Introduction
Ken Krueger (1926 – November 21, 2009) was an American publisher and retailer. Krueger co-founded and organized the first San Diego Comic-Con International convention, then called "San Diego's Golden State Comic-Con," in 1970. Krueger co-created the annual convention with a group of San Diego friends, including Shel Dorf, Richard Alf and Mike Towry.
Biography
Krueger was born in upstate New York. He attended the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon)in 1939 in New York City, the first science fiction convention ever held. Krueger originally owned the Ocean Beach bookstore in San Diego.
Krueger worked as a publisher, editor, and distributor for the comic and sci-fi industries. He published and released the first works of several science fiction and comic authors, including Greg Bear, Scott Shaw, Dave Stevens, and Jim Valentino. In 2009, Valentino called Krueger "my mentor".
Krueger moved to Buffalo, New York, in 2002. He and other co-founders were honored for their contributions by the San Diego Comic-Con International in 2009.
Krueger died of a heart attack on November 21, 2009 in Lockport, New York at age 83, eighteen days after the passing of fellow Comic-Con founder Shel Dorf. Krueger was survived by his eight children.