There are comic book conventions all over the world in cities and towns of all sizes. They’ve popped up in greater numbers as people realize what kind of business they can drive to a city while also supporting really great creatives. Not to mention that people also love the opportunity to rub elbows with a celebrity or two…
As a comics professional, conventions are a great way to network in an organic way. You can chat with other pros at the show itself (some even offer portfolio reviews!), attend a pros dinner, or chat with people at one of the after-parties that will absolutely be happening somewhere.
To help you decide which conventions are worth your time and hard-earned money, we’ve created a list of some of the best comic cons around the world for you to either attend as a fan, guest, pro, or whatever!
Some shows are better for certain things (ie. networking, tabling, attending, etc.) but interacting with your peers about specific shows will help you figure out which one is a good fit for you. Each convention we have listed is one of the top shows for at least one reason that can help benefit your career in comic books.
We’ve included where the convention is and what month the show is typically held in. If you want to look up a full list of shows, zine festivals, and more, make sure to check out (and utilize) Conosaurus.
| CONVENTION | LOCATION | DATE |
| Angoulême International Comics Festival | Angoulême, France | January |
| Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) | Seattle, WA | March |
| Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) | Toronto, Canada | May |
| Heroescon | Charlotte, NC | June |
| ALA | New Orleans, LA | June |
| London Film & Comic Con | London, UK | July |
| San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) | San Diego, CA | July |
| Dragon Con | Atlanta, GA | August/September |
| Rose City Comic Con | Portland, WA | September |
| Small Press Expo (SPX) | Bethesda, MA | September |
| Baltimore Comic Con | Baltimore, MA | September |
| Thought Bubble | Leeds, UK | September |
| New York Comic Con (NYCC) | New York, NY | October |
| MICE | Cambridge, MA | October |
| CCXP | São Paulo, Brazil | December |
If there’s anything that we’ve missed that you think should be included here, please email info@creatorresource.com to help us update our list.
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