BotCon
StatusActive
GenreTransformers fan convention
First1994
OrganizerAgabyss Enterprises LLC
FilingPrivate company
Websitehttp://www.botcon.com/

BotCon, previously known as the Official Transformers Collectors' Convention (OTFCC), is an annual convention for fans and collectors of the Transformers multimedia franchise and related merchandise.

The first BotCon was held in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States in 1994. It has 120 attendees.[1] In 2015, BotCon was recognized by Guinness World Records as the "longest-running Transformers convention".[2]

Featured BotCon guests are usually involved in the creation of Transformers media in some respect, whether as voice actors from the animated series, artists or writers from the comic books, or Hasbro employees. Fun Publications held the convention for a number of years, with 2016 being its final year.[3] BotCon remained defunct until returning in 2022.[4]

BotCon has had numerous event-exclusive toys, including the first version of the character Apelinq. Apelinq debuted at BotCon 2000 and was designed by organizer Glen Hallit. The character would later appear in the 2023 film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.[5]

Event history

BotCon

YearDate(s)VenueCityGuestsNotes
1994[1]July 16Grand Wayne CenterFort Wayne, IndianaTom Bowman and Carl Fritz
1995[6]August 5-6Dayton Convention CenterDayton, OhioN/A
1996[7]July 12-14Clarion Resort RosemontRosemont, IllinoisGeorge Boznos and Anthony Gaud
1997[8]August 5-6Dayton Convention CenterDayton, OhioDawn Berryman, George Boznos, Stan Bush, Peter Cullen, Vince DiCola, Bob Forward, Simon Furman, David Kaye, Jerry Palmer, Venus Terzo, and Andrew Wildman
1998[9][10]June 19-20Anaheim Convention CenterAnaheim, CaliforniaSusan Blu, Garry Chalk, Vince DiCola, Larry DiTillio, Jennifer Donahoe, Andy Espenshade, Bob Forward, Simon Furman, David Kaye, Bryce Malek Scott McNeil, Doug Parker, Rob Tokar, Andrew Wildman, and David Wise
1999[11]July 16–18St. Paul RiverCentreSt. Paul, MinnesotaAsaph Fipke, Jim Byrnes, Scott McNeil, and Brian Chapman
2000[12]July 28-30Grand Wayne Convention CenterFort Wayne, IndianaIan James Corlett, John Moschitta, Venus Terzo, Alec Willows, Vince DiCola, Chris Tang, Joe Mattiko, and Jamie Overbey
2001[13]July 13-15Durham Marriott Civic CenterDurham, North CarolinaMichael Bell, Gregg Berger, Garry Chalk, Scott McNeil, John Stephenson, Paul Davids, Simon Furman, Ernie Burns, Vince DiCola, Gary Falcone, and Joe Mattiko
2002[14]July 26-28Grand Wayne Convention CenterFort Wayne, IndianaDick Gautier, Neil Kaplan, Steve Kramer, Michael McConnohie, Peter Spellos, Wayne C. Lewis, Tom Wyner, Derek Choo-Wing, Richard Epcar, Adam Fortier, Simon Furman, Bob Forward, Pat Lee, Chris Sarracini, Michelle Field, Andrew Frankel, Joe Mattiko, and Aaron Archer
2004[15]June 19-20Pasadena Convention CenterPasadena, CaliforniaFumihiko Akiyama, Wally Burr, Peter Cullen, Paul Davids, Tom DeSanto, Flint Dille, Dan Gilvezan, Bryce Malek, Michael McConnohie, Tadao Tomomatsu, David Wise, Bob Prupis, and Alison Segebarth
2005[16]September 21-25Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel & Conference CenterFrisco, TexasEric Siebenaler, Wally Burr, Michael Chain, Brian Dobson, Michael Dobson, Paul Dobson, Colton Dearing, Greg Lombardo, and Aaron Archer
