In 1970, about 145 fans met up at the U.S. Grant Hotel to celebrate all things comics.
Today, about 135,000 fans crowd the streets of San Diego at an internationally-known event that brings Hollywood and nerds together. It’s not only a place to geek out, meet celebrities, cosplay, and connect face-to-face with creators, but a harbinger and linchpin of all things pop culture.
How did this happen?
Well, Comic-Con International, a non-profit organization, has had a really interesting and unique history, bringing together fans for more than 50 years. Not only has it created important comic-book awards events like the Will Eisner Awards, but it’s also been important to the dissemination of other kinds of fandoms as well.
For example, Star Wars (that’s right – the original) did its original marketing push at San Diego Comic-Con, when they only hosted about 3,000 people. Marketer Charles Lippencott hosted a panel and gave out posters, which now are sold in the thousands.
Here’s just a brief overview of the history of San Diego Comic-Con.
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