Press

San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC) welcomes press from all over the world to participate and cover WonderCon and Comic-Con. We consider applications from a diverse range of press outlets operating in fields such as comic books, book publishing, animation, film, television, gaming, and other popular arts-related industries.

---

PRESS APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR COMIC-CON 2026:
Friday, January 16, 2026

*Applications submitted after this date will only be considered for WonderCon 2026 on-site press registration. Approval is not guaranteed.

---

Press qualifications

We require that applying press must demonstrate a minimum of 18 months of continuous coverage. We accept press operating in fields such as comic books, book publishing, animation, film, television, gaming, and other popular arts-related industries.

PRESS OUTLETS ARE CLASSIFIED INTO ONE OF THE FIVE MEDIA TYPES:

1. Blog/Podcast
2. Broadcast Media (television or radio)
3. Digital Media (online)
4. Documentary
5. Print Media (newspaper or magazines)

It’s important to note that individuals covering solely on social media platforms or community forums do not meet our criteria for a press badge. Influencers are not currently eligible for press badges unless they also operate their own website or channel, outside of social media platforms, that provide coverage of popular arts-related industries. 

---

HOW TO APPLY AS PRESS

New Press and Returning Press with a Verification Status of “NOT QUALIFIED” must submit the Press Application to be considered for press badges to our conventions. Returning Press can view their Verification Status via the “My Outlets” section of the Outlet Key Contact’s Member ID account.

OUTLET KEY CONTACT (OKC)

To begin, please establish who will be the OKC of the outlet listed on the Press Application. The OKC is the primary person responsible for facilitating communication between the press outlet and WonderCon/Comic-Con. This person will also be responsible for registering press badges, if approved. There can only be one OKC per press outlet. However, an OKC may be the OKC for multiple outlets.

If you are the only person applying to attend as press from your outlet, you will serve as the OKC on the Press Application. Additionally, freelance press members who would like to apply must submit the Press Application as their own OKC.

The OKC must have a Comic-Con Member ID account to submit the Press Application. To create a Member ID, please click here.

VERIFICATION MATERIALS

Verification materials are information and examples that confirm the legitimacy of the outlet and work. The specific verification materials that must be included with the Press Application are based on what “Media Type” the outlet is classified in (see PRESS QUALIFICATIONS above.)

An Assignment Letter must also be included with the Press Application as a verification material. This is a signed letter on company letterhead from the head of the outlet designating the OKC. The letter must include the OKC’s full name, title, and Member ID, as well as outlining the outlet’s interests and reasons for attending as press. 

Freelance press members must provide an Assignment Letter from the outlet they are representing, confirming their assignment to cover our conventions on the outlet’s behalf.

SUBMITTED PRESS APPLICATIONS

Once the OKC has successfully submitted the Press Application they will receive an emailed Order Receipt from donotreply@comic-con.org with the subject “Press Application Submission – WonderCon and Comic-Con 2026.” 

Please allow 4 – 6 weeks for processing and review. All press applications are processed in the order in which they are received. The OKC may forward their Order Receipt to pressreg@comic-con.org if they have not yet received any notification about the application after the processing and review time.

After the Press Application has been reviewed, the OKC will then receive an email with SDCC’s decision on the outlet’s approval to attend our convention(s) as Press. The Verification Status of the outlet will be updated accordingly in the “My Outlets” section of the OKC’s Member ID account.

Press outlet verification approval status is valid for two consecutive years, under the discretion of SDCC. Freelance press members’ verification approval status is only valid for the year approved.