There was a stack of Disney animation cels on the table. And — had I known better — I would have bought them all. The price was low enough back then. Who knew that a decade or so later these things would be selling for hundreds of dollars and more? There were more bargains to be had. Eager fans would comb through boxes searching for personal treasures such as rare books and obscure comics.
Where was I, you might ask? The El Cortez Hotel in San Diego where an odd annual event was being held. It was called the San Diego Comic Book Convention. But it was nothing but a bunch of geeks with cardboard boxes full of comic books stacked on card tables. No self-respecting person would dare be seen at such an event. But here I was, along with dozens of other geeks marveling over this very strange material in this very odd venue.
We’ve come a long way, baby. Today, the San Diego Comic-Con is a massive event. And people come from all over the world to attend what truly has become Comic-Con International. The number of people attending has finally reached over one hundred thousand. An unimaginable figure back when we made our annual visits to the El Cortez Hotel.
Comic-Con Writers Panel
That’s Terry Rossio on the left, our moderator, Chris Sanders,
and some unknown guy with the baseball cap
Eventually, Comic-Con moved to larger digs in downtown San Diego. Finally, the con had become legit. And big shots from Hollywood and the east were regular guests. This larger venue was impressive. Who knew that a comic book convention could ever grow this large?
I remember one year at this particular venue when the guest of honor was “The Simpsons” creator, Matt Groening and his creative staff. We met in a theater adjacent to the main hall. And as the writers and directors were introduced, they were given a huge reception. However, when Groening strode onto the stage, it was like Caesar entering Rome. The entire theater exploded with cheers and applause. It was a moment I’ll never forget. Finally, a cartoonist had become a super star.
Time marches on, and the San Diego ComicCon continued to grow. One year, we heard the news that the con might be moving to the huge new convention center then under construction down by the waterfront. Most of us thought, no way. The San Diego Convention Center was a gigantic structure much too large for anything like a comic book convention.
Hollywood producers troll the San Diego Con looking for talent to exploit
Boy, were we wrong. By the time the ComicCon finally moved into the new convention center, there had been tremendous growth in the number of comic book fans wanting to attend this annual event. Adding to this, Comic-Con International had finally gained an air of acceptability. People no longer consider us a bunch of oddballs. They actually wanted to attend the convention themselves. Whether you were a fan of Marvel, DC, gaming or Manga, San Diego was the place to be.
Comic-Con International has always been full of unexpected surprises. In the early nineties, I attended a presentation given by a cartoon studio eager to hype their new movie still in production. Clearly, this presentation failed to interest most of the convention attendees, because the meeting hall was half empty. The presentation was far from polished, and the producer seemed unable to communicate exactly the kind of movie they were making. Unlike most Hollywood movie veterans, the filmmakers on the panel appeared to be kids just out of school. One young man did his best to convey what this new studio was trying to do. The film they were making was unlike anything else, and was going to change animated movie making forever. I doubt if anyone really believed him, and when the presentation ended, the audience shuffled out of the hall unimpressed.
The unknown filmmakers didn’t garner a standing ovation, and few people even remembered their names. Who were these guys, and where were they from? A place called Pixar Animation Studios.
Yeah, there’s always a lot to see at the San Diego ComicCon
I still love Comic-Con. Where else can you walk down the hallway and bump into movie stars and directors? One year, while browsing through a stack of comics, I noticed the kid next to me looked familiar. It turned out to be the actor Elijah Wood, fresh from “The Lord of the Rings.” But, I’m not here to list the names of movie stars that attend the con. Because the real stars of Comic-Con are the comic book artists and writers whose considerable talents launched this annual event. We don’t normally think of comic book artists as rock stars. But in San Diego, even they have groupies.
Finally, don’t choose the San Diego Comic Book Convention for your vacation. Because after dealing with all of the long lines and the crowded show floor, you’ll probably need a vacation. Still, it’s a great way to spend a few days in a Pacific paradise. Of course, if you’re Sergio Aragonés or Scott Shaw! You’ll probably be doing more drawing than ever. But, that’s what makes Comic-Con special. Where else can you meet and hopefully get a sketch from your favorite cartoonist?
Mad Magazine’s Sergio Aragonés
It really wouldn’t be a Comic-Con without Sergio
I honestly can’t remember how many San Diego Comic-Cons I’ve attended over the years. Whatever the number, I’ll be adding another one to the list this year. After all, where else can you see a woman wearing nothing but duct tape, or a guy covered head to toe with peanut butter?
Did you enjoy today’s “Toon Tuesday” column? Well, that’s just one of the hundreds of amazing tales that Floyd Norman has to tell. Many of which you’ll find in the three books Floyd currently has the market. Each of which take an affectionate look back at the time that Mr. Norman spent working in the animation industry.
These include Floyd’s original collection of cartoons and stories — “Faster! Cheaper! The Flip Side of the Art of Animation” (which is available for sale over at John Cawley’s cataroo.com) as well as two follow-ups to that book, “Son of Faster, Cheaper” & “How the Grinch Stole Disney.” Which you can purchase by heading over to Afrokids.com.