Richard Alf Papers MS-0523
Kim Schwenk and Dianna Serrano
Special Collections & University Archives
5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050
San Diego, CA 92182-8050
askscua@sdsu.edu
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & University Archives
Title: Richard Alf Papers
Creator:
Alf, Richard
Identifier/Call Number: MS-0523
Physical Description:
11.11 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1955-2011
Date (bulk): 1968-1977
Language of Material:
English
.
Scope and Contents
Materials in the
Richard Alf Papers document Alf's various businesses, including his comic book mail order business and store, as well as his involvement with
San Diego Comic-Con, the largest comic and pop culture convention in the world. The collection includes correspondence, original
artwork, publications, business files, and San Diego Comic-Con materials. The collection is divided into four series:
Personal Files,
Professional Files,
Convention Files, and
Audiovisual Recordings.
The
Personal Files date from 1965-2011, and include two subseries:
Correspondence and
Subject Files. The
Correspondence includes personal correspondence with family and friends, holiday cards, invitations, notices, and solicitations. The
Subject Files include: notes; original art; photographs; Vietnam draft materials, magazines, marijuana materials, and items relating to
Shel Dorf, comic artist and co-founder of San Diego Comic-Con. Also included are drafts and final copies of autobiographical
essays about Alf's life and his involvement with San Diego Comic-Con.
The
Professional Files (1967-1997) document Alf's various entreprenuerial enterprises and are divided into four sub-series:
Mail Order Comics
Business,
Comic Kingdom,
Baseball Collectibles, and
Other Businesses. The
Mail Order Comic Business (1967-1997) sub-series documents the operation of Alf's mail-order comics businesses, the first of which was started while
Alf was still in high school in 1969. The sub-series includes selling lists, mail order advertisements, and correspondence
with customers and other mail order businesses. Highlights include correspondence with Carleton Palmer, a young illustrator
whom Alf comissioned to illustrate his mailing lists and flyters. His letters contain original sketches as well as information
about draft dodging. The majority of materials in this series date from 1969 to 1974. The files are arranged into three sub-series:
Advertising Files,
Correspondence, and
Administrative files. The
Comic Kingdom files (1974-1977), arranged alphabeically, include inventory lists, promotional materials, advertisements, news clippings,
and general office files. Of particular note is an original illustration for the Comic Kingdom certificate. The
Baseball Collectibles Business sub-series dates from 1989-1990 and documents Alf's mail order baseball card collecting and trading business. The series
includes baseball card inventories as well as advertisements, invoices, and correspondence. The
Other Businesses series contains a small amount of material from Alf's video game mail order business, Fun N Games, as well as a folder of
business cards and photos from Alf's other careers as a real estate agent, advertising executive, and sign maker.
The
Convention Files (1965-2011) are divided into two sub-series: the
San Diego Comic-Con Files and
Comics and Fandom Conventions. The
San Diego Comic-Con Files date from 1965-2011 and are arranged alphabetically. This series includes letters from some of the earliest conventions in
1970 and 1971 as well as correspondence about the "Secret History of the Con" panel at San Diego Comic-Con. This series also
includes convention badges, flyers, forms, posters, and photographs. The
Comics and Fandom Conventions series dates from 1965-2010, and includes programs and materials from various comic and fandom conventions outside of San
Diego including Comic Book Expo, Worldcon, LA Con, WonderCon and more.
The
Audiovisual Recordings series includes sound recordings, film reels, audio cassettes, VHS, CDs, and DVDs, many of which are not labelled.
This series is unavailable for research at this time. Analog footage has not yet been transferred due to limited resources. Please contact the head of Special Collections for access or more information.
Arrangement Note
I. Personal Files, 1965-2011
1. Correspondence,1965-2010
2. Subject Files, 1955-2011
II. Professional Files, 1967-1997
1. Mail Order Comics Business, 1963-1997
A. Advertising Files, 1969-1985
B. Correspondence, 1967-1997
C. Administrative Files, 1967-1976
2. Comic Kingdom Store, 1974-1977
3. Baseball Collectibles Business, 1989-1990
4. Other Businesses, c. 1990s
III. Convention Files, 1965-2011
1. San Diego Comic-Con Files, 1965-2011
2. Comics and Fandom Conventions, 1965-2010
IV. Audiovisual Recordings
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. All of the audiovisual materials represented in series IV of the
Richard Alf Papers are restricted. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you would like to contribute to the digital transfer of these obsolete
formats, please contact Robert Ray, Head of Special Collections and University Archives at rray@rohan.sdsu.edu.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with
the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections
is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be
submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available
for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including
but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
Source of Acquisition
Martha Alf and Ed Cormier
Accruals and Additions
2012-028 (Alf), 2012-033 (Cormier)
Related Materials
Comics and Science Fiction Fandom Collection
Donna Barr Papers
Zines and Minicomics Collection
The Comic-Con Kids: Finding and Defining Fandom (interviews with early
Comic-Con organizers and participants, including Richard Alf)
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, folder title, box number,
Richard Alf Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, San Diego State University Library.
