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Richard Alf Papers MS-0523
Kim Schwenk and Dianna Serrano Special Collections & University Archives 5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050 San Diego, CA 92182-8050 [email protected] URL: http://library.sdsu.edu/scua
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 1 Contributing Institution: Special Collections & University Archives Title: Richard Alf Papers Creator: Alf, Richard Identifier/Call Number: MS-0523 Physical Description: 11.11 Linear Feet Date (inclusive): 1955-2011 Date (bulk): 1968-1977 Language of Material: English . Scope and Contents Materials in the Richard Alf Papers document Alf's various businesses, including his comic book mail order business and store, as well as his involvement with San Diego Comic-Con, the largest comic and pop culture convention in the world. The collection includes correspondence, original artwork, publications, business files, and San Diego Comic-Con materials. The collection is divided into four series: Personal Files, Professional Files, Convention Files, and Audiovisual Recordings. The Personal Files date from 1965-2011, and include two subseries: Correspondence and Subject Files. The Correspondence includes personal correspondence with family and friends, holiday cards, invitations, notices, and solicitations. The Subject Files include: notes; original art; photographs; Vietnam draft materials, magazines, marijuana materials, and items relating to Shel Dorf, comic artist and co-founder of San Diego Comic-Con. Also included are drafts and final copies of autobiographical essays about Alf's life and his involvement with San Diego Comic-Con. The Professional Files (1967-1997) document Alf's various entreprenuerial enterprises and are divided into four sub-series: Mail Order Comics Business, Comic Kingdom, Baseball Collectibles, and Other Businesses. The Mail Order Comic Business (1967-1997) sub-series documents the operation of Alf's mail-order comics businesses, the first of which was started while Alf was still in high school in 1969. The sub-series includes selling lists, mail order advertisements, and correspondence with customers and other mail order businesses. Highlights include correspondence with Carleton Palmer, a young illustrator whom Alf comissioned to illustrate his mailing lists and flyters. His letters contain original sketches as well as information about draft dodging. The majority of materials in this series date from 1969 to 1974. The files are arranged into three sub-series: Advertising Files, Correspondence, and Administrative files. The Comic Kingdom files (1974-1977), arranged alphabeically, include inventory lists, promotional materials, advertisements, news clippings, and general office files. Of particular note is an original illustration for the Comic Kingdom certificate. The Baseball Collectibles Business sub-series dates from 1989-1990 and documents Alf's mail order baseball card collecting and trading business. The series includes baseball card inventories as well as advertisements, invoices, and correspondence. The Other Businesses series contains a small amount of material from Alf's video game mail order business, Fun N Games, as well as a folder of business cards and photos from Alf's other careers as a real estate agent, advertising executive, and sign maker. The Convention Files (1965-2011) are divided into two sub-series: the San Diego Comic-Con Files and Comics and Fandom Conventions. The San Diego Comic-Con Files date from 1965-2011 and are arranged alphabetically. This series includes letters from some of the earliest conventions in 1970 and 1971 as well as correspondence about the "Secret History of the Con" panel at San Diego Comic-Con. This series also includes convention badges, flyers, forms, posters, and photographs. The Comics and Fandom Conventions series dates from 1965-2010, and includes programs and materials from various comic and fandom conventions outside of San Diego including Comic Book Expo, Worldcon, LA Con, WonderCon and more. The Audiovisual Recordings series includes sound recordings, film reels, audio cassettes, VHS, CDs, and DVDs, many of which are not labelled. This series is unavailable for research at this time. Analog footage has not yet been transferred due to limited resources. Please contact the head of Special Collections for access or more information. Arrangement Note I. Personal Files, 1965-2011 1. Correspondence,1965-2010 2. Subject Files, 1955-2011 II. Professional Files, 1967-1997 1. Mail Order Comics Business, 1963-1997 A. Advertising Files, 1969-1985 B. Correspondence, 1967-1997 C. Administrative Files, 1967-1976 2. Comic Kingdom Store, 1974-1977 3. Baseball Collectibles Business, 1989-1990
