John Rogers, president of the San Diego Comic-Con for more than 30 years, passed away Saturday morning. CCI released the following statement.
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of John Rogers, President of Comic-Con.
John died on Saturday, November 10, 2018 as a result of complications from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. As our longest serving president, first elected in 1986 and re-elected every year since, John’s tenure saw Comic-Con grow from a select gathering of fans to the largest and most prestigious convention of its kind in the world.
John Rogers is survived by his wife Janet Tait, sister Barbara, and his brother David. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to The American Brain Tumor Association or the American Civil Liberties Union.
San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer tweeted:
For 4 decades @Comic_Con President John Rogers poured his heart and soul into creating a San Diego institution that became a worldwide phenomenon. His deep love for the comics community created countless memories for so many, and made our city a better place. We mourn his passing https://t.co/kftHUaw0ll
— Kevin Faulconer (@Kevin_Faulconer) November 11, 2018
Rogers was a pillar of Comic-Con International, the non profit that runs SDCC, WonderCon and the recent Storytelling Across Media synposium. His best known role was answering every question at the annual Sunday afternoon Talk Back panels, including dealing with often upset attendees with diplomacy and respect.
The folks who run Comic-Con used to be quite accessible and seen running around the con, but with the growth of the event they’ve had to go into a more behind the scenes role. I didn’t know Roger well but he was always great to chat to and obviously loved the con and what he did.
It’s a very sad passing. My condolences to his family and many friends.
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