Chicago-area gun shop that wants to exhibit at comic conventions and other pop culture shows was thwarted in its initial attempt Thursday when producers of Wizard World Comic Con Chicago scratched the shop’s participation.
Barrington-based DS Arms owner Dave Selvaggio said he had planned since March to set up at the four-day show, which draws tens of thousands of comic and fantasy fans to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. The shop’s booth was to include replica guns and promotions for services such as gun safety and shooting classes.
But Las Vegas-based Wizard World pulled the plug on the booth following complaints that apparently stemmed from online reports that a dealer of real guns would be exhibiting at the show, which opened Thursday.
“We want everyone to have a good time at the show,” said Wizard World spokesman Jerry Milani, who declined to say exactly when the decision to nix DS Arms’ participation was made. “We want this to be fun.”
The gun shop’s booth, across from displays of stuffed toys and Hello Kitty totes, was up for about 90 minutes before a Wizard World staff member noticed it and took it down.
Selvaggio said he worked through the Rosemont show’s promoter, which he identified as The Loop/ Cumulus Media, to get the space and planned to have representatives roam the hall to promote the store.
“Just because people are fans of comic books and sci-fi doesn’t mean they’re not interested in protecting themselves and their family and their belongings,” he said.
Comic Con attendees make for a natural market, he said, as many of the movies and games enjoyed by those fans involve firearms.
“Maybe 90 percent of people walking around in costumes have (presumably fake) firearms,” said Selvaggio, who added that his company has provided props for movies. “All of these movies are filmed with live guns, with firing devices and with replicas.”
DS Arms has bought space at car shows and horror movie festivals, and plans to exhibit at the massive fantasy and sci-fi focused Dragon Con in Atlanta next month, he said.
Sword and blade dealers are common at such events, which attract comic, fantasy, sci-fi and electronic games fans who often dress up as their favorite characters. But recent years have seen the shows shore up policies involving weapons and props.
Wizard World Comic Con policy bans “any parts or accessories that can readily cause harm” to conventiongoers. No real weaponry, such as live firearms or sharp blades, can be carried on the floor. Other restrictions are based on local laws and ordinances.
Wizard World policy for blades sold at booths is to have any purchases checked in until the guests are ready to leave, Milani said.
[Source:- Chicago tribune]
