Detroit Fanfare

Detroit Fanfare Comic Con is a comic book convention held at the end of October every year at the Adoba Eco Hotel Dearborn/Detroit (formerly the Hyatt Regency Dearborn). Detroit Fanfare Comic Con is a "comics-forward convention" which places the stress on comic book creators and comic book fans instead of on media guests. (There are media guests at the event, but they must be associated with the comic book industry by either playing a comic book character or having a character which was written into comic books.)
Detroit Fanfare Comic Con pays homage to those who have run these conventions and created the comics and also to celebrate Detroit’s rich heritage in the comics Industry. Its name is a direct homage to what is considered the first multi-media convention in the country, The Detroit Triple Fan Fair. Detroit Fanfare Comic Con is also a direct reflection of the hotel-based comic cons of days passed.
The show has an annual attendance of over 5,000 comic book fans.
History
Detroit Fanfare was founded by Dennis Barger, Jr., and Tony Miello in 2010 as a means of bringing a comic-centric convention to the Detroit area, and at the same time paying homage to the original comic convention, Detroit Triple Fan Fair, which had its beginnings in 1964. (Launched in 1964 by Bob Brosch and Jerry Bails, the “comic book swap meet” was soon joined the following year by Shel Dorf who re-formed it into the very first Detroit Triple Fan Fair (or DTFF). It was held at the Embassy Hotel in downtown Detroit on July 24 and 25, 1965.)
As Fanfare started assembling its first year, the focus was bringing back many of the major participants that helped to launch the original Triple Fan Fair as a tribute to bringing a new convention to the Detroit market. As plans formulated, Barger and Miello invited Gary Reed to come on board to help obtain some guests. (Reed was the founder of Caliber Comics, a Detroit area publishing house that has helped to launch the careers of many of today’s top talents.) Soon, Reed joined as convention co-promoter.
With the passing of Shel Dorf in 2009, Detroit Fanfare's purpose became very clear: to start with the blueprint Dorf created 45 years ago, and blend it with the local talent, providing fans inexpensive access to an event spotlighting the new wave of creators who line the convention tables.
Events
Not only does Detroit Fanfare Comic Con have a large dealer room and Artist’s Alley, it also boasts of many large annual events. These include a Blood 4 Comics drive where comic book fans can receive an armfull of comics in exchange for a donation of blood to the Red Cross. There is also a Zombie Walk, a DJ-hosted dance, and an auction. Many of the comic book creators present host panels which discuss current trends in comics, informative seminars on how to break into the business, and press conferences.
The Shel Dorf Awards ceremony is held during the Detroit Fanfare Comic Con weekend and awards the top creators, storylines, and comics of the previous year.

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