The following is an excerpt from my article on my history with the SDCC (now known as the Comic Con International):

Well I wasn't going to let the 1973 SDCC, now named the San Diego Comic-Con, come and go without me! This time I had the days off of work, yes still at the San Diego Zoo, and I was set up as a dealer for all three days at the Sheraton Hotel, Harbor Island, in San Diego. I ran across the original check for the dealer table not too long ago, it is amazing what I paid then for 3 days versus what dealers paid for a booth last year at the San Diego Comic-Con International! Of course its' been 33 years since the photo above!

I set up alone at the SDCC that year in 1973, see picture to the middle left, and had the foresight to have my picture taken. Yes, that's me, 33 years ago, a young kid at having turned just 2l years of age the month before.

I was wearing a short-hair wig at the SD Zoo, because the big boss kept coming around us guys to get our haircut all the time, so we opted to wear short haired wigs and really let our hair grow..... and I had moved out of my parents' house, so I could have the length of hair I wanted to have. I have a lot less hair nowadays, and my mustache is a lot lighter in color, as well as my beard! Plus I have never been that skinny since my first marriage in 1975.... too much pasta since then!!

The comics on the table in front of me were just part of my stock, mostly Marvel comic books, with Captain Marvel, Amazing Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, Tales of Suspense, and Daredevil pictured. I had almost complete collections of all the Marvel Comics printed by 1973, and these were my duplicates for sale.

I don't believe short boxes for comics had been invented by then...I do remember buying comic bags from Robert Bell to insert the comics into for protection. (I still buy collections that have these old Robert Bell bags from the 1970's!!) I remember doing well selling at this con, even though only approximately 1100 were in attendance! Since I was alone in this commerical venture, I was not able to break away from the table to see the comics pros that came that year. It was the first SDCC to attract real professional interest from the New York Pros.

Guests that year were Neal Adams, Carmine Infantino, Sol Harrison, June foray, Ray Bradbury, A. E. Van Vogt, Jack Kirby among others.

Looking back now at this photo from 1973, and at the 1984 SDCC Program Book that tells about the first 15 years of the SDCC, I am pleased that I did jump into selling at the earliest Comic Cons held out here on the West Coast!

It was a much simpler time, and so much fun!

Today, the SDCC International is up to 125,000 attendees and takes up both wings of the SD Convention Center.... and it is a Real Zoo to attend! (Pun intended!)