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Home , 1979 in comics, Alex Toth, Arrow (comics), Beany and Cecil, Beetle Bailey, Bil Keane

A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF COMIC-CON

THE GOLDEN AGE OF COMIC-CON The 1970s were the formative years of Comic-Con. After finding its home in the El Cortez Hotel in downtown , the event continued to grow and prosper and build a national following.

COMIC-CON 50 www.comic-con.org 1 OPPOSITE PAGE:A flier for the Mini-Con; the program schedule for the event. THIS PAGE: The Program featured a pre-printed cover of Balboa Park; photos from the Mini-Con, which were published in the Program Book for the first three-day MINI-CON Comic-Con held in August (clockwise MINI-CON from left): Forry Ackerman speaking; with some of his art; Comic-Con founding committee member NOTABLE MARCH 21, 1970 at his table; Ackerman at a panel discus- sion and with a ; and Royer sketching GUESTS live on stage. The basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel, Downtown San Diego

Attendance: 100+

Officially known as “San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Minicon” (the hyphen in Minicon comes and goes), this one-day event was held in March to raise funds for the big show in August, and was actually the first-ever West Coast comic convention. Most Comic-Con’s first-ever guest was the popular editor of Famous of those on the organizing com- of Filmland, the favorite mittee were teenagers, with the movie magazine of many of the major exceptions of (a fans of that era. He paid his own recent transplant from way and returned to Comic-Con who had organized the Triple numerous times over the years. Fan Fair there) and bookstore owner . Shel led a fan/ con- tingency that included Richard Alf (who fronted the funds for the first show), , Bar- ry Alfonso, Bill Lund, and Bob Sourk. Krueger, who had been part of ’s first fan- dom, was mentor to a group of young fans (many from Craw- ford High School in San Diego) that included , Dave Clark, Roger Freedman, John MIKE ROYER Best known as ’s Pound, Bill Richardson, and on his Fourth World for Scott Shaw! (nicknamed “The DC , Mike also worked on Woodchucks” after the group in and with Russ the comics). Manning.

COMIC-CON 50 COMIC-CON 50 2 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 3 COMIC-CON 1 COMIC-CON 1

AUGUST 1–3, 1970 NOTABLE GUESTS

The basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel, Convinced to waive his usual appear- Downtown San Diego ance fee when told Comic-Con was a nonprofit organization, science fic- tion writer Ray Bradbury became a Attendance: 300 frequent guest at the show for the rest of his life. OPPOSITE PAGE, : Jack Kirby sketches in one of the first “Chalk Called “San Diego’s Golden State Talks” featured at the convention. JACK KIRBY Comic-Con” because organiz- BELOW: A crowd watching one Comic artist Jack “King” ers were afraid people wouldn’t of the programs listed on the Kirby jump-started Comic-Con by know where San Diego was lo- Saturday and Sunday Program allowing Shel Dorf to visit his home cated, this first full-fledged Con schedule. with a group of young comics fans. Kirby, most famous for his work co- contained all the classic Comic- THIS PAGE ABOVE AND BELOW: creating the , would Con elements: big-name guests Kirby’s cover for the 1970 Souve- attend every Comic-Con (except for from comics and SF/, nir Book. The digest-sized booklet one) until his in 1994. programs, an Exhibit Hall (called also featured exclusive art by vari- the “Hucksters Room”) with ous artists, including the Fantastic collectible comics and movie Four by John Romita (below left), Scott Shaw!’s R. Crumb tribute A. E. VAN VOGT memorabilia, an Art Show, a (below middle), and by Alton Elton van Vogt was one of “Chalk Talk” (including Jack Kir- (below right), the most popular and influential by and editorial Bob authors of of sci- RIGHT: Author Ray Bradbury in Stevens), a charity art auction, ence fiction. When he made his ap- movie screenings (including the first of many Comic-Con ap- pearances until his death in 2012. pearance at Comic-Con in 1970, his Gordon serials), and a Sou- books included Slan, Empire of the venir Book, which also featured , the Isher series, and the - the event’s program. In other A series. words, it set the mold for just about every other convention to follow. Attendees included such pros as Mark Hanerfeld (from DC Comics), , and . The chairman was Ken Krueger, aided and abetted by Richard Alf, “founder and ad- visor” Shel Dorf, John Hull, and Scott Shaw! Tickets cost $3.50 for all three days; hotel rooms cost $12.00 for singles, $15.00 for double occupancy.

