JULY 23—26 • PREVIEW NIGHT JULY 22 SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER • 75th Anniversary of the Great Adventure Comic Strips
We’re not sure what was in the water in 1934, but it certainly brought about a watershed year for adventure comic strips in newspapers. Terry and the Pirates by Milton Caniff (pictured at left), Mandrake the Magician by Lee Falk and Phil Davis, Red Barry by Will Gould, and Alex Raymond’s three great strips Flash Gordon, Secret Agent X-9, and Jungle Jim all started in that amazing year, 75 years ago. And for good measure, you can throw in Al Capp’s Li’l Abner, too! Some of these strips are currently being reprinted in definitive versions in what has become the golden age of comic strip reprints, and these classics are being rediscovered by a whole new audience.
• 50th Anniversary of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
Hal Jordan first took on the Green Lantern ring and persona in Showcase #22, published in 1959. Co-created by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, along with legendary DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz, Green Lantern—revamped from the original Golden Age hero of the same name—went on to become one of comics’ most popular superhero characters.
• 50th Anniversary of Rocky and Bullwinkle
Hey, all you television animation fans! Here’s a fun anniversary being featured in the Souvenir Book: the 50th anniversary of America’s most beloved moose and squirrel, Rocky and Bullwinkle. Famed voice actress June Foray will be attending this year’s Comic-Con as a special guest, but here’s your chance to show your love for Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, and Natasha—and Jay Ward and cohorts—with articles and art for the Souvenir Book!
• 25th Anniversary of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
It’s hard to believe that it was 25 years ago that Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman created Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Besides becoming a pop culture phenomenon in and of themselves (with movies, animated TV shows, toys, and merchandise in addition to the comics), the Turtles spawned a revolution in comics self-publishing. Now, 25 years later, it’s apparent these Turtles will live forever!
• 25th Anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo
Three-time Eisner Award–winner Stan Sakai has kept comic fans enthralled for 25 years with his tales of Usagi Yojimbo. Sakai’s rabbit ronin travels the countryside of Japan circa 17th century, encountering a variety of memorable characters, battling ninjas and samurai, and even going up against the supernatural. Don’t let the “funny animal” trappings fool you: Usagi is all warrior. With over 120 issues and more than 20 collections in print, Usagi appeals to readers of all ages.
• Comic-Con #40
Okay, technically it’s not our 40th anniversary—that would actually be in 2010. But it is the 40th annual convention, making Comic-Con International (first known as San Diego Comic-Con) the longest continually running comic convention in the country (if not the world). Started in 1970 by a group of dedicated fans of various persuasions— comics, science fiction, and movies, to name a few—the event has continued to grow over the years. Best of all it’s still run by fans! We’ll be revealing lots more about our plans for our very own celebration in the coming months and especially in the next issue of Comic-Con Magazine, including one very special item no diehard Comic-Con fan will want to be without! If you have a special Comic-Con memory, let us know about it by contributing a short article, photos, or even art commemorating it for consideration in this year’s special Souvenir Book! Check the website address listed in the Souvenir Book entry above for more information about contributing art and articles.
Volunteers
You can volunteer now for Comic-Con 2009! You attend the show for free by working a simple three-hour-per-day shift; the day you work is the day you get in for free. Those who work all four days get the limited-edition Comic-Con Volunteer T-shirt (each year’s is different and highly collectible). Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. You can sign up online to volunteer for Comic-Con 2009 at www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_vol.shtml. Just follow the simple directions. If you’ve volunteered in previous years and wish to do so again, please register online for 2009.
Website
It’s the first and last word on everything we do: Comic-Con International, WonderCon, and APE (Alternative Press Expo). Bookmark it for complete up-to-date information, including schedules, guest announcements and bios, and much more: www.comic-con.org, Comic-Con’s information superhighway! Sign up for the RSS feed to get notification of Comic-Con.org updates sent to your e-mail!
Look for an extended version of Comic-Con A to Z in our next issue, available in May! Terry and the Pirates © 2009 Tribune Media Services; detail from 1998 Green Lantern/Comic-Con T-shirt by Graphitti Designs, TM & © 2009 DC Comics; Usagi Yojimbo © 2009 Stan Sakai; 1980s Comic-Con logo art by Rick Geary
Winter 2009 • Comic-Con Magazine 39