Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Conventions, Current News, Events, Fantagraphics, Pop Culture, san diego comic con | Tagged: COVID, san diego, sdcc

Will This Be San Diego Corona Con? Comic Creators Come Down With Covid

Will This Be San Diego Corona Con? Comic Creators Come Down With Covid At SDCC, And Isolate In Their Hotel Rooms

There has been a spike in San Diego in recent weeks for positive coronavirus statistics it seems. The County of San Diego Communications Office has stated that "in the last month, the positivity rate for COVID-19 tests has increased to more than 14 percent" and that "Wastewater surveillance, known to detect the amount of virus active in the community, has risen both throughout California and in San Diego."

Some people didn't get to go to San Diego Comic-Con this year after testing positive for COVID-19. Comic book writer Henry Barajas wrote "I am not at SDCC and won't be going because I have COVID. I'm devastated. But if you see Gil Thorp and his family be nice to them. It's their first time"/ New-to-comics writer Adam F. Goldberg had the same for the launch of his comic. "Moved heaven and earth to attend SDCC this year… but the planet gave me COVID. The team will still be there so go get your copy of book 5!" Another attendee wrote "Covid, again Fever while stuffed with ibuprofen. Good grief. The bonus diarrhea is special No SDCC for me. I spent over $400 on my Poison Ivy costumes."

Others have been concerned with the footage showing lots of people, unmasked, in close proximity at the show. Mask activist and cosplayer Nickelpin attended the show in full mask, handing out masks and testing kits for free on the show floor and in the lines while reporting CO2 levels as she went. And posting, "In general I saw a LOT more N95 and KN95 masks this year. One girl said: I got covid here last year, that's why I'm wearing it (this mask)."

And she may have done the trick. Cartoonist Eric Reynolds is the Seattle-based Vice-President and Associate Publisher for Fantagraphics Books and attended San Diego Comic-Con in that capacity. He would have been on hand to accept the Eisner Award for Best Comics Journalism for the Comics Journal on Friday. But he was, instead, stuck in his hotel room after having tested positive for COVID-19 when he arrived at the show. Previous SDCCs have been seen as spreader events, with one Ahsoka cosplayer yesterday getting infamous for testing positive but still doing the show. Eric Reynolds is more responsible than that and so is spending SDCC in isolation. He posts "In San Diego— with Covid! Will be hosting a one-man Comic-Con in my hotel room all weekend. Gary Groth will ably pinch-hit for me at tomorrow's Spotlight on Daniel Clowes.,,, The only thing weirder than going to Comicon is going to Comicon without entering Comicon. #CovidIsntOver". As long as you aren't cosplaying as Ahsoka, of course, Eric… 

He's not alone though. I mean, he is, but you know what I mean. Another attendee posted "Happy birthday to me, I get to use my VERY expensive SDCC Ticket and hotel room to be miserable with Covid I hope everyone else's Comic Con is better than mine has been, missing out on all the fun stuff". Some of that stuff was seen by Vera Drew, director, co-writer and star of The People's Joker and appearing at San Diego Comic-Con. And had this photo to share from the crossing in front of the San Diego Convention Center….

I mean, all credit to the sign designers for reflecting seventies and eighties Marvel cover aesthetics in their work, but… bring back Westboro Baptist Church, all is forgiven? And are we to expect lots of photos of comic creators and other attendees returning from the show and posting pictures of positive test kits?

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!