Houstoncon
| Houstoncon | |
|---|---|
| Status | Defunct |
| Genre | Comic books, television, movies, pop culture |
| Location(s) | Houston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 1967 |
| Most recent | 1982 |
| Organized by | Roy Bonario Mark Schooley Ed Blair, Jr. |
Houstoncon was an annual multi-genre fan convention which was held between 1967 and 1982 in Houston, Texas. The founders of Houstoncon were Roy Bonario and Mark Schooley; Houston area entrepreneur Ed Blair, Jr. was also a key member of the organizing committee.
Most Houstoncons took place over three days in June, from Friday to Sunday. The convention featured a large range of pop culture elements, primarily comic books but also television serials, science fiction/fantasy (particularly Star Trek), film/television, animation, toys, and horror. Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, the Houstoncon often featured screenings of old television serials, and such evening events as a costume contest. The convention featured a large floorspace for exhibitors, including comic book dealers and collectibles merchants. The show included an autograph area, as well as an Artists' Alley where comics artists signed autographs and sold or did free sketches. (Despite the name, Artists' Alley could include writers and even glamour models.)
Roy Bonario, Gene Arnold, Marc Schooley and a group of Houston-based comic book fans founded the Houston Comic Collector's Association in 1965; the HCCA, spearheaded by Bonario and fellow enthusiasts Mark Schooley and Jerry Poscovsky, put on the first Houstoncon (officially known as the Houston Comic Convention) at the Ramada Inn on June 16–18, 1967. Originally part of a partnership with Southwesterncon, which had debuted in Dallas in 1966, Houstoncon started out as an every-other-year affair. The first Houstoncon attracted 124 attendees.
Houston area entrepreneur Ed Blair, Jr. was chairman of Houstoncon from 1969–1975.
Houstoncon (still referred to as "Southwesterncon" in some publications) '69 took place June 20–22 at Houston's Ramada Inn.
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