page_title: Big Apple Comic Con
section_title: Heyday
hierarchical_section_title: Big Apple Comic Con / History / Heyday
caption_attribution_description: English: Shot of Artist’s Alley at the November 2008 Big Apple Convention, which is held at Manhattan’s Hotel Pennsylvania’s Penn Plaza Pavilion. At far left are artists Rich Buckler and Russ Heath.
context_page_description: The Big Apple Comic Con is a New York City comic book convention, the longest-running comic book/speculative fiction/pop culture convention in New York City. It was started by retailer Michael "Mike Carbo" Carbonaro in March 1996 in the basement of the St. Paul the Apostle Church. A location that a competing show promoter Sunrise Productions Scooty O'Donnell and Partner Richard Ritz Whom Held The New York Horror-Fi Con there on October 4, 1997. During its heyday from 2001–2008, the Big Apple Comic Con often featured multiple shows per year, with a large three-day "national" convention held in November, usually held at the Penn Plaza Pavilion. The show was owned by Wizard Entertainment from 2009 to 2013, but is now back in the hands of Carbonaro.
  Over the course of its history, the convention has been known as the Big Apple Convention, the Big Apple Comic Book Art, and Toy Show, and the Big Apple Comic Book, Art, Toy & Sci-Fi Expo; with the November shows known as the National Comic Book, Art, Toy, and Sci-Fi Expo, the National Comic Book, Art, and Sci-Fi Expo, and the National Comic Book, Comic Art, and Fantasy Convention.
context_section_description: 2001 was a big year for Big Apple, with five conventions spread throughout the year. In 2002 four shows were held, and in 2003 Big Apple put on six separate conventions. In 2003, "Captain Zorikh" Lequidre began running the costume contest, which became well known for its audience-participation judging. 
  By 2004 (which saw four separate shows), the convention had moved to the Penn Plaza Pavilion at the Hotel Pennsylvania. At this point, show organizers claimed to have attracted over 30,000 attendees throughout the year.
  In 2005, Big Apple put on five shows, repeating that pattern in 2006. (From 2006–2009, the June shows were given the moniker "Summer Sizzler.") 2007 saw three shows; Captain Zorikh, who had previously been managing Internet promotions and other aspects of the convention (including the costume contest), was named general manager of the convention; he acted in this role through the 2008 shows. 
  By 2008, the frequency of Big Apple Conventions was slowing down, with just two shows, a Summer Sizzler, and the usual three-day November National convention. The last show before Wizard's purchase of Big Apple was a June Summer Sizzler. 2009 was also the final year there were multiple Big Apple Conventions held.
caption: Big Apple Comic Con Artist Alley 2008
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