In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, every significant 2020 nerd event has either been postponed or straight up canceled. WonderCon, Emerald City Comic Con, E3, the list goes on. However, San Diego Comic-Con is “hopeful” that it will be the exception.
A ‘HOPEFUL’ STATEMENT FROM COMIC-CON
The following statement was posted on the con’s Twitter account:
“To our amazing Comic-Con and WonderCon fans: We understand how difficult the current climate has been for all of us and appreciate your continued support through these trying times. No one is as hopeful as we are that we will be able to celebrate #SDCC2020 together come July.
As we continue to monitor the situation with local authorities, we will post updates on our social channels! Until then, remember: “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” — Christopher Reeve”
RELATED: FOUR REASONS COMIC-CON NEEDS TO CANCEL ITSELF
FANS SAY CANCEL THE CON
As hopeful as the folks at SDCC seem to be, many fans responded to the statement with pleas for the con to be postponed or canceled.
Twitter user @knight101a wrote, “I’d rather you cancel just to ease everyone’s minds. But give badge holders the option of a refund or rollover to next year. Not fair to those who got a badge, maybe even for the first time, and see that chance go *poof through no fault of their own.”
Another fan, @airawyn, pointed out a very obvious health concern, “130,000+ people from all
over the world coming together, sharing packed spaces, then going back to their homes all over the world? Unless you have a way to test every. single. person. attending, this has to be cancelled.”
Many pointed out how booking travel and hotels for Comic-Con is already difficult and anxiety-inducing under the best of circumstances. (After all, they don’t call it the Hotelpocalypse for nothing.) The added financial and logistical challenges many are facing during the pandemic would make an annual pilgrimage to Hall H impossible.
THE CONVENTION CENTER IS ALREADY IN USE
Another obstacle standing in the way of Comic-Con is the fact that the San Diego Convention Center has just opened its doors as a temporary homeless shelter. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has stated that he hopes that up to 1,500 homeless individuals will be housed at the convention center.
Will the pandemic slow down enough for those homeless individuals to be relocated safely in time for Comic-Con in July?
A MESSAGE FROM THE CDC
According to The CDC, COVID-19 is spread mainly from person-to-person either through close contact or breathing in respiratory droplets. The CDC recommends protecting yourself from the virus by washing your hands often and distancing yourself from others.
For more information on COVID-19, please visit CDC.gov
