Shel Dorf
Encyclopedia
Sheldon "Shel" Dorf was an American
comic-strip letterer
and freelance artist and the founder of the San Diego Comic-Con International. Dorf lettered the Steve Canyon
comic strip for the last 12 to 14 years of the strip's run.
, Dorf studied at Chicago's Art Institute
before moving to New York and beginning his career as a freelancer in the field of commercial design. Dorf was also a fan of comic books and comic strips, particularly Chester Gould's work on the daily strip Dick Tracy
. He was eventually employed as a consultant on Warren Beatty
's big-screen adaptation of the strip in 1990. In the 1960s Dorf had made the acquaintance of a number of creators working in the two fields, among them Jack Kirby
, upon whom Dorf would occasionally call.
and Dorf took over the event, christening it the "Detroit Triple Fan Fair
" and organizing it as an annual event. In 1970, the year Dorf moved to San Diego
, California
, he organized a one-day convention "as a kind of 'dry run' for the larger convention he hoped to stage." with Forrest J Ackerman
as the star attraction.
Dorf's first three-day San Diego comics convention, the Golden State Comic-Con, was held at the U. S. Grant Hotel
from August 1–3, 1970. It would eventually grow into the San Diego Comic-Con International. The con moved in subsequent years to the El Cortez Hotel; the University of California, San Diego
; and Golden Hall, before settling into the San Diego Convention center in 1991.
and Film Collector's World), and his conversations with Milton Caniff
and Mort Walker
have both been collected in the University Press of Mississippi
's Milton Caniff: conversations and Mort Walker: Conversations respectively. His interview with Wally Wood
(among the few to see print) for TBG was reprinted in Comic Book Artist
#14 (July 2001). In 1984 Dorf began comopilation and editing of the Dick Tracy comic strips in comic book format for Blackthorne Publishing
, "proudly" publishing ninety-nine issues and collecting the material again in twenty-four collections. Chester Gould's daughter, Jean Gould O'Connell credits Dorf with bringing "Tracy out to another generation." Comics historian Mark Evanier
said Caniff "honored Shel by making him into a character. It was a well-meaning football player named "Thud Shelley" who appeared a few times in the Canyon strip. Jack Kirby also made Shel into a character ... a father figure named Himon
who appeared in Mister Miracle
. Dorf received an Inkpot Award
at the 1975 San Diego Comic-Con.
Dorf died aged 76 on 3 November 2009 from diabetes-related complications in Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego. He is survived by his brother Michael.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
comic-strip letterer
Letterer
A letterer is a member of a team of comic book creators responsible for drawing the comic book's text. The letterer's use of typefaces, calligraphy, letter size, and layout all contribute to the impact of the comic. The letterer crafts the comic's "display lettering": the story title lettering and...
and freelance artist and the founder of the San Diego Comic-Con International. Dorf lettered the Steve Canyon
Steve Canyon
Steve Canyon was a long-running American adventure comic strip by writer-artist Milton Caniff. Launched shortly after Caniff retired from his previous strip, Terry and the Pirates, Steve Canyon ran from January 13, 1947 until June 4, 1988, shortly after Caniff's death...
comic strip for the last 12 to 14 years of the strip's run.
Early life
Born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Dorf studied at Chicago's Art Institute
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
before moving to New York and beginning his career as a freelancer in the field of commercial design. Dorf was also a fan of comic books and comic strips, particularly Chester Gould's work on the daily strip Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy is a comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a hard-hitting, fast-shooting and intelligent police detective. Created by Chester Gould, the strip made its debut on October 4, 1931, in the Detroit Mirror. It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate...
. He was eventually employed as a consultant on Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty born March 30, 1937) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter and director. He has received a total of fourteen Academy Award nominations, winning one for Best Director in 1982. He has also won four Golden Globe Awards including the Cecil B. DeMille Award.-Early life and...
's big-screen adaptation of the strip in 1990. In the 1960s Dorf had made the acquaintance of a number of creators working in the two fields, among them Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, upon whom Dorf would occasionally call.
