The origin story of Comic-Con International: San Diego is as humble as that of the superheroes who play such prominent roles in the seminal show. Founded in 1970 as the Golden State Comic Book Convention, Comic-Con struggled to survive, with much of its activity geared toward raising money to produce the next show. At the 1980 event pictured here, Jack Kirby, the co-creator of Captain America and the Incredible Hulk, drew a sketch of The Thing, which was auctioned off later. From those mild-mannered beginnings, Comic-Con grew to deliver a super-powered economic impact of $135 million per year.