A
comic book convention or
comic-con is an event or gathering with a primary focus on
comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book
fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels, or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels, with a larger number of attendees participating in
cosplay than most other types of
fan conventions. Comic book conventions are also used as a vehicle for industry, in which publishers, distributors, and retailers represent their comic-related releases. Comic book conventions may be considered derivatives of
science-fiction conventions, which began in the late 1930s.