Conventions certainly look different this year! While most of us are missing our con-friends, the panels, the signings, the cosplay, the shopping, and more that happens at conventions, Comic Con International has been trying to recreate some of that magic for everyone at home. After giving us WonderCon at Home, CCI is back with Comic-Con@Home during what would have been the San Diego Comic Con dates. Get ready for five exciting days of content that, for the first time, will be broadcast to everyone!
Traditionally, the panel schedule is released two weeks before SDCC and this year was no different. The whole schedule can be viewed right here right now. Over 350 separate panels are planned to be released from July 22 – 26, when San Diego Comic Con was scheduled to take place. Notably, each panel description includes a Youtube link this year. Currently, the videos are private but will become public at the time the panel is scheduled to be released.
While we’re going to miss all of the off-sites and how hectic an in-person convention can be, Comic-Con@Home looks like it’s going to provide new and old con-goers with a fantastic experience. The wide availability of videos means that there’s no reason to fret over two amazing panels being held at the same time as you would in-person. Give those niche panels that would be held in smaller rooms a second look from your couch this year!
Comic-Con@Home also gives newbies a taste of the convention without overwhelming them on-site. Newbies can learn about exclusives, merch, and panels from the comfort of their own homes and be somewhat of a veteran when it comes to next year’s con! With a level-playing field for badge-holders, casual attendees, and completely new con-goers this year, we’ve put together a small FAQ on the schedule below.
FAQs
How do you view the panels?
Panels can be viewed from the Comic Con website and from the Comic Con Youtube channel.
If you click on the “Watch When Available!” button under any panel title, it will launch a new page on the website with the Youtube video embedded. On that page, and also under the button in the description, is a direct link to the Youtube video.
Do I need a Comic Con International or MySched account to participate?
No, you don’t! Anyone is able to visit the schedule or the Youtube channel to view the videos. However, it’s a great time to make a Comic Con ID if you don’t already have one because then you’ll be able to participate in the next badge-buying session (whenever that may be). A MySched account is not related to your Comic Con ID, but it is a great way to keep track of panels you want to see.
What timezone is Comic-Con@Home happening in?
Comic-Con@Home is happening in PDT, UTC -7.
What time will the panels be going up?
Each panel will go live at its listed time on the schedule, which you can view here.
Will the panels be livestreamed or pre-recorded?
It appears that most panels were required to be pre-recorded. This makes the most sense because of how CCI is providing the Youtube link prior to the panel going live. Hopefully, it also takes any of the technical difficulties out of the question. However, there could still be a few livestreamed panels thrown in.
How long with the panel videos be viewable?
Per CCI, “The majority of our panels will also be available AFTER the July 22-26 dates, although there are some that may have a limited time period attached to them.” Be mindful of watching any content that you deem must-see in case it is part of the videos that are limited.
What about merch? Exclusives? The souvenir book?
Great news! All of those things are still a part of Comic-Con@Home! There is some truly beautiful merch that is going to be available on July 22 at 12:00 PM PDT for this year’s convention. Best of all, it’s available for anyone to buy! The souvenir book will be a free downloadable PDF with over 250 pages of content. It will also be available on July 22.
As far as exclusives go, it seems like vendors are doing their own thing when it comes to how they plan to sell them. Our best advice is to check out what the Unofficial SDCC Blog has posted about exclusives and seek out those companies for yourself to get an idea of what their release schedule is going to look like.
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