Wizard Entertainment

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(Redirected from Wizard Press)
Not to be confused with Wizards of the Coast.
Wizard Entertainment, Inc.
FormerlyWizard Press, Kick the Can, GoEnergy, Wizard World
Company typePublic
OTCQB: WIZD
IndustryEntertainment
Founded1991 (Wizard Press)
2001 (GoEnergy)
FounderGareb Shamus (Wizard Press)
Strato Malmas (GoEnergy)
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
U.S.
Area served
North America
Key people
John Maatta (CEO 2016–present)
Productsmagazines (1991–2011)
ServicesFan conventions (1997–2021)
Websitewizardworld.com

Wizard Entertainment Inc., formerly known as GoEnergy and Wizard World,[1] was 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 Shamus started the previous bearer of the Wizard Entertainment name in 1991 as Wizard Press the publisher of one monthly magazine (Wizard). That company evolved into a multi-title publishing company with diversified interests in branded products and related convention operations. By 2011, the company had discontinued its print division to focus exclusively on its convention business.[2] Since then, they have expanded to producing thirteen annual conventions around the U.S.[3]

History[edit]

Gareb Shamus founded Wizard magazine in January 1991 shortly after he graduated from college.[4] The company was originally based in Congers, New York.

Wizard purchased the Chicago Comicon in 1997 to expand from its core publishing business into trade/consumer conventions.[5]

In December 2007, Darren Sanchez was named Vice President of Production at Wizard Entertainment.[6]

On December 7, 2010, GoEnergy acquired Kick the Can Corp.

Shamus was pushed out as company CEO in late 2011; his position was taken in March 2012 by John Macaluso.[4]

In 2015, the company lost $4.25 million in revenue and would be cutting back from 25 events to 19 events in 2016.[7] Less than a week after the announcement of the loss, John Macaluso resigned as CEO and was replaced by John Maatta.[8]

Publishing[edit]

Wizard 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.) With its high-end production values and embodiment of the comic speculator boom,[9] Wizard was an instant hit, with a monthly circulation of more than 100,000 copies.

The magazine also spawned several ongoing magazines dedicated to similar interests, such as ToyFare: The Toy Magazine, for toys and action figures; Inquest Gamer, for collectible game cards; Anime Insider for anime and manga; and Toy Wishes for mainstream toy enthusiasts.

Anime Insider folded in the spring of 2009.[citation needed] On January 24, 2011, after 20 years of publication, the company announced that Wizard would cease print publication and become an all-digital magazine called Wizard World, launching in February 2011.[10] At that point Wizard Entertainment also ceased publication of its sister magazine, ToyFare.

Black Bull Entertainment[edit]

In 2000, Wizard founder Gareb Shamus forayed into the world of actual comic book publishing, creating the imprint Black Bull Entertainment, featuring several well-known creators, including Mark Waid, Chris Eliopoulos, Nelson DeCastro, and Garth Ennis. The first Black Bull title was the miniseries Gatecrasher: Ring of Fire.[11] Black Bull's titles included:

  • Beautiful Killer (2002–2003), #1–3
  • Gatecrasher (2000–2001), #1–6
  • Gatecrasher: Ring of Fire (2000), #1–4
  • Just a Pilgrim (2001), #1–5
  • Just a Pilgrim: Garden of Eden (2002), #1–4
  • The New West (2005), #1–2
  • Shadow Reavers (2001–2002), #1–5

Conventions[edit]

"Wizard World" redirects here. For the Harry Potter media franchise, see Wizarding World.

Beginnings and growth[edit]

Just a few years after purchasing the Chicago Comicon in 1996, the now renamed "Wizard World Chicago" event boasted a weekend attendance of over 58,000 people.[12]

In May 2002, Wizard branched out from Chicago and produced Wizard World East at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.[13] And in 2003 the company produced Wizard World Texas, adding Wizard World Los Angeles in 2004[14] and Wizard World Boston in 2005.

