Welcome to the March 1970 San Diego Minicon

April 6, 2011

We were delighted today to receive an email from Stephen McGlone, whom we hadn’t heard from in years. Stephen and his brothers, David and Patrick, joined the San Diego Comic-Con very early on and made substantial contributions in those early years. (You can read Stephen’s brief reminiscence about those days at http://www.sheldorftribute.com/2011/04/06/stephen-mcglone-answers-shel-dorf%E2%80%99s-call-to-join-the-first-year-comic-con-committee/.)

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The 1981 El Cortez “Cocktail Party”

February 14, 2011

From my previous epistle, you are aware that the Comic-Con committee was allowed to return to the El Cortez for the 1981 convention. However, due to the fact that the hotel had been taken over by a religious organization, there were several stipulations regarding the usage of the site. The big “no-no” was the use of alcohol at any events….

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Beer Cans in the Pool at the El Cortez

February 10, 2011

It was 1981 and the Con Committee had been given a “reprieve” to have the 1981 convention at the El Cortez Hotel. Despite the fact that it had been taken over by a religious organization, they were willing to allow for us to have one more convention. HOWEVER, there were some serious stipulations include the requirement that no alcohol was to be served on the premises…

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1974 San Diego Comic-Con Photos (Batch 5): Can You Identify People in the Pictures?

January 30, 2011

Here’s the fifth batch of scans from Shel Dorf’s negatives from the 1974 San Diego Comic-Con, which was held at the El Cortez Hotel with Bill Lund as Chairman. (I received the negatives from Shel’s friend and cartooning partner Charlie Roberts.

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The Charles Schulz Snoopy Roll From Comic-Con 1974

January 26, 2011

Artist Matt Lorentz (who co-produced the AfterCon art show to benefit the Shel Dorf New Talent Encouragement Fund during Comic-Con 2010) just sent us the above picture. Here’s what he wrote about it.

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The 50th Anniversary of Comic Fandom

September 5, 2010

If a year were to be chosen for the founding of comic fandom, 1961 is the best choice, that 2011 will be the 50th anniversary of that founding – without which there would be no comic cons – and that this would make a great and appropriate theme for Comic-Con International 2011. Now I know that with Comic-Con International 2010 little more than a month in the past and the APE and Wondercon conventions looming ahead, the Comic-Con staff and board members are probably not particularly anxious to start programming for CCI 2011, but I think the best possible guest of honor to invite would be Roy Thomas and that Jerry Bails – who passed away in 2006 – should receive recognition as a posthumous guest of honor in spirit. I think it would also be very cool if Dick and Pat Lupoff and Maggie Thompson were invited as special guests in connection with the anniversary theme. Anyone else agree?

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Audio from 1974 Comic-Con Committee Television Interviews

August 13, 2010

Bill Lund recently sent me a couple of audio recordings of television interviews that were done for the 1974 Comic-Con. The recordings were supplied to him by Jean Graham, who at the time was known as Jeannie Peacock. (Jean was a key person in 1970’s San Diego Star Trek fandom, which contributed a lot of help and enthusiasm to the Comic-Cons of those days.) The 1974 Comic-Con was held July 31 – August 5, 1974.

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Shel Dorf and Ken Krueger to be Honored at Comic-Con 2010

July 11, 2010

Comic-Con Founder Shel Dorf and Chairman of Comic-Con #1 Ken Krueger will be honored at Comic-Con this year. Shel and Ken, who were friends and mutual admirers, both passed away in November 2009. They are truly missed and will be long remembered. In tribute to them, Comic-Con will be presenting the following two panels this year:

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1974 San Diego Comic-Con Photos (Batch 4): Can You Identify People in the Pictures?

June 28, 2010

Here’s the fourth batch of scans from Shel Dorf’s negatives from the 1974 San Diego Comic-Con, which was held at the El Cortez Hotel with Bill Lund as Chairman. Guests, fans, and committee members pictured include Charles Schulz, Ray Bradbury, Dave Stevens, Frank Brunner, Mike Friedrich, Don Glut, Tom Orzechowski, Barry Alfonso, Shel Dorf, Igor Goldkind, John McGeehan, and Bill Schanes.

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Update to Comics Dealer Extraordinaire Robert Beerbohm: In His Own Words

June 24, 2010

Comics and collectible dealer Robert Beerbohm (who has been to every San Diego Comic-Con since the first annual event in August 1970) has sent in the following update to his personal history of his life in comics fandom. (The full article may be read here.)

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