Spotlight on Lee Falk - Participation in the comic conventions

A comic (book) convention or "comic con" is an event held for focusing on comic culture. At the event fans can meet creators, experts.

It can be considered that the first of such events took place in 1965 (February 21 to March 2 / officially named "International Exhibition of Comics") in the Italian city of Bordighera, near the French frontier. From 1966, it was annually held Lucca, Tuscany Province and known as the "Lucca Exhibition".

In the U.S.A., the more important comic convention is now the "San Diego Comic-Con International", California, which was founded in 1970.

Lee Falk has participated to the following events (see too the following page: Spotlight on Lee Falk - Timeline):

• 1. 1965 (February/March): the first “International Exhibition of Comics” in Bordighera, Italy (February 21 and 22)
• 2. 1968 (July 4-7): "International Convention of Comic Book Art" in New-York
• 3. 1970 (November 25): presence at the "Congresso Internacional de Histórias em Quadrinhos" in Sào Paulo, Brazil.
• 4. 1971 (October/November): 7th Lucca Comics Conference (wins “The Yellow Kid Award”)
• 5. 1984 (October/November): 16th Lucca Comics Conference (receives “The Yellow Kid Award”)
• 6. 1989 (June/July): wins the “Inkpot Award” at the San Diego International Comic Conference.
• 7. 1990 (May 19): invited to the "Barcelona International Comic Fair".
• 8. 1994 (May): invited to the Kansas City ComicCon.

1965 : “International Exhibition of Comics” in Bordighera (Italy)

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  Official ad

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  Movie director Alain Resnais and Lee Falk

1968 : "International Convention of Comic Book Art" in New-York

The first edition of "International Convention of Comic Book Art" was held on July 4 to 7, 1968: Statler Hilton Hotel, 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue, New-York, and was co-produced with SCARP, the short-lived Society for Comic Art Research and Preservation, Inc. (nb: The hotel was acquired by the Hotels Statler Company in 1948 and renamed the "New York Statler Hotel", operated as "The Statler Hilton", then as the New York Penta, until it reverted to the "Hotel Pennsylvania". It was the fourth largest hotel with 1.704 rooms. In April 2021, plans were announced to demolish the hotel to make way for a future new skyscraper). Guests of honor at that first 1968 convention were Stan Lee and Burne Hogarth. Lee Falk was was one of the key figures invited to talk about comics. In the following years, the convention held annually New York City, New York, over Independence Day weekend from 1968 through 1983, except for 1977, when it was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 1978 to 1979, when editions of the convention were held in both New York and Philadelphia.

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  Official ad

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  from an article about the "SCARP Convention" published in "Comic Crusader" fanzine, issue 3 (1968) / Lee Falk at bottom of link column

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  close-up of previous page

1970 : "Congresso Internacional de Histórias em Quadrinhos", Sào Paulo (Brazil)

"Congresso Internacional de Histórias em Quadrinhos" (International Congress of Comics) took place at the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) in November and December 1970 (the event has two parts, 1°: one comics exhibition devoted to international as well as national artists and creators, "Exosição Internacional de Histórias em Quadrinhos" from November 23 to December 15, 1970 and 2°: some debate meetings, "Congresso Internacional de Histórias em Quadrinhos" from November 23 to 26, 1970). These events were organized by the Panamerican School of Arts, in conjunction with the São Paulo City Hall.

Lee Falk was present as a guest for a conference-debate followed by a round-table on November 25, 1970 (2 pm and 4 pm).

Amongst other guests to the Congress were Burne Hogarth ("Tarzan"), Jean Claude Forrest ("Barbarella"), Robert Gigi ("Scarlett Dream") and Alberto Breccia ("Mort Cinder"). Comics specialists such as Rinaldo Traini (Italy), Claude Moliterni (France), David Pascal (Usa) also held round tables.

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  Event panel

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  During the Congress, "Adolfo Aizen" (founder of EBAL") and his son Paulo Adolfo Aizen

1971 : "Lucca Comics Conference

The 7th International Exhibition of Comics ("Salone Internazional dei comics") was held in Lucca from October 29 to November 15, 1971 for the comics exhibitions with a section devoted to meetings for with authors and publishers from October 29 to November 1, 1971. The main organizers were Rinaldo Traini (Italy), Pierre Couperie and Claude Moliterni (France).

The meetings (conference debates with authors and called "tavola rotonda" = round tables) had Emilio Freixas (famous Spanish comics artist), Lee Falk and Tarzan's artist Burne Hogarth as participants.

Several awards (called "Yellow Kid Awards" in homage to the early American comics classic) were voted; Lee Falk received the one dedicated to the best foreign author.

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  Convention inside view

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  Lee Falk at Lucca 7

1984 : "Lucca Comics Conference

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  Award Winners: Burne Hogarth ("Tarzan" cartoonist), Lee Falk and Ervin Rustemagić (Bosnian publisher)

1990 : "Barcelona International Comic Fair"

The 8th Barcelona International Comic Fair ("8è Saló Internacional del Còmic de Barcelona"), also named Salón Internacional del Cómic del Principado de Asturias (International Comic Fair of the Principality of Asturias) was held in Barcelona from May 17 to 20, 1990 with a speech of Lee Falk on Saturday 19 in the presence of other invited authors (Joe Kubert, Will Eisner).

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  Comic Fair poster

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  Comic Fair program (in Catalan language)

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  Comic Fair program (detail on May 19)

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  Lee Falk behind the scenes

1994 : "Kansas City ComicCon"

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  Ad for celebrating 60 years of Mandrake creation