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Shel Dorf, founder of Comic-Con, dies
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Shel Dorf. 1988.
Why Shel Dorf in a menswear column? Because without his 39 year devotion to all things comics-related, comic books, and all the character-driven merchandise spawned therein, very well could have remained a disposable and passing childhood obsession instead of blossoming into the multi-billion dollar, cross-cultural market force that it is today. Shel Dorf made it okay to be an adult, love and collect comics and let the world know by sporting a favorite Batman, Green Lantern or Punisher shirt.
His massive, four day, San Diego Comic-Con International, routinely draws over 100,000 like-minded attendees every year sporting the latest in comic book inspired outfits like these Bloomingdale's exclusives mentioned here a while back. Shel's dedication to comics and Comic-Con has fostered, nurtured and grown a massive market. That market helps keep the world of fashion from taking itself too seriously by insisting on a little irreverence now and again, and demanding that we men never forget that under that XXL Superman shirt is a little boy able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and for that we should be thankful.
Shel died of kidney failure on November 3, 2009. May he rest in peace. His obituary.
