One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Comic-Con Cancels 2020 Pop Culture Convention, Scraps Plans To Reschedule Anaheim Show
Crowds like this one from a 2010 Comic-Con Hall H panel didn't seen like a greeeeeeat idea at the moment. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Fans of movies, TV and comic books were still holding out hopes that somehow, maybe, the giant San Diego Comic-Con would still happen, given that it wasn't scheduled until July. But for an event that draws more than 130,000 people a year — including many Angelenos — it started to seem more and more like it wasn't in the cards.
Now it's been officially canceled. The event started 50 years ago in 1970, but what would have been its 50th anniversary was canceled Friday. There had already been concerns from the film studios about sending their talent to the packed convention this summer — though with production shut down, there's less for them to be promoting to those fans, anyway.
Here's Comic-Con International in a statement:
"Recognizing that countless attendees save and plan for its conventions each year, and how many exhibitors and stakeholders rely upon its events for a major portion of their livelihood, [organizers] had hoped to delay this decision in anticipation that COVID-19 concerns might lessen by summer. Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the Governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year."
Bad news for WonderCon, too. The Anaheim show, which is run by the same nonprofit, had its April convention that was scheduled for Easter weekend delayed thanks to coronavirus. Organizers had said they were hoping to reschedule, but now it won't be returning to the Anaheim Convention Center until March of 2021.
This summer was also supposed to be the grand opening of a permanent Comic-Con Museum in San Diego, but that is also being pushed back due to the pandemic.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
