The world of pop culture converged once again as San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2023 unfolded in all its glory.  From July 19th to July 23rd, the iconic convention center and the vibrant streets of San Diego became a haven for fans of movies, TV shows, comics, video games, and all things geeky.  As the dust settles on yet another remarkable year, let’s dive into the highlights that defined SDCC 2023.

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This year will likely be remembered as The Year Without Studios, since actors and writers were prohibited from making promotional appearances by the ongoing Writer’s Guild and SAG strikes and many of the major studios sat this one out.  While some had fears that the lack of star power would take the luster off what had become a huge motion picture/television juggernaut, the thousands of attendees seemed to take the loss in stride, packing the exhibitor’s floor and other con areas to rabid excess, as usual.

A Fusion of Fandoms

SDCC is renowned for its ability to unite fans from diverse corners of pop culture, and 2023 was no exception.  The convention floor buzzed with energy as attendees dressed as superheroes, wizards, aliens, and more swarmed through the halls.  Cosplay reached new heights this year, with attendees showcasing their creativity and dedication with jaw-dropping costumes that paid tribute to characters from both classic and contemporary sources.

Both the Marvel and Star Wars booths were constantly abuzz with merchandise sales and rotating displays of costumes and art.

The Off-Site Adventures

Beyond the walls of the convention center, the off-site events and installations added a new layer of excitement to SDCC 2023 and picked up some of the communal feel to the convention in place of the missing big Hall H presentations.  Attendees embarked on immersive journeys that transported them to fantastical worlds and allowed them to interact with their favorite show environments in ways they had only dreamed of before.

Hulu brought a huge installation for their new Hulu Animayhem programming branch which includes adult animation and anime.  The overlying gimmick here was that guests entered a world of 2-D animation where they could engage with photo ops from many of the popular Hulu animated shows such as Solar Opposites, Family Guy, The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, Futurama, American Dad, The Great North, and Archer.

Paramount+ brought back their offsite The Lodge: A Paramount+ Experience for avid fans to explore photo-ops, food, and activities from many of their most popular shows.

Attendees were able to pose for caricatures of themselves as a Star Trek alien or get temporary tattoos from the Ink Master airbrush tattoo station.

Aside from drinks at the Paramount+ Pub and sliders courtesy of Good Burger 2, guests could take photos at SpongeBob SquarePants’ Krusty Krab, experience the wilderness of Yellowjackets, and much more.

Insight Editions, purveyors of a multitude of eclectically creative publications,  held a Fandom Feast where every delicious dish on the buffet was presented from one of their many pop culture cookbooks.

In a blast from the past, Neopets held a nostalgic “Neopets Era Party” in which they announced a new age for Neopets, with new leadership, a new plot, and John Legend as their official Neopets Ambassador.

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The Panels

Even despite the lack of actors and screenwriters, the SDCC schedule was packed with informative and entertaining presentations from all areas of popular media.

TOKYOPOP gave a panel on “Manga for Everyone,” where they went through their many upcoming titles at breakneck speed, including their next The Nightmare Before Christmas graphic novel, Disney Manga: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Battle for Pumpkin King, coming on September 19th.

Set before the events of the film, Battle for Pumpkin King explores the relationship between Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie and how it evolved through history.

In “Animation Brain Trust,” some of the most noted animation authors and historians came together to discuss some of the many fabled projects and creatives involved in animation throughout the years.

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In the SDCC traditional panel “You’re Wrong, Leonard Maltin,” the famed film critic took on all comers as the audience was invited to challenge his views on some of the jillion movies he has seen and commented on in his extensive career.

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Disney Legend Andreas Deja brought his original, hand-drawn animated featurette Mushka to premiere at SDCC, along with several of the creative talents that worked on it with him.  The film, about a young Ukrainian girl and her relationship with an orphaned baby Siberian tiger, is touching and gentle and as beautiful as you would expect from someone with Deja’s expertise with and love for the medium of animation.  AllEars was able to chat with the creative team from Mushka about the huge amount of work that went into it, which we’ll bring to you in a following article.

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Disney didn’t have a lot of panels this year, but their presentation of “The Little Mermaid Sing-Along” was one of the last of the weekend, in which audience members were invited to lend their voices to the live-action 2023 version of the classic film.  To commemorate the upcoming release of Disney’s The Little Mermaid on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on September 19, guests were also given limited-edition buttons with characters from the movie.

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Looking Ahead

As SDCC 2023 drew to a close, it left behind a trail of unforgettable moments, inspiring interactions, and a renewed appreciation for the power of pop culture to unite and uplift.  The convention continues to evolve, embracing new technologies, expanding its offerings, and captivating the hearts of fans around the world.

As we bid adieu to another spectacular year, one can’t help but look forward to what lies ahead.  SDCC 2024 promises to be yet another chapter in the ongoing saga of fandom, creativity, and celebration—a testament to the enduring influence of pop culture on our lives and a reminder that, in the world of geekdom, there’s always something incredible just around the corner.

Did you get to San Diego Comic-Con this year? What did you think? Drop us a note below.

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