CON-tagious: California’s Largest Fan and Pop-Culture Conventions Under Covid

Samantha Tecson, Guest Contributor

As I walked through both Anime Expo (AX) and San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in July, I felt the familiarity and nostalgia of traveling to these large events. For a second, nothing much had really changed. Yet, the mask around my face and on others reminded me there was a change, Covid. It had been two years since two of California’s largest fan events returned to in-person attendance. Both Anime Expo (July 1-4) in Los Angeles and San Diego Comic-Con (July 21-24) in San Diego didn’t host conventions due to the changing health risks with the Covid pandemic. Both conventions came back in July of 2022 after the surges of vaccinations and testing, however, Covid keeps evolving. This left attendees with questions regarding how the conventions’ Covid policies would impact their enjoyment and safety. As an attendee of both conventions, I believe AX and SDCC handled the Covid situation differently, creating two distinct feelings as they approached normality.

Anime Expo

Anime Expo (AX) 2022 from the outside.

Weeks before AX 2022 launched, the convention announced on social media and through email that they would rescind their former Covid vaccine and testing verification policies while still requiring masks. During this time the Omicron variant was rising throughout California with no widely available vaccine specific to the Covid strain. Due to my own concerns surrounding the highly transmissible nature of Omicron, I felt that AX’s reversal of Covid policies put convention goers at risk and I was better off not attending. Anime Expo would re-implement vaccination and testing checks after receiving online backlash from attendees and popular figures within the anime community critical of the event’s plan to handle Covid. With these rules reinstated, I believed it was safer to attend the convention again.

While attending the convention, my worry for people’s health and safety crept back around due to Anime Expo’s overcrowding and lack of mask enforcement. Every day, attempting to enter the expo was hazardous as there were masses of people confusedly encircling the site to find an entry line. It took me a few hours each of the four days just to trek to one of the entry lines where expo workers/volunteers had us walk through a security scanner, checked Covid wristbands (which you got in a different line), and went through a few bags.

Traveling inside AX.

After getting into the convention, people packed like sardines, leaving little room to breathe. This was punctuated by several daily instances where the security teams warned us about the crowd’s inability to maneuver around the event creating fire and safety hazards. Alongside the crowding issues, some attendees ignored the mask policy, consistently taking theirs off while walking. I noticed that Anime Expo’s volunteers and security didn’t regularly check for nor remind people of masks. The closeness and lack of regulation were uncomfortable while Omnicron loomed over California. While attending Anime Expo the lack of policy enforcement and crowd control left me feeling that the event still presented health risks for attendees. 

San Diego Comic Con

SDCC Panel for Transformers: Earthspark.

Comic-Con International used two prior conventions they own as testing for their Covid policies, Comic-Con Special Edition in November 2021 and Wondercon in April 2022. At these conventions, you did a Covid verification outside the main entry for the convention centers, got a wristband, then were able to wear it for all con days. Inside the convention center, ongoing messages warned attendees to wear their masks and ensure it was covering their noses. SDCC copied these same steps of verifying, masking, and consistent reminders.

While attending SDCC, I was able to retrieve a verification wristband at several locations near or in the convention center. An issue I had with the bands is that they were paper-based and easily breakable. If broken or lost you would need to visit the verification sites again and wait in potentially long lines. When inside SDCC, an automated message was periodically played reminding attendees of the masking policies emphasizing it was for their health and safety. Many of the volunteers and security guards I saw gently reminded people to put on masks when they needed to. These checks and reminders of the Covid policies made me feel safe when attending the event.

Masking up inside with Piccolo and wearing the paper Covid band.

Masking up inside with Piccolo and wearing the paper Covid band.

SDCC extends far outside the actual convention center and that is where you can see its massive crowds. At these outer events, I saw much of the same Covid regulations being enforced. We had to verify a vaccine or test and wear a mask. In some places, I was able to safely take off my mask for a picture as there was open spacing and regulatory cleaning. However, outside is also where I was reminded of the politicization of Covid. There were protestors stationed near the event holding signs decrying vaccines and masks. 

Spider-Man protests Covid vaccines at SDCC with others.

The Overall Feeling of Large CA Covid Cons?

 As someone who regularly attends conventions, I define a “normal” fan convention experience as such: the ability to shop at booths, being able to hang out with friends and fellow fans, seeing cosplay, and attending panels. Despite the existence of Covid, I was still able to do my definition of a “normal” convention experience at both Anime Expo and San Diego Comic-Con. The only difference, I just had to wear a mask while doing those activities. 

Both AX and SDCC’s handling of Covid was to benefit attendees and try to mitigate dealing with drastic reactions. By initially rescinding their Covid protocols and then not regularly enforcing them, Anime Expo did a poor job managing attendees’ experiences with Covid and the overall event. In my opinion, SDCC was better at bridging Covid protocol and reaction. During the convention, San Diego Comic-Con maintained consistent regulations and reminders for attendees to mask up. Prior to the event they used large press junkets to solidify their stance on Covid, wisely emphasizing the need to play safe, not sorry. Their pre-SDCC stance and their applied Covid protocols, allowed San Diego Comic-Con to make it feel as if the event did care about people’s safety and reduced chances of criticism over their handling of Covid.

I won’t say the conventions were 100% safe, but taking health into consideration made them a bit safer. Don’t attend conventions if you don’t feel comfortable but if you do, make sure to have fun and plan accordingly. 

*Author’s note: All images provided by author and Michael Mazzacane (UCLA Ph.D. student)