San Diego – Comic-Con International: San Diego (Comic-Con), the largest comics convention of its kind in the world, today announced it will be staying in San Diego for the foreseeable future.
Comic-Con reached a self-imposed attendance limit at the San Diego Convention Center (SDCC) in 2007 and has had to cap attendance at approximately 125,000 people each year since. In looking at ways to better accommodate the growing demand from attendees and exhibitors, the nonprofit organization considered proposals for a move to larger facilities in Los Angeles or Anaheim after the expiration of its SDCC lease in 2012. This decision keeps Comic-Con in San Diego through 2015.
“We are grateful for the tireless efforts all three cities put into to their proposals,” said David Glanzer, Comic-Con’s director of marketing and public relations. “In the end, we feel this decision is the best for all those who attend Comic-Con and for the organization itself. We are happy that the community has worked with us to ensure that we remain here.”
Comic-Con was first held in 1970 at the U.S. Grant Hotel, where it attracted 300 people. As the event grew, subsequent homes included the downtown El Cortez Hotel in the 1970s and the San Diego Convention and Performing Arts Center in the 1980s. Comic-Con moved to the then newly built SDCC in 1991. Comic-Con celebrated its 41st year in 2010.
The San Diego Convention Center Corporation has scheduled a press conference for Friday, October 1 at 11:45 a.m. at Lobby E of the convention center.
The series, due to start in October on cable channel AMC, stars Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes. After years of slow development, the series went into overdrive when producer Frank Darabont brought the show to AMC. Shortly after giving the okay to a pilot directed by the producer, the channel ordered five additional episodes for a six episode season. Darabont previously reported the first season will cover material prior to Grimes's arrival at the prison, suggesting the first season will be based on the first six-to-twelve issues of the series.
Creator Robert Kirkman is involved in the series and previously discussed returning to the early parts of the story. "It's interesting because they're not characters that I'm writing very much any more. I'm working on the book every month, but most of the people on the show are dead in the comic. Spoiler alert!" he said to AMC's official blog for the show. "So it's a different experience, and there are a lot of cool twists that are going to make the show entertaining for people who have read the comic. As far as me writing the stuff, it's really cool to go back and play with these characters again that I haven't been able to write in a while."
The show will have a sizeable presence at Comic-Con International: San Diego next week. Plans include an hour long panel featuring the show's stars, limited edition posters and buttons, autograph sessions, and Walkers roaming the convention center.
Though a final airdate has not been announced, the program will air in October during their annual Fearfest marathon of horror films.
