San Diego highlight
Comic-Con International
Founded in 1970 as a one-day event and grown to an annual convention with over 130,000 attendees at the San Diego Convention Center, operated by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Comic-Con began on March 21, 1970, as a one-day Minicon organized by Shel Dorf as preparation for a larger event. That August, the first full three-day convention was held at the U.S. Grant Hotel basement with 300 attendees. Over five decades later, it has become one of the largest annual gatherings in San Diego, attracting fans, artists, creators and industry professionals who come to celebrate comics and popular arts.
The convention is now held every year at the San Diego Convention Center, drawing more than 130,000 people for a multi-day event. Comic-Con is operated by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting comics and related popular art forms. Beyond the main convention, the organization runs WonderCon, maintains the Comic-Con Museum and presents the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, making it a central cultural institution for the city.
An event of that scale and consistency — attracting thousands of families, artists and business people every summer — means that many San Diego households have someone planning around it: taking time off work, making travel arrangements, or budgeting for a family outing. Protecting that income stream and ensuring those plans can still happen if something changes is a practical reason to consider life insurance.