John Rogers, who served as president of Comic-Con International since 1986, died today, He'd been suffering from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. John began working for the convention in 1978 when it was but a fraction of the huge event it has become. He presided over its awesome growth, handling a very difficult job with great wisdom, great patience and a total understanding of what it takes to make something like that function so smoothly.
All of my memories of John are of him in a hurry. I only saw him at Comic-Con and they were quick chats because he always had a hundred and one things to tend to. The more I learn about how Comic-Con operates, the more impressed I am that so much goes right. John would have been the first person to remind you that this was not wholly because of his efforts. He was quick to give credit to everyone on the staff. But he sure did his part of it well. A real nice and hard-working guy he was.