With large gatherings of people being discouraged or banned in many places, many conventions cancelled or postponed. The weekend of the 15th, Emerald City Comic Con, Naka-kon and 24 other conventions across the country shut down. Major conventions like San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic Con, and Dragon Con were either called off entirely or moved to virtual formats, disappointing thousands of fans who look forward to these gatherings each year. The loss of revenue from ticket sales, exhibitor fees, and sponsorships has also had a financial impact on organizers and the businesses that rely on these events for exposure and sales.
Despite the setbacks, many fandom conventions have found innovative ways to continue engaging with their communities during the pandemic. Virtual conventions, livestreamed panels, and online art galleries have allowed fans to connect with their favorite creators and fellow enthusiasts from the comfort of their own homes. While these digital events may lack the in-person interactions and excitement of traditional conventions, they have provided a much-needed outlet for fans to stay connected and engaged during a time of social distancing and isolation.
There a lot to this to be honest. It’s made me step back and see that I definitely spent a lot of money and time cosplaying so I’m trying now to be conscious of what I consume to make the costume now and also direct funds for others things. I still want to make cosplay but I’m being extremely choosy which ones. Also with COVID being a health risk factor- it’s made it hard for me to be back in con spaces that won’t take precautions or be with friends who aren’t taking precautions either. It creates a hazardous place…
During the peak of the pandemic, my congoing went down to attending no in-person cons but I continued to attend virtual cons. However, the virtual cons never gave me the same feeling as attending one in person did. So I was becoming more excited to attend in-person cons again. As for cosplaying, the pandemic actually affected it in a positive way. Because of all the extra time I had, I was able to practice skills that I never had before. I was also able to look up new techniques and practice those as well. Because of the pandemic, I would…
The pandemic severely affected my energy levels. Not sure if it me getting older, but my social threshold is much lower. I get tired quicker. I give myself a lot of grace, it was hard at first but I lowered my expectations of what is possible for me. Add more time to projects and decide which cons matter more to me. Funny enough, I am planning to go to more. At first, I was super selective but now I am getting better. I’ve learned my limits and follow that.
I started a huge project at the beginning of lockdown, and I used its completion as incentive to get back into competing as the world began opening up again. Should it have taken nearly 3 years to make? No, but I will blame the anxiety, distance learning and working, lack of personal space and free time. However, now that I’m rolling again, I want to keep the momentum going. There’s so much to make and see and do.
It’s made a big difference. I spend more time on my projects and am overall less motivated to crunch. I build less for other people than I used to. I go to less cons than I used to, but am starting to up that again. My partner and I still mask indoors at conventions even tho it’s not required. It’s kept us from getting COVID multiple times while the rest of the friend group gets it. I still make cosplay and love the hobby, but the drive to keep on trend and make a huge amount of cosplay every year…
I havent been to a con since 2020 and even though things opened up a lot this year, I didnt go to pretty much any. I was at Fanime every year without fail since like 1998? (The final year it was at foothill college, anyhow, with a $5 weekend badge!) But just being in thickly crowded places just made me nervous. My family caught covid the first time in jan of 2021, before the vaccines and everything and almost all of us were in the hospital. We caught a second round of it pretty much the same time this year,…
To be honest, the pandemic has truly affected my going to conventions. I have a disease in which affects my blood vessels located in the brain and optic nerve which can cause aneurysms any time. I have not left my home since 2020 because this pandemic targets my disease as well as the vaccine targeting my disease as well. I have been able to see my friends online through Instagram and Twitter, as well as see them go to conventions. I haven’t stopped cosplaying- it has taken me awhile to get into it though. I actually became way more into…
Prior to the pandemic I was satisfied with attending cons in my cosplay and just being seen at the event but ever since the pandemic I’ve been focused on social media and how to capture photos and videos of my costume in an eye catching way. Now I build friendships online and not just in person at cons. As I look to 2024 I’m considering going to less cons and more actual vacations. There are still two large cons I’ll attend every year but since I can cosplay online to a virtual audience my drive to attend as many cons…
I’ve been making fewer cosplays, but the ones I make I take more time with and they’re characters I care very deeply about. I’m only just starting to get back into cons, but I’m being more picky about them, no more super crowded only kinda fun cons for me. I’m also trying to do more photoshoots outside of cons. In general, it’s a lot less than I was doing, but it’s all stuff that I enjoy more.
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By Mike Roe San Diego’s Comic-Con International — and all the cosplaying fans — is back this week for the first time in three years. Cosplayers have been some of the most excited fans as live events start to return. They’ll be holding court and taking photos with onlookers at the con, which regularly draws…
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By Beth Elderkin Yaya Han was supposed to be on tour right now. Instead of signing copies of books and posing for pictures with fans, the cosplayer is at home prepping her next shipment of washable masks to help people prevent the spread of covid-19. The novel coronavirus pandemic has become an international crisis, with over 4.7 million…
