| Ohio Comic Con | |
| Status: | Defunct |
| Genre: | Speculative fiction |
| Venue: | Richland County Fairgrounds (1985–1991) Hyatt Regency/Columbus Convention Center (1993–1996) Adam's Mark Hotel (1997–1999) Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center (2000–2005) Greater Columbus Convention Center (2006–2019) |
| Location: | Mansfield, Ohio (c. 1980–1995) Columbus, Ohio (1996–2019) |
| Country: | United States |
| First: | 1980 |
| Last: | 2019 |
| Organizer: | R.A.P. Promotions (1980–2007) GCX Holdings (2008–2009) Wizard Entertainment (2010–2019) |
| Filing: | For Profit |
| Attendance: | 5,000 – 8,000 (2007)[1] |
The Wizard World Columbus Comic Con, formerly known as Mid-Ohio Con and then the Wizard World Ohio Comic Con, was a comic book convention held during the fall in Columbus, Ohio, United States, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Initially held in early November, from 1994–2007 the Mid-Ohio Con took place on the first weekend after Thanksgiving. 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.
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), raising a total of over $1,000,000.[2] (Price himself was a polio 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, featured the announcement of John Byrne's relaunch of the Superman 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 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.[3]
By 1993, the show had moved to the Hyatt Regency and Greater Columbus Convention Center.[4] The 1994 show featured an auction and a costume contest/dance party, both benefiting the Columbus Ronald McDonald House.[5] The 1996 show featured a "Small Press Expo." The 1997 show moved to Columbus' Adam's Mark Hotel and featured a Tony Isabella roast. The 1998 show was promoted in the panels of Tom Batiuk's syndicated newspaper strip, Funky Winkerbean, in which one of the characters journeyed to the show to search for a long-lost Hopalong Cassidy comic book.[6]
In 2000, the show expanded and moved to the Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center. The 2002 and 2003 conventions featured special karaoke parties hosted by actor Andy Hallett. Both parties raised money for the American Diabetes Association.[7]
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 by Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) director Charles Brownstein. The incident was reported to the police at the time,[8] and 15 years later led to Brownstein's resignation from the CBLDF.[9]
In 2006, the Mid-Ohio Con increased in size again and moved to Battelle Hall, part of the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
In January 2008, founder Price announced he was retiring, and his company R.A.P. Promotions would entertain offers for the convention.[10] 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.[11] 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 Wizard Entertainment for $77,500.[12] [13] 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, the Columbus show was renamed the Wizard World Columbus Comic Con.[14]
The last scheduled Wizard World Ohio Comic Con was held in October 2019; no new dates have been scheduled.
| width=125px | Dates ! | Location | Official guests | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 1980 | ||||
| November 14, 1981 | ||||
| November 1982 | ||||
| November 1983 | Fairhaven Hall, Richland County Fairgrounds, Mansfield | |||
| November 1984 | ||||
| November 9–10, 1985[15] | Fairhaven Hall, Richland County Fairgrounds, Mansfield | $23,400 raised for the March of Dimes[16] | ||
| November 8–9, 1986 | Fairhaven Hall, Richland County Fairgrounds, Mansfield | |||
| November 1987 | Fairhaven Hall, Richland County Fairgrounds, Mansfield | Guest of honor: Dave Sim; other guests: Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, John Ostrander, Denys Cowan, Mike Grell, Carol Kalish[18] | ||
| November 26–27, 1988 | Fairhaven Hall, Richland County Fairgrounds, Mansfield | Stan Lee (special guest), Todd McFarlane, John Byrne, Terry LaBan[19] | ||
| November 1989 | Fairhaven Hall, Richland County Fairgrounds, Mansfield | |||
