After what looks like being on the losing side of a convention-planning battle over New York, Wizard Entertainment continues to move into the smaller markets by expanding their stable of shows in three new cities: Nashville, Tennessee; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Cleveland, Ohio.

The Nashville Comic and Horror Festival, the Cincinnati Comic and Anime Show, and The North Coast Comic Con will now respectively be retitled the Nashville, Cincinnati, and Cleveland Comic Cons — giving Wizard a total of 12 events, with at least eight happening in 2010.

Similar to their actions in Atlanta [READ: Wizard World Atlanta Take Two], all three of these shows existed previously before being purchased by Wizard Entertainment. They’ll also retain their original promoters, which is significant given the company’s track record for handling convention guests (noted excellently by former Wizard Magazine staffer Chris Ward).

Again, Wizard seems to have learned from past mistakes and have instead decided to put their resources towards people who’ve already laid roots down in the fan community.

Both Nashville and Cincinnati shows were previously owned by veteran convention promoter Mark Ballard. Having attended Nashville’s show I can tell you it’s rarely failed to bring in quality guests, however, it’s tough to get more than a handful of notable creators for smaller shows unless a large attendance is guaranteed. Hopefully Wizard’s involvement will help push things in the right direction.

No dates have been set for any of the new shows, including Atlanta.

[Source: Wizard]