What is Comic Con?
A comic book convention or comic con is an event with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels, or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels, with a larger number of attendees participating in cosplay than most other types of fan conventions. Comic book conventions are also used as a vehicle for industry, in which publishers, distributors, and retailers represent their comic-related releases. Comic book conventions may be considered derivatives of science-fiction conventions, which began in the late 1930s.
Comic-cons were traditionally organized by fans on a not-for-profit basis,though nowadays most events catering to fans are run by commercial interests for profit. Many conventions have award presentations relating to comics (such as the Eisner Awards, which have been presented at San Diego Comic-Con International since 1988; or the Harvey Awards, which have been presented at a variety of venues also since 1988).
The first official comic book convention was held in 1964 in New York City and was called New York Comicon. Early conventions were small affairs, usually organized by local enthusiasts (such as Jerry Bails, later known as the "Father of Comic Fandom", and Dave Kaler of the Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors), and featuring a handful of industry guests. The first recurring conventions were the Detroit Triple Fan Fair, which ran from 1965–1978, and Academy Con, which ran from 1965–1967. Many recurring conventions begin as single-day events in small venues, which as they grow more popular expand to two days, or even three or more every year. Many comic-cons which had their start in church basements or union halls now fill convention centers in major cities.
Internationally, the world's largest comic book convention, in terms of attendees, is Japan's Comiket (first held in 1975), which boasts annual attendance of over half a million people. Italy's Lucca Comics & Games (first held in 1965) and France's Angoulême International Comics Festival (first staged in 1974) are the world's second and third largest comic festivals, respectively.
Comic-Con International: San Diego
Comic-Con International: San Diego is a nonprofit educational corporation dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. It began in 1970 when a group of comics, movie, and science fiction fans — including the late Shel Dorf, Ken Krueger, and Richard Alf — banded together to put on the first comic book convention in southern California. Comic-Con started as a one-day “minicon,” called San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Minicon, on March 21, 1970 at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. The purpose of this single-day event—which included two special guests, Forrest J Ackerman and Mike Royer, and drew about 100 attendees—was to raise funds and generate interest for a larger convention. The success of the minicon led to the first full-fledged, three-day San Diego Comic-Con (called San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Con), held August 1-3, 1970, at the U.S. Grant Hotel, with guests Ray Bradbury, Jack Kirby, and A. E. van Vogt. Over 300 attendees packed into the hotel’s basement for that groundbreaking event, which featured a dealers’ room, programs and panels, film screenings, and more: essentially, the model for every comic book convention to follow.
From the beginning, the founders of the show set out to include not only the comic books they loved, but also other aspects of the popular arts that they enjoyed and felt deserved wider recognition, including films and science fiction/fantasy literature. After one more name changes (San Diego’s West Coast Comic Convention, in 1972), the show officially became the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in 1973 with the fourth annual event. In 1995, the non-profit event changed its name to Comic-Con International: San Diego (CCI). With attendance topping 130,000 in recent years, the event has grown to include satellite locations, including local hotels and outdoor parks. Over it’s four-and-a-half decade-plus history, Comic-Con International has continually presented comic books and comic art to a growing audience. That love of the comics medium continues to be its guiding factor as the event moves toward its second half-century as the premier comic book and popular arts style convention in the world.
Comic-Con Museum
Can't wait for the annual convention? You can visit the Comic-Con Museum anytime located in San Diego.
For the past 50 years, San Diego Comic-Con has created one of the biggest, most popular conventions of its kind in the world. But the organizers of Comic-Con wanted to do even more to recognize fans and spread the magic of Comic-Con.
They imagined a place where fans could come together to celebrate the things they love, not just for a few days each summer, but all year long. A place where the public could learn about areas of art and pop culture of which they may not even be aware. A space where everyone is included, where old fans and new could enjoy the passion, creativity, and imagination of Comic-Con, while learning about science, technology, art, storytelling and much more. Now, with the help of fans like you, that dream will soon become reality.
With classes and activities during the day, movie screenings and trivia contests at night, and programs available online anytime, the Comic-Con Museum will be an experience unlike any other. Our focus will be on community and not collection by bringing diverse audiences together for shared, vibrant experiences
In addition to the comics, film and science fiction/fantasy genres that started it all, the Museum will showcase TV shows, books, video games, anime, and so much more. Through regularly rotating exhibits, hands-on workshops for kids as well as adults, and interactive experiences to try, you will always find something new and exciting to explore.
Opening in November 2021, the Comic-Con Museum will be a participatory place where audiences can connect with the magic of Comic-Con year-round.
