"Some people liken it to Brigadoon, the mythical Scottish village that appears for one day every one hundred years and then vanishes again into the mist. Others bring up the tale of the blind men and the elephant. Each man touches a different part of the giant animal and walks away with his own impression of what an elephant is." (Introduction, Comic-Con: 40 Years of Artists, Writers, Fans & Friends!, 2009)In other words, it's not just about comics. It's about a feeling. It's about people sharing all the following things:
1. Independent film festivals - Comic-Con International evolved from San Diego's Underground Film Society and kicked things off with a screening of The Lost World (1925) at the first mini-convention in 1970.
2. Book clubs - The convention also evolved from the San Diego Science Fantasy Society and Ray Bradbury was one of the special guests in 1970.
3. Hollywood movie world premieres - Before the annual Star Wars Fan Film Awards at Comic-Con, there was a preview of The Empire Strikes Back (1980).
4. Awards ceremonies - Eisners, the Oscars of the comics industry, and the Masquerade costume competition.
5. Blood drive - Named after science fiction author, Robert A. Heinlein.
6. Japanese animation - Since before I was born (1978).
7. Art auction - I bought my first piece of one-of-a-kind amateur art last year.
8. Dealers' room - Now known as the exhibit hall, a one-stop shopping paradise for pop culture fanatics, eight city blocks long, consisting of small booths divided into 52 aisles.
9. Gaming - RPGs, CCGs, videogame demos, and this year, a stage for Rock Band.
10. Portfolio review - Not so much anymore, but most deals that go down and projects that get announced happen at Comic-Con.
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