American publisher
Gareb Shamus (born December 23, 1968) is the founder and former chairman and CEO of Wizard Entertainment and the co-founder and CEO of ACE Comic Con.[2][3][4] He was the publisher of Wizard: The Comics Magazine; InQuest Gamer: The Gaming Magazine;[5] ToyFare: The Toy Magazine; Anime Insider; FunFare; "In" Power, a kids entertainment magazine; Wizard Specials; Toy Wishes, a holiday toy shopping guide; Bean Power, a Beanie Babies magazine; and Sportslook, a sports card magazine.[6][7][8][9] He also co-founded and served as CEO of International Fight League Inc (IFLI).[10][11][12] He produced several televised MMA fights with partners Fox Sports Networks and MyNetworkTV.[13] He is the owner of The Pivot Gallery in New York City and an exhibited artist in America and Europe.[14][15] Shamus and his brother Stephan Shamus, have been involved in multiple lawsuits for fraud, theft and misappropriating assets from Wizard Entertainment and Ace Universe [16] [17]
Early life
Gareb is the second oldest of four brothers, Ilan, Kenny and Stephen Shamus.[18] As a child, he collected comic books and sports cards. His early loves were Spider-Man, Batman, and Mad magazine.[19] As a teenager, he gravitated to more mature comics created by artists like Todd McFarlane and Frank Miller (who began working on The Dark Knight Returns and Daredevil when Shamus was a teenager in the 1980s).[20] Shamus studied economics at the University at Albany, SUNY and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and a minor in art in 1990.[18]
Wizard Entertainment
In the 1980s, Shamus' parents opened a sports card and comic book store in Nanuet, New York, where Shamus worked.[21] When he graduated from college, he started comic book newsletter, Wizard: The Guide to Comics, for the store’s customers. It became so popular that in 1991 he turned it into a monthly magazine. After only one year, Wizard went worldwide, published in over fifty countries and in multiple languages,[20] and Shamus became a celebrity in the comic book world.[6] Over the next few years he launched more magazines covering toys, games, animation and everything “superhero” (movies, TV shows, video games and toys).
As Wizard Entertainment, Shamus bought the Chicago Comicon in 1997, and expanded its scope and boosted attendance from a few thousand to 25,000 the following year.[22] There are 21 Wizard World comic conventions and pop-culture conventions in the United States.[18][23][24]
Shamus and his brother Stephan Shamus, had been fired and sued by Wizard World for theft of $1,000,000, attempting a hostile take over and misappropriating assets.[25]
Ace Universe
After Shamus and his brother Stephan Shamus were forced out of Wizard Entertainment for fraud, theft and misappropriating assets, Shamus and his brother launched Ace Universe. In 2022, Loeb Venture Capital, sued Gareb Shamus for fraud, theft, breach of employment agreement and misappropriation of funds to Shamus’ side company, Heromaker Studios and corporate opportunities which belonged to Ace Universe [26] [1]
Painter
Shamus is an emerging contemporary painter.[27][28][29][30] He resides in the West Village.[31]
