Comic-Con is known as one of the biggest pop-culture events in the world. Even the general public gets hyped for the convention now, as Marvel’s Cinematic Universe has found mainstream success.
When coronavirus hit North America in 2020, Comic-Con was cancelled. Tickets for the event were either rolled forward to an expected 2021 Comic-Con, or for those who requested it, refunded completely. The 2020 cancellation of Comic-Con even contained set dates for the 2021 event, with almost no doubt that the 2021 convention would go ahead. Sadly, this is not the case.
Comic-Con International has issued a new statement. The in-person Comic-Con 2021 is now canceled, and the team behind the convention has renewed their promise of another Comic-Con on the horizon. As with last year, those who want their tickets refunded will have this option, but the hopeful can cling to their tickets which will be rolled forward for Comic-Con 2022. In their cancellation statement Comic-Con International stated the new 2022 dates. The convention is expected to return July 20 - 24, 2022.
The statement by Comic-Con international was not a complete disappointment, as the group announced that a digital version of the experience would still be going forward. Though, Comic-Con International has admitted to steep financial losses in the wake of the cancellation of this and last year’s events. Due to this, the virtual experience will be reduced to a 3-day event.
The news is not surprising. As far back as September last year, Disney announced its D23 expo would be delayed until 2022. The PAX South convention for 2021 has also been cancelled, and just recently, Taylor Swift announced that there was no possibility of her Lover Fest concert going forward. However, the difference between all these organizations and Comic-Con is that they have independent revenue streams, and Comic-Con does not. Comic-Con International has always been a non-profit organization. Despite this, for the convention to continue going forward on the scale it has, the event needs to be lucrative enough to fund future years. This unprecedented pandemic has put Comic-Con in a position it may not be possible to recover from.
Fans may be disappointed about this news, but it is a necessary precaution for the safety of all would-be attendees. A large-scale event like Comic-Con could cause disastrous ramifications across the globe with the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic. More troubling than this year’s cancellation is the risk of the organization's bankruptcy.
With enough star power and promotion, Comic-Con may successfully be able to regain some revenue through its digital event. For now fans can be glad that the distilled 3-day online convention is at least a step in the right direction for Comic-Con.
Source: Comic-Con International