It’s that time of year again—long lines, warm costumes, drained phone batteries, backpacks bursting with merch…

Well, sort of. Thanks to ComicCon@Home being, well, at home for the second year in a row, we get a lot of our beloved SDCC perks without having to worry about being run over on a crowded exhibit floor.

How a virtual con works

Is this your first virtual con? It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like, but here are the basics of what you can expect and experience from Comic-Con@Home.

• Wednesday-through-Sunday programming, including digitally presented panels. Things will really kick off today, Friday the 23rd, and there will be hundreds of panels to choose from on SDCC’s YouTube channel. To be sure you don’t miss out on anything you really want to see, check the schedule. And if we can go by last year’s example, then most of the panels will remain available after the weekend—however, some might only be up for a limited time period.
• Exhibit Hall, complete with Artist Alley. Just like the real thing, you can peruse company “booths,” products for sale, promo links, and more. You probably won’t be able to see it all with one click, so try to spread it out over the weekend. And, pace yourself…for your wallet’s sake.
• At-home challenges, because why not? There are some fun new challenges this year, but the one that we’re looking forward to the most is the cosplay challenge. If you have an outfit that you always wanted to wear to a con, but never have, now is your chance to do so in the comfort of your own home.
• Games, games, and more games. If games are your favorite part about a convention experience, then you’re in luck! Check the game schedule to make sure you get to take part.

What we’re looking forward to

Our schedules are overflowing…but here’s what we’re most excited for!

• 7/23, 10:00 am: Entertainment is Female: A Conversation with Hollywood Executives
• 7/23, 11:00 am: The Dragon Prince, Inside the Creative Process
• 7/23, 2:00 pm: Comics Kitchen: Incredible Food-Themed Graphic Novels from Top Shelf
• 7/23, 2:00 pm: Motherland Fort Salem—A Look Into Season Two
• 7/23, 5:00 pm: Her Universe Fashion Show
• 7/24, 11:00 am: Women Rocking Hollywood 2021
• 7/24, 12:00 pm: Must-Know YA from AAPI Voices
• 7/24, 5:00 pm: Netflix Geeked: Lucifer
• 7/25, 10:00 am: Doctor Who
• 7/25, 1:00 pm: Dexter

Tips to make it feel authentic

• One of the best things about a home-version of the con is that you can print the Coveted Badge of Your Choice! Oh, and it’s completely free.
• Support your favorite artists! A lot of the folks in Artist Alley rely on conventions for their business, so make sure you “drop” by the table of your favorite artist and get some merch! Bonus: a lot of artists sell SDCC exclusives!
• Speaking of exclusives, many vendors, big or small, have limited edition SDCC merch. If you’re a collector, now’s your chance to add to your collection. We’ve already pre-ordered some of Pop Funko’s SDCC swag. 😉
• Live tweeting! Part of the con experience is sharing it with other geeks like you. Live tweeting a panel or about the merch you’re scoring is a great way to share the experience with other con-goers. Make sure to use the #SDCC2021 or #ComicConAtHome tags to be part of the bigger conversation!

As always, we’ll be covering various panels and bringing you the best of SDCC. In addition to enjoying the convention yourself, be sure to come and hang out with us on Twitter! See you soon, collectors.