Comic-Con
In 1964, Robert Brusch organised a convention for fans of the medium, and the next year Jerry BailsJerry Bails
Jerry Gwin Bails was an American popular culturist. Known as the "Father of Comic Book Fandom", he was one of the first to approach the comic book field as a subject worthy of academic study, and was a primary force in establishing 1960s comics fandom.- Early life :Jerry G. Bails was born June...
and Dorf took over the event, christening it the "Detroit Triple Fan Fair
Detroit Triple Fan Fair
The Detroit Triple Fan Fair ' was a multigenre convention held annually in Detroit, Michigan, from 1965 to 1978. It is credited as being the first regularly held convention featuring comic books as a major component...
" and organizing it as an annual event. In 1970, the year Dorf moved to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, he organized a one-day convention "as a kind of 'dry run' for the larger convention he hoped to stage." with Forrest J Ackerman
Forrest J Ackerman
Forrest J Ackerman was an American collector of science fiction books and movie memorabilia and a science fiction fan...
as the star attraction.
Dorf's first three-day San Diego comics convention, the Golden State Comic-Con, was held at the U. S. Grant Hotel
U. S. Grant Hotel
The U.S. Grant Hotel is a historic hotel in downtown San Diego, California. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is 11 stories high and has 270 guest rooms in addition to meeting rooms and a ballroom.-History:...
from August 1–3, 1970. It would eventually grow into the San Diego Comic-Con International. The con moved in subsequent years to the El Cortez Hotel; the University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
; and Golden Hall, before settling into the San Diego Convention center in 1991.
Later endeavors
Dorf would also contribute interviews to the comics press and movie collector magazines (including for The Buyer's Guide for Comic Fandom (TBG)Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide , established in 1971, is the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry...
and Film Collector's World), and his conversations with Milton Caniff
Milton Caniff
Milton Arthur Paul Caniff was an American cartoonist famous for the Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon comic strips.-Biography:...
and Mort Walker
Mort Walker
Addison Morton Walker , popularly known as Mort Walker, is an American comic artist best known for creating the newspaper comic strips Beetle Bailey in 1950 and Hi and Lois in 1954. He has signed Addison to some of his strips.Born in El Dorado, Kansas, he grew up in Kansas City, Missouri...
have both been collected in the University Press of Mississippi
University Press of Mississippi
The University Press of Mississippi, founded in 1970, is a publisher that is sponsored by the eight state universities in Mississippi:*Alcorn State University*Delta State University*Jackson State University*Mississippi State University...
's Milton Caniff: conversations and Mort Walker: Conversations respectively. His interview with Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
(among the few to see print) for TBG was reprinted in Comic Book Artist
Comic Book Artist
Comic Book Artist was an American magazine founded by Jon B. Cooke devoted to anecdotal histories of American comic books, with emphasis on comics published since the 1960s...
#14 (July 2001). In 1984 Dorf began comopilation and editing of the Dick Tracy comic strips in comic book format for Blackthorne Publishing
Blackthorne Publishing
Blackthorne Publishing, Inc. was a comic book publisher that flourished from 1986-1989. They were notable for the Blackthorne 3-D Series, their reprint titles of classic comic strips like Dick Tracy, and their licensed products...
, "proudly" publishing ninety-nine issues and collecting the material again in twenty-four collections. Chester Gould's daughter, Jean Gould O'Connell credits Dorf with bringing "Tracy out to another generation." Comics historian Mark Evanier
Mark Evanier
Mark Stephen Evanier is an American comic book and television writer, particularly known for his humor work. He is also known for his columns and blogs, and for his work as a historian and biographer of the comics industry, in particular his award-winning Jack Kirby biography, Kirby: King of...
said Caniff "honored Shel by making him into a character. It was a well-meaning football player named "Thud Shelley" who appeared a few times in the Canyon strip. Jack Kirby also made Shel into a character ... a father figure named Himon
Himon
Himon is a fictional character. Created by Jack Kirby, the character is one of the New Gods, a fictional race of gods in publications from DC Comics...
who appeared in Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
. Dorf received an Inkpot Award
Inkpot Award
The Inkpot Award, bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International, is given to some of the professionals in comic book, comic strip, animation, science fiction, and related pop-culture fields, who are guests of that organization's yearly multigenre fan convention, commonly known as...
at the 1975 San Diego Comic-Con.
Dorf died aged 76 on 3 November 2009 from diabetes-related complications in Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego. He is survived by his brother Michael.