You may have heard, but Comic-Con is expanding this year — with panels in more places than ever. New for 2019, CCI will be hosting free, no-badge-required community programming at the San Diego Central Library, and two new venues: the Comic-Con Museum and the Artists’ Loft at BarrioHaus.
However, we’ve seen a lot of questions about both of these new venues, and we’re here to answer them for you.
What’s Happening at the Comic-Con Museum?
A lot, actually! The Comic-Con Museum is home to The Gathering on Wednesday, July 17 — the Comic-Con Museum’s celebration/ceremony for the first inductee into the Comic-Con Museum’s Character Hall of Fame: Batman. There’s a main event with food, cocktails, silent and live auctions, and more — for $250. If you just want to attend the after party, that’s $50.
The rest of the week, you’ll find The Batman Experience, which is free and open to the public unlike Wednesday night. You’ll be able to enjoy 68,000 square feet of a Batman pop-up exhibit, featuring a Batcave gaming lounge, a skydiving VR, collectibles on display, and more. There will also be other exhibits at the museum, including Cover Story: The Art of Comic-Con 50 featuring artwork from 50 years of program covers, an exhibit with some of the Her Universe Fashion Show designs, a Mondo exhibit, and even a chance to get painting advice from a Certified Bob Ross Instructor.
The Museum will be open daily Thursday, July 18 from 9:30AM-7PM, and again on Sunday, July 21 from 9:30AM-5PM. Badges are NOT required.
Here’s a look at the free, badge-free, daily programming:
Thursday, July 18
- 12PM – Ray Bradbury and the World of Comics
- 1PM – Law of the MCU
- 2PM – The Science of the Acme Product Catalogue
- 3PM – 35th Anniversary of Ghostbusters
Friday, July 19
- 12PM – Psychology and the Potterverse: Even Muggles Can Cast Their Patronus
- 1PM – Comics in Mexico: A Rich History and Vibrant Present
- 2PM – A Conversation with Sonia Manzano (aka “Maria” from Sesame Street)
- Hollyweird Science: Aberrant Smartypants from Hannibal Lector to Thanos
Saturday, July 20
- 12PM – Meet the Star Wars Fan Groups
- 1PM – Costumes from Workroom to Film Set: How Your Favorite Superhero Character Becomes a Costume
- 2PM – Geek Travel: Is It a Thing?
- 3PM – Fictional Games IRL
What’s Happening at the Artists’ Loft at BarrioHaus?
Paneling! Specifically, paneling “intended to bring the cultural enrichment and educational aspects of Comic-Con panels to the public, with a focus on Latinx culture and contributions to popular arts.
Here’s a look at the free daily, badge-free programming:
Thursday, July 18
- 12PM – A Long Story Short: Mexican Comic Books
- 1PM – From Mexico to the USA, a Bridge One Comic at a Time
Friday, July 19
- 12PM – Embracing Your Inner Geek: An Interactive Self-Care Workshop
- 1PM – Making a Bridge with Genre Movies
Saturday, July 20
- 12PM – The New Wave of Latin American Horror Cinema
- 1PM – Your Childhood in Spanish
Sunday, July 21
- 12PM – The Importance of Genre Cinema in Latin America
- 1PM – Diversity Geek Discusses Representation in Media
Where Are They?
Unlike most of what we consider “offsites” or other panel locations in the area — both the Comic-Con Museum and the Artists’ Loft at BarrioHaus are relatively far.
BarrioHaus is the closest, at a mile away, to the west of Petco Park. It’s at 1616 National Avenue, and about a 20 minute walk — or about a 5-10 minute drive, depending on traffic. There’s been no mention of a shuttle bus taking you over here, so don’t expect that to happen.
The Comic-Con Museum, meanwhile, is in Balboa Park — about 2.2 miles away. The address is 2131 Pan American Plaza.
That’s about a 50 minute walk, or about 10-20 minute drive depending on traffic. There’s been no mention of a shuttle bus taking you over here, so don’t expect that to happen.
What Does That Mean?
Both of these locations are really geared more towards giving the local San Diego area more of the Comic-Con experience — which is why they’re free, and open to the public. Sure, you can take some time out of your day to check them out, and you’ll probably have an amazing time — but especially as you’re looking at the Comic-Con schedule, be aware of the location, distance, and travel time to both of these venues.
Also, if there’s a day you don’t have a badge for — this is an awesome alternative.