COMIC-CON 50 Souvenir Book cover art © Jack Kirby Estate • TM & © 2018 MARVEL COMIC-CON 50 4 2019 Souvenir Book Wee Pals © 2019 , Inc. • Autographs art © 2019 Scott Shaw! www.comic-con.org 5 THIS PAGE, TOP: Jack Kirby immortalizes six of Comic-Con’s founding committee members in the pages of , and with this sketch in COMIC-CON 2 the 1972 Souvenir Book: COMIC-CON 2 Bill Lund, Scott Shaw!, Roger Freedman, Mike Towry, John Pound, and AUGUST 6–8, 1971 Barry Alfonso. NOTABLE BELOW, LEFT: A poster GUESTS advertising the 1971 Muir College event. University of , BELOW RIGHT AND OPPOSITE PAGE San Diego in BOTTOM: The first two Sergio The first (and only) actor to por- Aragonés contributed to tray , , and Attendance: Comic-Con publications. Blackhawk in the serials, Alyn was About 800 OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: at Comic-Con in 1971 to promote ’s 1971 his memoir, A Job for Superman! He Souvenir Book cover, would return in 1976. featuring DC Comics Still called “San Diego’s - characters. en State Comic-Con, 1971 was the only time the event was held on a college cam- Known as the “Queen of Space Op- pus. Out-of-town attendees era,” Brackett was also a screenwrit- slept in dorm rooms at Muir er, with movie credits as diverse as College, UCSD in La Jolla, the 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep, and the at a rate of $3.50 for single first draft of Star Wars: The Empire rooms and $6.00 for doubles. Strikes Back. The convention chair was Richard Alf. The attendee list featured future pros such as Rare photos from the Dealers’ Room, taken by John Clark, Bruce Hamilton, exhibitor Lee Roberts; at left, his 1971 badge. , , (Don’t try sneaking in with this badge next year!) and Bill Wray. In addition to the notable first-time guests listed on the next page, Forry Ackerman, Ray Bradbury, and Jack Kirby returned. Milt Gray and Bob Konikow showed Comic-Con co-chairman Ken Krueger (left) two special reels of Warner with special guest . Brothers cartoons, a popu- lar presentation that was re- EDMOND HAMILTON peated in succeeding years The husband of writer Leigh Brack- and which evolved into the ett, Hamilton was one of the great feature filmBugs Bunny, Su- writers of the Golden Age of Sci- perstar. The Con continued to ence Fiction. His books included the add new features: This year it , Star Kings, and Star was a juried Art Show, which Wolf series. He also wrote comics continues to this day. and contributed many memorable Superman and stories from the into the mid-1960s.

COMIC-CON 50 (opposite page, top) TM & © DC Comics • Characters on 1971 cover (this page, top) and Aragonés (bottom) TM & © DC Comics COMIC-CON 50 6 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 7 LEFT: The 1972 Comic-Con logo; now called “San Diego’s West Coast Comic-Con.” COMIC-CON 3 BELOW LEFT: COMIC-CON 3 A 1970s badge.

BELOW RIGHT: Superman sketch by Curt NOTABLE AUGUST 18–20 Swan, the dean of Super- man artists. GUESTS El Cortez Hotel Downtown San Diego Attendance: Artist/, Over 900 , The Show

