For the first time in the fifty year history of the San Diego Comic-Con, the festival that celebrates the graphic arts and entertainment industry, will not be meeting in San Diego. Due to health conditions beyond anyone's control, the COVID-19 virus has impacted festivals around the world. Fortunately, the international destination for fans of comic books, fantasy, Sci/Fi, Superheros, and more will convene online.
Comic-com is now going virtual. Much to the disappointment to attendees everywhere (myself included). And yet, there is a sense of relief and excitement around the forced decision as a result of the ongoing concerns related to the spread of the Corona Virus (COVID-19).
The relief is for those anxious about being in large crowds in a confined space. Comic-Con has made the right decision in putting the safety of the fans first. The excitement emanates from those who have always wanted to attend the massive comic book fan fest but could never manage the pilgrimage for one reason or another. Either way, the show must go on! And organizers are determined to make the experience as unique and satisfying as ever.
I was thrilled when I learned my Comic-Con 2020 media pass had been granted. It had been a long time since I last roamed the mighty halls of the San Diego Convention Center. At that time I had been working in the entertainment business, and writing regularly for a fairly well-known web site. My comic book obsessed husband has attended since a teenager, which is virtually the duration of the convention's existence. He even remembers when everything fit in the basement of a downtown business building. So, change is already an established characteristic of Comic-Con.
Yes, we were disappointed, yet the idea of just how Comic-Con is going to pull this off has kept us very intrigued. After all, so much of the convention relies on the exclusivity of live events and in-person encounters. And, of course, the fun of interacting with all of the other attendies is a huge amount of the experience. Moving amongst the walking incarnations of wild imagination is something everyone looks forward to all year long. It's hard to imagine that the hard work people put into creating their costumes will play well on a home monitor.
Comic-Con’s 2020 Souvenir Book is available now. It just wouldn’t be Comic-Con without the yearly souvenir book. The 260-page 2020 Comic-Con souvenir is available as a FREE PDF download. This PDF is set up in 2-page spreads, to better mimic the feel of an actual book. Throughout the book are advertisements. Clicking anywhere on the actual ad will take you to the advertiser’s website, where you may find exclusive merchandise for sale or exclusive content. To navigate the PDF, use your keyboard’s left and right arrow keys; clicking on the ad pages will take you onto the web. Remember to zoom in for easier reading of the great articles in the book.
With an original cover by famed artist/illustrator William Stout, the main feature is the Ray Bradbury Centennial, honoring the 100th birthday of the beloved author and favorite Comic-Con guest. Additionally, the souvenir book also celebrates the following anniversaries:
• Ray Harryhausen Centennial—The 100th birthday of the stop-motion animation legend
• 75th Anniversary of EC Comics—They brought us Tales from the Crypt and MAD magazine
• 75th Anniversary of Moomin—The world-wide comics sensation for all ages
• 50th Anniversary of Conan in Comics—Robert E. Howard’s barbarian conquered comics starting in 1970
• 50th Anniversary of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World—The King of Comics moved to DC in 1970 and created a whole new world of characters
• 50th Anniversary of Last Gasp—The pioneer underground comix publisher and distributor
• Plus the Proverbial “Much More”—Comic-Con Museum, 2019 Award Winners, and the “In Memoriam” section.
Go to www.comic-con.org for all the fun of Comic-Con at the first ever Comic-Con@Home, starting Wednesday July 22 at 9:00am PDT.
Comments