It’s July, and that means the time for San Diego Comic-Con. In fact, it takes place from July 19th to July 23rd. SDCC is one of the biggest Comic-Con in the country and the first one I had ever heard of. Unfortunately, it has taken hit after hit since 2020, and the pandemic hit. Regrettably, this year is no different.

Badges for SDCC goers sold out incredibly quickly, and of course, Marvel, DC, and the various streaming services were set to be there. Marvel (and therefore Disney) have multiple movies and shows, such as Loki season two and The Marvels coming out it would be great to advertise at Comic-Con. Fans look forward to finding out what is coming next in their fandoms. DC has Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom coming out, which, again, is great to promote at the event. Sadly, not everyone who was set to go is still attending. With the writers’ strike going on and a possible actors’ strike, it doesn’t leave many people to promote the new movies and shows (or seasons), so big names have pulled out. So far, Disney and, therefore, Marvel and Lucasfilm, as well as Netflix, HBO, Sony Pictures, and Universal Pictures, have all canceled. Still possibly going are Paramount+, Warner Bros., and Max (which makes sense with its ties to Warner Bros.).

A number of panels have also been canceled as well. On Thursday, seven panels have canceled, including Sesame Street Muppets Live. On Friday, there are five panels gone, and seven on Saturday, like Anne Rice Interview With A Vampire. Sunday has two fewer panels, with the Sesame Street panel that day. At the time of writing this, there are still lots of panels to go to but keep an eye out. Obviously, the Sesame Street puppeteers won’t be signing stuff for fans, but neither will people from Bob’s Burgers, Good Omens, and more. You can find a more complete list at the SDCC Unofficial Blog site.

The writers and actors strike has changed how SDCC will be received. With so many cancellations with major studios pulling out and closing panels, how will that impact the experience for ComicCon goers? So far, the special guest list seems to be staying the same, which is a relief for some.

Even with the cancellations, there are still other panels, things to do, and cosplayers to see. I love seeing all the hard work that cosplayers put into their ensembles. The costumes are incredible. There will still be vendors with their wares and trinkets. My favorite part of the conventions is Artist Alley, and that will still be there too.

Do you plan on attending SDCC? What are your thoughts and feelings on the whole thing? For those who aren’t attending SDCC, if this was the case for a convention you were attending, would you still attend? I will be covering SDCC this year, as will my colleagues, so make sure you come back here to check out our takes on this year’s Con. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Until next time, have fun storming the castle!