Every summer, Comic-Con International, a four-day comic book and pop culture trade show in San Diego, attracts both fans and professionals. The San Diego Comic-Con is one of the world’s largest fan conventions, and it’s also a major industry networking event.
The first San Diego Comic-Con was held in the basement of the U.S. Grant hotel in 1970, with an estimated attendance of 300 people. Later, “The Con” was held at the El Cortez hotel before being relocated to the San Diego Convention Center, where it is still held today. At the time of writing, Comic-Con 2006 had just surpassed Comic-Con 2005 as the largest San Diego Comic-Con ever, with over 100,000 attendees.
In its early years, Comic-Con was simply known as a gathering of die-hard comic book fans and industry professionals. However, it has expanded over time to include a wide range of pop-culture phenomena, from independent film to fantasy art. Panels, seminars, and workshops with industry professionals, as well as an independent film festival and sneak peeks at upcoming studio films, are now part of Comic-Con.
Comic-Con is a great place for fans of comic books and other fringe-culture artwork and literature to meet celebrities. Fans can meet favorite artists and writers in the “artists’ alley” section of the convention and get autographs or on-the-spot sketches. Fans and professionals can also enjoy the evening at a variety of industry parties, award ceremonies, and the world-famous Masquerade Ball.
Fans can purchase either a full four-day pass or a one-day pass to attend Comic-Con. Even though the badge is valid for all daytime events, it is still a good idea to arrive early because badges do not guarantee attendance if the convention center is full. Additionally, retailers and industry members can purchase exhibitor and professional badges, as well as press badges for members of the media.
San Diego Comic-Con International has grown in popularity since its humble beginnings in 1970, solidifying San Diego’s position as a major hub for cultural and artistic expansion. Although the San Diego Comic-Con is the largest of its kind in the country, devoted fans should check out other conventions. Boston, New York, and Baltimore, to name a few, all host well-known and successful conventions.