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The Comic Art Convention was an
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are oft ...
fan convention held annually New York City,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...
, over Independence Day weekend from 1968 through 1983, except for 1977, when it was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 1978 to 1979, when editions of the convention were held in both New York and Philadelphia. The first large-scale
comics convention A comic book convention or comic-con is an event with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at co ...
, and one of the largest gatherings of its kind until the Comic-Con International in San Diego, California, it grew into a major trade and fan convention. It was founded by
Phil Seuling Philip Nicholas Seuling (January 20, 1934 – August 21, 1984) was a comic book fan convention organizer and comics distributor primarily active in the 1970s. Seuling was the organizer of the annual New York Comic Art Convention, originally held i ...
, a Brooklyn, New York City, teacher, who later developed the concept of comic-book direct marketing, which led to the rise to the modern comic book store. The New York Comic Art Convention's growth in popularity coincided with the increasing media attention on comics that had been building since the mid-1960s, feeding off the then novel notions of comics being a subject worthy of serious critical study and collectibility.


History

Circa 1961, enterprising fans including Jerry Bails,
Shel Dorf Sheldon "Shel" Dorf (July 5, 1933 – November 3, 2009) was an American comic book enthusiast and the founder of San Diego Comic-Con International.Spurgeon, Tom.Shel Dorf, 1933-2009, ''The Comics Reporter'' (self-published), 4 November 2009. Acc ...
, Bernie Bubnis, and future Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Roy Thomas began following the pattern of the long-established science fiction fandom by publishing
fanzines A fanzine (blend of '' fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleasure of others who share t ...
, corresponding with one another and with comic-book editors (most notably DC Comics'
Julius Schwartz Julius "Julie" Schwartz (; June 19, 1915 – February 8, 2004) was a comic book editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in The Bronx, New York. He is best known as a longtime editor at DC Comics, where at various ti ...
), and eventually arranging informal and later professional, commercial conventions. Schelly, Bill. "Jerry Bails' Ten Building Blocks of Fandom," ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #25 (June 2003) pp. 5-8. Among the first were the 1964 Tri-State Con (a.k.a. the New York Comicon) and that same year's precursor to the
Detroit Triple Fan Fair The Detroit Triple Fan Fair (DTFF) was a multigenre convention generally held annually in Detroit from 1965 to 1977. It is credited for being one of the first comic book conventions in the United States. The Triple Fan Fair also gave balanced c ...
Duncan, Randy; and Smith, Matthew J. ''The Power of Comics: History, Form and Culture'' (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2009), p. 183. (officially established in 1965). Schelly, Bill. ''Founders'', p. 8. As Seuling described his convention's genesis, "In 1964, about a hundred people found themselves in a New York City
union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''U ...
meeting hall, a large open room with wooden folding chairs, looking around at each other oddly, surprised, not really knowing what they were there for, a bit sheepish, waiting for whatever was going to take place to begin. ... It was the first comics convention ever nd tat one-day assembly ... grew step by step into an annual tradition in New York and then elsewhere."Seuling, Phil. 1977 Comic Art Convention program book (Sea Gate Distributors, 1977), p. 5 In 1965, the
Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors The Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors (ACBFC) was the first official organization of comic book enthusiasts and historians. Active during the 1960s, the ACBFC was established by Jerry Bails, the "father of comics fandom". A vital player in ...
hosted a convention at New York's
Broadway Central Hotel The Grand Central Hotel, later renamed the Broadway Central Hotel, was a hotel at 673 Broadway, New York City, that was famous as the site of the murder of financier James Fisk in 1872 by Edward S. Stokes. The hotel collapsed on August 3, 19 ...
, continuing that tradition in 1966 and 1967. The so-called " Academy Cons" featured such industry professionals as Otto Binder,
Bill Finger Milton "Bill" Finger (February 8, 1914 – January 18, 1974) was an American comic strip, comic book, film and television writer who was the co-creator (with Bob Kane) of the DC Comics character Batman. Despite making major (sometimes, signature ...
,
Gardner Fox Gardner Francis Cooper Fox (May 20, 1911 – December 24, 1986) was an American writer known best for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. He is estimated to have written more than 4,000 comics stories, including 1,500 for DC ...
, Mort Weisinger, James Warren, Roy Thomas, Gil Kane, Stan Lee,
Bill Everett William Blake Everett (; May 18, 1917 – February 27, 1973) was an American comic book writer-artist best known for creating Namor the Sub-Mariner as well as co-creating Zombie and Daredevil with writer Stan Lee for Marvel Comics. He was all ...
,
