Editing MegaCon (section)

===Founding===
The first comic book convention held in the Orlando area was [[OrlandoCon]], held annually from 1974 to c. 1994. Regular guests included [[C. C. Beck]], [[Floyd Gottfredson]], and [[Hal Foster]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hal Foster Signed Letter & Signed Photo With Roy Crane. |url=https://hakes.com/Auction/ItemDetail/238417/HAL-FOSTER-SIGNED-LETTER-SIGNED-PHOTO-WITH-ROY-CRANE |website=Hake's Auctions |access-date=10 November 2023}}</ref> A competing show, "Mega-Show" was founded by James Breitbiel in December 1993 at the Holiday Inn International Drive (Now the Avanti Palms)<ref>{{cite news |title=Comic Book and Sports-card Christmas Mega-Show |agency=Orlando Sentinel |date=5 December 1993}}</ref> Mega-Show would occur a few times a year with a larger show "MegaCon", also by Breitbiel, first debuting in 1995 at the Orlando Expo Center (Now the [[UCF Center for Emerging Media]]).<ref name=Walt/> Along with the new show, there was a smaller sister show, Tampa Mega-Show.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Canning |first1=Michael |title=Comic show for kids of all ages |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1996/05/31/comic-show-for-kids-of-all-ages/ |access-date=15 September 2024 |agency=Tampa Bay Times |date=31 May 1996}}</ref> The convention was acquired by the [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]]-based publisher [[CrossGen]] in 1999 with the smaller Mega-Shows being discontinued,<ref name=Weiland>Weiland, Jonah. [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=5168 "Battling Conventions? Talking with the NY Comic Con and MegaCon Organizers,"] Comic Book Resources (June 10, 2005).</ref> with Elizabeth Widera brought on to run the show in 2000 and Breitbiel moving on to become CrossGen's Marketing and Distribution Director.<ref name=Weiland/> During this period, from 2000 to 2003, MegaCon heavily promoted CrossGen products as the show continued to grow.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McCaw |first1=Derek |title=Comic-Con 2001 Flashback: Remembering CrossGen |url=https://fanboyplanet.com/comic-con-2001-remembering-crossgen/ |access-date=10 November 2023 |agency=Fanboy Planet |date=31 July 2019}}</ref><ref name=icv2/> After being the venue once in 1997, the Orange County Convention Center has since 2001, been the host of the convention. The new location allowed MegaCon to be the home of the long-running "Paranoia LIVE!" from 2001 to 2019. [[LARP]], based on Mongoose Publishing's ''[[Paranoia (role-playing game)|Paranoia]]''.<ref>[http://www.paranoialarp.com Paranoia LIVE!]</ref> In 2002, the logo was changed to one with rounded rectangular letters with a capital "G" in lowercase size.

2003 introduced after hours entertainment at the convention. This expanded to offsite locations in 2006. In late 2003, Widera purchased the convention from the failing CrossGen, which was restructuring<ref name=icv2>[http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/3910.html "CrossGen Sells MegaCon To the Show's Director,"] ICv2 (November 19, 2003).</ref> (the publisher went bankrupt in 2004). Widera, who is a board member of the comics charity [[The Hero Initiative]], ran the show along with her daughter Christine Alger until 2016.<ref name=Walt/>

In 2007, MegaCon hosted the first live presentation of the [[Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.megaconvention.com/programming.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203123559/http://www.megaconvention.com/programming.asp |archive-date=2007-02-03 |title=MegaCon Convention <!-- no archive copy found containing previous quote for this date: |access-date=2007-02-16 --> |publisher=MegaCon Convention |quote=hosting the 6th annual Web Cartoonist Awards. After six years of growing, world-wide popularity, the WCCAs will, for the first time ever, be presenting the 2007 winners at a live ceremony.}}</ref> This was followed in August 2008 with the convention hosting the first inaugural Project Fanboy Awards ceremony, awarding authors, writers and publishers with honors voted on by Internet users on the [[Project Fanboy]] website.<ref>[http://www.megaconvention.com/news.asp Project Fanboy Awards to be announced at MegaCon] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528180632/http://www.megaconvention.com/news.asp |date=May 28, 2009 }}</ref> Following 2009, the Project Fanboy Awards event was discontinued.

In September 2008, MegaCon headquarters moved from [[Safety Harbor]] to [[Live Oak, Florida]], although the actual convention remains in Orlando.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.megaconvention.com/news.asp |title=MegaCon Headquarters move to Live Oak, FL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528180632/http://www.megaconvention.com/news.asp |archive-date=May 28, 2009 |publisher=MegaCon official website}}</ref> In 2009, in addition to the main show, held February 27–March 1, convention organizers produced a "mini-MegaCon" held August 22–23 featuring a number of actors from the ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' TV show.<ref name=Chien>{{cite web |first=Philip |last=Chien |url=http://www.neatinformation.com/entertainment/Megacon%202009.html |title=MegaCon |publisher=NeatInformation.com |date=2009 |access-date=July 12, 2012}}</ref>