fanex_boyd
by BK Munn
Toronto comics retailer and Joe Shuster Awards organizer Kevin Boyd is the new Comics Coordinator for the Fan Expo group of shows. Boyd himself announced the news on social media late last week.
Boyd will be responsible for booking comics guests for Informa/Fan Expo shows in Toronto, Regina, Vancouver, and Orlando, and will provide support for the Fan Expo shows in Dallas.
Boyd replaces Tiziano De Santis, who left the Fan Expo organization a few weeks before Toronto Fan Expo, which took place this past Labour Day long weekend. Many observers noted the lack of a major corporate presence on the part of the bigger U.S. publishers, including Marvel and DC, at this show, and speculation among guests and exhibitors has attributed this to a lack of a dedicated comics person repping the show. Boyd had worked with De Santis for Fan Expo until 2013. The role of “Comics Coordinator and Consultant” had been apparently temporarily taken on by the show director Andrew Moyes.
Boyd’s hire seems to represent an effort on the part of Fan Expo, purchased by Informa in 2013, to professionalize its corporate and guest relations. Boyd is a knowledgeable pro with a familiarity with the local/Canadian comics scene, having worked as a show promoter in Toronto for many years prior to his launching The Comic Book Lounge retail shop. Boyd is already on the job, travelling to New York Comic Con this coming weekend on Fan Expo business.
When reached for comment about the change, Fan Expo issued the following statement: “We are delighted to welcome Kevin Boyd to the Fan Expo HQ team. Kevin is well known & respected in the community both as a dealer and a champion of the genre. Together we look forward to delivering the very best in comics to the Fans attending our shows.”
The next Fan Expo-related event Boyd will be responsible for is the one day “Toronto FanDays Holiday Show” on Saturday, December 5.