A Paid Advertisement. Norwalk, CT, June 8, 2005: Reed Exhibitions, the world's largest organizer of business-to-business events, has today announced the launch of New York Comic-Con, a new trade as well as consumer event, which will focus on comics and all matters relating to comics and associated fields including graphic novels, manga, anime, games, film, television, toys, videogames, and licensing rights. The event will take place annually in New York City and will be designed to attract the loyal fan and avid collector, while also providing a unique and unprecedented business to business environment for comic book retailers, chain and independent booksellers, mass merchandisers, toy stores, libraries, and rights and licensing professionals. Organizers note that they also expect the event to attract considerable media interest, which is why they chose the New York City location. Other co-sponsors of New York Comic-Con, in addition to Diamond Comic Distributors, which is the world's largest distributor of English-language comics and related merchandise, include ICv2, which publishes the leading Website and magazines for pop culture retailers in the comic, anime/manga, and games categories, as well as the Reed Business Information publications Publishers Weekly, Variety, Library Journal, and Playthings. Marvel, DC and ADV Films are among the many industry-leading companies who have already made a commitment to exhibit at the new convention.
New York Comic-Con will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Center and will be open to the trade only on February 24th, 2005 and to the trade and the public on February 25th and 26th, 2006.
'I have been overwhelmed by the positive outpouring of support that we've received for this new venture on all fronts,' notes Greg Topalian, Group Vice President in charge of Launch Pad for Reed Exhibitions. 'We have locked in key co-sponsors and many exhibitors are already signed up. We also conducted focus groups with comic retailers and other shareholders in the industry and we were told that there is an urgent need for an event that goes beyond the consumer and which focuses on the many ancillary business to business opportunities in the comics industry. Our depth of experience in the business to business arena, combined with the enthusiastic support that we've received, will definitely allow us to stage a successful event for professionals, while also mounting a major consumer fair for fans and collectors.'
Steve Geppi, Founder and President of Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. notes: 'I've been a proponent of a world class comic book and pop culture convention in New York City, the media capital of the world, for a long time, and I'm delighted that a company with the resources and experience of Reed Exhibitions has decided to tackle the job. I'm looking forward to working with them to make this a big success!' Milton Griepp, CEO of ICv2 and a leading consultant for the pop culture products industry, notes: 'It's great to have a company the size of Reed mount a New York show for the comics, anime and games industries. This show puts a major worldwide exhibition company and all these great pop culture categories together in the business and media capital of the world. We are enthusiastic supporters of this show!'
As noted, ADV Films, the #1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation ('anime') for the North American market, has already committed to exhibit space, as have Marvel and DC, the industry's leading publishers. In addition, Midtown Comics, which is the country's largest comics retailer, and which is based in New York City, will not only exhibit at the show but has agreed to be a retail partner and will feature New York Comic-Con on their Web site, as well as promote and sell tickets to the event in their store. 'It's about time that an event like this should take place in New York City' notes Gerry Gladston, President of Midtown Comics. 'We are eager participants and we will do everything we can to support this show. There has always been a large and loyal audience for comics but it is getting larger day by day as the recent Hollywood trend legitimizes our product. Our demographic is noticeably changing, tastes are becoming more sophisticated, and the film industry has a lot do with this. The recent release of Sin City -- to take just one example -- has driven all sorts of consumers to our stores. We have direct access to these people and we will make sure that they all know about New York Comic-Con.'
Mike Bailiff, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for ADV Films, states: 'We're proud to be a major sponsor of the first New York Comic-Con. New York City is the media capital of the world. It deserves a world-class convention! We're glad to be working with Reed to make it happen.'
'It is sponsorships, early commitments, and many ringing endorsements that give us the encouragement as well as the muscle to move forward,' Topalian concludes. 'The comic book industry is a magnet for everything relating to pop culture, and we are intent on seeking out all these elements and including them in our convention. We are confident that when people see the range of participants in our event they will be encouraged to participate themselves.'
Convention organizers note that they have limited space for the convention, which will be restricted to Level 1 of the Javits Convention Center. Exhibitors are encouraged to sign up early. Sales inquiries should be directed to: Bill Butler (203) 840-5350 or bbutler@reedexpo.com. Press inquiries should be directed to: Roger Bilheimer (203) 966-0792 or bilheim@aol.com.