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 2 4. Other Businesses, c. 1990s III. Convention Files, 1965-2011 1. San Diego Comic-Con Files, 1965-2011 2. Comics and Fandom Conventions, 1965-2010 IV. Audiovisual Recordings Conditions Governing Access This collection is open for research. All of the audiovisual materials represented in series IV of the Richard Alf Papers are restricted. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you would like to contribute to the digital transfer of these obsolete formats, please contact Robert Ray, Head of Special Collections and University Archives at [email protected]. Conditions Governing Use The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Source of Acquisition Martha Alf and Ed Cormier Accruals and Additions 2012-028 (Alf), 2012-033 (Cormier) Related Materials Comics and Science Fiction Fandom Collection Donna Barr Papers Zines and Minicomics Collection The Comic-Con Kids: Finding and Defining Fandom (interviews with early Comic-Con organizers and participants, including Richard Alf) Preferred Citation Identification of item, folder title, box number, Richard Alf Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, San Diego State University Library. Biographical Note Richard Alf, a co-founder of Comic-Con, was born in San Diego, California on January 26, 1952. He was an avid comics collector and at the age of twelve, began buying and selling comics through Rocket's Blast Comicollector (RBCC). In 1968, he published and distributed his own list of comics for sale. Two years later, he sold his mail-order business in order to attend the University of California, San Diego (1970-1972), and later San Diego State University (1972-1974). In 1969, Alf met Shel Dorf. Together with a small group of other fans (including Mike Towry and Ken Krueger), they formed an organizing committee for San Diego's Golden State Comic-Minicon. The committee produced, promoted, and ran the minicon in March of 1970 with 100 attendees. It served as a one day test run for the larger three-day San Diego Comic-Con that was held in August of that same year. Alf used income from his comic mail-order business to help finance the venture. Both conventions were held at the U.S. Grant Hotel and emphasized comic books, science fiction, and film. Alf became chairman of the second Comic-Con, which was held at Muir College on the UCSD campus in 1971. Under his direction, Comic-Con expanded its committee base by networking with other fandoms outside of the original mandate. The third Comic-Con, held at the El Cortez Hotel in 1972, had over 1,000 attendees. In 1974, Alf created a new collectible comic book mail-order business, and a year later he opened Comic Kingdom, one of San Diego's first comic book retail stores. In 1976, he sold it to the store manager, and in 1978, he sold his mail-order business to Mile High Comics of Colorado. From 1980 to 1992, Alf worked in advertising for several different companies, specializing in billboards. In 1989, he began a mail order baseball collectibles business, and from 1990 to 2003, he bought and sold pre-owned video games and systems through mail-order and retail sales.
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 3 At the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con, Alf and other early Comic-Con founders spoke as part of the "Secret History of the Con" panel, commemorating the 40th anniversary. Alf died on January 4, 2012. Subjects and Indexing Terms Alf, Richard--Archives Comic books, strips, etc.--Collectors and collecting Underground comic books, strips, etc. Comic books, strips, etc. San Diego (Calif.)--History Personal Papers
Personal Files Series 1
box 1 Correspondence Sub-Series 1
box 1, folder 1 Alf, Martha Folder 1 1965-1998 box 1, folder 2 Blumling, Kath and Tom Thetford Folder 2 1993-2000 box 1, folder 3 Dorf, Shel Folder 3 1970-2005 box 1, folder 4 Kocsis, Steve Folder 4 1998 box 1, folder 5 MacDonald, Holly Folder 5 1997 box 1, folder 6 McKinney, Phyllis Folder 6 1997-2004 box 1, folder 7 Moore, Clayton and Therese Folder 7 1997-2000 box 1, folder 8 Valentino, Jim Folder 8 2009 box 1, folder 9 Holiday cards Folder 9 1968-1998 box 1, folder 10 Invitations, notices, and solicitations Folder 10 1996-2010 box 1, folder 11 General correspondence Folder 11 1974-2009
Subject Files Sub-Series 2
box 1, folder 12 Ackerman, Forrest "Famous Monsters of Filmland" calendar Folder 12 1992 Scope and Contents signed "Have a great year - Forrest Ackerman"
box 1, folder 13 Alf-Dorf collaborations Folder 13 1969-1989 box 1, folder 14 AlfMag Folder 14 box 1, folder 15 Alf personal notes Folder 15 box 1, folder 16 Biographical information Folder 16 box 2, folder 1 City of La Mesa Annual Report Folder 1 c. 1955 box 2, folder 2 Comic and fanzine advertisement flyers Folder 2 box 2, folder 3 Comic art sketches Folder 3 box 2, folder 4 Dorf, Shel - Fan Club and Entourage Folder 4 1984-2011 Scope and Contents Includes Fortune magazine, inscribed cover and autograph by Gary Hallgren, 1984 - "Shel Dorf - May Cartooning Be Your 'Fortune'."
