Update as of March 6: The show will go on … at an undetermined date.
Reedpop announced today that it will postpone Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) until the summer, after local health officials indicated that all conventions in Seattle should postpone. All fans will receive refunds on their tickets, no action necessary.
“Our hearts go out to the entire Seattle community, everyone impacted by the COVID-19 virus, and all of you, the nearly 100,000 amazing human beings who look forward to this event each year,” Reedpop said before stating it will do whatever it can to help the community of artists affected by the event.
Fear over COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, is fighting its way into the convention circuit.
Multiple companies have pulled out of Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), and its producer Reedpop will now offer refunds to fans worried about heading into the Seattle area.
Although ECCC is still scheduled to take place, Reedpop execs understand that fans may not feel comfortable going to a big gathering in Seattle considering the 10 virus-related deaths in Washington state. The company will offer a full refund to any fan who makes the decision not to attend.
For now, the show must go on. Recognizing that fans attending comic conventions love to do so because of the ability to come together as a community when times are difficult, Reedpop explained in a statement that it wants to offer fans the choice to attend – or not. During the show, enhanced cleaning guidelines previously used at Pax East in Boston and C2E2 in Chicago will be followed. Reedpop says it remains fully prepared to adapt ECCC as the situation changes.
ECCC 2020 Update Thread: We at Valiant regret to announce that we are cancelling our appearance at Emerald City Comic Con this year due to growing concerns regarding COVID-19. We've made this decision for the health & safety of our employees, as well as public health concerns.
1/— Valiant Entertainment (@ValiantComics) March 4, 2020
Important #ECCC2020 notice: Due to the severity of the COVID-19 virus, Dark Horse Comics has made the difficult decision to pull out of Emerald City Comic Con 2020. It is with the safety and well-being of our staff and creators in mind that we have come to this decision. 1/2
— Dark Horse Comics (@DarkHorseComics) March 3, 2020
Though the con will continue, Dark Horse Comics, Valiant Comics, and DC Comics are just three of the many companies that have already made the decision to sit it out. Sort through the canceled filter on ECCC’s guest list to see those who will not be making an appearance. The list includes actor Matt Smith, author Terry Brooks, and artist Frank Cho.
Fans looking to get a refund can do so here, but keep in mind that money will only go back to the original ticket purchaser. Tickets need to be mailed back to receive the refund, and they must be postmarked before the day for which they were meant to be used.
Photo: Reedpop
