David Glanzer may be Comic-Con's longtime spokesperson, but he is also the kind of geeky fan who will run after his favorite costumed character — like Brian from "Family Guy" — just to get a photo.
Comic-Con held its 50th convention in 2019, and several panels celebrated five decades of spotlighting pop culture.
For half a century, the nonprofit organization Comic-Con International has been on a mission to celebrate the popular arts, emphasizing the creativity and craft of genre entertainment that's often overlooked or dismissed by the mainstream. From comics and movies to TV and video games, Comic-Con has shined a light on the creators and fans of the best pop culture has to offer.
In 2019, to help mark Comic-Con's 50th convention, I spoke with some of the people who know the event best. David Glanzer has been attending since 1978. He began volunteering soon after and became its official spokesperson in 1984.
I have known Glanzer professionally since the early 1990s, when I was working for XETV Fox Channel 6 and produced commercials that aired on the station. Back then, Comic-Con still had to promote itself to draw people in. Glanzer would hand out stacks of passes when he spoke at schools about the pop culture convention. But what I've discovered over all these years is that Glanzer is absolutely sincere when he says the organizers just want to put on a show they would like to attend.
Back in 2019, Glanzer had a giant Han Solo decal on the glass window next to his office door and a Han-in-carbonite rug. One of his prized possessions was a black-and-silver "Star Wars" teaser poster, which he proudly noted featured a different font for the "W" than in the final artwork. Yes, that's how geeky a fan he still is.
Like me, Glanzer came to Comic-Con mainly because of a love for movies rather than comics.
"I remember walking through the doors and not really knowing what to expect," Glanzer recalled. "But I had heard these great things about Comic-Con having movie posters and stuff." He also fondly remembers meeting Matt Groening early on at the convention's old Performing Arts Center location, years before the "The Simpsons" debuted. Glanzer spotted Groening sitting alone on some steps and asked for an autograph. Not only did Groening sign his "Life in Hell" book, but he also drew one of his iconic "binky" characters. Years later, Glanzer presented Groening with an Icon Award.
Comic-Con 2025 is set to take place July 24-27, with a preview night on July 23, at the San Diego Convention Center.
