4-day Comic Con festival kicks off in San Diego

‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘The Walking Dead’ are major TV draws at the sold-out event

Last updated: September 15, 2018 | 19:54

1 MIN READ

EPA

Like Batman responding to a beaming Bat signal in the sky, pop-culture fans are streaming to San Diego for the 45th annual Comic-Con pop culture extravaganza.

The four-day festival celebrating film, TV, video games, comic books, costumes and other popular arts kicked off with a preview on Wednesday night and goes full force on Thursday at the San Diego Convention Centre.

More than 150,000 fans are expected to attend the sold-out event, where studios will offer exclusive previews of their latest properties.

Television is making a greater splash than in previous years, edging into the 6,500-seat exhibition hall that’s traditionally been the main home for movies.

Game of Thrones

The Walking Dead

The Hobbit

A young fan poses with a huge Transformers display during preview night at the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention held Wednesday, July 23, 2014 in San Diego.

A fan high-fives another fan dressed as Star Wars' Darth Vader during preview night at the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention held Wednesday, July 23, 2014 in San Diego.

Clark Del Rosario, five, from San Diego poses for a photograph dressed as the Batman villain character, The Joker, during the preview evening event at Comic-Con 2014 in San Diego, California, USA, 23 July 2014. Behind him are his parents, Lester and April Del Rosario.

Emily Reeve, 18, from San Diego, poses for a photograph dressed as a 1950s pop art housewife during the preview evening event at Comic-Con 2014 in San Diego, California, USA, 23 July 2014.

Fans take photos of life sized Hot Wheels Darth Vader Mobile during preview night at the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention held Wednesday, July 23, 2014 in San Diego.

A staff member dressed as Wonderwoman, who gave her name as Hillary Hula, performs at the Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown San Diego during the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention in San Diego, California July 23, 2014.

Bersain Gutierrez, 26, from Chula Vista, California, greets people as he and Belinda Sainz arrive at the preview evening event at Comic-Con 2014 in San Diego, California, USA, 23 July 2014. Both are originally from Mexico City.

Kelly O'Hara, 33, from Detroit, takes a picture of herself with a statue of Batman during the preview evening event at Comic-Con 2014 in San Diego, California, USA, 23 July 2014.

Dressed as Wonder Woman, Lindsay Stanley, center, has her costume worked on before waiting in line for credentials on preview night at the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention held Wednesday, July 23, 2014 in San Diego.

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