Richard Alf, Comic-Con Co-Founder, Dead at 59

SAN DIEGO January 6, 2012 (AP)

Richard Alf, one of the co-founders of San Diego's Comic-Con, has died from pancreatic cancer at age 59.
U-T San Diego ( http://bit.ly/A5XU8p ) reports that Alf joined up with a band of volunteers in 1970 to start the now-annual convention celebrating comic books.

Friend and fellow Comic-Con co-founder Mike Towry says Alf fronted a few thousand dollars to pay for the convention for the first three years and gave other co-founders rides in his car.

In 1970, the first Comic-Con was relatively modest compared to the convention that now draws more than 125,000 people to San Diego every summer for a 3-day extravaganza.

Alf also founded the Comic Kingdom shop in North Park in the 1970s.

Alf was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in December.

He is survived by his mother.