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San Diego Comic-Con will once again be a virtual event in 2021

By Evelyn Ulrich

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 21: (L-R) Camila Mendes, KJ Apa and Lili Reinhart speak at the "Riverdale" Special Video Presentation and Q&A during 2019 Comic-Con International at San Diego Convention Center on July 21, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 21: (L-R) Camila Mendes, KJ Apa and Lili Reinhart speak at the "Riverdale" Special Video Presentation and Q&A during 2019 Comic-Con International at San Diego Convention Center on July 21, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images) /
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Sad but not particularly unexpected news for pop culture fans: San Diego Comic-Con announced this week that their annual convention would once again be a virtual one for the second year in a row. Last year, the highly trafficked four-day event entered the virtual realm due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Panels were done in Zoom fashion and were free to attendees.

This year, the event will follow much the same path as the pandemic is still in effect and though vaccines are being slowly rolled out worldwide, many would likely still be waiting for their shots come July.

Like last year, the virtual event will be called Comic-Con@Home and the same scheduled July dates are still intact, with one important caveat. This year’s virtual event will be shortened by one day in the wake of financial strain caused by the pandemic – and two years worth of cancellations. It will will now take place July 23rd-25th, 2021.

The official Comic-Con Twitter released the following statement.

To help satisfy fans in the wake of this second postpoment, there will be a smaller Comic-Con event held in November 2021, largely holding to the same traditions as its larger cousin. (There aren’t many details about what this smaller November version will entail, what studios may participate or anything like that. Stay tuned.)

2020 badge holders will have the option of having their pass transferred to the smaller November 2021 in-person convention, shifted to San Diego Comic-Con 2022 itself, or receiving a refund. SDCC originally began in 1973 but has grown exponentially in recent decades, with attendee counts reaching 130,000.  It has become  a symbol of pop culture, with early looks at big ticket releases, fan-packed panels, and huge crowds.

Comic-Con’s spring sister event, WonderCon, will also adopt the same protocols this year, marking its first time as an online-virtual event. Attendance will be free with virtual panels from studio and entertainment guests on both March 26th and 27th.  It too has been shortened by one day from its in-person version.

Hopefully, the pandemic will soon be a thing of the past and Comic-Con, along with other in-person events can continue once again. The most important thing is to look out for the safety of everyone when it comes to making these decisions.

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What are your favorite Comic-Con memories?  What will you miss the most this year?

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