Wizard Entertainment

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Not to be confused with Wizards of the Coast.
Wizard World
250px
Status Active
Genre Multi-genre
Venue Various cities
Location(s) New York
Country United States
Inaugurated July 1991
Organized by Wizard Entertainment
Website
www.wizardworld.com

Wizard Entertainment, formerly known as Wizard Press, was a New York-based publisher of Wizard and ToyFare magazines, along with various special issues for each magazine and the annual Toy Wishes holiday guide.

Since the first issue of Wizard magazine was published in 1991, Wizard Entertainment grew from a publisher of one monthly magazine to a multi-title publishing company with diversified interests in branded products and related convention operations. The magazine originally started as a price guide to comics but evolved into focusing squarely on pop-culture, specifically targeting young adult males. The magazine ultimately featured a price guide to comics and action figures in the back of the magazine. It has since gone digital, closing down its print publications on January 24, 2011.[1]

History

ToyFare: The Toy Magazine was launched in 1997. ToyFare covered new toys including Star Wars, Spider-Man and Batman, and won the Folio Gold Award. ToyFare has since ceased publication.[citation needed]

In December 2007, Darren Sanchez was named Vice President of Production at Wizard Entertainment.[dead link][2]

On January 24, 2011, it was announced that Wizard magazine would cease publication after 20 years, and would be changed to an all digital magazine called Wizard World launching in February 2011. Wizard Entertainment will also cease publication of its sister magazine, Toyfare.[citation needed]

Conventions

The floor of the 2013 Wizard World New York Experience at Pier 36 in Manhattan

Wizard Entertainment purchased the Chicago Comicon, a comics convention in Chicago, in 1997 to expand from its core publishing business into trade/consumer conventions.[3] In just a few years, the now renamed Wizard World Chicago event boasts a weekend attendance of over 58,000 people.[4]

In 2008, Wizard began adding an academic forum called Wizard World University to include scholarly panels at their conventions, beginning with the November convention in Arlington, Texas.[dead link][5]

In 2009, Wizard canceled the Texas event and postponed the Los Angeles convention.[6]

In 2009, Wizard World acquired the Big Apple Convention, New York City's longest-running comic book, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and pop culture convention. Big Apple's last independent show was held on June 13, 2009 at the Hotel Pennsylvania. Big Apple had scheduled a show for November, but it was rescheduled for October 16–18 at Pier 94 in Manhattan and re-branded "Big Apple Comic Con."[citation needed]

In 2009, Wizard World also acquired the Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon.[7][8]

As of 2010, Wizard Entertainment now produces a North American Comic Con tour. City stops include: Toronto,[dead link][9] Anaheim,[10] Philadelphia,[11] Chicago, New York City, Austin, and Boston.[citation needed]

Wizard's 2013 conventions included Portland Comic Con, St. Louis Comic Con, Philadelphia Comic Con, NYC Experience, Chicago Comic Con, Ohio Comic Con, Nashville Comic Con, Austin Comic Con, and New Orleans Comic Con.[12] In September 2013, Wizard World announced 7 new stops for the 2014 tour: Sacramento, Louisville, Minneapolis, Atlanta, San Antonio, Richmond, and Tulsa.[13]

Publications

Wizard launched Anime Insider, a U.S. magazine covering the Japanese animation and manga market. Anime Insider folded in the spring of 2009.[citation needed]

In 2000, Gareb Shamus forayed into the world of actual comic book publishing, creating the imprint Black Bull Entertainment, and the first comic title released was the miniseries Gatecrasher.[14]

References

  1. ↑ Melrose, Kevin (January 24, 2011). "Breaking: Wizard and ToyFare magazines fold". Comic Book Resources.
  2. ↑ "Wizard Entertainment Names Darren Sanchez VP of Manufacturing". Expert Click. Archived June 29, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "News Watch: Wizard Magazine Buys Chicago Comicon". The Comics Journal. #195 (April 1997), p. 24.
  4. ↑ Wizard World Chicago Sets Attendance Records.
  5. ↑ "Announcing Wizard World University Academic Programming". Wizard World-Texas. Archived September 23, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "Wizard World to Postpone LA Show and Cancel Texas Show". Wizard World.
  7. ↑ Armitage, Hugh (June 25, 2009). "Wizard CEO buys Toronto Comicon". Digital Spy.
  8. ↑ "Wizard's Gareb Shamus Buys Toronto Comicon". Comic Book Resources. June 24, 2009
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ http://wizardworlddigital.com/wizard-world-comic-con-plans-massive-expansion-in-2014-adding-seven-new-cities-to-the-largest-comic-con-tour-ever.html
  14. ↑ De Blieck, Jr., Augie (May 5, 2009). "GATECRASHER, 2000-2001". Comic Book Resources. May 5, 2009

External links

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