Biographical Note
Richard Alf, a co-founder of Comic-Con, was born in San Diego, California on January 26, 1952. He was an avid comics collector
and at the age of twelve, began buying and selling comics through
Rocket's Blast Comicollector (RBCC). In 1968, he published and distributed his own list of comics for sale. Two years later, he sold his mail-order business
in order to attend the University of California, San Diego (1970-1972), and later San Diego State University (1972-1974).
In 1969, Alf met Shel Dorf. Together with a small group of other fans (including Mike Towry and Ken Krueger), they formed
an organizing committee for San Diego's Golden State Comic-Minicon. The committee produced, promoted, and ran the minicon
in March of 1970 with 100 attendees. It served as a one day test run for the larger three-day San Diego Comic-Con that was
held in August of that same year. Alf used income from his comic mail-order business to help finance the venture. Both conventions
were held at the U.S. Grant Hotel and emphasized comic books, science fiction, and film.
Alf became chairman of the second Comic-Con, which was held at Muir College on the UCSD campus in 1971. Under his direction,
Comic-Con expanded its committee base by networking with other fandoms outside of the original mandate. The third Comic-Con,
held at the El Cortez Hotel in 1972, had over 1,000 attendees.
In 1974, Alf created a new collectible comic book mail-order business, and a year later he opened Comic Kingdom, one of San
Diego's first comic book retail stores. In 1976, he sold it to the store manager, and in 1978, he sold his mail-order business
to Mile High Comics of Colorado.
From 1980 to 1992, Alf worked in advertising for several different companies, specializing in billboards. In 1989, he began
a mail order baseball collectibles business, and from 1990 to 2003, he bought and sold pre-owned video games and systems through
mail-order and retail sales.
At the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con, Alf and other early Comic-Con founders spoke as part of the "Secret History of the Con" panel,
commemorating the 40th anniversary.
Alf died on January 4, 2012.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Alf, Richard--Archives
Comic books, strips, etc.--Collectors and collecting
Underground comic books, strips, etc.
Comic books, strips, etc.
San Diego (Calif.)--History
Personal Papers
box 1
Correspondence Sub-Series 1
box 1, folder 1
Alf, Martha Folder 1
1965-1998
box 1, folder 2
Blumling, Kath and Tom Thetford Folder 2
1993-2000
box 1, folder 3
Dorf, Shel Folder 3
1970-2005
box 1, folder 4
Kocsis, Steve Folder 4
1998
box 1, folder 5
MacDonald, Holly Folder 5
1997
box 1, folder 6
McKinney, Phyllis Folder 6
1997-2004
box 1, folder 7
Moore, Clayton and Therese Folder 7
1997-2000
box 1, folder 8
Valentino, Jim Folder 8
2009
box 1, folder 9
Holiday cards Folder 9
1968-1998
box 1, folder 10
Invitations, notices, and solicitations Folder 10
1996-2010
box 1, folder 11
General correspondence Folder 11
1974-2009
Subject Files Sub-Series 2
box 1, folder 12
Ackerman, Forrest "Famous Monsters of Filmland" calendar Folder 12
1992
Scope and Contents
signed "Have a great year - Forrest Ackerman"
box 1, folder 13
Alf-Dorf collaborations Folder 13
1969-1989
box 1, folder 15
Alf personal notes Folder 15
box 1, folder 16
Biographical information Folder 16
box 2, folder 1
City of La Mesa Annual Report Folder 1
c. 1955
box 2, folder 2
Comic and fanzine advertisement flyers Folder 2
box 2, folder 3
Comic art sketches Folder 3
box 2, folder 4
Dorf, Shel - Fan Club and Entourage Folder 4
1984-2011
Scope and Contents
Includes
Fortune magazine, inscribed cover and autograph by Gary Hallgren, 1984 - "Shel Dorf - May Cartooning Be Your 'Fortune'."