| November 1990 | Fairhaven Hall, Richland County Fairgrounds, Mansfield | |||
| November 1991 | Fairhaven Hall, Richland County Fairgrounds, Mansfield | |||
| September 1992 | Ashland University, Ashland | Convention coincides with publication of DC's The Death of Superman. | ||
| November 13–14, 1993[20] | Hyatt Regency/Convention Center, Columbus | Tickets: $5/day | ||
| November 26–27, 1994 | Hyatt Regency and Greater Columbus Convention Center | Special guests: Sergio Aragonés, John Byrne, Dick DeBartolo, Dick Giordano, Tony Isabella, Joe Jusko, William Messner-Loebs, P. Craig Russell, Stan Sakai, Louise Simonson, Walter Simonson, Don Simpson, Jeff Smith, Roger Stern, Jim Valentino, and Mark Waid; other guests: Darryl Banks, Scott Beaderstadt, Pat Block, Gary Cody, Dennis Cramer, Dan Davis, Kevin Dooley, Matt Feazell, Pat Garrahy, Jay Geldhof, Bob Ingersoll, Hank Kanalz, Robert A. Kraus, Steve Lieber, Roland Mann, Eddy Newell, Mike & Diana Okamoto, Kevin Rasel, Beau Smith, Chris Sprouse, Ernie Stiner, and Matt Webb | 15th anniversary show | |
| November 25–26, 1995 | Hyatt Regency and Greater Columbus Convention Center | Special guest: Barry Windsor-Smith; other guests: Mark Evanier, Roger Stern, William Messner-Loebs, John Byrne, Sergio Aragonés, Brian Michael Bendis, Martin Egeland, Dick Giordano, David Mack, Joe Pruett, Beau Smith, Jim Shooter, Jeff Smith, and Bernie Wrightson[21] | ||
| November 30–December 1, 1996 | Hyatt Regency and Greater Columbus Convention Center | Roger Stern, Darryl Banks, Dick DeBartolo, Tom and Mary Bierbaum, Tony Isabella, Paul Jenkins, Mark Waid, Leah Adezio, Dan Mishkin, Berni Wrightson,[22] Mark Crilley, P. Craig Russell, Jim Shooter, Murphy Anderson, Dick Ayers, Tom Batiuk, John Byrne, Dick DeBartolo, Julius Schwartz, and Jeff Smith[23] | Admission: $10/day, $15/weekend | |
| November 29–30, 1997 | Adam's Mark Hotel | John Byrne, Roger Stern, Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, Sergio Aragonés, Mark Evanier, Mart Nodell, Tony Isabella, Joseph Michael Linsner, Sheldon Moldoff, Terry Moore, Steve Lieber, Jim Ottaviani, Paul Smith, Alvin Schwartz, Murphy Anderson, and Bernie Wrightson[24] | ||
| November 28–29, 1998 | Adam's Mark Hotel | |||
| November 27–28, 1999 | Adam's Mark Hotel | 20th anniversary show | ||
| November 25–26, 2000 | Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center | Convention moves to new venue | ||
| November 24–25, 2001 | Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center | |||
| November 30–December 1, 2002 | Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center | June Lockhart, Yvonne Craig, Ted Raimi, Dick Giordano, Bob Layton, Mark Millar, Mark Evanier, Alan Burnett, Al Feldstein, Jon Provost, Roger Stern, Bob Ingersoll, Paul Jenkins, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Jan Duursema, Jeff Mariotte, Sergio Aragonés, Chuck Rozanski, Tony Isabella, Jeff Smith, David Yukovich, Farel Dalrymple[25] | ||
| November 29–30, 2003 | Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center | Mike W. Barr, Brian Michael Bendis, Kevin Eastman, Christopher Golden, David W. Mack, Sean McKeever, Jim Mooney, Michael Avon Oeming, Robin Riggs, Chris Sprouse, Mark Verheiden, Mark Wheatley, Mark Waid, and Matt Wagner. Media guests: Walter Koenig, Brad Dourif, Andy Hallett, David Carradine, Michael Jai White, Yvonne Craig, June Lockhart, and Kathy Garver | ||
| November 27–28, 2004 | Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center | 25th anniversary show;[26] because of a problem with UPS, the program booklets (with cover art by Adam Hughes) didn't arrive in time for the convention | ||
| November 26–27, 2005 | Hilton Columbus Hotel at Easton Town Center | |||
| November 25–26, 2006 | Herb Trimpe,[27] Beau Smith, Dan Davis, Matt Webb, Darryl Banks, Paul Storrie[28] | Convention moves to new, larger venue | ||
| November 24–25, 2007 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | |||
| October 4–5, 2008 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | |||
