How to Attend San Diego Comic-Con at Home
In-person conferences and conventions are obviously not taking place this year, but San Diego Comic-Con International, which usually takes place in mid-July in San Diego, has turned the entire list of events into a virtual one so you can attend without leaving the venue. own home, free of charge.
Comic-Con @ Home kicked off Wednesday and runs through Sunday, but one of the benefits of a virtual event is that you can join when you have time and catch up later (almost everything) that you didn’t have time to attend. In this respect, it is in some ways even better than attending a real event. During an average SDCC, there is so much going on at the same time that you have to choose carefully which groups and events you will attend – or, more likely, queue for hours to (hopefully) attend.
Here’s how to get the most out of Virtual Comic-Con.
Transform your home into a San Diego Convention Center
Just because you’re not in a huge event space with tens of thousands of other attendees doesn’t mean you can’t experience these Con vibes. The organizers have put together a long list of signs you can print at home to help you recreate the look of the San Diego Convention Center in your living room. Go to the Create Your Own page to download signs for everything from badge giveaways to art exhibits and stalls and restrooms.
There are also audio announcements that you can play in repeat mode, for example: “If this is your first time entering a room, please go to your seats. Not to run. Please fill in all the spaces. Do not take up space for other people or place objects on the seats next to you. “
And don’t forget to download and print member badges for yourself, your kids and pets, as well as the complete 260-page souvenir book .
If you do your best to transform your home, you can post a video review on Instagram or Twitter using the #ComicConAtHomeExperience hashtag for a chance to be featured on Comic-Con’s official social accounts.
Make Your Comic-Con Schedule
There are many overlapping panels and events to choose from, so use the scheduling tool (you will need to create a free account) to select and set reminders for whatever you want to watch. It’s pretty easy to filter by type and track – and once you’ve set up a schedule, you can share it with other members.
Bars and programs are hosted on the Comic-Con International YouTube channel – videos are posted at scheduled times, so you can always go there to see what’s on offer, even if you missed the scheduled start times.
Join the hour party
With the Scener Chrome Extension, you can sync with other Con members to watch movies and chat in real time. Review the schedule and respond to be reminded, but be aware that you will need to subscribe to the streaming service where the movie is available.
(If you’re about to join an hour-long party, now might be the right time to sign up for a free trial.)
Visit a game demo or tournament
There is a whole schedule of game demos, AMAs, and challenges that arise throughout the convention. The games are hosted on Discord, Facebook Live, Twitch and YouTube. Join the Comic-Con Discord for the latest in-game events.
Take a walk through the virtual exhibition hall and art show.
A virtual showroom cannot replace the real thing, but you can click on the floor plan to “visit” vendors and explore their merchandise. Many have yet to upload anything to their kiosks, but some have items to watch and buy.
You can also watch the Art Show Comic-Con @ Home on Tumblr, which also hosts a virtual masquerade on Friday.
Finally, the annual Eisner Awards will premiere at 7:00 p.m. PT on Friday, July 24th.
Submit your portfolio for review
Four companies offer virtual portfolio reviews, so if you’re an aspiring artist please read the guide carefully and submit your work before the individual review deadlines.
Comic-Con @ Home won’t be the same as Comic-Con IRL, but with everything available (and free!), It’s as close as you can get to a proper deal in these pandemic times.