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FanCon’s sudden postponement baffles attendees, vendors

the community has joined together to organize alternative events

Published

8 years ago

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Universal FanCon was abruptly postponed on Friday, Apr. 20.

Universal FanCon, described as the “first multi-fandom Con dedicated to inclusion, highlighting women, LGBTQ, the disabled and persons of color,” left ticketholders, panelists and vendors baffled after the event was postponed just days before kick off.

The three-day event, which was scheduled for April 27-29 at the Baltimore Convention Center and raised more than $50,000 through a Kickstarter campaign, promised exhibitors, panels, a screening of “Avengers: Infinity War,” among other scheduled events.

On Friday, April 20 Universal FanCon put everyone’s plans to a halt with a statement announcing the event was “postponed” in an email.

A statement, including a FAQ, was eventually posted to the Universal FanCon website.

“Based on an evaluation of all the information available, it was decided that it would be irresponsible to move forward with our plans. Although we worked diligently to preserve the vision of an event that fosters true inclusion, diversity, and safety for all of our guests, exhibitors, and attendees; despite working tirelessly for close to two years, we fell short in delivering the event we envisioned,” the statement reads.

A lack of funding is cited as the main issue for the con’s postponement as the statement admits, “costs started to grow exponentially. Unfortunately, the support we were anticipating in terms of ticket sales and sponsorships did not materialize.”

The statement appeared to be altered a few times since its release with one version of the statement inviting traveling guests to join the Universal FanCon team to watch “Avengers: Infinity War.”

Participants who had invested time and money into the event, including flights and hotels, shared their frustrations on Twitter which brought together a community of hurt con lovers.

In a tweet apology, Jamie Broadnax, editor-in-chief of Black Girl Nerds, denied her involvement as a co-founder of the con and insisted she was an “unpaid volunteer.”

Her statement confused FanCon followers who posted screenshots of Broadnax’s Twitter bio that included “co-founder of FanCon.”

Universal FanCon executive director Robert Butler also released a series of tweets blaming hotel management for the cancellation.

FanCon stated that an effort to refund ticketholders would be made although details were not clarified. According to some Twitter users, refunds have slowly trickled in.

In response to the many disappointed participants, the community banned together to recover time, money and potential exposure.

WICOMICON 2018, a pop-up convention at 1100 Wicomico St., Baltimore, Md. is on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 and $5 for FanCon ticketholders. Kids 12 and under are free. The event will feature exhibitors, panels, cosplay contests and appearances from members of the cast of ‘The Magicians” and “Killjoys.”

The pop-up con was a last minute group effort by Nerds of Color, Black Heroes Matter, The New Release Wednesday Show’s Patrick Michael Strange, theblerdgurl, Syfy Wire’s contributing editor Karama Horne, Carbon-Fibre Media’s André Robinson and Be A Boss app CEO Elijah Kelley.

DJ Meagan “Ducky Dynamo” Buster has also organized Universal FanCon Redemption Function, a dance party where artists, vendors and guests are invited to dance and sell their merchandise at The Depot (1728 N Charles St., Baltimore, Md.) on Monday, April from 7-11 p.m.

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Photos

PHOTOS: Denali at Pitchers

‘Drag Race’ alum performs at Thirst Trap

Published

10 hours ago

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April 14, 2026

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Denali performs at the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show at Pitchers DC on April 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Arts & Entertainment

In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI

‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’

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1 day ago

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April 13, 2026

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Last year, Baltimore Center Stage refused to give up its DEI focus in the face of losing federal funding. They've tripled down. (Photo by Ulysses Muñoz of the Baltimore Banner)

By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.

Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.

“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Books

Susan Lucci on love, loss, and ‘All My Children’

New book chronicles life of iconic soap star

Published

2 days ago

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April 13, 2026

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(Book cover image courtesy of Blackstone Publishing)

‘La Lucci’
By Susan Lucci with Laura Morton
c.2026, Blackstone Publishing
$29.99/196 pages

They’re among the world’s greatest love stories.

You know them well: Marc Antony and Cleopatra. Abelard and Heloise. Phoebe and Langley. Cliff and Nina. Jesse and Angie, Opal and Palmer, Palmer and Daisy, Tad and Dixie. Now read “La Lucci” by Susan Lucci, with Laura Morton, and you might also think of Susan and Helmut.

When she was a very small girl, Susan Lucci loved to perform. Also when she was young, she learned that words have power. She vowed to use them for good for the rest of her life.

Her parents, she says, were supportive and her family, loving. Because of her Italian heritage, she was “ethnic looking” but Lucci’s mother was careful to point out dark-haired beauties on TV and elsewhere, giving Lucci a foundation of confidence.

That’s just one of the things for which Lucci says she’s grateful. In fact, she says, “Prayers of gratitude are how I begin and end each day.”

She is particularly grateful for becoming a mother to her two adult children, and to the doctors who saved her son’s life when he was a newborn.

Lucci writes about gratitude for her long career. She was a keystone character on TV’s “All My Children,” and she learned a lot from older actors on the show, and from Agnes Nixon, the creator of it. She says she still keeps in touch with many of her former costars.

She is thankful for her mother’s caretakers, who stepped in when dementia struck. Grateful for more doctors, who did heart-saving work when Lucci had a clogged artery. Grateful for friends, opportunities, life, grandchildren, and a career that continues.

And she’s grateful for the love she shared with her husband, Helmut Huber, who died nearly four years ago. Grateful for the chance to grieve, to heal, and to continue.

And yet, she says of her husband: “He was never timid, but I know he was afraid at the end, and that kills me down to my soul.”

“It’s been 15 years since Erica Kane and I parted ways,” says author Susan Lucci (with Laura Morton), and she says that people still approach her to confirm or deny rumors of the show’s resurrection. There’s still no answer to that here (sorry, fans), but what you’ll find inside “La Lucci” is still exceptionally generous.

If this book were just filled with stories, you’d like it just fine. If it was only about Lucci’s faith and her gratitude – words that happen to appear very frequently here – you’d still like reading it. But Lucci tells her stories of family, children and “All My Children,” while also offering help to couples who’ve endured miscarriage, women who’ve had heart problems, and widow(ers) who are spinning and need the kindness of someone who’s lived loss, too.

These are the other things you’ll find in “La Lucci,” in a voice you’ll hear in your head, if you spent your lunch hours glued to the TV back in the day. It’s a comfortable, fun read for fans. It’s a story you’ll love.

The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.

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