Now called “San Diego’s West Coast Comic-Con,” the show was held for the first time at the El Science fiction author, Cortez Hotel in downtown San Stainless series, Diego, which would become Bill the Galactic Hero one of the most-loved venues for the event in its 50-year history. The room rate was $13 single/$16 double. Convention KATHERINE KURTZ memberships were $2.50/day Fantasy author, and $5.00 for all three days. The the Deryni novels, convention co-chairs were Rich- of Camber of ard Alf and Mike Towry. Anima- Culdi series tor Bob Clampett (, The Beany and Cecil Show) came out of retirement to meet fans for the first time, and came back in subsequent years. The Syndicated cartoonist, Souvenir Book was filled with , drawings from such fan favorite artists as , C. C. Beck, , , , Charles Schulz, , and . TOP: Jack Kirby’s cover for the 1972 Souvenir Book showcased his new books for DC Com- ics: , The Last Boy on Earth and The Demon. ABOVE: Bob Clampett MIDDLE: A 1970s Comic-Con bumper sticker. with volunteer Wendy All; LEFT: C. C. Beck’s sketch. RIGHT: Clampett art in RIGHT: Frank Frazetta’s sketch from the 1972 the Souvenir Book. Souvenir Book.

COMIC-CON 50 Superman TM & © DC Comics • Bugs Bunny © WB , Cecil © Bob Clampett Kamandi, The Demon, Capt. Marvel: TM & © DC Comics • Frazetta sketch © Frazetta Estate • Miss Peach © Melvin Lazarus Family Trust 2019 COMIC-CON 50 8 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 9 RIGHT: The guest list continued to grow as shown in this poster for the 1973 show’s “4 Fantastic Days.” Star COMIC-CON 4 Trek’s COMIC-CON 4 was also on hand.

BELOW: Snoopy sends his regrets, NOTABLE AUGUST 16–19 but his “owner,” Charles Schulz, GUESTS would be a guest at Comic-Con in 1974. Sheraton Hotel, BOTTOM: A map of Harbor Island the Con’s facilities at the Sheraton Hotel on Harbor Island. GUS ARRIOLA Attendance: Syndicated cartoonist, Gordo 1,000+ The show officially became , “San Diego Comic-Con,” a name Batman, , X-Men, it would keep until 1995. The /Green event expanded to four days; it moved from the El Cortez Hotel to the Sheraton Hotel on Harbor D. C. FONTANA Island, near the airport, for one year, due to the Con committee TV scriptwriter, getting a late start on planning. The chair was Bill Lund and co- OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Neal Adams’ cover featured The Spectre chair was Steve Schanes. The and battling. guest list kept growing with ap- MIDDLE LEFT: Shel Dorf with guest ; RIGHT: Jack Kirby, JUNE FORAY pearances by comic book greats Neal Adams, , Bernie Lansky, and Ed Nizyborski. Voice actress, Neal Adams and Carmine Infan- BOTTOM: A shot from the Exhibit Hall, circa 1973. The and Bullwinkle tino; Bradbury, van Vogt, and Show, How the Grinch Kirby all returned. The first ce- Stole Christmas, lebrity brunch was held, in which attendees could sign up to be numerous WB Cartoons seated with their favorite guests. The Souvenir Book expanded to 96 pages, including a Neal Adams MIKE FRIEDRICH cover, and featured Mark Evanier’s Comic book writer, song parody, “Comic-Con Tonight!” publisher, Star*Reach

CARMINE INFANTINO Comic book artist, Flash, , Batman, DC Comics editorial director and publisher

