For any fan of the comics, and, today, of any aspect of pop culture that is worthy of its name, Comic-con is the benchmark in terms of conventions of fans which is concerned. But do you know how it all started? Here we tell you a little of its humble beginnings, and how it has evolved into the world’s most influential comic book convention.

This convention initially was founded by a group of fans of comics in 1970, movies and science fiction, including Richard Alf, Shel Dorf, Mike Towry, Ken Krueger, and Greg Bear, who joined together to create the first convention dedicated to comics in southern California. Some of the members of the group, such as Shel Dorf, had previously organized comic fan events, but moving to San Diego, California in 1970, he decided to hold the Golden State Comic-Minicon convention in the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel, which lasted one day. She had two special guests – Forrest J Ackerman and Mike Royer and attracted her to just a hundred attendees. This “Minicon” was organized to obtain money and interest for a future more massive convention, and it succeeded. In the same year, the “San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Con” took place, which lasted three days and attracted more than 300 guests who were able to witness an event full of panels and events that would set the guidelines for similar future comic book conventions.

After occupying several hotels throughout its twenty years of history, Comic-Con now officially resides at the San Diego Convention Center. This year, the convention will host more than 125,000 comic books, television series, and movie fans, a number that is far from the only 300 in the first edition. Despite the many conventions dedicated to Comics, Comic-Con International (as it is now known) is undoubtedly the most important in terms of attendees and diversity of guests and exhibitors.

Today the convention maintains traditional events, such as Japanese animation film screening rooms, video game events and many hours dedicated to all aspects of comics and pop culture. In recent years, the exhibitors have begun to be more varied than at the beginning, including much more television series (in 2011, eighty television series were part of the convention), with panels dedicated to actors, writers, and producers and everyone surrounding each set. Without a doubt, the agreement is not exactly what it used to be, welcoming different aspects and characters from Hollywood that are closer to current popular tastes and moving a bit away from the world of comics as the main element.

Things have changed! In 1979 the treasurer of Comic-con was the victim of a burglary in your home, costing the organization worth$ 12,000, which tried to cover with donations from fans. Today, Comic-Con International has multi-million – dollar revenues-but of course; fans continue to pay, and happily. In the sixth edition of Comic-Con, Charles Lippincott, marketing director of Star Wars: A New Hope (the first film released from the saga), tried to promote his movie, and few people were interested. However, one in five of the fan costumes at today’s convention will be a reference to the world of Star Wars, and it is said that, with the acquisition of saga rights, Disney will have an exciting exhibition this year. Speaking of disguises, the already mythical cosplays of this kind of events at the time were not essential to the convention – with their first appearance in 1974, with handmade costumes by the most dedicated fans. Nowadays, if you’re not dressed up, you miss half the fun of an event like this.

Comic-Con has become an absolute benchmark for the world of comics and pop culture, and, although it is no longer as easy as it was years ago to get tickets to the event, it is a convention dedicated to fans, and the experience must be fascinating. Have either of you go to this mythical convention or would you like it? What do you think?