Although San Diego Comic-Con 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19, the annual convention made the transition to be virtual and free to everyone this year, regardless of whether you obtained a badge for SDCC 2020 or not. Those who did have badges were given the choice between a refund or rolling over their badge to SDCC 2021.
If you’ve ever wanted to experience SDCC, now is your chance! Panel videos will be available to watch on Comic-Con International’s YouTube channel starting today, Wednesday, July 22, and additional panel videos will continue to be added through Sunday, July 26 — which are the same dates the original in-person convention was scheduled to take place. Click here to check out the schedule and build your own schedule on Sched. However, you don’t have to watch the videos at the exact time they are posted. The videos will remain available for you to watch at a later time. You can even go back and watch the WonderCon@Home panel videos!
There are also lots of other fun events going on, virtually of course! Check out this email that Comic-Con International sent out earlier today:
“For the first time in our 50-year history, we won’t be able to meet in person, but the news isn’t all bad because we WILL be able to meet virtually. We hope you’ll join us at www.comic-con.org for all the fun of Comic-Con at our first ever Comic-Con@Home, starting today, Wednesday July 22 at 9:00am PDT.
Whether you’ve been attending for years or haven’t been in a while, we hope you’ll join us and take in all that we have to offer. Here is just a sampling:
- YouTube will host over 350 of our panels and programs, and beginning at 7:00pm PDT on Friday, July 24, that’s where you’ll find the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards.
- GoExpo by Community Brands will host the Online Exhibit Hall, with approximately 700 exhibitors offering a variety of cool fan-centric merchandise.
- Be sure to visit our Portfolio Review page on the Comic-Con@Home website!
- We’ll also have Gaming which will live on the Discord platform and feature a number of interactive gems, including Wyvern Gaming/Stargate and Legion M/Joe Manganiello’s DEATH SAVES.
- If you’re looking for a souvenir from Comic-Con@Home, be sure to visit the Merch store for the official Comic-Con T shirt (art provided by DC Comics) as well as lots of Comic-Con and Comic-Con Museum related merchandise.
- Amazon and Prime Video are official sponsors of Comic-Con@Home and will be treating fans to additional activities from a variety of Amazon-owned platforms through their Amazon Virtual-Con portal. Prime Video is also the official sponsor of the Comic-Con 2020 print-at-home badge, which will allow participants to print and wear their free badge as well as take part in many of the fun fan activities.
- Tumblr will serve as the platform for both the Comic-Con Art Show and the always popular Comic-Con Masquerade. The 46th annual Masquerade will open for viewing Friday, July 24, and winners will be announced on Saturday, July 25.
- For this year, the Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive will be a 26-day drive, starting Wednesday, July 22, and ending on Sunday, August 16. All blood collected on those dates will be credited to the Comic-Con Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive.
- Collaborator and sponsor IGN will stream roughly 34 Comic-Con@Home panels as well as produce extensive hosted shoulder content, hosted interviews and more, all in support of the online initiative.
- We welcome BLUEfin as a first-time sponsor for Comic-Con@Home.
- Films and Anime will live on the Scener Watch Party platform. Scener is a Chrome browser plug-in that will allow fans the ability to simultaneously watch and discus movies and anime. Funimation will also exclusively host all of the Anime watch parties including Black Clover and Fruits Basket. Don’t have a Funimation account? No problem, as Funimation is offering a six-week free account! Just use the code: CCHOME20.
- FX will unveil the digital experience FX UNLOCKED, where fans will engage with virtual activations for American Horror Story, What We Do in The Shadows, Cake and DAVE.
- FutureTechLive! returns for a fifth year to present the virtual “World Builders” activation, featuring content by a global community of creators.
- We’re also excited that joining in the fun is the Comic-Con Museum, which is offering a variety of activities and tutorials throughout the Comic-Con@Home weekend and beyond.
- Don’t forget to check out the online version of the 260-page Souvenir Book, which is available as a free, downloadable PDF.
We hope you have as much fun at our virtual convention as we have had in putting it all together, and we look forward to seeing you next year, July 21-25, 2021!”
