Comic-Con 2024: What to expect as the convention returns to San Diego

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Comic-Con International, the comic book and pop culture extravaganza, is kicking off in San Diego. The convention, which draws over 130,000 fans annually, opens for a preview night Wednesday and runs through Sunday.

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes disrupting past years of the convention either through complete cancellation or modifications to the way they ran, this year will be the most traditional Comic-Con since 2019.

Actors, filmmakers, comic book authors and illustrators and fans are making their way to the San Diego Convention Center and the several official (and unofficial) event locations for a weekend brimming with programming.

On the opening preview night, fans said they could feel the excitement. Aliia Roza, an attendee from Los Angeles, said she enjoyed seeing people, especially children, coming together and bonding over their shared interests.

“When you were a little girl, what would you do? You would read all these comic books, right? And dream about being a hero and I think this is the most beautiful thing when you just live in a dream.”

Here’s what to expect at the sprawling convention.

Marvel mania

With the highly anticipated release of “ Deadpool & Wolverine,” Marvel is set to be a strong presence, from the costumes fans don to the panels that draw the longest lines. The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-led feature is the first ...