Wikipedia

List of fan conventions by date of founding

The list of modern fan conventions for various genres of entertainment extends to the first conventions held in the 1930s.

Some fan historians claim that the 1936 Philadelphia Science Fiction Conference, a.k.a. Philcon, was the first science fiction convention ever held. Others, such as Fred Patten and Rob Hansen, make this claim for the January 1937 event in Leeds, England,[1] organized by the Leeds Science Fiction League, which was specifically organized as a conference, with a program and speakers. Out of this came the first incarnation of the British Science Fiction Association.

While a few conventions were created in various parts of the world within the period between 1935 and 1960, the number of convention establishments increased slightly in the 1960s and then increased dramatically in the 1970s, with many of the largest conventions in the modern era being established during the latter decade. Impetuses for further establishment of local fan conventions include:

  • The return of superhero characters and franchises during the Silver Age of Comic Books (1956-1970)
  • science fiction adaptations for television serials (e.g., Star Trek) in the 1960s-1970s
  • the growth of role-playing (in the 1970s and 1980s) as a genre of tabletop, live-action and eventually video/computer gaming, which not only inspired roleplay of favorite characters in full-body costumes but also inspired existing franchises to adapt their themes for said methods of gaming
  • the growth in home taping (starting with VHS in the late 1970s) of television broadcasts, including popular serials.
  • the growth of computerized communication, including the Internet and Internet-dependent applications in the 1980s and 1990s.

1930s

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1940s

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1950s

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1960s

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1965

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1966

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1967

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1968

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1969

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1970s

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1971

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1972

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1973

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1974

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1975

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1976

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1977

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1978

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1979

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1980s

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1980

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1981

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1982

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1983

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1984

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1986

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1987

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1988

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1989

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1990s

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1990

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1991

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1992

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1993

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1994

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1995

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1996

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1997

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1998

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1999

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2000s

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2000

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2001

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2002

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2003

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2004

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2005

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2006

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2007

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2008

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2009

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2010s

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2010

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2011

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2012

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2013

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2014

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2015

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2016

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2017

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2018

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References

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  1. ^ Glyer, Mike (1987). "THE FIRST EVER CONVENTION". The Story So Far. Worldcon. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  2. ^ Thomas, Roy (2006). "Splitting the Atom: More Than You Could Possibly Want to Know About the Creation of the Silver Age Mighty Mite!". The Alter Ego Collection. Vol. 1. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 99.
  3. ^ Gabilliet, Jean-Paul (2010). Of Comics and Men: A Cultural History of American Comic Books. University of Mississippi Press. p. 265.
  4. ^ Nolte, Robert (May 9, 1965). "Latest Collecting Fad: Funny Thing Happened to Comics --They're Arty". Chicago Tribune. p. n1.
  5. ^ Thompson, Maggie (May 1967). "Newfangles #2". Newfangles. No. 2. p. 2. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Beerbohm, Robert (June 24, 2010). "Update to Comics Dealer Extraordinaire Robert Beerbohm: In His Own Words". Comic-Convention Memories. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  7. ^ Skinn, Dez. "Early days of UK comics conventions and marts," Archived 2012-02-01 at the Wayback Machine DezSkinn.com. Accessed Mar. 3, 2013.
  8. ^ Thompson, Maggie (April 1968). "Newfangles #9". Newfangles. No. 9. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  9. ^ Groth, Gary (October 1, 1982). "Editorial: Con Games". The Comics Journal. No. 76. pp. 4–6.
  10. ^ Comic-Con Souvenir Book #40 p.61 (2009).
  11. ^ Pinaha, Bob (January 1971). "Creation '71 No Turkey!". Comic Fandom Monthly. pp. 4–7.
  12. ^ "Newswatch: NYC Comics Convention Cancelled, Fans Irate". The Comics Journal. No. 185. March 1996. pp. 18–19.
  13. ^ "For the Love of Sci-Fi". Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  14. ^ "Comic Con Africa". Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  15. ^ "Comic Con Liverpool". Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  16. ^ "Comic Con Scotland". Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  17. ^ "Empire City Con". Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  18. ^ "For the Love of Horror". Retrieved June 2, 2020.
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