Today’s newsletter is presented by Evans Hotels/BahiaHotel/Dockside 1953.
Good morning, San Diego 🦸
Here’s what we have for you today:
- Comic-Con hosts Preview Night tonight, and kicks off tomorrow. Today, we have everything you need to know— whether you snagged a pass or not.
- Activations are popping up and the Gaslamp sign is being transformed.
- Even the trolleys are on theme.
Tessa Balc
Audience engagement producer
Top story
Less Marvel? No problem — experts say Comic-Con is not facing a post-MCU ‘Doomsday’
Comic-Con week is upon us. If you spend any amount of time downtown or in the surrounding areas you won’t need this reminder because the signs will be everywhere: from the wraps draped off of Petco Park to the various pop-ups around the area, and of course, all of the outfits you’ll surely see.
If you aren’t big on conventions and the cost they come with, or just want to get a glimpse at the temporary transformation parts of downtown have undergone — we’ve got you covered with some activations you can see for yourself.
These activations are a reminder of how the event has seeped outside convention center walls and spilled out over the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter. It wasn’t always the case that production companies turned plots of sidewalk space into self-contained worlds resembling what one sees on screen.
Whether you are a fan or not, it’s a significant event for San Diego, bringing in tens of thousands of tourists yearly. It’s been a big deal since the 90s and has remained so — but, where does it go from here?
Our Arturo Garcia clarifies that the convention is by no means reaching an expiration date. It is notable though that the franchises, like Marvel Studios, that helped usher in a boom to the convention’s attendance, haven’t been reaching the box office highs they once saw earlier in the 2000s.
But journalists and those who follow Comic-Con closely say the convention and Marvel franchise’s success are not inextricably linked. Our city has become synonymous with Comic-Con — so much so that “San Diego” is typically dropped before it. And as the convention reaches into a wider audience of fans, and continues to become a destination, not just an event within convention center walls, we’ll likely see it return for years to come.
Times of San Diego thanks our corporate sponsors. Find out more about sponsorships and advertising opportunities here.
Stories you should know about
🦹 FOMO on Comic-Con? Even without a badge, there’s tons to do near the Convention Center: Hey, fans of American Horror Story, Clash of Clans, Star Trek and Percy Jackson — we’ve got some events for you, and many other fans, to attend without a badge.
✍️ San Diego animator returns to his roots — in more ways than one — for Comic-Con: Born and raised in Paradise Hills, Bobby Alcid Rubio has worked on films like “Up” and “Inside Out.” His latest short film “Float,” which he wrote and directed, highlights his Filipino heritage.
💻 This Chula Vista artist shares his best Comic-Con scoops with thousands of fans on social media: Erik Arrega started going to Comic-Con as a fan and later became a vendor and exhibitor and now is a professional artist.
⚽️ Chucky Lozano saga grinds on for SDFC, with two rumored suitors – if he wants to play: Conference rival LA Galaxy and Liga MX side Pachuca FC, where he started his professional career in 2014 are among the teams rumored to be a landing spot for Lozano.
💼 Opinion: My journey from poverty and incarceration to a seat at the legal table
What else we’re reading
🏳️🌈 The LGBTQ community’s relationship with San Diego Police has been fraught with tension, but the in the past decades some have called the turnaround ‘miraculous.’ (Voice of San Diego)
🌊 The Port of San Diego has approved naming a previously unnamed section of Spanish Landing Park, “Kumeyaay Beach.” (KPBS)
Times of San Diego thanks our corporate sponsors. Find out more about sponsorships and advertising opportunities here.
Mid-Week News Quiz
Have you kept up with Times of San Diego this week? Let’s see!
🪨 From January to June of this year, how many resident complaints has La Mesa received about potholes?
A) 130 complaints
B) 155 complaints
C) 140 complaints
D) 175 complaints
Reply first with the correct answer to earn a shoutout in tomorrow’s newsletter.