The Wizard World Columbus Comic Con, formerly known as Mid-Ohio Con and then the Wizard World Ohio Comic Con, was a

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 of ...

convention held during the fall in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

, United States, at the

Greater Columbus Convention Center The Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) is a convention center located in Downtown Columbus, Ohio, United States, along the east side of North High Street. The convention center was predominantly designed by Peter Eisenman, constructed i ...

. Initially held in early November, from 1994–2007 the Mid-Ohio Con took place on the first weekend after

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...

. Normally a two-day event (Saturday and Sunday), in 2012 it expanded to three days (Friday through Sunday). The Mid-Ohio Con was founded in 1980. In 2010, the convention was acquired by

Wizard Entertainment Wizard Entertainment Inc., formerly known as GoEnergy and Wizard World, is a producer of multi-genre fan conventions across North America. The company started as the holding company for Strato Malmas' interests in the energy business. Gareb Shamu ...

History

The Mid-Ohio Con was founded in 1980 by voice actor and announcer Roger A. Price. Over the years, Price used the show to raise money for various charities (frequently the

March of Dimes March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. The organization was founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to comba ...

), raising a total of over $1,000,000. (Price himself was a

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

survivor.) Initially, the convention was held in various venues throughout central Ohio before settling in Columbus, where it has been located since 1993. The 1985 show, held at the Richland County Fairgrounds in

Mansfield, Ohio Mansfield is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Ohio, United States. Located midway between Columbus and Cleveland via Interstate 71, it is part of Northeast Ohio region in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau. The city ...

, featured the announcement of John Byrne's relaunch of the

Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...

books. (Byrne made regular appearances at the convention from 1981–2004.) In 1988 small press publisher Bob Corby premiered the first issue of ''Oh, Comics!'', a 40-page

minicomic A minicomic is a creator-published comic book, often photocopied and stapled or with a handmade binding. In the United Kingdom and Europe the term small press comic is equivalent with minicomic, reserved for those publications measuring A6 (105& ...

featuring the work of twelve Ohio small press artists. Corby produced new issues of ''Oh, Comics!'' in conjunction with the Mid-Ohio Con for the next twenty years, ultimately publishing the work of over 100 creators ranging in age from ten to sixty. By 1993, the show had moved to the Hyatt Regency and Greater Columbus Convention Center."This Week in the Arts," ''Columbus Dispatch'' (Nov. 21, 1993). The 1994 show featured an auction and a costume contest/dance party, both benefiting the Columbus

Ronald McDonald House Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent American nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. RMHC has a global network of c ...

.Feran, Tim. "Comic-Book Convention Includes Auction, Party," ''Columbus Dispatch'' (Nov. 24, 1994). The 1996 show featured a "Small Press Expo." The 1997 show moved to Columbus' Adam's Mark Hotel and featured a

Tony Isabella Tony Isabella (born December 22, 1951) is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, artist and critic, known as the creator and writer of Marvel Comics' Black Goliath; DC Comics' first major African-American superhero, Black Lightning; and as ...

roast Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelization ...

. The 1998 show was promoted in the panels of

Tom Batiuk Thomas Martin Batiuk (born March 14, 1947) is an American comic strip creator, best known for his long-running newspaper strip '' Funky Winkerbean''. Career Born in Akron, Ohio, Batiuk attended Kent State University, from which he graduated in ...

's syndicated newspaper strip, '' Funky Winkerbean'', in which one of the characters journeyed to the show to search for a long-lost

Hopalong Cassidy Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of short stories and novels based on the character. Mulford portrayed the character as rude, dangerous, and rough-talking. He was ...

comic book.Bush, Bill. "Convention Gets Plug on the Funny Pages," ''Columbus Dispatch'' (Nov. 28, 1998). In 2000, the show expanded and moved to the Hilton Columbus Hotel at

Easton Town Center Easton Town Center is a shopping center and mall in northeast Columbus, Ohio, United States. Opened in 1999, the core buildings and streets that comprise Easton are intended to look like a self-contained town, reminiscent of American towns and cit ...

. The 2002 and 2003 conventions featured special

karaoke Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''ōkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music is ...

parties hosted by actor

Andy Hallett Andrew Alcott Hallett (August 4, 1975 – March 29, 2009) was an American singer and actor who became known from playing the part of Lorne in the television series ''Angel'' (2000–2004). He used his singing talents often on the show, and p ...

. Both parties raised money for the

American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a United States-based nonprofit that seeks to educate the public about diabetes and to help those affected by it through funding research to manage, cure and prevent diabetes (including type 1 diabetes, ...

. The 2005 edition of the show, held at the Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center, later became known for being the site of a

sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) is an American non-profit organization formed in 1986 to protect the First Amendment rights of comics creators, publishers, and retailers covering legal expenses. Charles Brownstein served as the organiza ...

