I’ve scanned another batch of some of San Diego Comic-Con Founder Shel Dorf’s old film negatives. (I received the negatives from Shel’s friend and cartooning partner Charlie Roberts and I’ve got another 200 to 300 still left to scan from the 1973 and 1974 Comic-Cons.) Below you will find a batch of his black-and-white pictures from the 1973 Comic-Con. I’ve identified people in photos where I was reasonably certain of their identities.

Some of the professional guests pictured are Neal Adams, June Foray, and Carmine Infantino. Comic-Con committee members pictured include William Caron, Shel Dorf, Ken Krueger, 1973 Chairman Bill Lund, John Pound, and Scott Shaw!.

Where I was uncertain of a name, I just put down a question mark. If you would like to help identify these people in the pictures, so that the question marks can be replaced with names, please leave a comment or send me a message by clicking on the “CONTACT” tab at the top. I’ve numbered the pictures B01-B38 so you can easily specify which picture(s) you can identify people in.

Update 03/02/10: Thanks to John Cawley for a tentative identification on photo B13.

Update 03/01/10: Thanks to Jackie Estrada for help with identifications on photos B12, B18, B33, B35, and B36.

Update 02/28/10: Thanks to Robert Beerbohm, Greg Koudoulian, and Charlie Roberts who helped out with identifications on photos B01, B02, B06, B09, B10, B15, B17, and B20.

(Click on a “thumbnail” image below to view the full-size image. At the bottom of the full-size image will be a caption with some arrows on either side that you can click to view the next or previous image. You might have to scroll the display down a little for the caption and arrows to show. Click on the full-size image to close it. Alternatively, for the maximum view, right-click the thumbnail image, select to view it in a new window, then click on the newly-displayed image to “zoom” to maximum size. PLEASE NOTE: If you’re reading this via email or news reader, you’ll probably have to visit the web site for these “photo gallery” features to work.)

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The Jim Lee iWolverine

February 25, 2010

By Darcy Quinn

A couple of years ago, I went to one of my first conventions: the November 2008 Armageddon Expo in Melbourne. I live in Australia, and the conventions normally are not that big (around 10,000 people) but this particular year Jim Lee was coming. I was really excited and I was even more excited when I heard he did free sketches! I brought my iPod to the convention, having the idea of getting it signed.

I got in line pretty early, but I still had to wait three hours in line. Finally it was my turn to get a sketch! I asked him to sign my iPod, but he asked me what character I wanted. I was a little confused and surprised. I didn’t think there was enough room for a sketch on the back on my Nano. I replied saying “Really? You don’t have to do that” or something along those lines. He did me a Wolverine, and it rocked! I was so excited! Then, on top of all that, he asked me if I wanted another sketch. I got a Gwen Stacy sketch too. I now have both sketches framed on my wall. Some of my prized possessions! Enjoy!

Gwen Stacy sketch that Jim Lee did for Australian fan Darcy Quinn

Gwen Stacy sketch that Jim Lee did for Australian fan Darcy Quinn

You can find out more about the Armageddon Expos at http://armageddonexpo.com/.

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The Birthplace of Comic-Con International

February 15, 2010

Pictures of the birthplace of Comic-Con International in the San Diego community of Clairemont.

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San Diego Comic-Con #3 (1972) on Earth-Two

February 8, 2010

The cover of YUBBA #4 featured Scott Shaw!’s comic version of the goings on at “the comic convention held in San Diego of Earth-Two,” which were a more extreme version of actual events from the Earth-One San Diego West Coast Comic-Con held August 18-20, 1972 at the El Cortez Hotel. Here is that cover for your viewing pleasure.

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1973 San Diego Comic-Con Photos: Can You Identify People in the Pictures?

January 28, 2010

I have been scanning some of San Diego Comic-Con Founder Shel Dorf’s old film negatives. (I received the negatives from Shel’s friend and cartooning partner Charlie Roberts.) Below you will find a batch of his color pictures from the 1973 Comic-Con. I’ve identified people in photos where I was reasonably certain of their identities. Also Bill Lund (San Diego Comic-Con Chairman in 1973 and 1974), with an assist from Jean Graham, was able to identify a number of others. Some of the professional guests pictured are Neal Adams, Bob Clampett, June Foray, Carmine Infantino, Jack Kirby, and Larry “Seymour” Vincent. Comic-Con committee members pictured include Barry Alfonso, William Caron, Shel Dorf, Vicky Kelso, Ken Krueger, Bill Lund, Bill Schanes, and Steve Schanes.

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Alan White’s “Boomer’s Lament”: 50 Years of Fandom and Conventions

January 25, 2010

Artist Alan White has begun posting to his smellthefandom.com web site a personal history of his fifty-years with science-fiction and comics fandom and conventions titled “Boomer’s Lament.” As with so many others, his fan history more or less begins with Famous Monsters of Filmland, Forry Ackerman, and the Ackermansion. Since it was being supported by Forry, Alan began attending the San Diego Comic-Con in 1970, its very first year. So far he’s told his story and posted his pictures through 1977, with much more to come. It’s all very cool and very much worth reading.

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Comic Fan’s Mom Bids on Kirby Drawing at 1970 Comic-Con #1 Auction and Wins!

January 24, 2010

I was there at the 1970 Comic-Con. I was 15 and my mother drove me down there from L.A. It was a big thing for me, my first contact with fandom in the flesh. I was so in awe of Kirby, Bradbury and all the other guests, just in awe of the whole situation, that I was at a convention for comic books. They auctioned off some sketches that Kirby did, right there in person.

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A Tribute to David Siegel

January 18, 2010

In 1997, Charlie heard that Shel Dorf was planning an article about comics fan extraordinaire David Siegel to be published in the Comic Buyer’s Guide. To provide information for the article, Charlie wrote the following letter to Shel. The letter details Charlie’s adventures with David while Charlie and his wife, Joan, were living in York, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, Shel’s article was never published and so, with Charlie’s permission and encouragement, we present it here.

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My Comic-Con Trip with Dr. Timothy Leary

January 15, 2010

The San Diego Comic Convention hosted many stellar guests during its first decade, but perhaps the most unlikely among them was psychedelic guru Dr. Timothy Leary. Once labeled by Richard Nixon as “the most dangerous man in America,” he was still a notorious figure when he attended the 1976 Comic-Con. Not everyone on the Con committee was thrilled to have him there. Nevertheless, he did play a small but memorable part in the program. I know: I acted as his assistant, temporary sidekick and cohort in pranksterism.

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COMIC BOOKS, COMIC BOOKS, AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE

January 14, 2010

In 1975, the San Diego Comic-Con committee produced two conventions: one from July 30th through August 3rd and a second from November 7th through 9th. This article is about that second convention. It originally appeared on November 21, 1975 in the University of California at Irvine student newspaper New University (where the author had been the editor-in-chief a year earlier).

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