SAN DIEGO (CNS) - City leaders Wednesday kicked off the 2025 San Diego Comic-Con International at the San Diego Convention Center, ushering in five days of comics, games, movies and art.
The 2025 edition will feature many of the big players the event is known for, but will also not have panels such as the star-studded one Marvel Studios typically puts on.
Mayor Todd Gloria was joined by City Councilman Stephen Whitburn, Convention Center President and CEO Rip Rippetoe, San Diego Tourism Authority President and CEO Daniel Kuperschmid and Comic-Con's David Glanzer to officially welcome people to Comic-Con's Preview Night.
Diego, the "first dog" of San Diego, also joined the event in costume to help kick off the annual convention.
"Comic-Con is San Diego's annual blockbuster -- filled with action, imagination, and a massive supporting cast," Gloria said. "I love the costumes, the creativity, and the cultural energy it brings -- along with the tax dollars that come in when visitors enjoy themselves in our city.
"Because when out-of-towners dine, shop and stay in hotels, San Diegans get smoother roads, better parks, and improved city services. That's a Hollywood ending for everyone."
Comic-Con 2025 is expected to attract tens of thousands of attendees over its run, generating a regional impact of more than $160 million, which includes both direct and indirect spending by visitors. Attendees alone are expected to spend $96.8 million directly, according to the mayor's office.
"San Diegans can be proud that this world-class event is again drawing visitors from around the globe to our city," said Whitburn, who represents downtown. "This international celebration of creativity, storytelling, and community puts San Diego on the world stage and boosts our economy to the benefit of every city resident."
Event organizers have agreed to stay in San Diego -- where Comic-Con has been held nearly every year since 1970 -- through 2027. In 2022, Comic-Con welcomed more than 135,000 attendees and generated $3 million in hotel and sales tax revenue for the city, according to city documents.
"We're deeply grateful to Comic-Con for continuing to call San Diego home," said Rip Rippetoe, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center. "As our largest convention of the year, Comic-Con draws more than 135,000 attendees, welcomes media from over 20 countries, and generates economic activity for businesses and attractions across our region.
"Beyond the numbers, it's a beloved tradition that brings people together and connects our city to the world."
The convention shuttered for two years during the coronavirus pandemic and Comic-Con International received more than $2.5 million in Payment Protection Plan loans, all of which have been forgiven.
Comic-Con is the largest comic book and popular-arts convention in the world, with more than 460,000 square feet of exhibit floor space and more than 1,000 exhibitors each year. Additionally, more than 2,000 hours of panels, workshops and events are attached to the convention, not to mention dozens of activities and pop-ups outside the Convention Center.
"We're very excited for this year's Comic-Con as we welcome fans and professionals from every area of popular art, making this weekend in San Diego the focal point for all things artistic and creative," said Glanzer, SDCC's head of communications.
Wednesday will be a quieter preview, with the exhibition hall and Artist's Alley at the SDCC open from 6-9 p.m., allowing merchandise purchases from nearly every strain of superhero, science-fiction, fantasy and pop culture content. The exhibition hall will be open at 9:30 a.m. Thursday through Sunday.
Wednesday's events include dozens of tabletop and board games, multiple Anime screenings and screenings of the Harrison Ford films "Captain America: Brave New World" and "Air Force One."
"Comic-Con International shows what*s possible when a community comes together," said Daniel Kuperschmid, president and CEO of San Diego Tourism Authority. "Comic-Con, our hotel partners, and tourism community collaborate to transform San Diego into a global destination for creativity and imagination. This collective effort creates an experience that celebrates our city's welcoming spirit and proves why San Diego remains the perfect home for the world*s premier pop-culture event."
The San Diego Public Library will hold one of Wednesday's only public events, an interactive workshop for teachers who wish to use comics in their lesson plans. Peter Carlson of Green Dot Public Schools, Susan Kirtley from Portland State University and Antero Garcia from Stanford University will "guide educators in curating powerful classroom curricula, from mini-lessons to complete units, that incorporate the medium of comics" at the Central Library, Shiley Special Events Suite, 330 Park Blvd.
San Diego's police and fire-rescue departments have committed additional resources to ensure the safety of visitors both inside and outside of the Convention Center, officials said.
City officials added Wednesday that the public would be restricted from piloting drones in the surrounding MLK Jr. Promenade, Gaslamp area and near the convention center during Comic-Con.
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