In 2008, Wizard began adding an academic forum called "Wizard World University," integrating scholarly panels into its conventions, beginning with the November convention in Arlington, Texas.[15]

"Con Wars" / growing pains[edit]

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

Beginning in 2005, Wizard CEO Gareb Shamus made a concerted push to dominate the North American convention circuit. First, Wizard announced that it would be holding a comic book convention in Atlanta from June 30–July 2, 2006, the same dates on which the long-running Charlotte, North Carolina-based Heroes Convention was scheduled to take place.[16] This caused an outcry amongst the comic book community, as Atlanta is only a four-hour drive from Charlotte, and several comic book creators voiced concerns about an attempt by a large, corporate event to force out an independent comic book convention.[17][18] As a result of the outcry, many prominent creators signed up to appear at HeroesCon 2006 rather than the competing Wizard con. Wizard ultimately announced that it would postpone the planned Atlanta convention until 2007.[17]

In 2009, Wizard canceled its Texas event and postponed the Los Angeles convention.[19] That spring and summer, however, Shamus/Wizard acquired the Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon[20][21][22] and the Big Apple Comic Con, New York City's longest-running comic book, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and pop culture convention.[23]

Wizard Entertainment's 2010 planned North American Comic Con tour included city stops in Toronto, Anaheim,[24] Philadelphia,[25] Chicago, New York City, Boston, New Jersey, and Austin. As part of a "major offensive against Reed Exhibitions' New York Comic Con," Wizard scheduled "three East coast shows in a row — the New England Comic-Con in Boston on October 1-3, Big Apple the same weekend, and the new New Jersey Comic-Con the weekend after, on October 15-17."[26] The 2010 Big Apple Comic Con was scheduled for October 7–10, the same dates as the previously scheduled New York Comic Con.[27][28] After a public outcry, Wizard ended up moving the dates of its 2010 New York convention to October 1–3.[26] (Additionally, the planned Wizard 2010 New Jersey convention was canceled.)[26]

Despite Wizard World's setbacks in Atlanta/Charlotte and New York City, by late 2010, it was apparent that the company's strategy was to blanket the U.S. with Wizard conventions, including buying previously existing small-scale shows in various locations.[29] Wizard's 2011 calendar included "a show-a-month schedule" and guest-lists of "nerd-lebrities of various levels of fame,... turning their shows into autograph-focused events."[30] Ultimately, however, Wizard scaled back its 2011 operations to seven shows — New Orleans, Toronto, Big Apple (New York), Philadelphia, Mid-Ohio, and Austin — ultimately canceling scheduled conventions in Los Angeles,[31] Miami, Atlanta, and Central Canada. In addition, previously announced new Wizard conventions in New Jersey, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Nashville never materialized.[32]

Wizard gave up the New York market after 2013[33] due to the dominance of the New York Comic Con. (In 2014, the Big Apple con was reacquired by its founder, Michael Carbonaro.)[34]

Continued growth[edit]

Wizard's 2013 convention schedule included Portland, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Wizard World New York Experience, Wizard World Chicago, Ohio Comic Con, Nashville, Austin, and New Orleans. In September 2013, Wizard World announced seven new stops for the 2014 tour: Sacramento, Louisville, Minneapolis, Atlanta, San Antonio, Richmond, and Tulsa.[35]

The 2016 schedule included Wizard conventions in Portland, Cleveland, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Madison, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Albuquerque, Columbus, Orlando, Chicago, Richmond, Austin, Tulsa, and Pittsburgh.[36]

Post-pandemic woes; sale of convention business[edit]

The COVID-19 pandemic hit Wizard Entertainment hard — as it did the convention business worldwide. Most 2020 conventions scheduled for after mid-March of that year were canceled, and many moved online in 2021.

Wizard World held only six in-person conventions in 2021,[37] and that August the company announced it would be selling the convention events business to FanExpo, with the final Wizard World Chicago show occurring in October.[38][39][37]

References[edit]

