COMIC-CON BEGINS: Origin Stories of the San Diego Comic-Con and the Rise of Modern Fandom SiriusXM

We plunge down the time tunnel to the earliest days of fandom: back before nerds were cool, before science fiction was taken seriously, and before comic book characters ruled Hollywood. It was a time when fans could only connect through ‘zines and specialty magazines. A time when MAD Magazine and The Twilight Zone expanded the minds of youth across the nation. And a time when a small group of high school kids in San Diego met a visionary super-fan from Detroit named Shel Dorf.

Just because they were geeks doesn’t mean our intrepid Con creators were any less impacted by the “drugs, sex, and rock-and-roll” of the 1960s. We delve deep into the intimate experiences of these colorful characters of the Comic-Con and how their passion for pop culture was affected by the volatile era’s seismic cultural, political, and technological shifts. Includes a special visit from Mr. “Turn on, Tune in, Drop out” himself, Dr. Timothy Leary, along with the birth of Star Trek fandom.

We forge ahead at light speed into the complex scenario of how the first San Diego Comic-Con was cobbled together by our illustrious cast of kooky characters. From there, we venture onward through the mid-1970s as the Con grows exponentially in both physical size and attendance, heralding the “golden years” at a ramshackle downtown hotel that had seen better days called the El Cortez.

Some would call late Comic-Con founder Shel Dorf “controversial,” others “#$%!!,” still others their “greatest inspiration and friend.” The only thing everyone can agree on is that the Comic-Con would never have happened without Shel. And now his closest Con compadres open up about the reason why. As well as thoughtful reflections of Shel’s contentious departure in 1984 … right as the Con and geek culture took a giant leap forward.

Navigating throughout the ever-expanding pop culture constellation of the turbulent 1980s, we seek out intelligent new life in the final frontier: the Hollywood blockbuster machine. Meanwhile, comics go uptown, with Pulitzer Prize winners, the birth of graphic novels, and four guys named Neil, Alan, Frank, and Art.

Twilight, Robert Downey Jr., eight-hour lines. Time to ask the $64,000 question: Has Comic-Con become something completely different?! Why not ask those who made it all happen during the formative years of the Con? Luckily, that’s exactly what we did, and their answer may surprise you.