Convention Fans

Sheldon Dorf, the founder of Comic-Con, died of complications related to diabetes Wednesday. He was 76. Our sympathies and thoughts go out to his family.  (Source)

Some members of the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), the organization behind Anime Expo, have requested a vote of no confidence against the board of directors, according to animenews.biz. Below is a quick list of some of the major grievances, quoted from the letter of intent (brackets are mine for clarification):

Mr. [Michael] Lattanzio [President and CEO of the SPJA] has placed us into a precarious legal situation by breaking the contract that the SPJA held with BAM! Marketing Publicity and Promotions.

[…]

Mr. Lattanzio has opened us to not only potential legal action but highly unnecessary legal fees that can potentially destroy Anime Expo® financially.

[…]

[W]e are aware of the slander and libel that Mr. Lattanzio has conducted towards Mr. Chase Wang and BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions. Mr. Marc Perez has been witnessed verbally supporting Mr. Lattanzio’s actions even though Mr. Perez has been fully aware of the existence of an “Addendum” to BAM!’s contract that dictates the terms in which we may break our ties with BAM.

[…]

It has come to our attention that promises of bonuses were provided by the Chairman of the Board and supported by the [Board of Directors] in amounts of up to $50,000.00.

[…]

Mr. Lattanzio has further proven no regard for the financial welfare of the SPJA or Anime Expo® by flying to Japan on Business Class with his newly appointed Marketing and Administration Director, Ms. Kimberly Groomes. This trip cost the SPJA and Anime Expo $8,400.00 in airlines tickets alone.

[…]

Another issue we wish to bring up is that, under Mr. Lattanzio’s guidance, The Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) has yet to obtain a check with the amount raised at our Charity Auction from Anime Expo® 2009.

[…]

There is also question as to whether the SPJA bylaws as they currently stand are legal. In July of 2008, this Board ratified the Bylaws of the SPJA. These bylaws are possibly in violation of the current IRS tax code.

[…]

Yikes! Not that any of this behavior (if proven true) is acceptable, but not sending a charity the money you raised for them is pretty damn shady. Bad form! Ironically, some of the SPJA’s core values are Transparency and Integrity. Stay tuned for developments on this issue as they become available.

A few months ago, news broke that Metrocon’s Founder and CEO, Roy Harms, had been arrested for “Carnal Intercourse with Unmarried” under Florida Statute 794.05 (unlawful sexual activity with certain minors). Of course, the Metrocon website quickly posted a notice denying the charges. Staff posted comments on forums such as “We suggest that you disregard baseless rumors and come to the convention and have a wonderful time as you always have!”

At the time of the arrest, Metrocon Director of Operations Alex Craddock wrote: “Roy Harms is our CEO, and a very close friend of mine. I trust him with my life, my dreams, and my 4-year-old child, and so would anyone else that has ever met the man.” He continued, “An arrest does not mean a conviction to or admittance of the crime being charged. In this particular situation there is one thing required for an arrest to be made, and that is a claim.”

After his arrest, Harms did step down, and Craddock worked with Metrocon Head of Security Nick Fazio to put on the convention. But a dark cloud has loomed over Metrocon since Harms’ arrest. Was he guilty? Was he innocent? Was this all just an “attack on the convention” as Craddock had suggested?

Well, Roy Harms just plead guilty to those charges this morning, October 27th, in front of Judge Diana L Morelan. He was given three years probation, and will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Guess that answers that, eh?

Got another press release to post tonight (these PR folks are busy bees tonight!). This one comes from the folks who run the Horror Realm convention in Pennsylvania. See below for details:

 Dawn of the Dead Headlines Steel City Zombie Trick of Treat Event

Rare public screening of original version of classic zombie film

Pittsburgh, PA – October 22, 2009 – The Hollywood Theatre, in partnership with Horror Realm, Pittsburgh’s cutting edge horror convention, is pleased to present the Steel City Zombie Trick or Treat, a Halloween night event in the Zombie Capital of the World.

The event will feature a costume contest with a prize for the Best Steelers Zombie, a zombie movie trivia contest, raffles, prizes and giveaways. The party starts at 6:30 PM on October 31.

Leonard Lies, who played the Machete Zombie in the original Dawn of the Dead, will be on hand to meet and greet fans. The theater will sell raffle tickets beginning on October 22 for a chance to win one of two Machete Zombie baskets donated by Lies containing a T-shirt, signed photo, Goblin CD soundtrack, comic book with Machete Zombie on the cover, a signed machete, and anything else his severed mind can think of. The drawings will take place following the movie on October 31.

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Below is a press release for  “NERD POW! 2009″ - a  video game music concert run by Animation & Gaming Ohio. Please see below for details:

NERD POW! 2009

CINCINNATI, OHIO OCTOBER 22ND, 2009 The Great Lake Regions first and only nerd core and video game music concert is set to happen on November 14th, 2009 at the Holiday Inn 275 North. Musical acts from all over the country will be out in force as they grace the Nerd Pow stage. Acts include: “The Protomen”, the Megaman rock opera from Tennessee. Who’s new CD “Act II - Father of Death” has been a huge hit and the official Ohio release party for the new album has been set for Nerd Pow! Joining them on stage is Chicago’s own “Super 8-Bit Brothers”, who’s performed for television audiences as well as appearances around the U.S. Nerd Pow will also be the official Ohio CD release for their new album “Brawl.” Possibly the most flamboyant act on the Nerd Pow show has to be “MC Router”. The first lady of nerd core is coming up from Texas for the first time and debuting a new song for the Nerd Pow crowd.

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