box 2, folder 5 Dorf, Shel in memorium Folder 5 2009-2010 box 2, folder 6 Dorf, Shel in publications Folder 6 1965-2011 box 2, folder 7 Fine Print Distributors Catalog Folder 7 1996-1997 box 2, folder 8 High Times Folder 8 March 1985; October 1996 box 2, folder 9 How Mail Order Fortunes are Made by Alfred Stern Folder 9 1984
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 4 Personal Files Series 1 Subject Files Sub-Series 2
box 3, folder 1 How to Make Your Fortune with Books by Owen Bates and Neal Michaels Folder 1 1984 box 3, folder 2 Johnson, George Clayton Folder 2 2009-2010 box 3, folder 3 Kensington Video Film List Folder 3 c. 1994 box 3, folder 4 Legal Highs: a Concise Encyclopedia of Legal Herbs and Chemicals with Psychoactive Properties Folder 4 1973 box 3, folder 5 Musical compositions Folder 5 box 3, folder 6 Newsclippings about Alf and comics Folder 6 1967-2009 box 3, folder 7 Photographs Folder 7 c. 1970-2009 box 3, folder 8 Photographs: Visit to San Francisco Folder 8 1996 box 3, folder 9 Photographs: San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park Folder 9 1997 box 3, folder 10 Planet Earth Directory and Projectory Folder 10 box 3, folder 11 Pop Smear Magazine, issue 18 Folder 11 November / December 1998 box 3, folder 12 Publishers Central Bureau Catalog Folder 12 box 3, folder 13 Research materials on the military draft Folder 13 1968 box 3, folder 14 Schwartz, Julius Folder 14 1989 box 3, folder 15 Sleepy Hollow Society fanzine created by Alf Folder 15 box 3, folder 16 Things to do and see in San Diego Folder 16 c. 1950s box 3, folder 17 "The Universal Life Church (ULC) News" Folder 17 summer and fall 1998 box 4, folder 1 WWF Battlemania Folder 1 August 1991 box 4, folder 2 The Wrapper Non-Sports Collectibles Folder 2 April 1 - May 15, 1993 box 18, item 1 San Diego State College softball Item 1 box 19 Trading Cards and Ephemera 1969-2009 Scope and Contents Includes sporting trading cards, comics and superhero cards, pop culture cards, and marijuana trading cards. Also includes, deck of Magic, the Gathering role playing card game and cloth badges from the 200th Anniversary of San Diego.