Carmine Infantino Carmine Michael Infantino (; May 24, 1925 – April 4, 2013) was an American comics artist and editing, editor, primarily for DC Comics, during the late 1950s and early 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comic Books. Among his character creat ...
, and
Julius Schwartz Julius "Julie" Schwartz (; June 19, 1915 – February 8, 2004) was a comic book editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in The Bronx, New York. He is best known as a longtime editor at DC Comics, where at various ti ...
.Schelly, Bill. "The Kaler Con: Two Views: Bigger And Better Than The Benson Con Just Three Weeks Before?? (Part VIII of '1966: The Year Of (Nearly) Three New York Comics Conventions')," ''Alter-Ego'' #64 (Jan. 2007). As Seuling told it, "In 1968, I became involved in tagingmy first convention. The following year began the current series called the Comic Art Convention". (The 1968 show, officially known as the International Convention of Comic Book Art, was co-produced with SCARP, the short-lived Society for Comic Art Research and Preservation, Inc.)
Thompson, Maggie Maggie Thompson (born Margaret Curtis; November 29, 1942), is an American longtime editor of the now-defunct comic book industry news magazine ''Comics Buyer's Guide'', science fiction fan, and collector of comics. Early life Margaret ( nickna ...
. ''Newfangles'' #6 (Jan. 1968).
Guests of honor at the 1968 show were Stan Lee (Abstract; full article requires fee or subscription) and
Burne Hogarth Burne Hogarth (born Spinoza Bernard Ginsburg, December 25, 1911 – January 28, 1996) was an American artist and educator, best known for his work on the ''Tarzan'' newspaper comic strip and his series of anatomy books for artists. Early life ...
The 1969 convention, the first official Comic Art Convention, was held Independence Day weekend at the
Statler Hilton Hotel The Statler Hotel company was one of the United States, United States' early chains of hotels catering to traveling businessmen and tourists. It was founded by Ellsworth Milton Statler, Ellsworth Milton (E. M.) Statler in Buffalo, New York. Earl ...
in New York City, and the guest of honor was
Hal Foster Harold Rudolf Foster, FRSA (August 16, 1892 – July 25, 1982) was a Canadian-American comic strip artist and writer best known as the creator of the comic strip '' Prince Valiant''. His drawing style is noted for its high level of draftsmanship ...
. Admittance to the convention cost $3.50 for a three-day ticket, with daily passes at $1.50. Additional, February 20, 2011. Admittance was free with a hotel room rental, which cost $15-and-up per day. The final three years of the 1961-1969
Alley Awards The Alley Award was an American annual series of comic book fan awards, first presented in 1962 for comics published in 1961. Officially organized under the aegis of the Academy of Comic Book Arts and Sciences, the award shared close ties with the ...
, sponsored by ''
Alter Ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I", "doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a different ...
'' magazine and the
Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors The Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors (ACBFC) was the first official organization of comic book enthusiasts and historians. Active during the 1960s, the ACBFC was established by Jerry Bails, the "father of comics fandom". A vital player in ...
, were presented at the Comic Art Convention. After the demise of the Alley, later years featured the Goethe Awards (later renamed the "Comic Fan Art Awards"). In 1973, Seuling persuaded Dr.
Fredric Wertham Fredric Wertham (; born Friedrich Ignatz Wertheimer, March 20, 1895 – November 18, 1981) was a German-American psychiatrist and author. Wertham had an early reputation as a progressive psychiatrist who treated poor black patients at his Lafarg ...
, author of the industry-changing 1954 book '' Seduction of the Innocent'', to attend what would be Wertham's only panel with an audience of comics fans. The 1974 show featured a panel on the role of women in comics, with
Marie Severin Marie Severin (; August 21, 1929 – August 29, 2018) was an American comics artist and colorist best known for her work for Marvel Comics and the 1950s' EC Comics. She is an inductee of the Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame and the Harvey Awa ...
,
Flo Steinberg Florence Steinberg (March 17, 1939 – July 23, 2017) was an People of the United States, American publisher of one of the first independent comic books, the underground comics, underground/alternative comics hybrid ''Big Apple Comix'', in 1975. Ad ...
, Jean Thomas (sometime-collaborator with then-husband Roy Thomas),
Linda Fite Linda Fite is an American writer and editor who wrote the entire run of the Marvel Comics series '' The Cat'' (1972). Biography Linda Fite was hired by Marvel as an editorial assistant/production assistant. Though she continually appealed to edit ...
(writer of ''The Claws of the Cat''), and fan representative Irene Vartanoff. By 1984, as his comic-book distribution business occupied more time, and as other comics conventions, most notably in San Diego and Chicago, became larger, more prominent, and more commercial- rather than fan-driven, Seuling segued the Independence Day-centered Comic Art Convention into the smaller Manhattan Con, which took place in mid-June.Grant, Steven
"Permanent Damage: Issue #43,"
''Comic Book Resources'' (July 10, 2002).
Seuling died unexpectedly in August 1984, and the Comic Art Convention/Manhattan Con died with him.