2006[17]September 28-October 1Lexington CenterLexington, KentuckyRichard Newman, Blu Mankuma, Pauline Newstone, Scott McNeil, Peter Cullen, Chris Ryall, Dan Taylor, Simon Furman, Don Figueroa, Alex Milne, Dan Khanna, Jake Isenberg, Drew Eiden, and Marcelo Matere, Greg Lombardo, Forest Lee, Aaron Archer, and Eric Siebenaler
2007[18]June 27-July 1Rhode Island Convention CenterProvidence, Rhode IslandPeter Cullen, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Rachael Taylor, Tyrese Gibson, David Kaye, Daniel Ross, Stan Bush, Ernie Petrangelo, Brian Goldner, Vickie Stratford, Joe Kyde, Greg Lombardo, Aaron Archer, Eric Siebenaler, Jared Wade, and William Rawley
2008[19]April 24-27Duke Energy CenterCincinnati, OhioSimon Furman, David Kaye, Alex Milne, Tara Strong, Derrick J. Wyatt, and Aaron Archer
2009[20][21]May 28-31Pasadena Convention CenterPasadena, CaliforniaGregg Berger, Stan Bush, Peter Cullen, Paul Davids, Vince DiCola, Flint Dille, David Kaye, Bryce Malek, Michael McConnohie, Alex Milne, David Wise, and Derrick J. Wyatt
2010[22][23][24]June 24-27Walt Disney World Dolphin ResortLake Buena Vista, FloridaBob Budiansky, Jeff Kline, Kōjin Ōno, Peter Cullen, Hideaki Yoke, Paul Eiding, Scott McNeil, Drew Eiden, Karl Hartman, Lanny Lathem, Greg Sepelak, Pete Sinclair, Trent Troop, Jesse Wittenrich, Ben Yee, Rik Alvarez, Aaron Archer, Joe Kyde, Forest Lee, Greg Lombardo, Chris Oliveri, Lenny Panzica, Matthew Proulx, Bill Rawley, Eric Siebenaler, Tomoya Miyake, Brian Wilk, Jeff Kline, Mike Vogel, Casey Coller, Bill Forster, Dan Khanna, Marcelo Matere, Alex Milne, Chris Mowry, Jim Sorenson, Stan Bush, Matt Tieger, and Hironori Kobayashi
2011[25]June 2-5Pasadena Convention CenterPasadena, CaliforniaJack Angel, Arlene Banas, Gregg Berger, Stan Bush, Flint Dille, David Kaye, Jeff Kline, Morgan Lofting, Michael McConnohie, and Neil Ross
2012[26]April 26-29Hyatt Regency DallasDallas, TexasN/A
2013[27]June 27-30Town and Country ResortSan Diego, CaliforniaWally Burr, Jason Jansen, and David Sobolov
2014[28]June 19–22Pasadena Convention CenterPasadena, CaliforniaJack Angel, Susan Blu, Steve Blum, David Kaye, Morgan Lofting, Michael McConnohie, and Derrick J. Wyatt
2015[29]June 18-21Pheasant Run ResortSt. Charles, IllinoisSusan Blu, John Moschitta Jr., Frank Welker, and Derrick J. Wyatt
2016[3][30]April 7-10Galt House HotelLouisville, KentuckyGregg Berger, David Kaye, Judd Nelson, Venus Terzo, Winston Bolen, Josh Burcham, Brendan Cahill, Ken Christiansen, Casey Coller, Archie Cunningham, Thomas Deer, Brandy Dixon, Matt Frank, Andrew Hall, Adam Hicks, Dan Khanna, Marcelo Matere, Alex Milne, Robby Musso, Josh Perez, Sara Pitre-Durocher, Rob Roberts, Hayato Sakamoto, Brian Shearer, Derrick J. Wyatt, Silas Zee, Stan Bush, Vince DiCola, Kenny Meriedeth, Ken Rose, Pete Sinclair, Aaron Archer, and John-Paul BoveThis would be the last year BotCon was held until 2022
2022[4]August 25-28Embassy Suites Nashville DowntownNashville, TennesseeGregg Berger, Bob Budiansky, Jeanne Carr, Simon Furman, Laurie Hymes, David Kaye, Michael McConnohie, Melodee M. Spevack, Frank Welker
2023[31]August 24-27American Dream MallEast Rutherford, New JerseyTravis Artz, Susan Blu, Bob Budiansky, Garry Chalk, Jessica DiGiovanni, Simon Furman, Scott McNeil, Robby Musso, and Venus Terzo
2024[32]June 27-30Grand Wayne Convention CenterFort Wayne, IndianaAaron Archer, Gregg Berger, Paul Eiding, Robby Musso, and Alec Willows