box 20 - OVRSZ, Promotional buttons Item 1 item 1 box 20 - OVRSZ, Promotional buttons Item 2 item 2 box 21 - OVRSZ, Original artwork and posters (some signed) Folder 1 folder 1 box 21 - OVRSZ, Movie Collector's World, no. 320 Folder 2 July 7, 1989 folder 2 box 21 - OVRSZ, The Obecian, vol. 2, issue 9 Folder 3 Oct / Nov 1997 folder 3 box 21 - OVRSZ, On the Avenue, vol. 4, no. 9 Folder 4 September 1998 folder 4 box 21 - OVRSZ, O'Shaughnessy's Folder 5 Autumn 2005 folder 5 box 21 - OVRSZ, Sunrise, issue 18 Folder 6 November 4, 1970 folder 6 box 21 - OVRSZ, West Coast Leaf, vol. 2, no. 3 Folder 7 Autumn 2009 folder 7 flat_file 17:5 OVRSZ Flat File 17:5 flat_file 17:5, Portrait of Alf by Clayton A. Moore Item 1 2012 item 1 Professional Files Series 2
Mail Order Comics Business Sub-Series 1
Advertising Files Sub-Series 1 box 4, folder 3 Early correspondence record Folder 3 1973-1974 box 4, folder 4 Boy's Life Magazine Folder 4 1974
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 5 Professional Files Series 2 Mail Order Comics Business Sub-Series 1
box 4, folder 5 The Buyer's Guide, Fan publication Folder 5 1973-1978 box 4, folder 6 Caper's Weekly Folder 6 1974 box 4, folder 7 Comic Reader Folder 7 1976-1977 box 4, folder 8 DC Comics Folder 8 1974-1978 box 4, folder 9 Film Collector's World Folder 9 1976-1977 box 4, folder 10 Grit Publishing Company Folder 10 1973-1974 box 4, folder 11 Ironside Folder 11 1976 box 4, folder 12 Marvel Comics Group Folder 12 1969-1985 box 4, folder 13 National Central Bureau Folder 13 1973-1974 box 4, folder 14 Pacific Comics Distributors Folder 14 box 4, folder 15 Scholastic Magazines Group Folder 15 1974 box 4, folder 16 Seanoard Comics Group Folder 16 1974-1975 box 4, folder 17 Sorcerer's Apprentice Folder 17 1974 box 5, folder 1 Stan's Weekly Express Folder 1 1969-1970 box 5, folder 2 Stan's Weekly Express Folder 2 1970-1974 box 5, folder 3 Syndicate, Inc. ( The Nostalgia Journal) Folder 3 1975-1976 box 5, folder 4 Touchstone Folder 4 1970 Correspondence Sub-Series 2 box 5, folder 5 Killea, Lucy Folder 5 1989 box 5, folder 6 Overstreet, Bob ( Comic Book Price Guide) Folder 6 1974-1976 box 5, folder 7 Palmer, Carleton Folder 7 1969-1970 box 5, folder 8 Robertson, Mike Folder 8 1969-1970 box 5, folder 9 Soon, Herman Folder 9 1969-1971 box 5, folder 10 Mail order correspondence Folder 10 1967 box 5, folder 11 Mail order correspondence Folder 11 1968 box 5, folder 12 Mail order correspondence Folder 12 1968 box 6, folder 1 Mail order correspondence Folder 1 1968 box 6, folder 2 Mail order correspondence Folder 2 1969 box 6, folder 3 Mail order correspondence Folder 3 1969 box 6, folder 4 Mail order correspondence Folder 4 1969 box 6, folder 5 Mail order correspondence Folder 5 1969 box 6, folder 6 Mail order correspondence Folder 6 1969 box 7, folder 1 Mail order correspondence Folder 1 1970 box 7, folder 2 Mail order correspondence Folder 2 1970 box 7, folder 3 Mail order correspondence Folder 3 1970 box 7, folder 4 Mail order correspondence Folder 4 1970 box 7, folder 5 Mail order correspondence Folder 5 1970 box 7, folder 6 Mail order correspondence Folder 6 1970 box 8, folder 1 Mail order correspondence Folder 1 1973-1975 box 8, folder 2 Mail order correspondence Folder 2 1976-1997 Administrative Files Sub-Series 3 box 8, folder 3 Circulation, mailing record and inventories Folder 3 box 8, folder 4 Fictitious business name statements and business license Folder 4 1972-1974 box 8, folder 5 Mail order purchasing lists Folder 5 1970-1976 box 8, folder 