nearby.

    Take that list, and run a Google Maps search for local comics shops, game stores, and universities.

    Consider MSAs which are isolated from other MSAs. A core metropolitan area surrounded by less-populated counties mean less-jaded fans eager to meet celebrities (and visit The Big City).

    Hold a show once a week. rotating shows geographically.
    Each region has its own coordinator, running roughly one show a month.

  2. Sort of surprised by the Louisville addition. At least it’s not too close to Derby City Comic Con (which will turn four next June), or Fandom Fest (which was just a few weeks after DCCC this year but was crazy packed due to the Walking Dead “Cast Reunion” they had.

    Of course, checking the websites for both I see where DCCC is still listed as still being next June but Fandom Fest doesn’t have anything about next year. Wonder if Wizard World “bought them” (of course it could just be that they haven’t gotten a place or dates for next year yet).

    I just hope the late March date means it will be on NCAA Final 4 weekend instead of Sweet 16 weekend. Basketball is still pretty important to people around these parts (even comic book/sci-fi fans) and having something going on while there’s “important” basketball games going on (hopefully involving local team(s)) isn’t always a great proposition. Final 4 weekend still wouldn’t be ideal, but since those games are late afternoon/evening on Saturday it wouldn’t be too bad.

  3. Most of these don’t seem to overlap with smaller local shows, which is good. Nobody likes a fight.

    Small Press Expo in DC has not announced their dates for next year yet, so don’t know if that will clash with the Richmond dates. Louisville is pretty far from Derby City and Fandom Fest. Atlanta… not sure if they have anything other than DragonCon during that time of year. Sacramento, Tulsa, and San Antonio should be clean too.

    Maybe everyone will come out on top. More shows mean more nerds, I think.

  4. Funnily enough, I was kidding about Norman Reedus but he’s been announced as the first guest at a ton of shows.

    Also, the Sept. 13-14 show in Richmond VA is the week after Baltimore, and the same week as SPX. Funny.

  5. That’s just crazy. Flooding the market like that could hurt the convention scene. This time next year I would not be surprised if we find out that Wizard ends up dropping some of those shows. Isn’t the Austin one right around the time of NYCC?

  6. The convention scene is already crowded.
    The weekend of SPX, there was also a show in Montreal, and one in Albany.
    Montreal had 42K, 10K+ from last year.
    Fantacon rose from the dead like Zombie Jesus, and Albany embraced it.

    This weekend, there are numerous small cons, and two big shows: Portland, OR; Columbus, OH.

    Where once we complained if two big shows had the same date, now we only complain if they are near each other, either regionally or chronologically.

    Wizard has 15 shows.
    They will probably drop a few. You try a market. If it doesn’t work, you move on and try somewhere else.

  7. Problem is, this is not 1993 anymore. When I was a kid, the number of cons in this country over 10K (turnstile) could be counted on one hand.

    There are only 52 weekends in a year, and December is a dead zone (holiday season), while July is a drought (SDCC). There are already show conflicts, but as long as they are distant, little harm is done.

    Philly was same weekend as Denver this year.
    C4 in California was same weekend as PAX, and Dragon*Con.
    Every year, Chicago Comic Con, Gen Con, Dragon*Con, and Baltimore Comic Con run in rapid succession. Been that way for years.

    On a national scene level, it looks crowded. But to locals who only attend local shows, 6 months without a show is just boring.

  8. Not to be an old stick in the mud, but can we stop calling Wizard Worlds “comic conventions”. They’re really more like a traveling carnival that has no rides, just one ginormous midway. I’ll be forever thankful that I made it out to both the old Chicago Comic Con and San Diego back when both really deserved the name of “comic book convention” and not pop culture expo.

    Mike

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