Phoenix Fan Fusion facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phoenix Fan Fusion
Phoenix Fan Fusion Logo
Status	Active
Genre	Speculative fiction
Venue	Phoenix Convention Center
Location(s)	Phoenix, Arizona
Country	United States
Inaugurated	2002; 18 years ago
Attendance	57,853 in 2018
Organized by	Square Egg Entertainment

Phoenix Fan Fusion is a super fun event held every year in Phoenix, Arizona. It's a big party for fans of speculative fiction and comic books. Speculative fiction includes exciting stories like science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

This event used to be called Phoenix Comicon and Phoenix Comic Fest. It started way back in June 2002 as the Phoenix Cactus Comicon. Back then, it was just a small, six-hour event in Ahwatukee, Arizona.

Today, Phoenix Fan Fusion is a huge four-day event, running from Thursday to Sunday. It takes place during the summer at the Phoenix Convention Center in downtown Phoenix. Before the main event, there's a special preview on Thursday evening for people who are registered for all four days.

The convention started by focusing on comic books, science fiction, fantasy, movies, and TV shows. Over the years, it has grown to include many other cool things. These include horror stories, anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comics), cartoons, toys, collectible card games, video games, webcomics, and fantasy novels. In 2016, a record 106,096 people attended the convention!

History of the Convention

The Phoenix Convention Center has hosted the annual convention since 2010.

Phoenix Comicon 2017

The very first Phoenix Comicon happened in June 2002. It was called Phoenix Cactus Comicon and was a small, one-day event. It was held at a Best Western hotel in Ahwatukee, Arizona. Admission was only $3, and about 432 people attended. There were a few local artists and sellers.

For the next three years, the convention moved to the Glendale Civic Center. The event grew bigger each year, with more attendees. They started inviting guests from other states, like Spider-Man artist Todd Nauck and comic legend Marv Wolfman. The convention also added more activities, like Q&A sessions with guests, how-to workshops, and movie trailer showings.

In 2006, the convention moved to the Mesa Convention Center. It became a two-day event with a special preview night on Friday. Famous voice actors like Johnny Young Bosch and Greg Ayres attended. The area for sellers grew a lot, and there were many more activities. This was the first time the convention included more than just comic books. It started featuring Anime, Manga, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Cosplay (dressing up as characters). Over 2,600 people came that weekend.

From 2007 to 2009, the convention was held in January at the Mesa Convention Center. Attendance jumped to over 3,200 people. In 2007, they started inviting media guests, like Feedback from "Stan Lee's Who Wants to be a Superhero." In 2009, the event became three days long, with a Thursday preview night. About 7,000 people attended that year! Because it was so popular, they announced that the convention would move to the much larger Phoenix Convention Center in 2010. The dates also changed to the end of May.

Since 2010, the convention has been held around Memorial Day weekend at the Phoenix Convention Center and the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Phoenix. This move allowed even bigger names to attend, like Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, and Stan Lee. In 2013, a special highlight was the world premiere of "Pilgrim of Eternity", a fan film based on Star Trek Continues.

In 2014, the convention moved to the first week of June because of a scheduling conflict. It also expanded into more buildings at the convention center and nearby hotels. The 2015 and 2016 conventions continued to use more of the convention center to fit the growing number of fans. Since 2017, the convention has been held on Memorial Day weekend again.

On May 25, 2017, there was a security concern at the convention. As a result, new rules were put in place to keep everyone safe. Prop weapons, especially toy guns made of cardboard or foam, were no longer allowed. Other prop weapons had to be checked by security to make sure they were safe. Even though sellers could still sell toy weapons, they had to be sealed and taken off the premises right away. These new rules also meant that some workshops about making prop weapons were canceled.

In January 2018, the convention changed its name to Phoenix Comic Fest. This was to avoid using the term "Comic Con," which is a registered trademark. Attendees were given bracelets instead of laminated passes that year. On Saturday, a fire alarm caused an evacuation, but it turned out to be a false alarm. Some events had to be canceled or rescheduled for safety. The next day, attendees who bought a Saturday pass could trade it for a Sunday pass as a way to make up for the incident. The convention hours were also extended. During the 2018 convention, it was announced that the name would change again in 2019 to Phoenix Fan Fusion.

Sadly, the 2020 convention was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was postponed to 2021.

What Happens at the Convention?

Stan Lee talking to fans at the 2014 Phoenix Comicon.

Phoenix Fan Fusion is packed with exciting events! You can attend panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals. In the evenings, there are fun events like themed prom parties, a big costume contest called the Masquerade, and a Film Festival where you can win prizes.

In 2014, Phoenix Comicon even teamed up with NASA! This allowed attendees to take part in the FameLab program and hear from NASA representatives at various talks. The convention also worked with media guests to offer special shows outside the main event. These included comedy performances and a one-man show of Star Wars.

Like most comic conventions, Phoenix Fan Fusion has a huge area for exhibitors. Here, you can find media companies, comic book sellers, and merchants selling cool collectibles. There's also a special area where you can get autographs and photos with your favorite guests. The Artists' Alley is a place where comic artists sign autographs, sell their art, or even do free sketches for fans.

You can also buy exclusive collectibles at the convention. These are often special items related to movies, comic books, and cartoon characters that you can't find anywhere else.

For a few years, there was a smaller event called Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest. It was held in December 2014 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. It was like a mini-version of the main convention, with panels, workshops, and exhibitors. It focused more on comic book artists and meeting media guests. Organizers wanted to host a winter convention in Arizona. Later, the Fan Fest moved to the Phoenix Convention Center in October. However, the Fan Fest event was officially canceled in June 2018.

Convention Fun Facts

The convention has grown a lot since it started! Here's a look at how many people have attended over the years: