San Diego Comic-Con is going virtual in 2020. It was announced earlier this year that the traditional event had to be cancelled. Most of the entertainment business has been shut down since the middle of March for obvious reasons. Social distancing is still the norm in most states across the country, so getting thousands of people together in one enclosed area wasn’t really in the cards for Comic-Con. Thankfully they announced plans for a virtual version of the annual convention and today we have some extra details about it.
When San Diego Comic-Con first announced their “At Home” event, they focused on the positives. No long lines, no crazy parking situations, free food, pets are allowed, and no large crowds. While attendees were understandably bummed out by the cancellation news, the idea of a virtual event helped to ease the disappointment. The [email protected] event will take place July 22nd-26th, which are the original dates for the original version of the event. A virtual Online Exhibit Hall with exhibitors offering the exclusives and limited edition merch reserved for attendees will be taking place.
For all of the people who can never get out to SDCC for the exclusives, those will be available to everybody now, which is a definite plus since they usually go for big bucks on the secondhand markets. San Diego Comic-Con will also feature the usual panels, although it’s unclear who will be taking part and what will be able to be shared. Many fans are hoping that Kevin Feige will come out with a surprise Marvel Studios panel, which could happen, even though they were scheduled to skip this year after tearing the house down last summer.
This is the first time in 50 years that San Diego Comic-Con has not been able to take place. The world is in a weird time at the moment and a lot of people are looking to the entertainment industry for a break from the world’s news. Luckily, this summer will bring some kind of normalcy with a virtual Comic-Con. The specifics are still being put together, but there are some things to look forward to, including the first trailer for Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
San Diego Comic-Con is trying its best to make the experience a positive one, and for now, it seems like they are succeeding. In addition, theme parks are starting to slowly reopen, which pretty much guarantees that Comic-Con, along with the other canceled conventions will be back in action in time for next summer. Hopefully everything runs smooth in the next several months to ensure some kind of normalcy for 2021. Best of all, this summer’s San Diego Comic-Con will be free for everybody to experience, which is another first for the long-running convention. The official Comic-Con website was the first to announce the new details about this year’s virtual event.