6 Mail order selling lists Folder 6 1968-1975 box 8, folder 7 Other vendors Folder 7 1967-1976 box 8, folder 8 Packaging and Mailing Hints Folder 8 box 8, folder 9 Payments and money owed Folder 9 1969 - 1970 box 8, folder 10 Promotional materials: inserts, flyers, handouts Folder 10 box 8, folder 11 Quarterly Reports Folder 11 1969 box 9, folder 1 Selling lists Folder 1 box 9, folder 2 Seuling, Paul mail order selling lists Folder 2 1968-1973 box 20 - OVRSZ, Rubber stamp: Free Comics Item 1 item 1 box 20 - OVRSZ, Rubber stamp: Richard Alf, Box 20622, San Diego, CA 92120 Item 2 item 2 box 20 - OVRSZ, Rubber stamp: Richard Alf Item 3 item 3
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 6 Professional Files Series 2 Mail Order Comics Business Sub-Series 1
box 20 - OVRSZ, Rubber stamp: Richard Alf, 286-9911 Item 4 item 4
Comic Kingdom Store Sub-Series 2
box 9, folder 3 Advertising agreements and receipts Folder 3 1974-1976 box 9, folder 4 Better Business Bureau Folder 4 1975 box 9, folder 5 DBA (Doing Business As) filing / Business plan Folder 5 1975 box 9, folder 6 "Elf-size Epic: Alf" comic Folder 6 1975 box 9, folder 7 Incoming merchandise and vendors Folder 7 1975-1976 box 9, folder 8 Inventory lists Folder 8 box 9, folder 9 Order forms Folder 9 box 9, folder 10 News clippings Folder 10 1975 box 9, folder 11 Promotional materials Folder 11 box 9, folder 12 Store lease and correspondence with the landlord Folder 12 1975-1977 box 21 - OVRSZ, Comics Kingdom promotional materials (including original art) Folder 8 1975 folder 8
Baseball Collectibles Business Sub-Series 3
box 9, folder 13 Ad mock-ups Folder 13 1989 box 9, folder 14 Baseball America advertising correspondence and invoices Folder 14 1989 box 10, folder 1 Baseball America Folder 1 April - July 1989 Scope and Contents issues with marked advertisements
box 10, folder 2 Baseball Digest advertising correspondence and invoices Folder 2 1989 box 10, folder 3 Baseball Digest Folder 3 September - October 1989 Scope and Contents issues with marked advertisements
box 10, folder 4 Business plan binder Folder 4 June 20, 1989 box 10, folder 5 Card price lists Folder 5 1989 box 10, folder 6 Customer inquiries Folder 6 1989 box 10, folder 7 Form letters to customers Folder 7 August 10, 1989 box 10, folder 8 Sports History advertising correspondence and invoices Folder 8 1989-1990 box 10, folder 9 Sports History Folder 9 July and November 1989, January 1990 Scope and Contents issues with marked advertisements
box 10, folder 10 Sport Magzine adavertising correspondence and invoices Folder 10 1989 box 10, folder 11 Sport Magazine Folder 11 September - October 1989 box 11, folder 1 The Sporting News advertising correspondence and invoices Folder 1 1989
box 11 Other Businesses Sub-Series 4
box 11, folder 2 Empire Sign Company Folder 2 box 11, folder 3 Fun-n-Games Folder 3 1992 box 11, folder 4 Real estate, advertising, and sign business cards Folder 4 Convention Files Series 3
San Diego Comic-Con Files Sub-Series 1
box 11, folder 5 Badges Folder 5 c. 1975-2009
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 7 Convention Files Series 3 San Diego Comic-Con Files Sub-Series 1
