2019

In 1977 Phil Yeh wrote, illustrated, and published one of the first modern American graphic novels, Even Cazco Gets the Blues. He was one of the first publishers of graphic novels to push for acceptance of this art form in general bookstores and libraries.

In 1985, Yeh formed Cartoonists Across America & The World to promote literacy, the arts, and creativity using humor and comics. To date they have painted 2000 murals in 49 states and 18 countries. Yeh has written over 90 books and comics.

Bob Wayne has his roots in Texas fandom, selling at conventions and his own stores. After 28 years at DC Comics he retired as senior VP of sales. He has written comics, including Time Masters (with Lewis Shiner) and created the Card Sharks for George R.R. Martin’s Wild Cards, now in development at Hulu. He has attended Comic-Con for the last 35 years, and received an Inkpot Award and a ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation award. He is currently a publishing consultant and serves on the CBLDF Advisory Board.

During Jeff Walker's Zelig-like career he has been an actor, entertainment journalist, rock critic, music publicist, film merchandise licensee (as a founder of The Thinking Cap Company) and genre marketing consultant. He's also a lifelong fan, amassing a respectable collection of comics by the age of 14. Of course, that was the generation whose mothers gave away those collections "along with my Hardy Boys, Tom Swifts, Bomba the Jungle Boys, Famous Monsters, and classic novels from The Science Fiction Book Club.

Dan Vado, a known miscreant and otherwise follower of his least profitable whims is the founder, CEO and longest tenured person at SLG Publishing. Known for publishing an eclectic and idiosyncratic and diverse line of comics, SLG Publishing at one time or another published the likes of Jhonen Vasquez, Faith Erin Hicks, Roman Dirge, Ariel Schrag and a host of other people whose names, for legal and other reason, we are not allowed to utter.

Chuck Rozanski began selling collector comics in 1970, at the age of 14. He first sold at Multicon 1972 at 17, San Diego Comic-Con 1973 at 18, and opened his first Mile High Comics retail store at 19. He had 4 stores by age 21. 0ver the past 49 years, has provided fans with over $200,000,000.00 in comics.

Bud Plant began buying comics in 1961 and scored Fantastic Four #1 off the stands (but who knows where that went?). He started seriously collecting comics in 1964. Plant and his buddies opened their first comic shop in March 1968, and started Comics & Comix in 1972, which ran to 7 stores. He did catalogs of fanzines, underground comix and comics-related books, and set up at comic shows across the country. Plant got into distribution in 1984, but sold out to Diamond in 1988. He published a few fanzines with his friends, some underground comix, and zillions of catalogs.

Frank Miller is regarded as one of the most influential and awarded creators in the entertainment industry today, known for his intense, hard-boiled storytelling and gritty noir aesthetic across comics, novels and film. Launching June 19, Miller is reteaming with artist John Romita Jr. for the highly anticipated Superman: Year One, a groundbreaking, definitive treatment of Superman’s classic origin story to be distributed under the DC Black Label.

Bill Cole, professional engineer, and retired Major, United States Army, since 1988 has been one of the longest San Diego Comic-Con exhibitors. He started his company in June of 1973 after winning tickets to a local comic book show. After going to small cons in the area, he started to produce and sell plastic sleeves to protect comic books. Sometime later, he began to manufacture heat-sealed Mylar sleeves to prevent comic books from turning yellow.

Since 1976, Charles Vess’ art has graced many a cover and page of various comic book publishers including Marvel (Spider-Man, Raven Banner), DC (Books of Magic, Swamp Thing, Sandman) and Dark Horse (Book of Night).

Over time he has moved more into book illustration (working with Neil Gaiman, George RR Martin, and Charles de Lint) and he continues to win accolades and praise for his detailed, ethereal, light-and-shadow infused work.

Diana Schutz is an award-winning editor who has worked in comics since 1978. In her 25-year tenure at Dark Horse as senior/executive editor, she shepherded Frank Miller’s Sin City and 300, Matt Wagner’s Grendel, Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, Paul Chadwick’s Concrete, Larry Marder’s Beanworld, and Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor. She also served as editor to authors Michael Chabon, Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, and Will Eisner.