Sand Diego Comic Con 2018
Comic Con Honolulu 2018
Bakersfield Comic Con 2018
New York Comic Con 2021
San Diego Comic Con 2022
San Diego Comic Con 2022
San Diego Comic Con 2022
San Diego Comic Con 2022
San Diego Comic Con 2022
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Comic Con Book List
Here's a list of Comic Con books from our library!
BAKERSFIELD COMIC CON
November 22nd and 23rd, 2025
Kern County Fair Grounds- Buildings 2 & 3
1142 South P st., Bakersfield, CA.
Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Admission: 13 and older $15.00 - Saturday $12.00 - Sunday. $20.00- for both days.
Children 12 and younger - FREE
Tickets may be purchased online or in person during the hours of the convention.
Special Guests and Artists
PEPE MORENO
Pepe Moreno is a Spanish comic book artist, writer and video game developer. He has been drawing professionally in Spain, other countries in Europe and in the US since the 1970s. Moreno worked as a character designer for various Rankin/Bass animated shows, including ThunderCats, SilverHawks and TigerSharks.
STUART SAYGER
Stuart Sayger is a professional illustrator who works primarily in the comic book industry. Known for his moody atmospheric art Sayger first broke into the industry as the creator of SHIVER IN THE DARK, producing the comic independently from start to finish.
Sayger's most recent published projects include: "Kiss", "Vampirella vs Reanimator", "Jeepers Creepers", and "G.I.Joe". Sayger has also produced covers for "Xena Warrior Princess" and "Dejah Thoris" for Dynamite Entertainment, as well as "Rom" and "Micronauts" for IDW. Past projects include a commemorative issue of "The Walking Dead", graphic novels of "Trick R Treat" and "Krampus" based on the films of the same names from Legendary Pictures. Other well known projects include the "Superman: Man of Steel" movie, and a video game adaptation of Robert Kirkman's "Thief of Thieves". Sayger has drawn many other IDW projects including: "The X-Files", "30-Days of Night," "Robert Rodriguez's Machete", and "Bram Stoker's Death Ship".
Toy fans will remember Stuart's work from a 2-year run drawing the "Bionicle" comic book based on the popular Lego toy line of the same name. The series was translated to 8 different languages and distributed internationally boasting the largest circulation of any comic book in the world!
BOB HALL
Bob Hall is an American comics artist and writer as well as a playwright and theatre director. He is the co-creator of the West Coast Avengers for Marvel Comics and has worked on such series as Armed and Dangerous and Shadowman, which he both drew and wrote for Valiant Comics.
Hall began working in the comics industry in 1974 and drew horror stories for Charlton Comics. He soon moved to Marvel Comics and drew The Champions[5] and Super-Villain Team-Up. Hall and writer Chris Claremont collaborated on Marvel Team-Up #74 (October 1978) which featured Spider-Man meeting the cast of NBC's Saturday Night Live Hall briefly worked as an editor for Marvel from 1978 to 1979 under Jim Shooter. Hall later joined Shooter as a writer and penciler at Valiant Comics.
JAMES C. MULLIGAN
James C. Mulligan is an Irish-American artist and actor known for his work with the Walt Disney Company, his fine art featuring celebrities and icons, and his commercial murals. After starting at Disney in their art department while attending UCLA, he created concept designs for characters and theme park attractions. His fine art has been collected by numerous celebrities, and he has also been involved in Broadway musicals and has had a reality TV pilot.
NATE WATSON
Nate Watson is a husband/father/illustrator/oddball based in Bakersfield, California. He has drawn comics featuring well known licenses including Toy Story, Star Trek and Dreamworks’ The Croods. Nate spent nearly three years working as a visual development artist at Lucasfilm Animation on the unreleased Star Wars Detours. Currently, he freelances, pushes back against mean people and strives to navigate life on this goofy planet.
SCOTT "FUZZY" JOSEPH
Scott "Fuzzy" Joseph is a Bakersfield based comic book creator producing the apocalyptic series "The Warren Hope". Fuzzy shares his love of Art and Comics as a high school Art teacher in the Bakersfield community.
