Editing Wizard Entertainment (section)

==Corporate history==
[[Gareb Shamus]] founded ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'' magazine in January 1991 shortly after he graduated from college.<ref name=babka>{{cite news|last=Babka |first=Allison|url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/wizard-world-inc-a-roving-comic-con-looks-to-corner-the-geek-market/Content?oid=2505716 |title=Wizard World Inc.: A roving comic con looks to corner the geek market |work=[[The Riverfront Times]] |date=Apr 3, 2014}}</ref> The company was originally based in [[Congers, New York]].

''Wizard'' magazine was successful, and the company expanded its publishing operations with more magazines devoted to other elements of the collectible industry. Wizard purchased the [[Chicago Comicon]] in 1997 to expand from its core publishing business into trade/consumer conventions.<ref>{{cite magazine|department=News Watch|title=Wizard Magazine Buys Chicago Comicon |magazine=[[The Comics Journal]] |issue=195 |date=April 1997|page=24}}</ref>

In early 2011, the company made some major corporate transitions. First, through an arrangement with Strato Malamas of the [[holding company]] GoEnergy, it became a [[publicly traded company]] known as '''Wizard World'''.<ref name=iFanboy>{{cite web|title=WIZARD WORLD'S JOURNEY INTO BECOMING A PUBLIC COMPANY
|work=iFanboy|date=Jan 26, 2011|first=Jason |last=Wood|url=https://ifanboy.com/articles/wizard-worlds-journey-into-becoming-a-public-company/}}</ref> At the same time, it abruptly canceled ''Wizard'' magazine<ref>{{cite web|date=January 24, 2011 |first=Johanna Draper|last=Carlson|title=Wizard Magazine Closes Abruptly|work=Comics Worth Reading|url=https://comicsworthreading.com/2011/01/24/wizard-magazine-closes-abruptly/}}</ref><ref name=Miller2001 /> and its other remaining publication, ''[[ToyFare]]'',<ref name=Melrose>{{cite web|last=Melrose|first= Kevin |date=January 24, 2011 |url=http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2011/01/breaking-wizard-magazine-folds-after-two-decades/ |title=Breaking: Wizard and ToyFare magazines fold |work=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref> to focus on its convention business. 

Shamus was pushed out as company CEO in late 2011; his position was taken in March 2012 by John Macaluso.<ref name=babka /> In 2015, the company lost $4.25 million in revenue and cut back from 25 to 19 convention events in 2016.<ref name=griepp1>{{cite news|author-link=Milton Griepp|last=Griepp |first=Milton|url= http://icv2.com/articles/news/view/34257/wizard-world-loses-4-3-million-2015 |title=WIZARD WORLD LOSES $4.3 MILLION IN 2015 |work=[[ICv2]] |date=Apr 19, 2016}}</ref> Less than a week after the announcement of the losses, Macaluso resigned as CEO and was replaced by John D. Maatta.<ref name=griepp2>{{cite news|last=Griepp|first= Milton|url=http://icv2.com/articles/news/view/34313/wizard-world-brings-new-ceo |title=WIZARD WORLD BRINGS IN NEW CEO|work=[[ICv2]] |date=Apr 25, 2016}}</ref>

In 2018, Wizard World was renamed '''Wizard Entertainment, Inc.'''<ref name=SEC2021 />

In 2021, after selling its last few conventions to FanExpo, Wizard Entertainment essentially ceased to exist.<ref name=CBC2021 />