Phoenix Comic Con Changes Name To Phoenix Comic Fest

PHOENIX, AZ – If you think you're going to Phoenix Comic-Con in May, some bad news: you won't be going. The good news is that you will be going to Phoenix Comic Fest.

Organizers of the annual convention say they have changed the name.

"In recent months, the use of the word Comic-Con, and its many forms, has become litigious," they write. "Effective immediately, our event held annually in Phoenix in the spring will be rebranded as Phoenix Comic Fest.

"It will take the remainder of this week to transfer our website, social media sites, and other assets to the new name. In the meantime, we look forward to bringing you more guest announcements, more comic creators, more programming, and more excitement for 2018."

While they haven't gone in to details, they are likely referring to the fact last month, a jury in federal court in San Diego awarded San Diego Comic-Con $20,000 from the Salt Lake Comic Con for trademark infringement. San Diego Comic-Con had asked for $12 million in damages.

Salt Lake City had argued that comic con is just a shortening of the phrase comic convention and was free for anyone to use.

San Diego, the original comic-con, was started in 1970. They filed suit against the Salt Lake City convention in 2014. The verdict in San Diego's favor allows them to sell licenses to other events around the country.

There are approximately 140 comic-con-style events in the United States each year.

In addition to Phoenix, several others – including Salt Lake and Central City in Yakima, Washington – are considering changing their names rather than pay a licensing fee.

Image courtesy Phoenix Comic Fest