Legacy

The Comic Art Conventions provided the primary nexus for fans and the largely New York City-based industry during the Silver Age and the
Bronze Age of comic books The Bronze Age of Comic Books is an informal name for a period in the history of American superhero comic books usually said to run from 1970 to 1985. It follows the Silver Age of Comic Books and is followed by the Modern Age of Comic Books. Th ...
. As well, many of the Golden Age creators were still alive and in attendance at panels and for interviews, which helped lay the groundwork for the
medium Medium may refer to: Science and technology Aviation * Medium bomber, a class of war plane * Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Communication * Media (communication), tools used to store and deliver information or data * Medium ...
's historical scholarship. The reputation of the Convention spread throughout fandom via an annual write-up published in ''
The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' (''CBG''; ), established in 1971, was the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry. It awarded its annual Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards from 1983 to circa 2010. The public ...
'' by columnist
Murray Bishoff Murray Bishoff is a writer at ''The Monett Times'' in Monett, Missouri. Formerly a contributor to ''Comics Buyer's Guide'', Bishoff won an Inkpot Award in 1980. Bishoff is also known for his research and writings on the 1901 fifteen-hour lynching ...
. Besides reporting on convention events, Bishoff also provided fans around the country with a benchmark market report by surveying attending dealers regarding what was selling and whether prices realized were above or below those quoted in the de facto standard, ''
The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide ''The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide'' (or ''Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide'') is an annually published comic book price guide widely considered the primary authority on the subject of American comic book grading and pricing in the ...
''.
Will Eisner William Erwin Eisner (March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series ''The Spirit'' (1940–1952) was not ...
, creator of the
Spirit Spirit or spirits may refer to: Liquor and other volatile liquids * Spirits, a.k.a. liquor, distilled alcoholic drinks * Spirit or tincture, an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol * Volatile (especially flammable) liquids, ...
in 1940, credited the 1971 Comic Art Con for his return to comics. In a 1983 interview with Seuling, he said, "I came back into the field because of you. I remember you calling me in New London, onnecticut 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 A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary and ...
, 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". Eisner later elaborated about meeting
underground comics Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books that are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, ...
creators and publishers, including Denis Kitchen


