The Comic-Con International logo, representing the festival of comics and related culture, takes the form of a vertical rectangular emblem with a large black-and-white eye. The yellow name appears on a black field: COMIC runs vertically along the left edge, while CON occupies the top line to the right. Below it, the eye and its black eyebrow stand out against a blue-grey background, with light bands above and below bearing the words San Diego and International. The current emblem was introduced in 1995 when the event adopted the name Comic-Con International: San Diego. Richard Bruning and his colleagues designed it to replace the earlier toucan symbol. The name Comic-Con is short for comic convention, a gathering of comics fans.
Comic-Con International is run by the US non-profit organisation San Diego Comic Convention. The event began in San Diego, United States, in 1970 and gradually grew from a gathering of comics fans into an international festival of popular art. Comics remain at its heart, but the programme also covers film, television, science fiction, fantasy, games and related creative fields. Visitors meet creators and publishers, join discussions, watch presentations and discover new works. The organisation also develops educational projects and the Comic-Con Museum, dedicated to comics and popular culture. Its activities therefore extend beyond the few days of the annual festival.
