Doc Con, the convention centered around Doc Savage — the pulp character created by Lester Dent for the Street & Smith line of pulp magazines — was founded in 1998 by Rob Smalley, who thought of it as “a chance for fans to get together to celebrate the heroes of the pulp era.”
Taking place at the Ramada Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona, during the fall of 1998-99, the first two Doc Cons were smallish affairs, attracting just a few of the many “Fans of Bronze.” Later conventions — also staged in Arizona — took place at the homes of Smalley, Paul Cook, Courtney Rogers, and Jay Ryan. The convention grew with each successive gathering.
Doc Con 2012 took place at a hotel in Glendale, Arizona, while Doc Con 2008 added a program book. Published by Jay Ryan‘s Solace of Fortitude Publications, you can still buy copies of The Big Book of Bronze on Lulu.
Doc Con 2014 hosted the convention’s first guest-of-honor, artist and illustrator Bob Larkin. Other guests followed, including writer and filmmaker David Avallone, artist and illustrator Joe DeVito, author Will Murray, and actor and novelist Ron Ely.
But Arizona wasn’t the only Doc Con hotspot. Unable to attend the Arizona Doc Cons, Scott Cranford started an online discussion about hosting a Doc Con in Nashville, Tennessee. Wayne Judge from St. Louis joined the conversation and suggested La Plata, Missouri, the hometown of Lester Dent, as the location. The group agreed, and Wayne proceeded to organize the event in La Plata. The first La Plata Doc Con took place in 2006, featuring a meeting with locals who had known Lester Dent, and a tour of his home. Two more Doc Cons followed in La Plata, one in 2007 and another in 2008.
In October 2015, the appearance of Ely — the star of Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze — drew 90 fans to Glendale, Arizona, for Doc Con 2015. Another Doc Con was held two years later, followed by a pause that nearly lasted a decade.
Inspired by the success of FarmerCon and ERBFest — which have drawn fans of Philip José Farmer and Edgar Rice Burroughs to the annual PulpFest — several devoted “Fans of Bronze” successfully revived Doc Con at PulpFest 2025. And they’re coming back for more camaraderie and presentations at PulpFest 2026.
What’s in store for you at Doc Con 2026? We’ll take a look at “The Amazing Adventures of Doc Savage” and The Bronze Gazette. We’ll also have a “Bronze Bash” in the Ember & Vine lounge in the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry, an after-hours social event. More socializing opportunities are also being planned, including a possible “Banquet of Bronze” at a local restaurant. Stay tuned for further details. You’ll also find updates by following the Doc Con Facebook page.
But Doc Con 2026 is just the start of your fun. This year’s PulpFest will also host FarmerCon XXI and a brand new convention saluting Walter B. Gibson’s “Master of Darkness.” We hope you’ll join us for The Shadow Con 2026! Watch for our The Shadow Con post in March.
Your membership in PulpFest also makes you a member of this year’s Doc Con, FarmerCon, and The Shadow Con. That’s 4 conventions for one price! You can’t beat that, especially if you’re a Doc, Farmer, Shadow, and pulp enthusiast!
Make your plans now to head to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry in Mars, Pennsylvania, from July 30 to August 2 for all four conventions. You’ll have an Amazing time!
Visit our YouTube Channel for Craig McDonald’s look at the “Science Fiction Super Sagas of Doc Savage!”
And while you’re there, please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
Our featured image is excerpted from Walter Baumhofer’s cover art for the March 1933 issue of Doc Savage Magazine. Illustrating Lester Dent’s novel, “The Man of Bronze,” it introduced visitors to newsstands across America to the Street & Smith superhero more than ninety years ago.
Our lead image was adapted by William Lampkin from Walter Baumhofer’s cover for the July 1935 issue of Doc Savage Magazine, illustrating Lester Dent’s “Quest of Qui,” an adventure in which the Street & Smith superhero battles ancient Vikings and a chilling menace that freezes people solid.
The Doc Con logo was adapted by Bill Lampkin based on the Bantam logo by Len Leone.
Kenneth Grant is a writer and popular culture enthusiast who began writing for our website in 2022. He particularly enjoys the hero pulps and has written about pulp villains, Ron Hill’s documentary, We Are Doc Savage, Talking Pulp with Craig McDonald, and more.