Successors

Following Seuling's death in 1984 and continuing until 1988, Creation Entertainment continued producing large annual conventions in New York City, usually taking place over the weekend following Thanksgiving (Creation had begun hosting New York shows in 1971, and sometimes put on as many as a half-dozen New York City shows per year). From 1993–1995, promoter Fred Greenberg hosted two Great Eastern Conventions annually at venues including the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, commonly known as the Javits Center, is a large convention center on Eleventh Avenue between 34th Street and 38th Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City. It was designed by architect James I ...
and the New York Coliseum. Other companies, including Dynamic Forces, held New York City conventions but all were on a smaller scale than the Seuling shows. Changes in the industry, popular culture, and the resurgent city itself since the troubled 1960s and '70s made large-scale comic-book conventions difficult to hold profitably. Jonah Weiland of ComicBookResources.com also noted that "...dealing with the various convention unions made it difficult for most groups to get a show off the ground." In 1996, Greenberg, at a very late point, cancelled what had been advertised as a larger-than-usual Great Eastern Conventions show, which the fan press had suggested might herald a successor to the Comic Art Con. As a substitute event, promoter Michael Carbonaro and others on the spur of the moment mounted the first
Big Apple Convention The Big Apple Comic Con is a New York City comic book convention, the longest-running comic book/speculative fiction/pop culture convention in New York City. It was started by retailer Michael "Mike Carbo" Carbonaro in March 1996 in the basement ...
in the basement of Manhattan's Church of St. Paul the Apostle.Pate, Bria
"Mike Carbonaro Retiring From Convention Promoting with Final 2012 NYCBM Show,"
Convention Scene (Mar. 30, 2012).
These small shows nonetheless attracted many comics creators and pop-culture figures, and by 2000 the convention had moved to the
Metropolitan Pavilion The Metropolitan Pavilion is an exhibition venue located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1992, the venue offers four loft event spaces in one location. The Metropolitan Pavilion is situated next door to the ...
on West 18th Street in Manhattan, and by the mid-2000s were taking place at the Penn Plaza Pavilion at the Hotel Pennsylvania — the same location of the original Comic Art Conventions. In 2002, the first
MoCCA Art Festival The MoCCA Arts Festival, or MoCCA Fest, is an independent comics showcase that typically includes artist booths, slide shows, and educational panels. It was created by the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in 2002 by bringing together over 2,000 ar ...
, focused on
alternative comics Alternative comics cover a range of American comics that have appeared since the 1980s, following the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to mainstream superhero comics which i ...
and the small press, was held at New York City’s Puck Building; it has been held annually since. In 2006, the first New York Comic Con was held in the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, commonly known as the Javits Center, is a large convention center on Eleventh Avenue between 34th Street and 38th Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City. It was designed by architect James I ...
; it also has been held annually since.


Dates and locations

:''Conventions held in New York City unless otherwise noted.'' * July 4–7, 1968:
Statler Hilton Hotel The Statler Hotel company was one of the United States, United States' early chains of hotels catering to traveling businessmen and tourists. It was founded by Ellsworth Milton Statler, Ellsworth Milton (E. M.) Statler in Buffalo, New York. Earl ...
, 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue — as International Convention of Comic Book Art * July 4–6, 1969: Statler Hilton Hotel — Penn Top/Sky Top Rooms * July 3–5, 1970: Statler Hilton Hotel * July 2–4, 1971: Statler Hilton Hotel * July 1–5, 1972: Statler Hilton Hotel * July 4–8, 1973: Commodore Hotel, 42nd Street and Park Avenue * July 4–8, 1974: Commodore Hotel * July 3–7, 1975: Commodore Hotel * July 2–6, 1976: McAlpin Hotel, 34th Street and
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
* July 1–5, 1977: Hotel Sheraton, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (no New York con this year) * 1978: ** July 2–5: Americana Hotel, New York City ** July 8–9: Philadelphia * 1979: ** June 30-July 1: Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City ** July 14–15: Sheraton Hotel, Philadelphia * July 4–6, 1980: Statler Hilton Hotel * July 3–5, 1981: Statler Hilton Hotel * July, 3-5, 1982: Sheraton Hotel, Seventh Ave. and 56th Street, New York City"Happenings: Other Events," ''New York Magazine'' (July 5–12, 1982), p. 134. * July 2–4, 1983: Sheraton Hotel, New York City — as International Science Fiction and Comic Art Convention (presentation of the
Saturn Awards The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films bel ...
)


See also

* Science fiction convention


References


Further reading

* {{cite book, title=1964 New York Comicon: The True Story Behind the World's First Comic Convention, year= 2016, publisher =Totalmojo Productions, first= J., last=Ballmann, isbn= 978-0981534916 * 1975, 1976, 1977 Comic Art Convention program books *''
The Comics Journal ''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing re ...
'' #46 (May 1979): Convention ad, inside back cover


External links


"Comic Art Convention"
at the
Michigan State University Libraries Michigan State University Libraries (MSU Libraries) is the academic library system of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. The library system comprises nine branch locations including the Main Library. As of 2015-16, ...
Special Collections Division: Reading Room Index to the Comic Art Collection, "Comi" to "Comic Art of"
"Philadelphia's 1977 Comic Art Convention"
''The Comic Treadmill'', December 5, 2004.. Defunct comics conventions Recurring events established in 1968 Conventions in New York City