COMIC-CON 50 Snoopy © Worldwide LLC 2019 • Capt. Marvel TM & © DC Comics • Broom Hilda © LLC 2019 Spectre, Deadman TM & © DC Comics • Kirby, et al. photo by Shel Dorf COMIC-CON 50 10 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 11 LEFT: The 1974 poster listed RIGHT: ’s Souvenir Book cover all the amazing guests. By this poked good-natured fun at Star Trek, a time word had gotten out and definite fan-favorite with the Comic-Con more and more professionals crowd. of all kinds started coming to COMIC-CON 5 Comic-Con. MIDDLE: A look at the 1974 Exhibit Hall. COMIC-CON 5 BELOW, LEFT: A BOTTOM: That jam piece of art, featur- piece in the Souvenir Book. ing an epic fight between the awesome of Broom Hilda and The Demon. BELOW, RIGHT: Peanuts creator Poor Snoopy and Linus are caught in NOTABLE JULY 31–AUG. 5 Charles Schulz made his only the middle. Art by , Charles Comic-Con appearance. He’s Schulz, and Jack Kirby, GUESTS El Cortez Hotel seen here on stage sketching Linus. MILTON CANIFF Downtown San Diego BOTTOM: Legendary Syndicated cartoonist, director and writer Terry and the Pirates, made a rare appearance to dis- cuss his many Mr.( Deeds Attendance: Goes to Town, It’s a Wonderful More than 1,900 Life) with his fans. FRANK CAPRA Legendary movie director, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The show returned to the El Cortez Hotel for the rest of the decade. It’s A Wonderful Life This was Comic-Con’s only six-day show, from Wednesday afternoon until the following Monday at noon. Bill Lund was Con chairman. Artist/animator, It was the first year for the Mas- querade, MC’d by June Foray, and Bugs Bunny, Road Runner for the Inkpot Awards banquet cartoons (cost for the meal: $7.50). The All- Human Orchestra made its , and actor Patrick Cul- liton performed The Houdini Mys- tery Show. The dealers’ room, with Comic book artist, over 100 tables, had special mid- Tarzan, night sales on Friday and Saturday. Magnus: Robot Fighter coordinated the Art Show, and films showed continu- ously in the Don Room. The Golden RUSSELL MYERS Voyage of Sinbad, with stop-mo- tion special effects by fan-favorite Syndicated cartoonist, , had its world Broom Hilda premiere at the Con. The Souvenir Book (the last of the digest-sized ones), featured a centerspread jam CHARLES M. SCHULZ featuring Russell Myers’ Broom Hilda and Jack Kirby’s The Demon Syndicated cartoonist, battling it out with Charles Schulz’s Peanuts Snoopy and Linus as innocent by- standers. Only at Comic-Con will you find a piece of art like that! MAJEL BARRETT & WALTER KOENING Star Trek: The Original Series

COMIC-CON 50 Poster art © various copyright holders • Bakshi art © Ralph Bakshi Steve Canyon © 2019 KFS • Broom Hilda © Tribune Content Agency LLC 2019 • Snoopy © PEANUTS Worldwide LLC 2019 • Demon TM & © DC Comics COMIC-CON 50 12 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 13 COMIC-CON 6 COMIC-CON 6

JULY 30–AUG. 3 NOTABLE & NOV. 7–9 GUESTS

El Cortez Hotel Attendance: Author, Psycho More than 2,500 WILL EISNER Part II: More than 1,100 Comic writer-artist, The Spirit The guest list for this year read like a who’s who of comics, with Will Eisner, Kane, Stan Lee, , Barry Smith, Comic book artist, and , alongside Green Lantern, The Atom, some of the new generation Amazing Spider-Man of 1970s comic creators, , , and . Ray Bradbury and Bob Clampett were back, along with the Comic-Con Comic book writer, editor, constant, Jack Kirby. Chuck Fantastic Four, Spider-Man Norris also made an appear- ance. The Con had grown so large, a “Part II” took place at CHUCK NORRIS THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: Stan Lee by the El Cortez on November Action movie star 7–9. It was a three-day follow- . This was Stan’s first year as a guest, and he took time up to the summer show. Pro- to pose with action movie star ducer/ showed a Chuck Norris. JERRY SIEGEL sneak preview of : Comic book writer, co-creator, The Man of Bronze. This was MIDDLE: Two 1975 badges with art by (top) and the year Comic-Con incorpo- Superman Scott Shaw! rated as a nonprofit, with Shel LEFT: The 1975 poster. Dorf elected as president and JIM STERANKO Richard Butner taking charge OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Will Eisner’s as executive vice president, a first cover featuring The Spirit, his Comic book writer-artist, position he held for the next signature creation. , Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. seven Cons. MIDDLE: When sketch! Jim Steranko and Gil Kane on stage. BOTTOM: Alan Light’s Dynapubs produced this album of recordings Science fiction author, from the Con (no, they didn’t sing). More Than Human

COMIC-CON 50 Poster art © various copyright holders • Spider-Man TM & © 2019 MARVEL The Spirit TM & © Will Eisner Studio, Inc. • 1975 Comic-Con album photos and art © Alan Light COMIC-CON 50 14 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 15 THIS PAGE, TOP: Jack Kirby with fellow winners Bob Clampett and Jerry Siegel.

