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Universal FanCon of Baltimore 2018 Suddenly Postponed, One Week Before Event

The letter went out from Universal FanCon, due to take place at the Baltimore Convention Centre next weekend. A comic convention that underlined diversity and inclusivity and Kickstarter-funded — rewards which included hotel rooms. Seasoned veterans can guess where this is going, I'm sure.

Universal FanCon of Baltimore 2018 Suddenly Postponed, One Week Before Event

From: Jamie Broadnax 
Date: April 20, 2018 at 1:22:06 PM EDT
Subject: Universal Fan Con Postponed

It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that Universal Fan Con is being postponed until further notice. 

We understand and deeply apologize for the disappointment and anger this decision may generate. We are acutely aware of the impact of postponing the convention. We understand there will be a lot of people affected by this decision and we are working hard to help everyone make alternate arrangements.

We are now taking the steps to reschedule the convention and will provide an update on when the new date is announced.  All registered ticket holders and exhibitors will have the opportunity to have a ticket and booth space held for them at no additional cost.

We are currently working on a list of FAQs to go on the website to answer as many questions as possible about why this happened and what went wrong here. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to Universal Fan Con if you receive instructions from the public, you can have them email info@universalfancon.com.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you and we hope you will join us in the future for a new event with Universal Fan Con.

As it stands, the website has not changed, save for the Buy Tickets page saying that sales are paused. But news that the show wasn't actually confirmed on the Baltimore Convention Center raised a lot of eyebrows. And this may have been coming a while. Guest Jeremy Whitely tweeted:

And you'll find some of these on the Universal Artist Alley Tumblr, suddenly set up to promote and support creators who were planning, or already at Baltimore for the show…

Eventually… they said something.

But plenty of people had more to say, while they were waiting,

And the Universal Artist Alley Tumblr keeps on growing…

This is not the first time this kind of thing has happened. Once, in New York City, when Greenberg cancelled their big show in 1986, retailers Mark Carbonaro and Vincent Zurzuolo called round, found some space in a nearby church and did the show right there. known as "Hallelujah Con" or "The Show Must Go On" Con in the basement of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle. And the next year they did it again.

That show became the Big Apple Comic Con, later sold to Wizard World, and which continues to this day.

Maybe some Baltimore comic stores could get together and do similar?


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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