On Comic-Con’s official Twitter it was announced Monday that the San Diego Comic-Con 2021 will be a virtual event. The huge fan convention has been held every year since 1970. But due to the techno-pandemic the in-person convention will be going online for two years in a row.

The virtual event will take place July 23rd to July 25th. This provides two days of presentations and panels, rather than the 4 to 5-day schedule of past Comic-Cons.

2020 was the first time the Comic-Con was only online. This year COVID-19 vaccinations are now ramping-up in the US and other parts of the world. But the event organizers feel that a virtual event will still be safer than a massive in-person gathering.

The 2020 virtual Comic-Con@Home featured some  A-list panels for “The Walking Dead,” two Keanu Reeves films, and Star Trek Universe. But it generated only a fraction of the social media traffic and fan interest of previous Comic-Con’s. Most observers believe that the live-experience, and fan interaction were missing elements.  

The Comic-Con statement show organizers are optimistic. They believe that by November 2021 a live convention will take place in San Diego. Currently, discussions are taking place to finalize dates. But organizers said that if you purchase a badge for the July 2021 activities will be able to use it in November.

SDCC Statement

"While we lament the postponement of the in-person Comic-Con, our commitment to this community of fans and our celebration of comics and the related popular arts endures as an important part of who we are," the statement reads. 

"As the timing and scope of our larger event factor greatly into our decision to postpone, we believe that launching a smaller in-person event at a later time may be a safe alternative. For this reason, we are happy to announce that the San Diego Comic Convention is planning to present a three-day in-person convention in San Diego in November. At this time, we are still working on specific details as to attendance capacity, badge cost, and related information, and those details will be forthcoming.” 

“Please continue to visit our website, comic-con.org, for official updated information as it becomes available."

The statement concludes that "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. We thank you all for your continued and unwavering support during these most challenging times. We look forward to seeing you in November!"