While it’s still largely focused on US events, comics fans and British convention organisers might want to check out UpcomingCons.com, a new web site which hopes to list conventions around the world.

Offering a new fan convention resource focused on anime, comics, gaming, and sci-fi the site already features over 200 upcoming conventions listed with links to official websites, with the added feature of enabling users to use the website to find convention roommates.

Every year, thousands of convention attendees look for people to share rooms with, to help offset the typically high cost of having a room at a convention hotel for three nights. Any fan can register for an account, go to the page of their favorite convention, and sign up to find hotel space, or to offer their hotel space for others. Other users who does the same thing will have a chance to see who else will be going to the same convention.

Ryan Kopf, a board member for the fan organization Mindbridge Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation organized to provide a resource group for those interested in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and related area, began working on UpcomingCons.com and developing features last month. His hope is to create a resource that would enhance fandom over multiple genres.

“I think convention attendees have always needed a good, reliable place to find upcoming conventions,” said Kopf. “Game, Comic, and Sci-Fi conventions had seemed the most neglected.”

While there are several sites that list disparate genre events (including downthetubes), this site seems to be out to be a useful one stop shop for fans of comics, manga and film, offering not just event info but photo galleries and reviews, too. The room mate feature could also be useful, assuming certain safeguards are built in to protect users.

“We help connect the people together who might want to share rooms, but they do the communication and arrangements themselves,” Kopf explains. “The listing of people attending a convention links to their profile, which contains general contact information for the person. They have to get in touch themselves and see if the potential roommates are the kind of individuals they want.”

• Check out UpcomingCons.com here

• Convention fans may also be interested in conventionfans.today.com, a news blog for convention happenings.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

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