(CBLDF) director Charles Brownstein. The incident was reported to the police at the time, and 15 years later led to Brownstein's resignation from the CBLDF. In 2006, the Mid-Ohio Con increased in size again and moved to

Battelle Hall Battelle Hall (originally known as the Ohio Center) is a 6,864 seat multi-purpose exhibit hall located in Columbus, Ohio, part of the Greater Columbus Convention Center. It opened as the Ohio Center on September 10, 1980, and although sometimes c ...

, part of the

. In January 2008, founder Price announced he was retiring, and his company R.A.P. Promotions would entertain offers for the convention. In May 2008, the show was acquired by James and Bill Henry of GCX Holdings, and merged with Jamie and Teresa Colegrove's Ohio Comic Con.Press release
"Mid-Ohio Comic Con merges with Ohio Comic Con, launches new website,"
Comic Book Resources (May 19, 2008). By then, the show had been struggling a bit, and GCX invigorated new life into it, as well as working closely with Columbus-area comics creators. In November 2010 the Mid-Ohio Con was acquired by

for $77,500.Press release
"Headline Guests Adam West, Burt Ward, Rob Liefeld Announced for 2011!,"
Wizard Entertainment (Nov. 13, 2010). In 2012 it was renamed the Wizard World Ohio Comic Con. For 2015, as Wizard was expanding further into Ohio with the new

Wizard World Cleveland Comic Con Wizard, the wizard, or wizards may refer to: * Wizard (fantasy), a fictional practitioner of magic * Wizard (supernatural), a practitioner of magic Art, entertainment and media Fictional characters * Wizard (Archie Comics), a comic book supe ...

, the Columbus show was renamed the Wizard World Columbus Comic Con.MacDonald, Heidi
"Wizard World announce 24-date 2015 Schedule,"
''The Beat'' (09/02/2014). The last scheduled Wizard World Ohio Comic Con was held in October 2019; no new dates have been scheduled.

Dates and locations

Events

Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, there are portfolio review sessions with top comic book and video game companies, and such evening events as a costume contest. Traditional events include hours of programming on all aspects of comic books and pop culture. For many years, comics writer/editor

was the show's panel programming director. A popular event for a number of years (c. 1995–2001) was the panel game show Comic Book Squares, based on

Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show piloted on NBC in 1965 and the regular series debuted in 1966 on the ...

. In Comic Book Squares, hosted by Joe Edkins, a group of comics industry "celebrities" sat in a squarish setting, answering comic book and guest-related trivia questions while contestants (selected members of the audience) won prizes. Like most comic book conventions, the Ohio Comic Con features a large floorspace for exhibitors, including comic book dealers and

collectibles A collectable (collectible or collector's item) is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector. Collectable items are not necessarily monetarily valuable or uncommon. There are numerous types of collectables and terms t ...

merchants. The Ohio Comic Con includes an autograph area, as well as an Artists' Alley where comics artists (as well as writers, models, and celebrities) sign autographs and/or sell or do free sketches.

Criticism

With the show's 2010 acquisition by Wizard Entertainment, according to comics writer Dara Naraghi, complaints arose almost immediately about the change in atmosphere.Naraghi, Dara (August 25, 2011)
"Why I’m not attending Mid-Ohio-Con 2011 (or: Wizard World can go straight to hell)"
. Ferret Press–PANEL Blog. Whereas once the show was known as relaxed and congenial, and guests were easily accessible to fans, the Wizard-run show forged an aesthetic that Naraghi found to be louder, brasher, and more expensive. Writer J. J. Ulm of the ''

Columbus Free Press The ''Columbus Free Press'' is an American alternative journal published in Columbus, Ohio since 1970. Founded as an underground newspaper centered on anti-war and student activist issues, after the winding down of the Vietnam War it successfully ...

'' had similar complaints about the 2014 show.

In popular culture

Mid-Ohio Con founder Roger A. Price has appeared as a comic book character in

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

. In '' The Star Brand'' #12, written and penciled by frequent Mid-Ohio Con guest John Byrne, Price is introduced as a

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

worker (using a cane, married to Jane Price, and living in

, as in real life)Vrattos, Steve
"I Slept with Stan Lee, Part I: The Cleveland Show,"
''Heroes in My Closet'' (Aug. 7, 2011). who also claims to be "director of the north central Ohio division of the

" (a reference to the Mid-Ohio Con's ongoing support for the March of Dimes). The Price character dies in ''The Star Brand'' #14 but is later reborn as a temporary holder of the Star Brand. Altogether, the character appears in six issues of ''The Star Brand''."Roger Price,"
Comic Vine. Accessed May 15, 2015.

References

External links

* {{dead link, date=February 2020 Comics conventions in the United States Multigenre conventions Recurring events established in 1980 Culture of Columbus, Ohio Conventions in Ohio 1980 establishments in Ohio