MIDDLE LEFT: Cartoon leg- COMIC-CON 7 end (voice actor). COMIC-CON 7 RIGHT: and “Blackhawk” at the Masquer- ade. NOTABLE JULY 21–25 BOTTOM: and discussed GUESTS the upcoming release of the El Cortez Hotel adaptation Downtown of Star Wars. On the left is SERGIO ARAGONÉS Chaykin’s poster that was San Diego first sold at Comic-Con in Cartoonist, MAD magazine 1976 for $1.00. Attendance: MEL BLANC Over 3,000 Voice actor, Bugs Bunny, , Looney Tunes, Merry Melodies San Diego Mayor Wilson declared the week of Comic- Con “Comic Art Week” in the RICK city. The guest list continued artist, to be stellar, ranging from the rare appearance of illustrator extraordinaire to underground comix legend . Charlie Lippincott provided the world’s first pre- Syndicated cartoonist, view of Star Wars, a year be- Brenda Starr fore the movie’s release. The Art Show featured a display of Milton Caniff originals. The Art Auction by the El Cortez Hotel pool was instigated by Comic book artist, co-creator, Jack Katz (The First Kingdom) Superman and became a tradition; that year a Joe Shuster Superman sketch sold for $250 ($1,223 today). Cartoonist Russell My- NOEL SICKLES ers hosted the Inkpot Awards Syndicated cartoonist, banquet. Tom French became Scorchy Smith the dealers’ room coordinator, a post he held until his death in 1997. joined the Comic-Con Committee and DON & MAGGIE continues as a member to this THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: Sergio Aragonés Program Book cover; RIGHT: Syndicated cartoonist Dale THOMPSON day. Messick (Brenda Starr) on stage; MIDDLE LEFT: Author and psychedelic drug guru Dr. Timothy Comics historians, Leary made an appearance at the show, fresh out of prison; RIGHT: A shot of the Exhibit Hall and a writer-editors booth showcasing Barry Windsor-Smith art; BOTTOM: Superman serial star Kirk Alyn (left) meets Superman co-creator and artist Joe Shuster. Comics Buyer’s Guide

COMIC-CON 50 Star Wars TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. COMIC-CON 50 16 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 17 THIS PAGE, TOP: Alex Niño’s cover art graced the first (and only)Souvenir Book that was published at comic book size.

MIDDLE LEFT: Carl Barks, “The Good Duck Artist,” toiled in anonymity for many years before taking his rightful place as one of the COMIC-CON 8 great comic book writer-artists of all time, with COMIC-CON 8 his work on Disney’s Donald Duck and his own creation, . NOTABLE JULY 20–24 RIGHT: Two more 1977 badge designs, by Scott Shaw! (top) and John Pound (bottom). GUESTS CARL BARKS El Cortez Hotel BOTTOM: This 1977 poster combined a whole slew of comic book and magazine Comic book writer-artist, Downtown characters, from Superman and Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge San Diego to Momma and Little Annie Fanny. It also announced a special “Making of Star Wars” panel. C. C. BECK Attendance: Comic book artist, Captain Marvel Over 4,000 WALTER GIBSON Writer, The Shadow