BotCon Japan

YearDate(s)VenueCityGuestsNotes
1997[33]June 8Science and Technology HallTokyo, JapanN/A
1998[34]December 12-13Sevencity HallHirotaka Suzuoki
2000[35]December 17Tokyo Trade Center Taito HallTesshō Genda

BotCon Europe

YearDate(s)VenueCityGuestsNotes
1999[36]August 13-14St. Barnabas CenterLondon, EnglandSimon Furman
2002[37]November 3Wolsey HallCheshunt, EnglandSimon Furman, Neil Kaplan, and Wayne C. Lewis

Official Transformers Collectors Convention

BotCon was renamed the Official Transformers Collectors Convention in 2003 after organizers Jon Hartman and Karl Hartman had departed 3H Productions.[38]

YearDate(s)VenueCityGuestsNotes
2003[39]July 25-July 27Hyatt Regency O'HareRosemont, IllinoisVince DiCola, Gregg Berger, Garry Chalk, David Kaye, Josh Blaylock, Mike Norton, Clayton Brown, Mark Brooks, Simon Furman, Jerry Jivoin, Eric Siebenaler, and Aaron Archer
2004[40]July 31-August 1Donald E. Stephens Convention CenterMichael McConnohie, Dan Gilvezan, Scott McNeil, Bob Budiansky, Simon Furman, Andrew Wildman, Vince DiCola, Greg Lombardo, Aaron Archer, Eric Siebenaler, and Tony BeardThis would be the last convention organized by 3H Productions before filing for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.[40]

See also

References

  1. ^ Cieply, Michael (29 May 2009). "BotCon: Remaining Transfixed by Transformers". The New York Times. Archived Mar 31, 2022 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ "Longest-running Transformers convention". Guinness World Records. 18 June 2015.
  3. ^ BaCon (April 8, 2016). "#BotCon 2016 - Last Transformers Convention From Fun Publications". tformers.com. Archived Sep 17, 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ "BotCon 2022 - Summer Convention Returns with Vendor Update". Tformers. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  5. ^ Willis, David (2023-06-09). "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts has a particularly wild deep-cut Maximals cameo". Polygon. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  6. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  7. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  8. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  9. ^ "BotCon 1998 – Headin' Out West". tfsource.com. May 14, 2013.
  10. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  11. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  12. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  13. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  14. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  15. ^ "BotCon Online". botconarchives.com
  16. ^ "BotCon 2005". fancons.com
  17. ^ "BotCon 2006". fancons.com
  18. ^ "Botcon 07". botconarchives.com
  19. ^ "BotCon 2008". fancons.com
  20. ^ "BotCon 2009 Event Coverage Guide". tformers.com. June 1, 2009.
  21. ^ "BotCon 2009". fancons.com
  22. ^ "BotCon 2010 Event Coverage Guide". tformers.com. June 23, 2010.
  23. ^ "Botcon 2010". botconarchives.com
  24. ^ "Botcon 2010 Guests". botconarchives.com
  25. ^ "BotCon 2011". fancons.com
  26. ^ "BotCon 2012". fancons.com
  27. ^ "BotCon 2013". fancons.com
  28. ^ "BotCon 2014". fancons.com
  29. ^ "BotCon 2015". fancons.com
  30. ^ "BotCon 2022 - Summer Convention Returns with Vendor Update". Tformers. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  31. ^ "BotCon 2023 Updates with More Events, Guests, Artists, and Creators News". tformers.com. August 20, 2023.
  32. ^ "Botcon 2024 Guests". botcon.com
  33. ^ "BotCon Japan 1997". botconarchives.com
  34. ^ "BotCon Japan 1998". botconarchives.com
  35. ^ "BotCon Japan 2000". botconarchives.com
  36. ^ "BotCon Europe 1999". botconarchives.com
  37. ^ "BotCon Europe 2002". botconarchives.com
  38. ^ "BotCon TF Convention Changes Name". tformers.com. May 11, 2003.
  39. ^ "BotCon TF Convention Changes Name". tformers.com. May 11, 2003.
  40. ^ "The Official Transformers Collectors Convention 2004". fancons.com