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Ed Kramer remains a shadowy figure in the fandom community. The founder of Dragon*Con, which has morphed into an adult fantasy fair of costuming and (sometimes) more, he’s also an accused sex offender, charged with molesting two teenaged boys who stayed over at his house 12 years ago. A new piece in Atlanta Magazine profiles Kramer and reveals that he’s been successfully battling those charges for all 12 years by pretending to be too ill to go to trial—so successfully that he was able to go to Connecticut and get access to another 14-year-old boy:

Outside, Vallas called Phillips, who’d been Googling Kramer. At seven that morning, she called her mother, who phoned Georgia authorities. By noon Milford police had Kramer in custody. He was charged with “risk of injury to a minor,” a broad statute under Connecticut law that covers sexual assault, placing a child in physical danger, and a range of other crimes.
Squinting sleepily into the camera for his mug shot, with well-defined bags under his heavy-lidded eyes, Kramer appeared considerably older than his fifty years. His beard was graying and unkempt. His haggard face showed no expression.


While the Kramer story has been floating around the outskirts of the current con boom, the updated story, reported by Colleen Doran back in September, has gained little attention…until now.

Kramer is no longer associated with Dragon*Con in any way.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. “Kramer is no longer associated with Dragon*Con in any way.”

    But he’s still entitled to dividends from 2009, 2010 and 2011 ($154K)? And, I would assume, from 2012.

  2. So people continue to go to a con that befits a known pedofile and the prosecutor can’t even bring him to trial? Yeah, keep going to that con folks — your fun is more important than your outrage or concern for defenseless children.

  3. Note the words “accused” and “charged”. And that quote makes it sound as if his main crime is not being photogenic.

  4. “..Squinting sleepily into the camera for his mug shot, with well-defined bags under his heavy-lidded eyes, Kramer appeared considerably older than his fifty years.”

    >>
    @Joe S. Walker

    Yup – must be GUILTY!

  5. Disclaimer: I do not work for Dragon*Con in any capacity. Been a guest there a buncha times, & involved in a couple of different costume events there. Below is my own opinion & understanding, etc.

    A few points here have me mulling them over.

    Mr. Kramer is not *the* founder of Dragon*Con, he is *a* founder, one of a group – ‘John Bunnell, David Cody, Robert Dennis, Mike Helba, Pat Henry, and Ed Kramer formed the original Dragon*Con Board of Directors’. (Via their site.) The Atlanta Magazine article linked to above accurately says he is a co-founder.

    To the best of my knowledge Ed Kramer hasn’t been associated in any administrative capacity w/ Dragon*Con for years, & the linked article touches on the legal tussle going on between Mr. Kramer & Mr. Henry. I know diddly & squat about their finances but I’ve seen companies & partnerships dissolve, been involved in that myself – it’s messy.

    Dunno enough about Nancy Collins to know anything about that, either. Had not heard about her being banned until last year. Will re-read Colleen Doran’s post about the subject too. Was at the show during the years discussed. So busy show-running the events on the Saturday nights, & organizing the table I worked at, there, that I pretty much had my head under a rock as regards anything else.

    The kinda critical tone of the convention’s sometimes more adult-themed feel after hours (raves at 3 in the morning = not for the kiddies, admittedly) seems unfair to me, but I have to consider my own bias in having had positive experiences at & with the show for many years. There’s a lot of programming for kids during the day, & I see plenty of ’em from my table in Artist’s Alley.

    There’s a lot of adult shenanigans in the bars & elsewhere at San Diego Comic*Con, too, at night during the show & costumes that show plenty of skin.

    I feel like defending the convention, at all, makes me come off like an abuser apologist, so lemme be crystal clear: Young people should absolutely, 100%, without question be protected & their physical dignity & bodies respected. It is of utmost importance & non-negotiable. & Ed Kramer having his court date at long last is necessary.

    Argh, insomnia. Sorry so long.

  6. OK, just read Colleen’s piece about the situation. That’s upsetting. Also to consider, via Ms. Doran:

    “A major problem with discussing organized fandom is that organized fandom, which cannot organize to combat predators among its ranks, will swiftly descend on anyone who dares to critique organized fandom.”

    Complicated & horrible situation. Pleased that the legal cases are moving forward.

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