box 11, folder 6 Certificate of Attendance, Fandom Reunion Folder 6 2011 box 11, folder 7 Convention meetings Folder 7 1989-1991 box 11, folder 8 Correspondence: Alfonso, Barry Folder 8 2009 box 11, folder 9 Correspondence: Cawley, John M., Jr. Folder 9 1970-1971 box 11, folder 10 Correspondence: Desmond, D. Fae Folder 10 2009 box 11, folder 11 Correspondence: Estrada, Jackie Folder 11 2009 box 11, folder 12 Correspondence: Friedrich, Mike Folder 12 1971 box 11, folder 13 Correspondence: Goggins, Janet Folder 13 2009 box 11, folder 14 Correspondence: Love, G.B. Folder 14 1970-1971 box 11, folder 15 Correspondence: Rowe, Pete Folder 15 2009 box 11, folder 16 Correspondence: San Diego State University Folder 16 2010 box 11, folder 17 Correspondence: Towry, J.M. (Mike) Folder 17 2009 box 11, folder 18 Correspondence: Trimble, Bjo Comic-Con Report Folder 18 1971 box 11, folder 19 Correspondence: Wheeler, Rod Folder 19 1971 box 11, folder 20 Flyers Folder 20 1970-2009 box 12, folder 1 Forms, Rules, and Regulations Folder 1 1991-1995 box 12, folder 2 History Folder 2 1989-2009 box 12, folder 3 Letterhead and Envelopes Folder 3 1989-2009 box 12, folder 4 News clippings Folder 4 1965-2012 box 12, folder 5 Notes Folder 5 2009-2010 box 12, folder 6 Photographs Folder 6 box 12, folder 7 Programs Folder 7 1970-1977 box 12, folder 8 "San Diego in '74" [San Diego Fandom directory] Folder 8 1994 box 12, folder 9 San Diego's Golden State Comic-Con Folder 9 1971 box 12, folder 10 San Diego's Golden State Comic-Con: UCSD facilities Folder 10 1971 box 12, folder 11 Tickets Folder 11 1970-2011 box 20 - OVRSZ, San Diego Comic-Con volunteer t-shirt Item 1 1984 item 1 box 20 - OVRSZ, San Diego Comic-Con buttons Item 2 20th annual, 1994 item 2 box 21 - OVRSZ, San Diego Comic-Con Photographs (2) Folder 9 folder 9 box 21 - OVRSZ, San Diego Comic-Con promotional posters Folder 10 1971, 1975, 2011 folder 10 flat_file 17:5 Promotional materials, includes posters from 1978 and 1981 Comic-Con Flat File 17:5
Comic and Fandom Conventions Sub-Series 2
box 12, folder 12 Blackthrone Folder 12 1986-1987 box 13, folder 1 Cinecon Folder 1 1999-2009 box 13, folder 2 Comic Book Expo Folder 2 1986-1998 box 13, folder 3 Dallascon Folder 3 1973 box 13, folder 4 Equicon Folder 4 1973 box 13, folder 5 Horror Science Fiction and Fantasy World Convention Folder 5 1993 box 13, folder 6 Los Angeles Con Folder 6 1972-1975 box 13, folder 7 Mahalo Con Folder 7 1996 box 13, folder 8 Medieval Con Folder 8 1973 box 13, folder 9 Mythcon Folder 9 1971-1972 box 13, folder 10 New York Comic Art Convention Folder 10 1974-1977 box 13, folder 11 San Diego's Science Fiction Society (S.T.A.R.) Folder 11 box 13, folder 12 Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Convention Folder 12 1972 box 13, folder 13 Triple Fan Fair Folder 13 1965-1968 box 13, folder 14 Viridian Starfire Folder 14 1971 box 13, folder 15 Westercon Folder 15 1972-1974 box 13, folder 16 West Coast Science Fantasy Conference Folder 16 1973 box 13, folder 17 Wonder Con Folder 17 2010 box 13, folder 18 Miscellaneous Folder 18 1973-1993
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 8 Convention Files Series 3 Comic and Fandom Conventions Sub-Series 2
box 20 - OVRSZ, Comic Book Expo buttons / pins Item 1 1989, 1991-1993 item 1 box 20 - OVRSZ, LA Con button Item 2 1972 item 2 box 20 - OVRSZ, Worldcon button Item 3 1974 item 3 box 14, box 15, Audio and Visual Recordings Series 4 box 16, box 17 Scope and Contents Due to lack of funding, we are currently unable to digitize these analog A/V formats. As a result, these materials are unavailable for research at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you would like to contribute to the transfer of these obsolete formats, please contact Robert Ray, Head of Special Collections and University Archives at [email protected]
Richard Alf Papers MS-0523 MS-0523 9