New York Comic Con Is Returning With An In-Person Convention This Fall, But Hugs Will Be Banned

By Ben PearsonApril 22, 2021 3:00 pm EST

While San Diego Comic-Con continues to stubbornly double down on its godawful decision to hold a convention during Thanksgiving weekend this year, New York Comic Con is also coming back this fall, and it sounds like it will primarily be an in-person convention this year. The event's organizers have released new information about New York Comic Con 2021, including the fact that it will be in-person with safety measures in place (including a "no hug" policy). There will be a virtual component as well, but it's unclear if viewers who tune in that way will be treated to the exact same lineup as those who attend in person.

According to ReedPop, the organization behind New York Comic Con, the group's number one priority is the health and safety of attendees to this year's conventions, and they lay out a series of safety measures that visitors can expect:

We will be running all our shows with reduced capacity. With our new safety precautions in place, attendance and badges will be very limited so that we can ensure physical distancing. We're working closely with each convention center to determine how many people are permitted in the building every day and at a given time.

We are requiring approved face coverings for all individuals attending our events, including our exhibitors and staff. They must be worn at all times within our venues. For more information, you can visit the FAQ pages on each of our show websites.

Temperature screening upon entry will be required to enter our events. Anyone with an elevated temperature will not be permitted to enter the event.

We will have increased sanitization and cleaning with enforced physical distancing throughout the event.

We have also adopted a firm no handshakes, no high-fives, no hugs policy. We're all going to have to get very smooth and cool-looking at either the elbow bump or air high-fives. Please start practicing now.

There's also a breakdown of the in-person conventions that the group is organizing this year:

Florida Supercon, Miami Beach Convention Center: September 10-12

New York Comic Con, Javits Center: October 7-10

Emerald City Comic Con, Washington State Convention Center: December 2-5

C2E2, McCormick Place: December 10-12

In addition to those physical events, the company will be "running a virtual event companion through FindtheMetaverse.com. So whether or not you join us in person, you can attend each of our shows and have a pretty excellent time."

I'm not thrilled with the vagueness of that statement. Will online viewers be allowed to watch every single panel? Will in-person seating be a free-for-all if there is reduced capacity? Expect answers to questions like this "in the months leading up" to those shows. But for those who are vaccinated and willing to jump back into big crowds, it will certainly be an option for you in a few months.