San Diego Comic-Con cancels in-person WonderCon for 2021

WonderCon
(Image credit: WonderCon)

Comic-Con International: San Diego has canceled plans for an in-person convention for its other annual event, the Los Angeles area's WonderCon, in 2021. Like San Diego's Comic-Con last year, the 2020 WonderCon was canceled in favor of an 'online' version of the convention due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The in-person WonderCon event normally hosts 60,000+ people annually at the Anaheim Convention Center.

"We have hoped that by now, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic might have subsided enough that we could once again come together in person for a traditional WonderCon event. Sadly, as we continue to monitor the latest information from healthcare officials, we have determined the interest of public safety will prevent this spring's WonderCon from moving forward as an in-person convention," the organization has announced.

WonderCon

(Image credit: WonderCon)

2021 WonderCon will now be an online convention like last year, scheduled to take place March 26 and 27.

"The challenges of this past year and the postponement of our two largest events have left us with limited financial resources, therefore WonderCon@Home will be a two-day celebration instead of the usual three days as we continue to marshal our resources for Comic-Con this summer," the convention organization adds.

Newsarama has confirmed that plans are still going forward for the 2021 Comic-Con International: San Diego to take place July 21 through July 25 at the San Diego Convention Center. The facility remains currently in use as a facility for COVID-19 patients, however they're currently scheduled to resume public convention events April 30.

It's important to note that 2020 WonderCon and Comic-Con International: San Diego were held online (not in person), and as part of that the company didn't earn its usual revenue from ticket sales. With them mentioning "limited financial resources" in the statement, the ongoing sustainability of this non-profit organization could be in jeopardy if Comic-Con International: San Diego 2021 isn't in-person (and earning revenue).

Keep up to speed on all the upcoming comic conventions in 2021 and beyond.

CATEGORIES
Chris Arrant

Chris Arrant covered comic book news for Newsarama from 2003 to 2022 (and as editor/senior editor from 2015 to 2022) and has also written for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel Entertainment, TOKYOPOP, AdHouse Books, Cartoon Brew, Bleeding Cool, Comic Shop News, and CBR. He is the author of the book Modern: Masters Cliff Chiang, co-authored Art of Spider-Man Classic, and contributed to Dark Horse/Bedside Press' anthology Pros and (Comic) Cons. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. Chris is a member of the American Library Association's Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. (He/him)

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