Bakersfield Comic Con
Celebrity Guests
DINAH MANOFFDinah Manoff was born in New York City, New York, to screenwriter Arnold Manoff and actress, director, and writer Lee Grant. She began her professional career in the PBS production of "The Great Cherub Knitwear Strike". After subsequent guest appearances on various television series, she received a Tony Award in 1980 for her performance in the Broadway production of Neil Simon's "I Ought To Be In Pictures", a role she reprised in the 1982 film version, starring opposite Walter Matthau. Additional theater credits include Broadway's "Leader of the Pack", "Alfred and Victoria", "Kingdom on Earth" and the Los Angeles stage production of "Love Letters", opposite Patrick Cassidy. On television, Manoff was a regular on the Witt-Thomas-Harris sitcoms Soap (1977) and Empty Nest (1988), and also appeared in the television movies The Cover Girl and the Cop (1989) (aka "Beauty & Denise"), Raid on Entebbe (1976), For Ladies Only (1981), The Seduction of Gina (1984), A Matter of Sex (1984),Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac (1984), the miniseries Celebrity (1984) and the NBC movie-of-the-week Babies (1990), with Lindsay Wagner. As well as her starring role in I Ought to Be in Pictures (1982), Manoff's feature film credits include Grease (1978), Ordinary People (1980), Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989), Backfire (1987) and Child's Play (1988). |
MICHAEL TUCCIGraduated from H.Frank Carey High School in Franklin Square, New York. He played the T-Birds member Sonny LaTierri for the 1978 film version Grease, a role that he is best known for. He portrayed law student Gerald Golden in the TV series The Paper Chase from 1983 to 1986. For five years Tucci played Garry Shandling's best friend Pete Schumaker on the cult classic It's Garry Shandling's Show (1986–1990). He also spent more than three years touring with companies of the musical "Chicago," performing as lead character Roxy Hart's husband, Amos. Michael was also a series regular on "Flying Blind". HOLD ME!, Groucho, The Wizard of Oz (50th ), Grease, Godspell, Minnie's Boys, KId Twist are some of his theatre credits. He graduated C.W. Post College and Brooklyn Law School with a Juris Dr. On television he also played Dick Van Dyke's friend and hospital administrator Norman Briggs, for the first four seasons of Diagnosis: Murder. Tucci has taught for 15 years, teaching and coaching Introduction to Fine Arts and Theater Arts at St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge, California and UCLA (extension) "The Business of Acting". Michael is presently acting again and is represented by BBR across the Board...David Brady. |
LORENZO LAMASLorenzo Fernando Lamas was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of actors Arlene Dahl and Fernando Lamas. His father was Argentinian and his mother was American, of Norwegian descent. Lorenzo was raised in Pacific Palisades, California. In 1968, his family moved to New York. He attended private school, graduating from Admiral Farragut Academy in 1975. He then moved back to California. With encouragement from his father, he enrolled in Tony Barr's Film Actors Workshop and began his career with a small role in a television show in 1976. He also began to study karate and tae kwon do in 1979. He has starred in five television series and in over fifty movies. He is most known for his roles on television, notably as Lance Cumson on CBS' Falcon Crest (1981) and Reno Raines in the syndicated hit show Renegade (1992). Lorenzo also sustained a professional racing career while working successfully as a TV and Film actor in the 80's and 90's. He acts on stage and has a cabaret show that he tours with across the country. Some of the roles he has played onstage include the king in the musical The King and I as well as Zach in the musical A Chorus Line. He is an avid motorcyclist for over thirty years and has participated in the Love Ride, to benefit MDA and various charities since its inception in 1983. He is also on the board of directors. Lorenzo is a commercial helicopter and airplane pilot and he often flies disadvantaged children to summer camps and people too sick or financially challenged to travel normally on domestic flights. He just recently received his certification to become a helicopter flight instructor. |
JAMIE DONNELLYJamie Donnelly is an American actress and singer best known for playing Jan in the 1978 movie Grease and Magenta in the original Los Angeles production of The Rocky Horror Show. Born on May 8, 1947, in Teaneck, New Jersey, she also has extensive stage experience, appearing on Broadway in shows like Grease and Flora, the Red Menace. Today, she works as an acting coach and resides in California with her husband, novelist Stephen Foreman, and their two children. |
RANDAL KLEISERRandal Kleiser is an American film and television director, producer, and screenwriter best known for directing the 1978 musical Grease. His career includes directing other notable films like The Blue Lagoon and Flight of the Navigator, as well as numerous television shows and movies, and he has a strong interest in pioneering technology for filmmaking. Kleiser graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts, where he befriended George Lucas, and his master's thesis film, Peege, is preserved in the National Film Registry. |
KRISTY MCNICHOLCritically acclaimed actor Kristy McNichol is best known for her role as "Buddy" in the Spelling/Goldberg hit TV series "Family". For that role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and also won two Emmys. Other TV credits include her unforgettable role as Barbara Weston the very popular Witt/Thomas/Harris hit, “Empty Nest”. Kristyalso guest starred on such shows as “The Bionic Woman” and “Starsky and Hutch”. Kristy’s film career has also been awarded with a People’s Choice Award for her starring role opposite Tatum O’Neal in the very successful film, “Little Darlings”. She also starred opposite Marsha Mason in Neil Simon’s “Only When I Laugh”, and that role won her a Golden Globe nomination. She has also starred in Alan Pakula’s “Dream Lover”, Samuel Fuller’s “White Dog”, as well as “The End” with Burt Reynolds.“ Other films include “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” starring Dennis Quaid and Mark Hamill, and the cult favorite “The Pirate Movie” with Christopher Atkins.
