Special Guests

Barry Alfonso’s credits as a professional writer include articles and interviews for publications such as the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone, songs recorded by numerous pop and country artists (including Pam Tillis’s 1995 Number One hit “In Between Dances”) and Grammy-nominated album liner notes. His biography A Voice of the Warm: The Life of Rod McKuen was published by Backbeat Books in May. Barry is also active as an oral historian and graphic novel scriptwriter. He credits his stint as San Diego Comic-Con publicity director in 1973-75 with giving him the skills and confidence to follow his dreams.

After graduating from Pt. Loma High School in 1975, Maeheah Alzmann was invited by Vicky and Dina Kelso to attend her first ever Comic-Con, and she was immediately hooked. During her 12 years on the committee, she met exquisitely talented people that she would never have had the honor of meeting, learned what it takes to be part of a dedicated group of people with a common goal, and acquired friends that she would trust with her very life to this day. “I thank each and every person that made my Comic-Con experiences such highlights in my life.” She worked as both treasurer and meal functions coordinator in her time with the Con.

Maeheah now lives in Greenwood, DE, and is married to Richard Butner, who she, fittingly, met at her very first Con. She is retired from the restaurant industry and now drives a medical transportation van. She is looking forward to visiting beautiful, sunny San Diego with her husband Richard, along with her daughter, her daughter’s husband and brother-in-law, and their most “fan-ish” granddaughter, because it’s now time for their very first Comic-Con!

Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse. With over one million copies sold, her Grishaverse spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, The Language of Thorns, and King of Scars—with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including Some of the Best from Tor.com and The Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Ninth House. Leigh was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Los Angeles, graduated from Yale University, and has worked in advertising, journalism, and even makeup and special effects. These days, she lives and writes in Hollywood, where she can occasionally be heard singing with her band.

David Brin is an astrophysicist whose international bestselling novels include The Postman (filmed in 1997), Earth, and recently Existence. Dr. Brin serves on advisory boards (e.g., NASA's Innovative and Advanced Concepts program or NIAC) and speaks or consults on a wide range of topics including AI, SETI, privacy, and national security. His nonfiction book about the information age, The Transparent Society, won the Freedom of Speech Award of the American Library Association. His graphic novels include The Life Eaters, Forgiveness, and Tinkerers. More info: www.davidbrin.com

Currently living in Greenwood, DE, Richard Butner is now semi-retired. He works for two resource centers for homeless and recovering persons. Formerly, he was a purchasing agent at ILC Dover, where, among other items, he purchased materials for U.S. spacesuits.

Richard married Maeheah Alzmann. They have three grown children and ten grandchildren. He enjoys reading reprints of old comic strips and comic books, spending time with the grandchildren, and enjoying Mexican cuisine, beer, and margaritas with Maeheah. And he says, “By the way, I had a BLAST working on Comic-Con!” He was on the Comic-Con committee from 1973 to 1982, and in addition to being chairman, he served as executive VP, secretary, treasurer, and helped Comic-Con get incorporated as a non-profit.