Wizard (Shamus) Buys Paradise Comicon

[Tiziano]

 

There's a thread about it somewhere. Aman sent letters to dealers telling them that if they set up at the Paradise Con......they were no longer welcome to set up at his show.

 

I would really like to see this letter!!!

[THE_BEYONDER]

 

There's a thread about it somewhere. Aman sent letters to dealers telling them that if they set up at the Paradise Con......they were no longer welcome to set up at his show.

 

I would really like to see this letter!!!

 

Maybe it was an email. Do I really need to do the search Tiz?

[THE_BEYONDER]

Here's the LINK to what I'm referring to.

 

Hobbystar has for the past two years put on a 1 day Fan Appreciation show ONE WEEK before the Paradise convention and saw no repercussions from Paradise. Paradise decides to put on a 1 day show 1 tenth the size of the Fan Appreciation show 2 WEEKS BEFORE the Expo and Aman has a hissy fit)

 

The gist of Aman's call was to tell me, in no uncertain terms, if I did the Paradise show on the 20th, that he would refund my money that I have deposited for his Expo which is to be held September 1-3 and that I would NOT be able to do his show. He told me that he was doing up the contracts and wanted to know what I was going to do. I suspect that he asked that so that he can CHANGE all the contracts NOW to include some ridiculous clauses about NOT doing competing shows within a certain time frame (does the term restraint of trade ring any bells) to his show. He really is running scared, isn't he? The fact that I cemented my tables by paying him hundreds of dollars almost a year ago apparently means nothing to him.

Where does he get off telling ME what I can and cannot do? In a free market place I can do whatever show I want and he tells me that? Needless to say I am not pleased. I asked him, so you are telling me that whoever is doing your show is being told that if they do the Paradise show that you are telling them they will get their funds returned and they cannot do your show? He said yes. THE REASON I asked him that was to see if he was targeting me or if all retailers and hobbyists were being told the same thing. I am sure if some of the "bigger retailers" were told what he told me, they would tell him what he could do with his tables. I am furious.

 

I WILL do the Paradise show on the 20th of August as is my right. If Aman tells me that I cannot do the Hobbystar show, then you will know why I am not at the show.

 

I have been a little vocal over the last few years about the 'battle' that exists between Paradise and Hobbystar. BUT I have always been civil in public and NEVER took a 'round' out of anyone. But this is just unbelievable.

 

I beseech all the small retailers out there that feel they do not have a voice to raise it now. Yes, I know this sounds trite and somewhat political, but I have been sitting on the fence long enough and not publicly voiced my disapproval of what is going on, I guess it is my own fault that I am doing this in the 11th hour, but ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

 

Please take the time to re-post this or forward it to whomever you think might like to get a little bit more insight into what Aman is about.

[Tiziano]

 

I remeber this. But in the end Daryl did end up setting up at both shows that year.

 

p.s still no letter or e-mail..

[Kevin Boyd]

Thanks for posting that Chris.

 

Daryl sent that email saying he had received a call threatening to cancel his tables at Fan Expo if he did the Paradise one day show in 2006 the week before the Expo.

 

Daryl did the Supershow and he also kept his tables at Fan Expo. No other dealers who did both shows lost their tables at Fan Expo... so if any kind of threat had been made, it was never acted upon and was backed off.

 

No such threats have ever been reported since, and no further events on any side were scheduled the week before anyone else's events.

 

As Peter can confirm with you, we actually sat down many times over the fall of that year --- Peter, Daryl, Aman, Tiziano and I --- to try to work together on a plan so that the lows of 2006 were never repeated again.

[Ares]

Do we really need to rehash this again?

[THE_BEYONDER]

Do we really need to rehash this again?

 

Nope.

 

I made a comment based on bad Karma....and Tiz decided to question my standing as a Canadian.

 

End of story.

[Tiziano]

Nope, we should not.

It all good Sam & Chris. I wish for nothing but success for Wizard/Paradise.

[Kevin Boyd]

I'd rather not. But so long as people are making accusations, I think it's fair that they be addressed, no?

 

Congratulations to Peter on the sale of the show, and best of luck working for Gareb.