San Diego Comic-Con goes online streaming for first time

The 51-year-old San Diego Comic-Con kicked off Wednesday and for the first time in its history was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since Wednesday morning, Comic-Con.org, the official homepage of the organizer, has transformed into Comic-Con@Home, and registered fans are able to tune in from home for free.

The virtual event, scheduled to run through Sunday, will provide traditional events for fans, including panels, workshops, exhibits, awards ceremony and even outside immersive experiences as usual.

The four-day online event will feature approximately 700 exhibitors from all around the world, including China.

David Glanzer, a Comic-Con spokesman, was quoted by local media as saying that the unique and free Comic-Con, one of the largest annual comic and pop culture festivals in the United States, could have special taste for both organizers and fans.

"This type of online event is a first for us," Glanzer told local KUSI News. "And we are grateful for the support of all involved. Our hope is that Comic-Con can provide a small respite from the confines of various stay-at-home orders. While we can't be together in person, we can be together online."

However, San Diego Comic-Con going online is a huge loss for the city's economy. Councilmember Chris Ward, whose district includes downtown, told FOX 5 news channel that about 120,000 tickets are sold every year, and a vast majority of those are purchased by people from out of town.

The carnival of pop culture was attended by more than 135,000 people last year.