box 2, folder 5
Dorf, Shel in memorium Folder 5
2009-2010
box 2, folder 6
Dorf, Shel in publications Folder 6
1965-2011
box 2, folder 7
Fine Print Distributors Catalog
Folder 7
1996-1997
box 2, folder 8
High Times
Folder 8
March 1985; October 1996
box 2, folder 9
How Mail Order Fortunes are Made by Alfred Stern
Folder 9
1984
box 3, folder 1
How to Make Your Fortune with Books by Owen Bates and Neal Michaels
Folder 1
1984
box 3, folder 2
Johnson, George Clayton Folder 2
2009-2010
box 3, folder 3
Kensington Video Film List Folder 3
c. 1994
box 3, folder 4
Legal Highs: a Concise Encyclopedia of Legal Herbs and Chemicals with Psychoactive Properties Folder 4
1973
box 3, folder 5
Musical compositions Folder 5
box 3, folder 6
Newsclippings about Alf and comics Folder 6
1967-2009
box 3, folder 7
Photographs Folder 7
c. 1970-2009
box 3, folder 8
Photographs: Visit to San Francisco Folder 8
1996
box 3, folder 9
Photographs: San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park Folder 9
1997
box 3, folder 10
Planet Earth Directory and Projectory
Folder 10
box 3, folder 11
Pop Smear Magazine, issue 18
Folder 11
November / December 1998
box 3, folder 12
Publishers Central Bureau Catalog
Folder 12
box 3, folder 13
Research materials on the military draft Folder 13
1968
box 3, folder 14
Schwartz, Julius Folder 14
1989
box 3, folder 15
Sleepy Hollow Society fanzine created by Alf
Folder 15
box 3, folder 16
Things to do and see in San Diego
Folder 16
c. 1950s
box 3, folder 17
"The Universal Life Church (ULC) News" Folder 17
summer and fall 1998
box 4, folder 1
WWF Battlemania Folder 1
August 1991
box 4, folder 2
The Wrapper Non-Sports Collectibles
Folder 2
April 1 - May 15, 1993
box 18, item 1
San Diego State College softball Item 1
box 19
Trading Cards and Ephemera
1969-2009
Scope and Contents
Includes sporting trading cards, comics and superhero cards, pop culture cards, and marijuana trading cards. Also includes,
deck of Magic, the Gathering role playing card game and cloth badges from the 200th Anniversary of San Diego.
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 1
Promotional buttons Item 1
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 2
Promotional buttons Item 2
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 1
Original artwork and posters (some signed) Folder 1
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 2
Movie Collector's World, no. 320
Folder 2
July 7, 1989
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 3
The Obecian, vol. 2, issue 9
Folder 3
Oct / Nov 1997
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 4
On the Avenue, vol. 4, no. 9
Folder 4
September 1998
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 5
O'Shaughnessy's
Folder 5
Autumn 2005
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 6
Sunrise, issue 18
Folder 6
November 4, 1970
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 7
West Coast Leaf, vol. 2, no. 3
Folder 7
Autumn 2009
flat_file 17:5, item 1
Portrait of Alf by Clayton A. Moore Item 1
2012
Professional Files Series 2
Mail Order Comics Business Sub-Series 1
Advertising Files Sub-Series 1
box 4, folder 3
Early correspondence record Folder 3
1973-1974
box 4, folder 4
Boy's Life Magazine
Folder 4
1974
box 4, folder 5
The Buyer's Guide, Fan publication
Folder 5
1973-1978
box 4, folder 6
Caper's Weekly
Folder 6
1974
box 4, folder 7
Comic Reader
Folder 7
1976-1977
box 4, folder 8
DC Comics Folder 8
1974-1978
box 4, folder 9
Film Collector's World
Folder 9
1976-1977
box 4, folder 10
Grit Publishing Company Folder 10
1973-1974
box 4, folder 12
Marvel Comics Group Folder 12
1969-1985
box 4, folder 13
National Central Bureau Folder 13
1973-1974
box 4, folder 14
Pacific Comics Distributors Folder 14
box 4, folder 15
Scholastic Magazines Group Folder 15
1974
box 4, folder 16
Seanoard Comics Group Folder 16
1974-1975
box 4, folder 17
Sorcerer's Apprentice
Folder 17
1974
box 5, folder 1
Stan's Weekly Express
Folder 1
1969-1970
box 5, folder 2
Stan's Weekly Express
Folder 2
1970-1974
box 5, folder 3
Syndicate, Inc. (
The Nostalgia Journal)
Folder 3
1975-1976