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ERIK ESTRADAAmerican actor best known for his role as Officer Francis "Ponch" Poncherello in the 1977–1983 police drama CHiPs. |
LARRY WILCOXLarry Wilcox grew up in Rawlins, Wyoming, with three siblings and raised by a single parent - his mother. He graduated and then went to the University of Wyoming and studied pre-med and then transferred to Cal State University Northridge in Southern California. He honorably served thirteen months in Vietnam with five campaign stars and two meritorious promotions. He was discharged as a Sergeant and then went back to school. He began studying acting and music and soon got a Hollywood agent and landed many commercials and then beat 300 actors to win the co-star role on Lassie in 1970. He then went on to guest star in many popular TV shows from MASH, Love Boat, Police Story, Room 222, The Partridge Family, Hawaii Five-0 and many others. He was subsequently picked to star in CHiPS with co-star Erik Estrada which he did for five years and the show was syndicated in one-hundred foreign countries. During this time Wilcox, a businessman at heart, formed his own production company and began buying scripts and books and making deals with studios and networks. He produced the Death of a Playmate: The Dorothy Stratten Story for MGM and NBC which he believed had many parallels to the death of his sister. He then developed, funded and produced the award winning TV Series, The Ray Bradbury Theater for HBO for five years. |
LOU WAGNER
Lou Wagner is an American actor, born August 19, 1940, best known for his role as Lucius in Planet of the Apes (1968) and the recurring role of mechanic Harlan Arliss on the TV show CHiPs. His extensive career also includes numerous other film and television appearances, such as in Airport (1970), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and a long-running role as the "Professor" in McDonald's commercials. Also playing a Ferengi in the Star Trek universe. |
DENISE CROSBYDenise Crosby is an American actress born on November 24, 1957, best known for her role as Tasha Yar in Star Trek: The Next Generation. She is the granddaughter of singer and actor Bing Crosby. Crosby also appeared in films such as Pet Sematary and Jackie Brown, and starred in and produced the documentary series Trekkies. Also playing "Mary" in the Walking Dead series. |
SAM JONESSam J. Jones is an American actor best known for playing Flash Gordon in the 1980 film of the same name. He is a former U.S. Marine and was also a professional athlete and a model before his acting career took off. He later gained renewed attention for playing a version of himself in the movies Ted and Ted 2. |
THUNDER ROSAThunder Rosa is a Mexican-American professional wrestler known for her hard-hitting style, athleticism, and powerful in-ring presence. Born Melissa Cervantes in Tijuana, Mexico, she is a former AEW Women's World Champion and made history as the first Mexican-born wrestler to hold the NWA World Women's Championship. Before her wrestling career took off, she earned a degree in sociology from UC Berkeley and worked as a social worker, and her ring name is a tribute to the Thunder Road rehabilitation center where she worked with at-risk youth. |
DEMOLITIONDemolition was an iconic professional wrestling tag team, primarily known as a duo of "Ax" (Bill Eadie) and "Smash" (Barry Darsow) who competed in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were three-time WWF Tag Team Champions and are famous for their aggressive style and intimidating look, which included face paint and spiked leather outfits. |
RICO ANDERSONRico Anderson can refer to a few different people, most notably the actor Rico E. Anderson and the music producer Rico Anderson. Rico E. Anderson is an actor known for his roles in Truth Be Told and Star Trek projects, The Orville, as well as many other TV and film appearances. Rico Anderson the music producer started his career in the 90s working with artists like Will Smith and is now the co-EO of Triple Team Entertainment. |
CHRIS MACKEYPublisher of Wolver-Mania , Dok Sauvage comics, Producer of Dok Sauvage and Hoppy's Milk films, coined word VALLEY WOOD. 45 Years in Professional Fandom. Made 45 films, Owns rights to 20. |
JEFF MEACHAMStars in : Dok Sausage, Hoppy's Milk, FireFrighter, Team of Two w/Lorenzo Lamas, Lycanthropes, Brick Madness: a Legos fan film. |
SCOTT STEVENSONStars in : VHS Violence : Bootlegged, Bad Seed (2026), Dok Sauvage, Cavern of Necrodon and Hoppys Milk, FireFrighter 2. |
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