Shel Dorf

Shel Dorf was the driving force behind the San Diego Comic-Con, the annual pop-culture gathering he founded in 1970. Born Sheldon Dorf on July 5, 1933, in Detroit, Michigan, he was a lifelong comic book enthusiast who worked as a freelance artist and graphic designer. Dorf’s most sustained professional comics credit was as the letterer on Milton Caniff’s *Steve Canyon* newspaper strip, a role he held for the final 12 to 14 years of its run. His credited work in the industry, spanning 1983 to 1995, includes lettering and coloring on titles such as *Dick Tracy: The Early Years*, *Prince Valiant*, and *Comics Buyer’s Guide*. Dorf’s legacy, however, is defined by his tireless volunteerism and vision for a fan-run convention that would become a model for pop-culture events worldwide. He died on November 3, 2009, in San Diego, California. While he never received a major industry award, Dorf’s influence is felt in every Comic-Con that followed, and he is remembered as a humble, dedicated fan who built a community around his love for the medium.