Atlanta Fantasy Fair

The Atlanta Fantasy Fair (AFF) was a multi-genre comics and media convention which took place annually in Atlanta, Georgia from 1975 to 1995. 
Organized by A.C.F.F., Ltd., the convention was a nonprofit entity designed to promote the fantasy genre in the American Southeast.
This con series was founded by Harley Anton, Lamar Waldron, and Gary Cook. 
The con's program book was Visions.
It also had an award called Atlanta Fantasy Fair Awards which began in 1982. The first winner was Forrest J Ackerman.
By the early 1990s, this con series started to struggle. This was due to competition with the also Atlanta-based Dragon Con which began in 1987. Another reason for the decline was the collapse of the comic speculator market. The quality of guests began to decline, the number of attendees dropped, and the show ceased in 1995. 
==The Guests==
There were roughly 150 guests of honor, of which roughly 15 were female. 
A guest in 1985 was Newt Gingrich. 
==Further Reading, Fan Commets==
* The Atlanta Fantasy Fair/Comic Book Convention (July 25, 1980) (YouTube)
* 
* 
* (2011)
* Atlanta Fantasy Fair: Atlanta Fandom Conventions 1979-1995; archive link (September 13, 2020)
* (2023)
==1975 ==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 1 was held July 22–24, 1975, at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center located near Interstate 85 and Monroe Drive. 
The guests of honor were Stan Lee, Kenneth Smith, and collector Mike Curtis.
==1976 ==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 2 was held in 1976 at the Marriott Downtown.
The guests of honor were Frank Brunner, Steve Gerber, Dick Giordano, and Kenneth Smith.
==1977==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 3 was held August 12–14, 1977 at Dunfey's Royal Coach (Castlegate).
The guests of honor were Jeanette Kahn, Dick Giordano, Kenneth Smith, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko.
A Conan the Barbarian van was parked inside the convention hall.
==1978==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 4 was held in 1978 at Dunfey's Royal Coach.
The guests of honor were Stan Lee, Jim Starlin, Howard Chaykin, and Jim Steranko.
1978 Atlanta Comics & Fantasy Fair ; archive link
==1979==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 5 was held in 1979 at the Downtown Atlanta Sheraton.
The guests of honor were John Byrne and Dave Sim, Howard Chaykin, Gil Kane, Jim Steranko, Kenneth Smith ("Dr. Kenneth Smith, the only guest to attend the first five Atlanta Comics & Fantasy Fairs, was years away from being insulted by gamers and leaving AFF in a huff, never to return") , and Richard Meyers.
==1980==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 6 was held July 25–27, 1980 at the Dunfey's Royal Coach.
 	
The guests of honor were Robert Bloch. Gill Kane was a scheduled guest but did not attend. Kane, however, was the artist who did the cover of that year's Visions.
==1981==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 7 was held in 1981 at the 	Dunfey's Royal Coach.
 
The guests of honor were Al Williamson, Michael Whelan, Bob Burden, Mike Jittlov, and Dave Cockrum.
==1982==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 8 was held August 13–15, 1982 at the Omni Hotel & Georgia World Congress Center.
The guests of honor were Frank Miller, Ray Harryhausen, Will Eisner, Philip Jose Farmer, Forrest J Ackerman, Bob Burden, Mike W. Barr, Dick Giordano, Brad Linaweaver, Somtow Sucharitkul, Len Wein, and musical guests "Axis."
==1983==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 9 was held August 5–7, 1983 at the Omni Hotel & Georgia World Congress Center.
The guests of honor were Chuck Jones, Theodore Sturgeon, Chris Claremont, Wendy Pini, Richard Pini, Forrest Ackerman, Mike Grell, Ted White, and Bob MacLeod, Gerald W. Page, and Bob Burden.
==1984==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 10 was held August 3–5, 1984 	at the Omni Hotel & Georgia World Congress Center.
The guests of honor were Larry Niven, Forrest J Ackerman, Robert Bloch, Sharon Webb, Richard Pini, Peter Laird, Kevin Eastman, and Fred Hembeck.
Other guest/attendees who were listed in that year's Visions were David Adair, Bill Black, Robert Asprin, Susan Barrows, Bob Burden, C.J. Cherryh, Matt Wagner, Bill Willingham, Gerry Giovinco, Phil Lasorda, Rich Rankin, Mark Hamlin, Don Thompson, Ward O' Batty, Dick Giordano, Julius Schwartz, Marv Wolfman, Mike Barr, Peggy May, Deam Mullaney, Cat Yronwode, Archie Goodwin, Jo Duffy, Laurie Sutton, Rick Obadiah, Howard Chaykin, Mike Grell, Sharon Grell, Joe Staton, Mark Wheatley, Marc Hempel, and Tom Gonzalez.
 
