A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF COMIC-CON The 2000s THE MODERN AGE OF COMIC-CON Comic-Con exploded in the 2000s, becoming a veritable pop culture juggernaut. While Comic-Con kept its focus as the “big tent” comics show, Hollywood movie studios and TV networks discovered the power of the Con to preview new films and shows. COMIC-CON 50 www.comic-con.org 1 OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP ROW: Sir Ian McKellen met a friend in the Exhibit 2000 Hall while signing 2000 at the Marvel COMIC-CON 31 booth; the first COMIC-CON 31 X-Men movie had just premiered the weekend of Comic- Con. NOTABLE JULY 20–23 MIDDLE ROW: GUESTS Masquerade PHOEBE GLOECKNER San Diego contestants include Comic writer-artist, Convention Futurama’s Bender and Leela and a trio A Child’s Life Center of DC’s “spooky” heroes: The Spectre, Dr. Fate, and the BEN KATCHOR Attendance: Phantom Stranger. 48,500 Cartoonist, Julius Knipl, BOTTOM: The EC Real Estate Photographer Comics Reunion was one of the high Comic-Con celebrated the 50th points of Comic- anniversary of EC Comics by Con 2000, with (left HARRY KNOWLES bringing in as many of the still- to right) Jack Davis, Internet writer and critic, Adele Kurtzman, Al living artists as possible, along Feldstein, Angelo Ain’t It Cool News with Adele Kurtzman (widow Torres, Will Elder, of Harvey) and Anne Gaines and Marie Severin (widow of Bill). The Autograph among the comics Area expanded and moved to line’s greats who JEPH LOEB the Sails Pavilion on the upper came to San Diego. Comic book writer, level. This was a big year for the Batman: The Long Halloween Internet, with online companies taking space on the Exhibit Hall floor and participating in an TIM SALE “Online Showcase” program- ming track. Anime continued Comic book artist, to explode, prompting an “An- Batman: The Long Halloween ime Showcase” programming track. Sunday became Kids’ Day, with lots of programming geared to all ages. Hollywood LEWIS TRONDHEIM started to gear up with direc- French cartoonist, tor Bryan Singer, who talked McCloney, Dungeon about X-Men, which opened the weekend of Comic-Con. But the biggie was New Line’s showing THIS PAGE, TOP: William Stout’s cover managed to salute a EC 50th GUESTS: of a featurette on the making lot of the Comic-Con 2000 themes, all in a piece of art that of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, evoked the classic EC Comics of the 1950s. Will Elder, Al Feldstein, complete with an unannounced ABOVE: 2000’s official T-shirt recalled a seminal moment in Anne Gaines, Jack Kamen, appearance by Sir Ian McKellen, comic book history: Silver Age Flash meets Golden Age Flash. Adele Kurtzman, who stopped by on his way to Marie Severin, Angelo Torres, New Zealand to begin filming. LEFT: Comic-Con’s publications became more and more sophisticated in the 2000s and often featured new art. Al Williamson COMIC-CON 50 Souvenir Book cover art © 2019 William Stout; characters TM & © 2019 respective copyright holders • Flash and Batman TM & © DC Comics COMIC-CON 50 2 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 3 OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP ROW: Will Eisner with author Michael Chabon. 2001 Eisner was one of 2001 the influences on COMIC-CON 32 Chabon’s award- COMIC-CON 32 winning novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. NOTABLE JULY 19–22 MIDDLE ROW, LEFT: Kevin Smith GUESTS introduced his San Diego daughter, Harley Convention Quinn Smith, to the world. Center BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Comic book writer RIGHT: Batman and Robin kept Comic- Daredevil, Ultimate Spider-Man Attendance: Con safe for citizens 53,000 of all ages. BOTTOM: The MICHAEL CHABON programming Author, The Amazing Adven- The San Diego Convention Center rooms became tures of Kavalier & Clay opened a gigantic new expansion more sophisticated in 2001, doubling its space. The in the 2000s in both ground floor now included exhibi- appearance and tor space in Hall D (although use of technical equip- FRANK CHO the rest of the new portion—Halls E ment. through H—was yet to come). This Comic book writer-artist, turned out to be the last year for THIS PAGE, TOP: Liberty Meadows Comic Book Expo and ProCon, with Jeff Smith’s incred- ible Bone cover for the former being folded into Comic- the Souvenir Book. Con. The big addition for 2001 was JULIE DOUCET Preview Night, an advance view of RIGHT: Green Arrow the Exhibit Hall on the night before French-Canadian cartoonist, was one of DC the official opening of Comic-Con. Comics’ big books Dirty Plotte Something else new this year was for 2001, written the CCI-IFF—Comic-Con’s Indepen- by Kevin Smith dent Film Festival—which launched with covers by Matt BRIAN & WENDY FROUD as Film Fest Friday. One of the major Wagner, who did programming highlights was au- this official T-shirt British fantasy