Atlanta Fantasy Fair
| Science Fiction Convention | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Atlanta Fantasy Fair |
| Dates: | 1975-1995 |
| Frequency: | annual |
| Location: | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Type: | |
| Focus: | |
| Organization: | |
| Founder: | Harley Anton, Lamar Waldron, and Gary Cook |
| Founding Date: | |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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)
- atlanta fantasy fair: overview: the 1970s, Archived version
- atlanta fantasy fair: overview: the 1980s, Archived version
- atlanta fantasy fair: Overview: the 1990s, Archived version (2011)
- Atlanta Fantasy Fair: Atlanta Fandom Conventions 1979-1995; archive link (September 13, 2020)
- Atlanta Fantasy Fair Blog, Archived version (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.
atlanta fantasy fair: Feels So Good To See You Here, It's The Atlanta Comics & Fantasy Fair 1976, Archived version
1977
Atlanta Fantasy Fair 3 was held August 12–14, 1977 at Dunfey's Royal Coach (Castlegate).
The guests of honor were Jenette Kahn, Dick Giordano, Kenneth Smith, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko.
A Conan the Barbarian van was parked inside the convention hall.
atlanta fantasy fair: no Elvis, Beatles or Rolling Stones in 1977 AFF program book, Archived version
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") [1], and Richard Meyers.
atlanta fantasy fair: 1979: Atlanta Comics & Fantasy Fair, Archived version
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.
atlanta fantasy fair: AFF 1983 newsletter, Archived version
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.
atlanta fantasy fair: Atlanta Fantasy Fair 1984, Archived version
covers of the 1984 Visions, Tom Gonzales
from the 1984 Visions, table of contents and acknowledgments
from the 1984 Visions, schedule
from the 1984 Visions, events and rules
from Visions, the map and some programming info
from the 1984 Visions, from the gallery
from the 1984 Visions, from the gallery
from the 1984 Visions, the article about Richard Pini
from the 1984 Visions, the guests
from the 1984 Visions, the guests
from the 1984 Visions, the guests
from the 1984 Visions, the guests
from the 1984 Visions, from the Draw-Off
from the 1984 Visions, from the Draw-Off
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.[2]
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.
atlanta fantasy fair: Atlanta Fantasy Fair 1986 program book, Archived version
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.
atlanta fantasy fair: Atlanta Fantasy Fair 1987 photos, Archived version
atlanta fantasy fair: calling 1987, Archived version
1987: Con Reports
GWAR was certainly a fixture at Fantasy Fair around ‘85-87. I saw photos of them from probably 1985 in the costume contest. Also a short film titled ‘GWAR Must Be Destroyed” was in the short film contest which I saw in ‘87. Audience reaction was negative to the film, but it caught my attention for sure. The film that won was called “Too Much Star Wars”. Made by this teenager using stop motion techniques to animate his SW toys which attacked him. It was said at the time George Lucas liked the film, but I cannot find mention of it anywhere online. [3]
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.
atlanta fantasy fair: 1989 AFF video, Archived version
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.
atlanta fantasy fair: 1992: Atlanta Fantasy Fair Southside, Archived version
In 1992, the Atlanta Fantasy Fair made the bold decision to leave downtown Atlanta. Actually, that decision was the result of forces far beyond the control of any Fantasy Fair anywhere; the 1988 Democratic National Convention took place in Atlanta in the summer of 1988 and it threw a wrench into the plans of every single trade show, festival, convention, and gathering that wanted to happen anywhere in the metro area. Scheduling for every kind of show was wrecked for years to come. AFF lost their coveted Omni/WCC space in 1988, managed to get it back in 1990, then lost it again for the 1991 show. Convention space downtown was in demand, prices were rising, competition was fierce, and the Georgia International Convention Center down by the airport was eager for business. The GICC and the accompanying Hyatt - later a Sheraton - were built in 1985, and in 1992 the place still had that new facility gleam. This would be home for the next two Atlanta Fantasy Fairs. [4]
1992: Con Reports
This past weekend, Hugo-award-winning science fiction writer C.J. Cherryh and protege Jane Fancher were guests at the 18th annual Atlanta Fantasy Fair . Being extraordinarily nice people as well as brilliantly creative, they let us corral them in the bar for two hours Friday to discuss everything from the American educational system to philosophy and writing. Ms. Cherryh taught Latin and Ancient History for 11 years, and Ms. Fancher's background is in anthropology, though they've both delved into physics and related sciences.What you might be most interested in, though, is a comment Ms. Cherryh made at a panel they did with Stephen R. Donaldson on "Interstellar Contacts." The remark applied to characterization in general. She allows for the fact that some writers are great idea" people, and that they can produce a readable product focusing on a concept. But in her estimation, to write a really good novel, you must present intriguing and believable characters. And to do that, "You have to become your character. That means you live, breathe, and think that character. It means if you have a being with arms like an ape, it's going to cross them behind its knees and not at the butt." Colorful analogy aside, she went on to talk about how you can't accurately set up and describe a situation unless you can understand the motivation of the characters involved, and to do that, again, you engage in role-playing. Shove your own principles and values aside, and become the mass murderer/imp/abused child/what-have-you. And she proceeded to relate how her poor secretary's had to put up with her moods while she generates some of her more detestable personas.
Rather makes "Mary Sue" seem tame, doesn't it? [5]
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.
- ^ atlanta fantasy fair: 1979: Atlanta Comics & Fantasy Fair, Archived version
- ^ comments at Atlanta Fantasy Fair: Atlanta Fandom Conventions 1979-1995; archive link (September 13, 2020)
- ^ comments at Atlanta Fantasy Fair: Atlanta Fandom Conventions 1979-1995; archive link (September 13, 2020)
- ^ 1992: Atlanta Fantasy Fair Southside (September 12, 2020)
- ^ from a letter of comment in "My Name Ain't Mary Sue" #1