Links to video and text media coverage of Shel Dorf’s passing and his legacy as Comic-Con’s founder. The links were good as of November 14, 2009. They may, however, not be “permanent” links and may be in effect for only a relatively-short period of time.
San Diego Comic-Con
On Sunday, November 9, 1969, Shel Dorf led a group of San Diego comic fans on their first pilgrimage to the home of Jack Kirby, who had recently moved from New York to Irvine in Orange County, California. Travelling with Shel were the rest of the first Comic-Con committee – Richard Alf, Barry Alfonso, Dan Stewart, Bob Sourk, and Mike Towry – a young friend of Barry’s named Wayne Kincaid, and Barry’s mother, Sylvia Alfonso. We all piled into a rented station wagon and Shel drove us to our rendezvous with destiny.
Japanese collectible-toy company Kotobukiya honors and remembers Shel Dorf. It was a source of deep regret for us to learn that Shel Dorf founder of San Diego Comic Convention has passed away on November 3, 2009. For more than 15 years, Kotobukiya has had the honor to attend the world’s most renowned and celebrated comic event. Without his devoted passion for comics, effort and leadership, the remarkable event would have not become what it is today.
Jim Harmon, author of “The Great Radio Heroes” and many other works and an award-winning Comic-Con guest, writes about Shel Dorf’s generous spirit, having dinner with Shel and Ray Bradbury and Stan Lee, meeting Fay Wray with Shel at Cinecon, and more.
On Saturday, October 17th, a group of fans and professionals from the Los Angeles, Riverside County, and San Diego areas got together to visit Shel Dorf in the hospital. The visiting group comprised the following individuals: Richard Alf, member of the first Comic-Con committee, and 1971 Comic-Con Chairman; William Clausen, professional comics artist and writer; George Clayton Johnson, screenwriter, author, and frequent Comic-Con guest; Greg Koudoulian, videographer, and former producer of Los Angeles conventions; Clayton Moore, former Comic-Con committee member; and Mike Towry, member of the first Comic-Con committee, and 1972 Comic-Con Chairman.
Charlie Roberts, Southern California Cartoonist Society Member, writes about working and being friends with Shel, Milton Caniff, Comic-Con 1983, and more.
Phil Yeh, Godfather of the Graphic Novel, writes about the positive difference Shel Dorf has made in his life and career and those of other cartoon and comic creators. Phil also remembers the encouragement he received at the first Comic-Con (1970) from Ray Bradbury and Jack Kirby.
Some people might wonder, when it was that Shel Dorf was first considered to be Comic-Con’s founder? When was he first known by that title? Is that how he was known from the beginning or is it perhaps a legend that developed in later years? Well, here’s an image that should cast some light on this matter. It is cropped from a scan of the back of the advertising flyer for the original San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Minicon, which was held on March 21, 1970 at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego.
Audio link to recording of Comic-Con 2009 Secret Origins panel with Comic-Con #1 committee members Richard Alf, Barry Alfonso, Greg Bear, Dave Clark, Roger Freedman, Ken Krueger, Bill Lund, Scott Shaw!, and Mike Towry. Includes transcript of Richard’s account of Shel Dorf’s early guidance as Comic-Con founder.
Sheldon L. “Shel” Dorf is a kind man with a big heart who has spent the majority of his life enriching the lives of others. Shel is not a rich man in the classic sense of the word, but he has possessed a seemingly bottomless well of goodwill, which he has shared selflessly with countless […]
Jack Kirby (left) and Shel Dorf — Nov. 9, 1969