Heritage Comics and Wizard World to Offer Major Chicago Auction Venue

Chicago, Illinois -- Heritage Comics Auctions (HCA) and Wizard World Chicago (Wizard) are pleased to announce a permanent and exclusive "Official Live Auctioneer" sponsorship agreement.

HCA and Wizard will team up to conduct vintage comics, comic art and movie posters Signature auctions at all future Wizard World Chicago summer conventions, beginning with 2002 on July 4th weekend. Details of the arrangement and other related news will be announced soon.

"We are extremely excited about this new partnership," said John Petty, HCA’s Director. "Wizard World Chicago is a perfect venue for us, and Wizard’s marketing and customer reach should mesh beautifully with our own to create unparalleled demand for our consignors’ comics, original art and movie posters."

Heritage Comics is actively seeking collections for outright purchase, private treaty consignment at fixed price, or for consignment to upcoming auctions such as Wizard World Chicago 2002. The minimum consignment value for this auction will be $5000 per consignment. HCA's consignment deadline for July 5-7 Wizard World Chicago Signature sale extends through May 8, 2002. However, early consignors will receive extra promotion of their material through HCA and Wizard's vast publicity machines and entire combined mailing list (which also includes the entire Greg Manning comics and movie posters client list, purchased by HCA late last year).

Those interested in consigning are invited to visit a special section on HCA’s website http://www.heritagecomics.com/auctions/consigning.asp or call John Petty at 214-252-4392 or email Auctions@HeritageComics.com.

HCA specializes in rare, high-grade comic books, as well as vintage comic and animation art, illustration art, movie posters and comics-related collectibles. Their website, www.HeritageComics.com, allows visitors to submit their want lists and items for sale, or join a mailing list to receive special offers and advance notice of upcoming auctions and other events. There is also a free web community with numerous benefits. For example HCA members receive 20% rebates on their CGC submissions.

The Heritage name is recognized worldwide for selection, quality, value, expertise, financial strength and technological and numismatic leadership. Year 2001 sales exceeded $150 million and assets were approximately $30 million as audited by Arthur Andersen & Company. HeritageCoin.com is the Internet's most popular and highly trafficked rare coin site with over 45,000 registered members, 9,000 daily visitors and approximately 100,000 unique users per month. HeritageCoin.com is the only coin site ever chosen by Forbes Best of the Web (1999 and 2001), and also won the most recent Numismatic Literary Guild award for Best Numismatic Internet Site. Heritage Comic Auctions is pleased to bring the same resources to the comic book and original art field.

Wizard Entertainment in Congers, New York, publishes the top-selling, award-winning special interest magazines Wizard: The Comics Magazine, ToyFare: The Toy Magazine, InQuest Gamer: The Gaming Magazine and Anime Invasion, which are available at newsstands, comic book and hobby specialty stores everywhere. The company also operates the annual Wizard World Chicago event. In just a few years, Wizard World Chicago has become the #1 comics and pop culture convention in America. Last year’s Wizard World Chicago convention attracted over 800 exhibitors and 40,000 attendees. Here are details about this year's convention:

HOURS
July 5: 12:00 noon - 8:00pm
July 6: 10:00 - 6:00 pm
July 7: 10:00 - 5:00 pm

TICKETS
Tickets are $20 for a one day pass and $40 for a 3-day pass and will be available online as of April 1, 2002. Advance Ticket holders will get in a half-hour early on Saturday and Sunday.

EXHIBITORS
For exhibitor information, please contact Brenda Cook at 845-268-8068, fax at 845-268-8069 or e-mail at WizBrenda@aol.com

DIRECTIONS
Log on to www.rosemont.com

For more information about Wizard World Chicago, please visit http://news.wizardworld.com/Comics/WizWorldChi.asp