San Diego Comic-Con International was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans.
It is traditionally a four-day event (Thursday through Sunday — though a three-hour preview night on Wednesday is open to professionals, exhibitors, and some guests pre-registered for all four days) held during the summer in San Diego.

Originally showcasing comic books, science fiction/fantasy and film/television and related popular arts, the convention has expanded over the years to include a larger range of pop culture elements, such as horror, anime, manga, animation, toys, collectible card games, video games, webcomics, and fantasy novels.