Correspondence Sub-Series 2
box 5, folder 5
Killea, Lucy Folder 5
1989
box 5, folder 6
Overstreet, Bob (
Comic Book Price Guide)
Folder 6
1974-1976
box 5, folder 7
Palmer, Carleton Folder 7
1969-1970
box 5, folder 8
Robertson, Mike Folder 8
1969-1970
box 5, folder 9
Soon, Herman Folder 9
1969-1971
box 5, folder 10
Mail order correspondence Folder 10
1967
box 5, folder 11
Mail order correspondence Folder 11
1968
box 5, folder 12
Mail order correspondence Folder 12
1968
box 6, folder 1
Mail order correspondence Folder 1
1968
box 6, folder 2
Mail order correspondence Folder 2
1969
box 6, folder 3
Mail order correspondence Folder 3
1969
box 6, folder 4
Mail order correspondence Folder 4
1969
box 6, folder 5
Mail order correspondence Folder 5
1969
box 6, folder 6
Mail order correspondence Folder 6
1969
box 7, folder 1
Mail order correspondence Folder 1
1970
box 7, folder 2
Mail order correspondence Folder 2
1970
box 7, folder 3
Mail order correspondence Folder 3
1970
box 7, folder 4
Mail order correspondence Folder 4
1970
box 7, folder 5
Mail order correspondence Folder 5
1970
box 7, folder 6
Mail order correspondence Folder 6
1970
box 8, folder 1
Mail order correspondence Folder 1
1973-1975
box 8, folder 2
Mail order correspondence Folder 2
1976-1997
Administrative Files Sub-Series 3
box 8, folder 3
Circulation, mailing record and inventories Folder 3
box 8, folder 4
Fictitious business name statements and business license Folder 4
1972-1974
box 8, folder 5
Mail order purchasing lists Folder 5
1970-1976
box 8, folder 6
Mail order selling lists Folder 6
1968-1975
box 8, folder 7
Other vendors Folder 7
1967-1976
box 8, folder 8
Packaging and Mailing Hints Folder 8
box 8, folder 9
Payments and money owed Folder 9
1969 - 1970
box 8, folder 10
Promotional materials: inserts, flyers, handouts Folder 10
box 8, folder 11
Quarterly Reports Folder 11
1969
box 9, folder 2
Seuling, Paul mail order selling lists Folder 2
1968-1973
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 1
Rubber stamp: Free Comics Item 1
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 2
Rubber stamp: Richard Alf, Box 20622, San Diego, CA 92120 Item 2
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 3
Rubber stamp: Richard Alf Item 3
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 4
Rubber stamp: Richard Alf, 286-9911 Item 4
Comic Kingdom Store Sub-Series 2
box 9, folder 3
Advertising agreements and receipts Folder 3
1974-1976
box 9, folder 4
Better Business Bureau Folder 4
1975
box 9, folder 5
DBA (Doing Business As) filing / Business plan Folder 5
1975
box 9, folder 6
"Elf-size Epic: Alf" comic Folder 6
1975
box 9, folder 7
Incoming merchandise and vendors Folder 7
1975-1976
box 9, folder 10
News clippings Folder 10
1975
box 9, folder 11
Promotional materials Folder 11
box 9, folder 12
Store lease and correspondence with the landlord Folder 12
1975-1977
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 8
Comics Kingdom promotional materials (including original art) Folder 8
1975
Baseball Collectibles Business Sub-Series 3
box 9, folder 13
Ad mock-ups Folder 13
1989
box 9, folder 14
Baseball America advertising correspondence and invoices
Folder 14
1989
box 10, folder 1
Baseball America
Folder 1
April - July 1989
Scope and Contents
issues with marked advertisements
box 10, folder 2
Baseball Digest advertising correspondence and invoices
Folder 2
1989
box 10, folder 3
Baseball Digest
Folder 3
September - October 1989
Scope and Contents
issues with marked advertisements
box 10, folder 4
Business plan binder Folder 4
June 20, 1989
box 10, folder 5
Card price lists Folder 5
1989
box 10, folder 6
Customer inquiries Folder 6
1989
box 10, folder 7
Form letters to customers Folder 7
August 10, 1989
box 10, folder 8
Sports History advertising correspondence and invoices
Folder 8
1989-1990
box 10, folder 9
Sports History
Folder 9
July and November 1989, January 1990
Scope and Contents
issues with marked advertisements
box 10, folder 10
Sport Magzine adavertising correspondence and invoices
Folder 10
1989
box 10, folder 11
Sport Magazine
Folder 11
September - October 1989