Perhaps the most illustrious guest list ever. For the first time ROBERT A. HEINLEIN major Comic-Con events were Science fiction author, videotaped and shown on the in a Strange Land hotel’s closed-circuit TV. Fans do- nated blood to the very first Rob- ert A. Heinlein Blood Drive. The MICHAEL WM. KALUTA Blood Drive continues to this day, THIS PAGE, TOP: Russ Manning’s Comic book artist, and has become San Diego’s larg- two signature characters, Tarzan The Shadow, est drive, gathering 22,607 pints and Magnus Robot Fighter, extoll the virtues of Comic-Con. over the course of its 42-year his- B. KLIBAN tory. Sergio Aragonés MC’d the MIDDLE: 1977 badges by Cartoonist, Kliban’s Cats Inkpot Awards banquet, with (left) and , and a ticket. jokes supplied by Mark Evanier, BELOW: Science fiction greats an early hint at Comic-Con’s tra- Theodore Sturgeon (left) and Rob- ditional “Sergio and Mark Show” ert A. Heinlein, who lent his name Comic book writer-artist, editor, panel. Another panel that has to Comic-Con’s annual Blood Drive. Sgt. Rock, , Tor stood the test of time: Scott Shaw!’s “Oddball Comics” event had its first-ever outing as “Eso- teric Comics.” “The good Duck EC Comics writer, artist, editor, artist,” Carl Barks, was a first-time MAD magazine creator guest and was interviewed by famed dealer Bruce Hamilton, who would go on to publish his own line of and Underground comix writer- sell prints of Barks’ amazing duck artist, comics historian paintings featuring Donald, his nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Lou- ie, and Uncle Scrooge. ROY THOMAS Comic book writer, editor, Avengers, , Alter Ego

COMIC-CON 50 Tarzan TM & © Inc. • Magnus © 2019 Cover art © Alex Niño • Poster art characters TM & © respective copyright holders COMIC-CON 50 18 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 19 LEFT: , co- LEFT: ’s cover for the creator of Batman Souvenir Book, which returned to and with Bill magazine size. Finger, sketches the MIDDLE LEFT: Artist John Bus- Dynamic Duo at cema (, Conan) with Comic-Con. his newly minted Inkpot Award. COMIC-CON 9 BELOW: An Elfquest COMIC-CON 9 piece done by RIGHT: Jack Kirby announces the Wendy Pini for the birth of a grandchild in his art for Art Auction. the Souvenir Book. NOTABLE JULY 26–30 BOTTOM: The site BOTTOM: Special guest and map for the El Cor- underground comix creator Trina GUESTS El Cortez Hotel tez Hotel complex. Robbins (right) sketches while she Let’s go back in talks to fellow artist . Downtown time and visit the San Diego Monkey Bar! Comic book artist, , Avengers, Silver Surfer, Conan

Attendance: GARDNER Nearly 5,000 Comic book writer, Hawkman, of America

Underground comix got the spot- BOB KANE light, with a turnout that included Comic book artist, co-creator , Melinda Geb- Batman bie, Lee Marrs, , , , Dan O’Neill, Ted Richards, Trina Robbins, , Dave Comic book artist, Sheridan, , and S. Clay Wil- Sgt. Rock, The son. and Wendy Pini performed their popular “ and Show.” Jim Steranko hosted the Inkpot Syndicated strip writer-artist, Awards banquet, and the Con Tarzan featured a special Art Show of his cover paintings for a series of The Shadow books he did in the late 1970s. High demand Comic book artist, illustrator, for tables led to creation of an Creepy, auxiliary dealers’ room. Except for returning for one in 1981, 1978 marked of the Golden Age of Comic-Con at the Voice actor, El Cortez. Donald Duck

WENDY & RICHARD PINI Comic book writer, artist, creators, Elfquest

BORIS VALLEJO Fantasy painter, Illustrator

COMIC-CON 50 Batman & Robin TM & © DC Comics • Elfquest © 2019 Cover art © Boris Vallejo • Kirby art © Estate of Jack Kirby • Buscema photo by Lon Roberts COMIC-CON 50 20 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 21 COMIC-CON 10 COMIC-CON 10

AUGUST 1–5 NOTABLE GUESTS Convention and Performing Arts Center, Downtown ABOVE: One of the most success- Artist, illustrator, Attendance: ful syndicated artists of science fiction magazines, About 6,000 all time, ( Bailey, Hi & Lois) sketches Beetle and Sarge MAD magazine onstage.

