History
Major comic book conventions in New York City prior to the Big Apple Comic Con included Phil Seuling's Comic Art Convention, which ran annually from 1968–1983. Following Sueling's death in 1984, promoter Fred Greenberg began hosting two Great Eastern Conventions shows annually at venues including the New York Coliseum. Other companies, including Creation Cons and 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 March 1996, Greenberg, at a very late point, cancelled what had been advertised as a larger-than-usual Great Eastern show, which the fan press had suggested might herald a successor to the Comic Art Con. As a substitute event, comic book retailer Carbonaro and others on the spur of the moment mounted the first Big Apple Convention (dubbed "Hallelujah Con") in a church basement.
Over the years, these small shows nonetheless attracted many comics creators and pop-culture figures, and by 2000 the convention had moved to the Metropolitan Pavilion on West 18th Street in Manhattan, and by 2004 were taking place at the Penn Plaza Pavilion at the Hotel Pennsylvania.
The October 2001 show was run as a charity event to assist the victims of the September 11 attacks, with free admission for everyone. The November 2001 show featured Klaus Janson and Joe Staton, and also donated proceeds to the World Trade Center Fund.
The May 2003 show, held at St. Paul's Auditorium featured guest of honor Jim Steranko, as well as such creators as Russ Heath, Billy Tucci, Graig Weich, Tony Isabella, Guy Gilchrist, Jim Krueger, Jamal Igle, Robin Riggs, and Jim Salicrup. The November 2003 show featured the special guest William Foster, an expert on African-Americans and comics.
In 2003 "Captain Zorikh" began running the costume contest, which became well-known for its audience-participation judging. Zorikh also managed Internet promotions and other aspects of the convention, and went on the become the general manager of the Big Apple convention from 2007-2008.
By 2004, the show claimed to have attracted over 30,000 attendees throughout the year. The April 2004 show featured guest of honor Jerry Robinson; other guests included Sergio Aragonés, Jim Lee, Mark Bagley, Bill Sienkiewicz, Roy Thomas, Alex Maleev, and Kevin Eastman. The September 2004 show featured guests Jim Steranko, Sal Buscema, Glen Fabry, Los Bros Hernandez, and Angel Medina.
The 2005 shows featured such guests as Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, Adam Hughes, Paul Chadwick, Sam Kieth, Dave Sim, Jim Starlin, Dean Haspiel, Harvey Pekar, Spain Rodriguez, S. Clay Wilson, Dan Fogel, Jim Woodring, Kim Deitch, Michael Kaluta, Charles Vess, Walt Simonson, Arthur Suydam, Jim Krueger, Michael Avon Oeming, Joseph Michael Linsner, Billy Tucci, Ken Kelly, Lee Weeks, Jed Hotchkiss, Mark Schultz, Art Adams, Michael Lark, Dick Ayers, Danny Fingeroth, Jim Salicrup, Rich Buckler, Mark Texeira, and Tim Vigil. Guests at the September 2006 show included Neal Adams, Howard Chaykin, and Ernie Colón.
The 2008 show featured such creators as Bernie Wrightson, Gene Ha, Rich Buckler, Irwin Hasen, Joe Giella, Ivan Brandon, Alex Maleev, Billy Tucci, Tommy Castillo, Mark Texeira, Danny Fingeroth, and Michael Avon Oeming.
In 2009, the Big Apple Comic Con was purchased by Wizard Entertainment. Its first show under Wizard was in October 2009 at Pier 94 in Manhattan.
The next two Wizard World Big Apple Comic Cons were held at the Penn Plaza Pavilion in 2010 and 2011.
Though not branded as a "Big Apple Convention" and not affiliated with Wizard World, some might consider the next iteration of the Big Apple Comic Con to have been held on March 31, 2012, at the Penn Plaza Pavilion. It was Michael Carbonaro's third New York Comic Book Marketplace, and announced as Carbonaro's final convention. The guest of honor was Stan Lee; other guests included George Pérez, Joe Sinnott, Dick Ayers, Carmine Infantino, Jim Steranko, Irwin Hasen, Mike Royer, Arthur Suydam, Bob McLeod, Rich Buckler, and Johnny Brennan.
Carbonaro has since announced that there will be another NYCBM on April 13, 2013.
Read more about this topic: Big Apple Comic Con
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