The geeky and nerdy culture on the United States have created an important niche in the economy. The fact that there are over 10 comic conventions that gather from 25.000 to over 200.000 people for days is something to take a look at.
As for economic growth, each city that hosts the convention experiences an economic pump in different sectors, for instance the San Diego Comic-Con International has brought over $488.4 million between 2013 and 2015, according to a study released by the San Diego Convention Center Corp.
As for direct spending…
“The study also showed that direct spending by attendees during the three convention years would total $203.4 million and hotel tax revenue would total $7.9 million. Sales tax revenue would total $442,000 and room nights would total 378,000.”
As for this conventions not all of them last for 4 days every year, some of them have a bi-annual schedule some others only take two days and still have a very important impact on the entertainment business because it entails big panelists such as Chuck Norris, Robert Englund (Freddie Kruger) and even the cast of Power Rangers both the old and the new.
Where all begun…
The first signs of comic conventions started back in 1960s in New York City and was called New York Comicon. Of course there were other initiatives in the decade but these so called “early conventions” were small events that, usually organized by local enthusiasts, one of them is Jerry Bails, who was then known as the “Father of Comic Fandom”, and Dave Kaler of the Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors and featuring a handful of industry guests.
The first recurring conventions were the Detroit Triple Fan Fair, which ran from 1965–1978, and Academy Con, which ran from 1965–1967. Many recurring conventions begin as single-day events in small venues, which as they grow more popular expand to two days, or even three or more every year.
Many comic-cons which had their start in church basements or union halls now fill convention centers in major cities.
What’s the current state of Comic’s Conventions?
Now there are a high number of comic’s event, in fact Wizard Entertainment alone hosts 21 conventions in American Cities. In addition to it, there are more than 39 different conventions and some of them started in 2010, 2013 and 2014 which is a clear statement that these conventions are not only from the 20th century but they have come to stay to influence and impact both Pop Culture and the city’s economy causing well-known growth each year.
According to some comic’s webpage here is a list of comic conventions across the United State:
- Alamo City Comic Con in San Antonio, TX
- Alternative Press Expo in San Jose, CA
- Baltimore Comic-Con in Baltimore, MD
- Big Apple Comic Con in New York City, NY
- Boston Comic Con in Boston, MA
- Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo in Chicago, IL
- Connecticut ComiCONN in Uncasville, CT
- Comicpalooza in Houston, TX
- Dallas Comic Con in Dallas, TX
- Denver Pop Culture Con in Denver, CO
- Dragon Con in Atlanta, GA
- East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention in Philadelphia, PA
- East Coast Comicon in Secaucus, NJ
- Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, WA
- FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention in Salt Lake City, UT
- Heroes Convention in Charlotte, NC
- Indy PopCon in Indianapolis, IN
- Intervention in the Washington, D.C. area
- L.A. Comic Con in Los Angeles, CA
- MegaCon in Orlando, FL
- Memphis Comic and Fantasy Convention in Memphis, TN
- MoCCA Festival in New York City, NY
- Motor City Comic Con in Novi, MI
- New York Comic Con in New York City, NY
- North Texas Comic Book Show in Dallas, TX
- Ohio Comic Con in Columbus, OH
- Pensacola Comic Convention, Pensacola, FL
- Phoenix Fan Fusion in Phoenix, AZ