2019 marks Comic-Con’s golden anniversary! Started in 1970 in the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego, Comic-Con grew from an excited crowd of 300 fans to the giant that it is today! Moving from the U. S. Grant Hotel to the El Cortez to the Performing Arts Center and—in 1991— the San Diego Convention Center, Comic-Con has become a San Diego staple and a world-wide phenomenon.

As we gear up to celebrate Comic-Con 50 (July 18-21 with Preview Night on July 17 at the San Diego Convention Center), we’re going to be re-introducing some of our logos from the past. This groovy gem is from Comic-Con 1980 and was illustrated by (at the time) underground cartoonist John Pound, who went on to a long career including comic covers, illustrations, art prints, book covers, and over 500 Garbage Pail Kid stickers (along with numerous other assignments for Topps).