19 Comic Con Facts

1.  1939 – The first comic book convention was held in New York City. This is where Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman, met for the first time after they decided to show their new comic character at this event.
2. 500k+ fans attend annually! That is a lot of people who come together to celebrate their love of all things comic, movie, and video game-related.
3. Comic-Con is not just for Americans! The third-largest Comic-Con in the world takes place in London, England, with over 130,000 attendees.The first-ever comic book was published in 1933 and Funnies on Parade. It featured Popeye, Betty Boop, and Felix the Cat.
4.  Comic books are not just for kids! A study conducted by The University of Utah found that comic books can help people with dyslexia learn to read.
5. Comic-Con was not always called Comic-Con! It was initially known as the Golden State Comic Book Convention when it first started in 1970. It later changed to San Diego Comic-Con in 1972 and has been known by that name ever since.
6.  Aside from comic books, comic con is also known for where movie studios showcase their upcoming films. This has become even more popular with comic book movies such as The Avengers and X-Men becoming so successful!
7. The best place to wear your superhero costume is “Comic-Con,” if you have one. In 2015, Salt Lake City Comic-Con had 1,784 attendees costumed as superheroes, adhering to rigorous criteria set the record for gathering the most people dressed as comic book characters, surpassing the previous record of 1530 cosplayers set in 2011 in Cancun, Mexico.
8. Movie stars are not just limited to attending comic cons these days – many have gone on to star in comic book movies! Some of these include Ryan Reynolds, Ben Affleck, and Scarlett Johansson.
9. Jack Kirby, comic book artist, and science fiction authors Ray Bradbury and A.E. van Vogt made their first appearances at the first convention.
10. From the start, SDCC’s creators had in mind to include comic books and various other elements of pop culture, including movies and science fiction/fantasy novels.
11. In 1974, the first Masquerade Ball, a fan-led costume and makeup event occurred. Each year, Comic-Con hosts a masquerade. This event honors and promotes the creativity and costume abilities of the participants. The winner receives a $1,000 prize plus a medal. A team in Haunted Mansion costumes was declared “Best In Show” in 2015.
12. The San Diego Comic-Con is not simply a cultural event. It also includes smaller gatherings such as the Comic Book Expo, the nation’s major trade show for the comic book industry; ProCon, an annual event for professional creative individuals from the comic book industry; and Con/Fusion, which promotes science fiction and comics.
13. On April 8, 2017, in Dubai’s “Comic-Con,” street artists from across the UAE received a Guinness World Record Comic-Con producing the largest stencil graffiti ever. On the wall, they made stencil graffiti with the theme of comic books that covered 11 square meters.
14. Comic-Con is not just for geeky men or women anymore either – it has become a popular event that companies use to advertise their products through comic books, which are being made specifically with female readers in mind. This includes comic books such as Jem and the Holograms, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Lumberjanes.
15.  The San Diego Comic-Con is not just for people who love comics! It is also an excellent place for fans of movies, video games, and other forms of pop culture to come together and celebrate their interests. Comic-con has been known to attract over 200,000 visitors each year!
16.  Comic books are not just for entertainment purposes – they can also be used for educational purposes! Comic books have been known to help people with dyslexia learn to read.
17. Aside from several Guinness World Records being created or broken at Comic-Con events worldwide, people who obtain these records are celebrated in those locations. Sylvester Stallone was given his certificate during San Diego’s “Comic-Con.” He was recognized for making films about boxer Rocky Balboa, the highest-grossing film series in history.
18. The Comic-Con spread of “Comic-Con” is apparent, and demand for tickets far outpaces supply. In 2016, San Diego’s “Comic-Con” sold all 130,000 of its available tickets in just one hour!
19. San Diego profits by hundreds of millions of dollars. It was stated that “Comic-Con” is one of the most lucrative events for San Diego. More than half of the attendees come from outside the area. As a result, if the event lasts four days, around $170 million will be generated—approximately $42,500 per minute.

The comic book industry has been going strong for decades and shows no signs of stopping any time soon! Even though comic cons are a lot smaller than they were back in their early days, amusing con facts show that comic conventions have only continued to grow over the years, both bigger and better. 

To get into the comic book industry, you don’t need to have a college degree. Many people in the comic book industry started as fans who loved comics and made their way into the business by submitting their work to comic publishers. So if you’re passionate about comics and have some talent when it comes to drawing or writing, don’t be afraid to give comic book publishing a try!