  1. ^ SEC filings
  2. ^ "Asset Purchase 8-K". December 7, 2010. United States Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington, D.C.). Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  3. ^ "Form 10-K: WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC." December 31, 2018. United States Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington, D.C.). Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Babka, Allison. "Wizard World Inc.: A roving comic con looks to corner the geek market," The Riverfront Times (Apr. 3, 2014).
  5. ^ "News Watch: Wizard Magazine Buys Chicago Comicon". The Comics Journal. #195 (April 1997), p. 24.
  6. ^ "Wizard Entertainment Names Darren Sanchez VP of Manufacturing"
  7. ^ Griepp, Milton. "WIZARD WORLD LOSES $4.3 MILLION IN 2015," "ICv2" (Apr. 19, 2016).
  8. ^ Griepp, Milton. "WIZARD WORLD BRINGS IN NEW CEO," "ICv2" (Apr. 25, 2016).
  9. ^ Miller, John Jackson "The print age of Wizard ends," ComicChron (Jan. 24, 2011).
  10. ^ Melrose, Kevin (January 24, 2011). "Breaking: Wizard and ToyFare magazines fold". Comic Book Resources.
  11. ^ De Blieck, Jr., Augie (May 5, 2009). "GATECRASHER, 2000-2001". Comic Book Resources. May 5, 2009
  12. ^ "Wizard World Chicago Sets Attendance Records". ToyMania. Aug 7, 2006.
  13. ^ Atchison, Lee (June 2002). "Wizard World East". Sequential Tart.
  14. ^ "Wizard Announces Successful Debut for Wizard World Los Angeles". Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. (Press release). 2004. Retrieved Jan 30, 2016.
  15. ^ "Announcing Wizard World University Academic Programming". Wizard World-Texas (Press release). Archived from the original on September 23, 2008.
  16. ^ "Heroes Con & Wiz Atlanta, Drum's Not Changing Dates". Comic-Con.com. July 22, 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29.
  17. ^ a b Hernandez, Don (13 Aug 2005). "Comic book hero: Little guy slays threat from weighty Wizard". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. A.1.
  18. ^ "Matt Fraction on HeroesCon/Wizard World]". Comic Book Resources. July 22, 2005.
  19. ^ "Wizard World to Postpone LA Show and Cancel Texas Show". Wizard World. Jan 2009. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009.
  20. ^ Armitage, Hugh (June 25, 2009). "Wizard CEO buys Toronto Comicon". Digital Spy.
  21. ^ "Wizard's Gareb Shamus Buys Toronto Comicon". Comic Book Resources. June 24, 2009.
  22. ^ "GAREB SHAMUS, WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT CEO, BUYS TORONTO COMICON" (Press release). Paradise Comics. Archived from the original on January 27, 2010.
  23. ^ "April 9: Wizard Entertainment CEO Acquires Big Apple Con". The Comics Journal. No. 299. August 2009. p. 22.
  24. ^ CBR News Team, ed. (July 16, 2009). "Wizard Announces Anaheim Comic-Con for 2010". comicbookresources.com (Press release).
  25. ^ "Philly Wizard World Photo Gallery Now Open!". Dread Central. 4 October 2012.
  26. ^ a b c MacDonald, Heidi (May 18, 2010). "Con wars: Shamus retreats, moves Big Apple". The Beat.
  27. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (Oct 16, 2009). "Breaking: Big Apple to go head to head with New York Comic-Con next year". The Beat. Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on Feb 20, 2010.
  28. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (Oct 19, 2009). "Big Apple/Con Wars wrap-up". The Beat.
  29. ^ Kwan, Steven (November 3, 2010). "Third annual Tucson Comic Con". Arizona Daily Wildcat. Archived from the original on Nov 7, 2010.
  30. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (Nov 4, 2010). "SCOOP! Con wars may be back on!!! UPDATE — no Con Wars". The Beat.
  31. ^ "Wizard World LA postponement surprised guests and exhibitors". The Beat. August 16, 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-05-28.
  32. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (Aug 15, 2011). "Wizard scales back to more realistic 7-show schedule". The Beat.
  33. ^ "Wizard World New York City Experience show page". WizardWorld.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-13. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  34. ^ Cloos, Art (2015). "Big Apple Con: Past and Present". The Main Event. Scoop. Gemstone Publishing, Inc. Retrieved Mar 4, 2024.
  35. ^ MacDonald, Heidi (September 17, 2013). "Wizard World adds seven cities including Tulsa, Sacramento, and San Antonio". The Beat.
  36. ^ "Upcoming Wizard Cons". Wizard World Comic Con. Archived from the original on 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
  37. ^ a b MacDonald, Heidi (Aug 10, 2021). "Fan Expo acquires six Wizard World comic cons for 2022: Fan Expo will take over Chicago, Philadelphia, Portland and three other shows". The Beat.
  38. ^ Ridgely, Charlie (August 10, 2021). "Wizard World Sells Its Comic Con Events to Fan Expo". ComicBook.com. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  39. ^ Salkowitz, Rob (August 10, 2021). "Fan Expo Acquires 6 Wizard World Events Including Chicago, Building Global Fan Con Juggernaut". Forbes. Retrieved September 27, 2021.

External links[edit]

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