box 11, folder 1
The Sporting News advertising correspondence and invoices
Folder 1
1989
box 11
Other Businesses Sub-Series 4
box 11, folder 2
Empire Sign Company Folder 2
box 11, folder 3
Fun-n-Games Folder 3
1992
box 11, folder 4
Real estate, advertising, and sign business cards Folder 4
Convention Files Series 3
San Diego Comic-Con Files Sub-Series 1
box 11, folder 5
Badges Folder 5
c. 1975-2009
box 11, folder 6
Certificate of Attendance, Fandom Reunion Folder 6
2011
box 11, folder 7
Convention meetings Folder 7
1989-1991
box 11, folder 8
Correspondence: Alfonso, Barry Folder 8
2009
box 11, folder 9
Correspondence: Cawley, John M., Jr. Folder 9
1970-1971
box 11, folder 10
Correspondence: Desmond, D. Fae Folder 10
2009
box 11, folder 11
Correspondence: Estrada, Jackie Folder 11
2009
box 11, folder 12
Correspondence: Friedrich, Mike Folder 12
1971
box 11, folder 13
Correspondence: Goggins, Janet Folder 13
2009
box 11, folder 14
Correspondence: Love, G.B. Folder 14
1970-1971
box 11, folder 15
Correspondence: Rowe, Pete Folder 15
2009
box 11, folder 16
Correspondence: San Diego State University Folder 16
2010
box 11, folder 17
Correspondence: Towry, J.M. (Mike) Folder 17
2009
box 11, folder 18
Correspondence: Trimble, Bjo Comic-Con Report Folder 18
1971
box 11, folder 19
Correspondence: Wheeler, Rod Folder 19
1971
box 11, folder 20
Flyers Folder 20
1970-2009
box 12, folder 1
Forms, Rules, and Regulations Folder 1
1991-1995
box 12, folder 2
History Folder 2
1989-2009
box 12, folder 3
Letterhead and Envelopes Folder 3
1989-2009
box 12, folder 4
News clippings Folder 4
1965-2012
box 12, folder 7
Programs Folder 7
1970-1977
box 12, folder 8
"San Diego in '74" [San Diego Fandom directory] Folder 8
1994
box 12, folder 9
San Diego's Golden State Comic-Con Folder 9
1971
box 12, folder 10
San Diego's Golden State Comic-Con: UCSD facilities Folder 10
1971
box 12, folder 11
Tickets Folder 11
1970-2011
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 1
San Diego Comic-Con volunteer t-shirt Item 1
1984
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 2
San Diego Comic-Con buttons Item 2
20th annual, 1994
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 9
San Diego Comic-Con Photographs (2) Folder 9
box 21 - OVRSZ, folder 10
San Diego Comic-Con promotional posters Folder 10
1971, 1975, 2011
flat_file 17:5
Promotional materials, includes posters from 1978 and 1981 Comic-Con Flat File 17:5
Comic and Fandom Conventions Sub-Series 2
box 12, folder 12
Blackthrone Folder 12
1986-1987
box 13, folder 1
Cinecon Folder 1
1999-2009
box 13, folder 2
Comic Book Expo Folder 2
1986-1998
box 13, folder 5
Horror Science Fiction and Fantasy World Convention Folder 5
1993
box 13, folder 6
Los Angeles Con Folder 6
1972-1975
box 13, folder 8
Medieval Con Folder 8
1973
box 13, folder 9
Mythcon Folder 9
1971-1972
box 13, folder 10
New York Comic Art Convention Folder 10
1974-1977
box 13, folder 11
San Diego's Science Fiction Society (S.T.A.R.) Folder 11
box 13, folder 12
Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Convention Folder 12
1972
box 13, folder 13
Triple Fan Fair Folder 13
1965-1968
box 13, folder 14
Viridian Starfire Folder 14
1971
box 13, folder 15
Westercon Folder 15
1972-1974
box 13, folder 16
West Coast Science Fantasy Conference Folder 16
1973
box 13, folder 17
Wonder Con Folder 17
2010
box 13, folder 18
Miscellaneous Folder 18
1973-1993
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 1
Comic Book Expo buttons / pins Item 1
1989, 1991-1993
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 2
LA Con button Item 2
1972
box 20 - OVRSZ, item 3
Worldcon button Item 3
1974
box 14, box 15, box 16, box 17
Audio and Visual Recordings Series 4
Scope and Contents
Due to lack of funding, we are currently unable to digitize these analog A/V formats. As a result, these materials are unavailable
for research at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you would like to contribute to the transfer of these obsolete
formats, please contact Robert Ray, Head of Special Collections and University Archives at rray@rohan.sdsu.edu