illustrators, thor Michael Chabon (The Amazing design. film designers, Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which took place in the comics world) in- BELOW: Archie and Dark Crystal, Faeries terviewing comics icon Will Eisner. the gang made one Hollywood programming stepped more appearance at up, with studios presenting advance the Con. DAN SPIEGLE looks on such films as Tim Burton’s Comic book artist, Planet of the Apes, From Hell, Jet Li’s The One, and John Carpenter’s Blackhawk, Crossfire Ghosts of Mars. But the must-see event was a first-time appearance by Sam Raimi to talk about Spider- JHONEN VASQUEZ Man. Because of the Masquerade’s Comic book writer-artist, popularity on Saturday night, tick- ets (issued free) were introduced for Johnny the Homicidal Maniac the event. COMIC-CON 50 Bone © 2019 Jeff Smith • Green Arrow TM & © DC Comics • Archie TM & © 2019 Archie Publications COMIC-CON 50 4 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 5 OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: A look at the 2002 Exhibit Hall. Comic-Con began 2002 to quickly fill the 2002 new Convention COMIC-CON 33 Center expansion COMIC-CON 33 space that opened in 2001. MIDDLE ROW: Hol- lywood came call- NOTABLE AUGUST 1–4 ing once again with (left to right) Arnold GUESTS Schwarzenegger San Diego making a surprise Convention appearance for Terminator 3; direc- Center tor James Cameron FRANK JACOBS promoting Solaris, Comic book writer, humorist, and movie legend Attendance: Ray Harryhausen. MAD magazine 63,000 BOTTOM: The Hobbits took over Ballroom 20 with JASON a Lord of the Rings Norwegian cartoonist, Attendance jumped an astounding panel featuring Hey, Wait, Sshhhh! 10,000 in one year. The Exhibit Hall Billy Boyd, Elijah expanded into Hall E in the new Wood, and Dominic addition of the Convention Center. Monaghan. CHIP KIDD With the increased size, areas on THIS PAGE TOP: the floor were set up to congregate The 50th anniver- Author, book designer, specific kinds of exhibitors: the In- sary of MAD was the Peanuts: The Art of dependent Publishers’ Pavilion, Souvenir Book cover Gold and Silver Age Pavilion, and topic. Charles M. Schulz Lord of the Rings Pavilion, plus areas RIGHT: Joe Kubert’s for manga, toy manufacturers, game Sgt. Rock took com- companies, major comics publish- mand of the official CRAIG McCRACKEN ers, and alternative comics publish- T-shirt. ers. More programming rooms were Artist, animator, creator, added in the Convention Center, BELOW: The Death Powerpuff Girls and Ballroom 20 in the new section Star made an ap- pearance at Comic- of the Convention Center became Con, just before it home to the big media programs, was attacked by the TONY MILLIONAIRE the Eisner Awards, and the Mas- Rebels. querade. This was the last year the Cartoonist, Inkpot Awards were given out at the Maakies, Sock Monkey Eisners, thus ending Scott Shaw!’s popular run as MC for the Inkpots. The CCI-IFF expanded to all four days. The Hollywood floodgates LEW SAYRE SCHWARTZ truly burst open, with numerous Comic book artist, big-name celebrities showing up both announced and unannounced: Batman, Detective Comics Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator 3), Ben Affleck (Daredevil), Ron Perl- man (Hellboy), and Elijah Wood with HERB TRIMPE fellow hobbits Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd (Lord of the Rings). Comic book artist, Incredible Hulk COMIC-CON 50 MAD and Sgt. Rock • TM & © DC Comics COMIC-CON 50 6 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 7 OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP LEFT: Stan Lee was an almost- constant presence 2003 at the show through 2003 COMIC-CON 34 the decade. COMIC-CON 34 RIGHT: Halle Berry and Angelina Jolie represented a new JULY 17-20 level of star power NOTABLE at Comic-Con. GUESTS MIDDLE ROW San Diego LEFT: Simpsons cre- Convention ator Matt Groening signed at the Bongo BRIAN AZZARELLO Center Comics Booth. Comic book writer, creator, 100 Bullets MIDDLE ROW, Attendance: RIGHT: The new 70,000 design of the Eisner Awards was inspired SAL BUSCEMA by a page from Scott McCloud’s Comic book artist, The Exhibit Hall expanded to the Understanding Com- Incredible Hulk, Capt. America Convention Center’s Halls F and G, ics, and suggested with Artists’ Alley and the Art Auction by Will Eisner in Hall G, while the Art Show moved himself. to the opposite side, in Hall A. The PHILIPPE DUPUY & big Thursday night event was the BOTTOM: This CHARLES BERBÉRIAN Star Wars Fan Film Awards, hosted Masquerade entry French cartoonist team, by Jeremy Bullock (“Boba Fett”). Ma- featuring characters jor changes were made to the Eisner from Miyazaki’s Spir- Get A Life, Maybe Later Awards ceremony: the Inkpot Awards ited Away shows the were now given out at spotlight level of craftsman- panels, and a newly designed Eisner ship and hardwork STEVE JACKSON trophy was introduced.