LEFT: Although MAD magazine creator The 10th Comic-Con moved to Harvey Kurtzman first appeared at downtown San Diego’s Conven- Comic-Con in 1977, he sent in this self- Comic book artist, tion and Performing Arts Center portrait for the 1979 Souvenir Book. Batman, Silver Surfer, (CPAC), which became the Con’s BOTTOM: John Romita sketches home in the 1980s. The dealers’ Spider-Man as TV cameras and . . . room expanded from 200 to 260 Spider-Man (?!) look on. tables and featured long-time OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: The 1979 exhibitors Bud Plant and Ron Souvenir Book was styled after a tabloid JOHN ROMITA Turner (Last Gasp) among oth- and featured Mort Walker Comic book artist, ers. A huge crowd turned out and Russ Manning comic strips on the cover. Amazing Spider-Man, for Craig Miller’s preview of The Empire Strikes Back. At the Ink- OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: A detailed pot Awards banquet, MC’d by map of Comic-Con’s new home for the next decade, the Convention and Bill Rotsler, Jack Kirby received a MORT WALKER special Hall of Fame award. This Performing Arts Center (better known as CPAC), in the heart of downtown Syndicated cartoonist, year also saw Artists’ Workshops San Diego. Art by Jim Valentino. take the stage, with such famous , instructors as Bob Clampett, Kel- ly Freas, and Jim Steranko. After Comic-Con, $12,000 of the Con’s funds went missing, never to be found. Con volunteers Jackie Comic book writer, editor, Estrada and Dave Scroggy were co-creator, , able to solicit art contributions from generous professionals and conducted an auction through the Comics Buyer’s Guide, a popu- lar comics fan newspaper of the time, which enabled Comic-Con Comic book writer, editor, 1980 (and beyond) to happen. Tomb of , Daredevil; creator,

COMIC-CON 50 Beetle Baily © Inc. 2019 • Kurtzman art © 2019 Harvey Kurtzman Estate Star Wars TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. COMIC-CON 50 22 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 23 COMIC-CON SOUVENIR THIS PAGE: Joe Shuster’s BOOK ART dynamic Superman drawing from 1977.

BELOW: Jack Kirby’s Captain America and As you’ve seen on the preced- Captain Marvel artist C. C. Beck’s “Sivana Special” from 1975. ing 20 pages or so, Comic-Con the , inked by Dave Stevens. was blessed with an amazing as- sortment of art by some of the BELOW LEFT: ’s top professionals in the comics Family Circus son Billy has field in the 1970s. Founder Shel a , Dad, in this Dorf had a huge affection for 1974 drawing. newspaper comic strips and got contributions from many of the top artists of the day, including Charles M. Schulz and Milton Caniff, as well as soon-to-be-pros who were Comic-Con volunteers and founding committee mem- bers. Here are some other pieces of art contributed to the Souvenir Books of the 1970s.

Scott Shaw! and John Pound team up for this drawing of Mister Miracle.

Russ Manning’s Tarzan from 1970. Will Eisner’s The Spirit from 1974.

COMIC-CON 50 Family Circus © King Features Syndicate Inc. 2019 • The Demon TM & © DC Comics • Captain America TM & © MARVEL Mister Miracle and Dr. Sivana TM & © DC Comics • Tarzan TM & © Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. • The Spirit TM & © 2019 Will Eisner Studios, Inc. COMIC-CON 50 24 2019 Souvenir Book www.comic-con.org 25 COMIC-CON SOUVENIR BOOK ART

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Bob Kline’s Spock from Star Trek: The Animation Series in 1974; from 1975, Sergio and Alfred E. Neuman take a curtain call while DC’s / Secrets hosts look on; Scott Shaw!’s Conan the Librarian smells something fishy in the library, in the mid ‘70s; Snoopy and Woodstock head to Comic-Con in this drawing by Charles M. Schulz, probably from 1972; and ’s one-shot wonder for Marvel Comics, The Eagle, showcased the artist’s love for aviation in this undated sketch.

COMIC-CON 50 Star Trek TM & © CBS-Paramount • Alfred E. Neuman and House of Mystery characters TM & © DC Comics 26 2019 Souvenir Book TM & © MARVEL • Snoopy and Woodstock © PEANUTS Worldwide LLC 2019