| October 3–4, 2009 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | Beau Smith, Billy Tucci, Lora Innes, Gary Kwapisz, Ron Frenz, Tony Isabella, Maggie Thompson, Joe Jusko, Michael Golden, Darryl Banks, Jay Fife, Mike Grell, Fred Hembeck, Sean McKeever, Keith Pollard, Josef Rubinstein, P. Craig Russell, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Scott Kolins, and Chris Sprouse[29] | ||
| November 6–7, 2010 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | Guests of honor: David Finch and Adam Hughes; special guest: Frank Cho;[30] featured guests: Michael Berryman and Lou Ferrigno. Other guests: Kurt Busiek, Sergio Aragonés, Mark Texeira, Matt Wagner, Jamie Snell, Uko Smith, and Darryl Banks[31] | 30th anniversary show | |
| October 22–23, 2011 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio | Headline guests: Adam West, Burt Ward, Rob Liefeld; other guests: David W. Mack, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jeff Smith, Arthur Suydam, Pasqual Ferry, Mike Grell, Greg Horn, Phil Jimenez, Michael Golden, Mark Texeira, Charles Skaggs, Chris Sprouse, Eric Wight, Eliza Frye, Steve Hamaker, Ed Piskor, Thomas Scioli, Marc Sumerak, Carol Tyler, and Ryan Ottley[32] | ||
| September 28–30, 2012 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | Show renamed Wizard World Ohio Comic Con | ||
| September 20–22, 2013 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | Sara Jean Underwood, Scott Wilson, Chandler Riggs, Michael Rooker, Norman Reedus, Linda Blair, Lou Ferrigno, Ernie Hudson, William Shatner, Stan Lee[33] | ||
| October 31–November 2, 2014 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | Danny Fingeroth, Tony Isabella, Thom Zahler, Andrew Shaffer, Dace Acosta, David Aikins, Dirk Manning, Patrick and Shelly Block, Sandy Plunkett, Sean Forney, Victor Dandridge, Nicholas Brendon[34] | Danny Fingeroth produced the comics panels | |
| September 18–20, 2015 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | Lou Ferrigno, Jason David Frank, Brad Guigar, Trevor A. Mueller, Michael Rooker, Sean Schemmel, William Shatner, Brent Spiner, Arthur Suydam[35] | Show renamed Wizard World Columbus Comic Con | |
| July 29–31, 2016 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | |||
| August 4–6, 2017 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | John Barrowman, Nicholas Brendon, Emma Caulfield, Tom Cook, Colleen Doran, Charles Dunbar, Lou Ferrigno, Elizabeth Henstridge, Kurt Lehner, Billy Martinez, Michelle Mussoni, Phil Ortiz, Ray Park, RealBreakingNate, SuperKayce, Catherine Tate, David Tennant, Ethan Van Sciver, Michael Wilson[36] | ||
| June 8–10, 2018 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | Source:[37] | ||
| October 18–20, 2019 | Battelle Hall, Greater Columbus Convention Center | Source:[38] | ||
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 Tony Isabella was the show's panel programming director.[39]
A popular event for a number of years (c. 1995–2001) was the panel game show Comic Book Squares, based on Hollywood Squares. 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 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.
With the show's 2010 acquisition by Wizard Entertainment, according to comics writer Dara Naraghi, complaints arose almost immediately about the change in atmosphere.[40] Whereas once the show was known as relaxed and congenial, and guests were easily accessible to fans,[41] the Wizard-run show forged an aesthetic that Naraghi found to be louder, brasher, and more expensive.[40] Writer J. J. Ulm of the Columbus Free Press had similar complaints about the 2014 show.[42]
Mid-Ohio Con founder Roger A. Price has appeared as a comic book character in Marvel Comics. In The Star Brand #12, written and penciled by frequent Mid-Ohio Con guest John Byrne, Price is introduced as a Red Cross worker (using a cane, married to Jane Price, and living in Mansfield, Ohio,[43] as in real life)[44] who also claims to be "director of the north central Ohio division of the March of Dimes" (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.[45]