 
 
Image:visionsatlanta1984covers.jpg|covers of the 1984 Visions, Tom Gonzales
Image:visionsatlanta1984-4.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, table of contents and acknowledgments
Image:visionsatlanta1984-1.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, schedule
Image:visionsatlanta1984-2.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, events and rules
Image:visionsatlanta1984-3.jpg|from Visions, the map and some programming info
Image:visionsatlanta1984-5.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, from the gallery
Image:visionsatlanta1984-6.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, from the gallery
Image:visionsatlanta1984-7.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, the article about Richard Pini
Image:visionsatlanta1984-8.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, the guests
Image:visionsatlanta1984-9.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, the guests
Image:visionsatlanta1984-10.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, the guests
Image:visionsatlanta1984-11.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, the guests
Image:visionsatlanta1984-12.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, from the Draw-Off
Image:visionsatlanta1984-13.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, from the Draw-Off
Image:visionsatlanta1984-14.jpg|from the 1984 Visions, from the Draw-Off
==1985==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 11 was held August 2–4, 1985 at the Omni Hotel & Georgia World Congress Center.
The guests of honor were Newt Gingrich (!), Will Eisner, Frederik Pohl, Theodore Sturgeon, Gerald W. Page, Ted White, and Forrest J Ackerman.
An early incarnation of GWAR performed in 1985 according to their book "Let There Be GWAR" There are video stills. comments at Atlanta Fantasy Fair: Atlanta Fandom Conventions 1979-1995; archive link (September 13, 2020) 
==1986==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 12 was held August 2–4, 1986 at the Omni Hotel & World Congress Center.
Comics guests included Chris Claremont, Denny O'Neil, Stan Lee, Ralph Bakshi, Matt Feazell, Kelly Freas, Dave Gibbons, Greg Hildebrandt, Jim Starlin, John Romita, Sr., Boris Vallejo, and Bob Burden. 
Science fiction/fantasy writers included Robert Asprin, John Varley, Brad Strickland, and Diane Duane. 
Media guests included Carl Macek, Don Kennedy, and Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson Games.
There were 5000 attendees.
==1987==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 13 was held July 31–August 2, 1987 at the Omni Hotel & Georgia World Congress Center.
The guests of honor were Adam West, Caroline Munro, Robert Bloch, Boris Vallejo, Kelly Freas, Jennifer Roberson, and Tom Savini.
 
 
===1987: Con Reports===
==1988==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 14 was held June 24–26, 1988 	at Atlanta Hilton & Towers.
Guest of honor was Stan Lee, other guests included Mark Gruenwald, Archie Goodwin, Steven Grant, Bob Burden, Kevin Maguire, Julius Schwartz, and Chris Claremont.
Convention location changed due to 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta.
This con had 4,000 attendees.
==1989==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 15 was held July 21–23, 1989 at Atlanta Hilton & Towers.
The guests of honor were George Pérez, Michael Dorn, Jerry Robinson, Gary Gygax, Todd Bryant, June Chadwick, Marc Singer, and Marina Sirtis. Scheduled guests Bob Kane and Tom Savini did not appear.
There were 4000 attendees.
==1990==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 16 was held August 17–19, 1990 at Omni Hotel & Georgia World Congress Center.
The guests of honor were Jack Kirby, John de Lancie, Sandahl Bergman, Catherine Hicks, Julius Schwartz, Sharon Green, Linda Thorson, Martin Caidin, Greg Theakston, Boris Vallejo, Bobbie Chase, Danny Fingeroth, and Carl Macek.
 
==1991==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 17 was held July 26–28, 1991 at Atlanta Hilton & Towers.
The guests of honor were Marina Sirtis, Dean Stockwell, Marc Singer, Matt Wagner, Julius Schwartz, and Greg Bear.
==1992==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 18 was held June 20–21, 1992 at the Hyatt Atlanta Airport.
The guests of honor were Peter David, Stephen R. Donaldson, Bob Burden, Colm Meaney, C.J. Cherryh, Jane Fancher, and Kim Cattrall. Lance Henriksen cancelled his AFF appearance due to contractual obligations.
 
==1992: Con Reports==
==1993==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 19 was held June 25–27, 1993 	at the Hyatt Atlanta Airport.
The guests of honor were David Prowse, Grace Lee Whitney, Caroline Munro, Monique Gabrielle, Jeff Rector, Gunnar Hanson, and Irish McCalla.
==1994==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 20 was held June 17–19, 1994 	at Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza.
The guests of honor were Sarah Douglas, Bruce Campbell, Jeff Rector, Geraint Wyn Davies, John A. Russo, and Ted V. Mikels.
==1995==
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 21 was held June 23–25, 1995 	at the Castlegate Hotel.
The guests of honor were Claudia Christian, Dirk Benedict, Dwight Schultz, Jeff Pittarelli, Don Hillsman II, Wayne Vansant, and Joe Phillips.
==References==
Category:Conventions in United States
Category:1970s Conventions
Category:1980s Conventions
Category:1990s Conventions