Comic-Con International has postponed its annual convention in San Diego due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization broke the news on Friday, April 17, adding that the event would not return until Summer 2021.
An Unprecedented Move
“For the first time in its 50-year history San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC), the organizers behind the annual pop culture celebration, announced today with deep regret that there will be no Comic-Con in 2020,” the statement read.
“It was pretty gut-wrenching to be honest, a sad day for us,” David Glanzer, spokesperson for Comic-Con International, tells Parentology of the decision. “It’ll be the first time in 50 years that we’re not going to have an event during the summer, but health and safety takes precedent over everything, and it was the smart thing to do.”
Moving Online?
The news comes on the heels of the cancellation of WonderCon in Anaheim, also presented by Comic-Con International. In lieu of that event, which would have taken place from April 10-12, the organization hosted “WonderCon@Home” over the weekend. The alternate event included panels from past conventions, online discussions, and even an online cosplay contest.
“It was a nice element to a sad event,” says Glanzer, “and I think likewise with Comic-Con this summer, we’d like to have some kind of online presence. What that presence is, we don’t yet know, but we’d like to at least have some kind of event that would allow the community to get together.”
Glanzer says the organization initially considered a modified Comic-Con experience in light of the pandemic, but ultimately decided against it. “Even if we’d had to pare down the show, we were really hoping to be able to have something, but it’s apparent that that’s just not the prudent thing to do,” he says.
Until Next Year
For Glanzer, a longtime fan of the convention who first attended in 1978 before joining the organization, the news hits home.
“One of the major components of [the convention] really is community,” he says, adding, “I won’t be able to see my friends in San Diego come July, so it’s sad.” However, Glanzer emphasizes that “health and safety come first. So as sad as I might be, that’s tempered with the knowledge that we’ll be able to get together next year. I have a feeling [attendees] will be even more enthusiastic, because we will not have been able to meet this year.”
The statement said those with passes to Comic-Con 2020 will be able to request a refund or transfer them to next year’s event.
Comic-Con Postponed — Sources:
Comic-Con International
David Glanzer, Chief Communications and Strategy Officer, Comic-Con International
WonderCon@Home