I’ll say it now, for the 10,000 time…damn you COVID! Though it’s not totally unexpected and there is a small silver lining, organizers have announced that San Diego Comic Con will repeat last years decision to go virtual due to the ongoing pandemic. So, yeah…that stinks BUT there’s that silver lining I was talking about. First, the virtual con is free for all and while it doesn’t hold a candle to the event in person (or so I’m told, last year was supposed to be my first con) it’s still a chance for everyone that either can’t afford or otherwise is unable to make the trek to be in on the fun. This past year has given event coordinators a lot of time to perfect these virtual events and we’ve seen some real innovation which has, at times, resulted in some truly unique and fun events. Oh, but wait, there’s more true belivers! In addition to the virtual con there is also a smaller in-person event being planned for sometime in November. This decision gives us some insight into how industry is looking at the coming months in relation to getting back to normal. With the vaccine roll-out well underway the current projections still point to a decent percentage of people still unable to get vaccinated by July, but that gap should close by November, common sense I guess but it’s just nice to see any indication that the end is near.
The organizers clarified their reasoning in a statement:
“The past several months have taken a great toll on both families and friends, and we hope this effort is a small move toward a return to gathering as a community to not only celebrate popular art, but also friendship, education, and the enduring spirit of the fandom that is so much a part of Comic-Con”
Virtual SDCC will take place from July 23rd to July 25th, 2021. For more on this as it develops make sure to bookmark this link!
