Fans set up memorial outside San Diego Convention Center as virtual Comic-Con kicks off

For the first time in its 51-year history, San Diego Comic-Con will be held virtually this week due to the coronavirus pandemic.

SAN DIEGO IS TAKING WITHOUTCOMIC CON AT THE CONVENTIONCENTER JACQUELINE.GOOD EVENING KATHLEENWILLEY ECONOMIC AID IS A HUGEONE COMICON BRINGS IN WELLOVER A 100 MILLION DOLLARS TOTHE CITY OF SAN DIEGO EVERYYEAR SOME FANS ARE TREATINGTHE CANCELLATION AS IF THECONVENTION DIED OR IT'S NEVERCOMING BACK AND I SEE THATBECAUSE TAKE A LOOK AT THISMAKESHIFT MEMORIAL NOW YOUMENTIONED A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEBEEN BRINGING PHOTOS OF THEIRFAVORITE COMIC BOOK HEROESWE'VE SEEN.

CANDLES YOU HAVEFLOWERS AND PEOPLE WRITINGMESSAGES ON THIS WHITE POSTERBOARD.IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN 51YEARS COMIC-CON FANS WILL NOTHAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LONG LINESOR HECTIC CROWDS TO NAVIGATETHROUGH AT EXACTLY 09:00AMPACIFIC TIME ON A WEDNESDAYJULY 22ND, COMIC CON DOT ORGWILL TRANSFORM INTO COMIC CONAT HOME NOW WILL BE BRINGING ATASTE OF COMICS ON TO THEWORLD REALLY.AND ANYBODY WHO WANTS TOTURN WILL BE ABLE TO AGENDA.THAT'S RIGHT THIS YEAR'S SANDIEGO COMIC-CON IS GOINGDIGITAL FANS NO LONGER HAVE TOJUMP THROUGH HOOPS TO SCOREBADGES TO GET IN BUT THECANCELLATION IS A HUGE LOSSFOR THE CITY THE ECONOMIC ISGOING TO BE DEVASTATING.

WEKNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE10'S OF MILLIONS OF NOT MORETHAN A 100 MILLION DOLLARS OFECONOMIC IMPACT.TO SAN DIEGO, THE DOWNTOWNCOMMUNITY WHICH IS WHERE THECONVENTION IS NORMALLY HELD ISPART OF COUNCILMEMBER KRISSWARDS DISTRICT.

HE SAYS ABOUTA 120,000 TICKETS ARE SOLDEVERY YEAR FOR THE EVENT, AVAST MAJORITY OF THOSE AREPURCHASED BY PEOPLE FROM OUTOF TOWN OBVIOUSLY WE GET AHUGE BENEFIT FROM ALL THEHOTEL ROOM NIGHTS THAT AREBOOKED THERE IN THE COMIC CONPERIOD AND THE SALES TAX ANDALL THE OTHER SO THIS COVID ISCONTINUING TO REALLY HURT.OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

I HITJENNIFER IS WELL AWARE OF ITSKIND OF A BUMMER SHE'S BEEN ACOMIC CON VOLUNTEER FORSEVERAL YEARS.WE RAN INTO HER SHE WASPAYING HER RESPECTS TO THISMEMORIAL THAT'S BEEN SET UP INHONOR OF COMIC CON.

SHE SPENDSHER TUESDAY AFTERNOON VISITINGTHE RESTAURANTS THAT TYPICALLYSCORE BIG DURING THECONVENTION.

I THINK GOOD.I'LL BE ALL CAUSED BY DUSTCOMING DOWN HERE.

YOU HAVE ACOUPLE PLACES FANS WHO ALREADYBOUGHT BADGES BEFORE THECANCELLATION OF ARE ABLE TOEITHER GET A REFUND.OR TRANSFER THEM OVER FORNEXT YEAR'S COMIC CON OFCOURSE THAT ALL DEPENDS IFTHERE'S ENOUGH MONEY WE DO