Applying as a Professional for Comic-Con & WonderCon
Before you are eligible to register a professional badge for either Comic-Con or WonderCon, you must first apply for professional status. In past years, the application for professionals has been provided as a PDF and required that the documents be mailed or emailed in. In 2023, though, we modernized the process with the online application described below! This page will provide you with all of the instructions necessary to apply as a professional for our shows. Please read it carefully!
IMPORTANT: To be considered for our 2024 shows, all applications and verification materials were due by Friday, September 15, 2023. Applications received after this date will be reviewed for our 2025 shows. We cannot accept late applications under any circumstances.
(If you have an existing Member ID in our system, even if it is not a Member ID with a professional status, skip this step and apply using your existing Member ID!)
Click here to create your Comic-Con Member ID. A Member ID is free and available to all adults and juniors (ages 13–17) with a valid email address.
To determine your professional verification status, log in to your Comic-Con Member ID account and look under “Account Settings” on the left of the screen. If you have not previously applied, no professional verification status will be displayed. If you are a returning professional, you will see a professional verification status displayed as either “Professional: Not Due (Expires:____)” or “Professional: Due.”
Professional Status: Due
If “Due” is displayed, you are currently DUE. It has been more than three years since your last verification, and you will not be eligible for online Professional Badge Registration unless you re-apply and are approved as a professional.
If you are a first-time professional applicant, no professional verification status will be displayed. You will not be eligible for online Professional Badge Registration unless you apply and are approved as a professional.
Professional Status: Not Due
If "Not Due" and a date are displayed, you are currently NOT DUE and will be eligible to register as a professional. You do not need to apply at this time. The date displayed is the date that your professional status will need to be re-verified. Once it expires, you will be notified that you are due to re-verify.
COMIC-CON AND WONDERCON are pleased to provide complimentary badges to professionals who are active in the creation of comic books, graphic novels, digital/webcomics, comic strips, and animation, as well as genre-related illustrators and science fiction/fantasy authors and book editors. This includes writers, artists, pencillers, inkers, colorists, letterers, and animators. Qualifying work must be provided to indicate a professional’s involvement in these projects.
Due to the ever-increasing popularity of Comic-Con and popular arts and culture industries, we cannot guarantee badges to those who fall outside of the creative roles listed above. However, all other professionals and executives who are employed in entertainment and popular arts industries (film, television, toy and apparel design, and other related industries) are welcome to apply, and we will consider each application on an individual basis.
As part of our commitment as an educational nonprofit organization, Comic-Con and WonderCon welcome educators and librarians to attend as professionals. If you work in one of these industries, please feel free to apply.
Confirm that you are signed in to your Member ID, and then >>CLICK HERE<< to access the application form. Be sure to fill out each field as completely as possible. If you have any questions about the form, please contact proreg@comic-con.org
The application alone does not qualify you as a professional. We ask that applicants supply verification materials as proof of occupation in the industry.
For each project, list the name and details of the project, the dates that you participated, and the company (if any) that produced the work. Then include any necessary files to show this, such as your name in a list of credits, or other material as listed below. Once you have chosen the file from your computer, click “Upload” to add the file to your application before moving on to the next project that you wish to list.
Verification materials can include credited or uncredited work. If the work is uncredited, both proof of employment and job title must be provided. If you are not sure exactly what to submit, send information that verifies your qualifying job title, position, or type of work. Below are some suggestions to help you. Your own verification documents may not be these exact documents, but use these examples and suggestions as a starting point:
For credited work:
If your work appears in credits, please clearly mark where your name is credited so we can easily locate your credits. You can submit a scan or photocopy of the credits page, a sample of the work, or a screen capture. Photocopies of SAG, Writers Guild, or Directors Guild cards; end credits of a game, freelance contracts, proof of membership in the National Cartoonists Society or CAPS, or a webpage such as IMDb, MobyGames, etc., that clearly displays your name and title as an artist are also acceptable. All materials must be readable or your application will not be processed.
For uncredited work:
Please submit two forms of verification that show your job title and the company you work for. These may include a business card AND an employee badge, a screenshot of your company webpage listing you as a principal or executive of the company, or a letter from the company stating your name and your job title as an artist or company executive. If your job title does not clearly explain the work and how it qualifies for a professional badge, include a detailed description of your work.
Here is a list of accepted file types for verification material: pdf, png, jpg, jpeg, gif, docx, zip, avif, webp
If your files are not in one of these formats, please convert them, or provide us with a link to the work rather than a file.
For both credited and uncredited verification, we cannot accept Dropbox links as they often expire before we are able to review them.
Important: You MUST include at least one recent project (completed within the last three years) with your verification materials, unless you are applying as an educator or librarian. Rather than submit verification materials, educators and librarians may submit a copy of their pay stub or employment identification card that indicates their role in these fields.
When all files that you wish to include are attached to your application, click “Add to Cart” and move to Step 6.
Once you have entered all information on your application and clicked “Add to Cart,” you will be presented with the Terms & Conditions. Click the box to agree to them, then click “Save & Continue.”
This will bring you to the check-out screen. There is no payment required to apply as a professional, but you must click “Process Order” on this screen to finalize and submit your application.
Once you click “Process Order,” a confirmation screen will appear, and a receipt for your submission will be sent to the email listed on your Member ID.
All applications are processed in the order in which they are received. Please allow between four and eight weeks after the close of the application period for review. Processing length may vary depending on the volume of applications received and event preparation. Once your application is processed, you will receive an email notifying you whether your application was approved or declined.
…and that’s it! If you apply and are approved as a professional, you will be notified of badge registration events for each upcoming show as they occur.
HELPFUL TIPS
Keep these in mind when filling out your application:
- Please ensure that your verification material is clear and easy to read. If it is not legible, we may not be able to process your application.
- San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC), the organizers of Comic-Con and WonderCon, works with a wide variety of people in different industries. Job titles do not always mean the same thing from one industry to another. If your title is broad in scope (e.g., producer, designer), please include a brief job description.
- If your verification materials include a long list of names, please highlight your name clearly within the list.
- Include sufficient verification materials. It is better to send too much than too little. Be certain that the materials include your name and, if necessary, explain your involvement in the project.
- Links are your friend! If your verification is too large, or of a different type than the approved file types, we recommend that you provide a link to it or share it with us via Google Drive.
If you have any additional questions, please visit our Professionals webpage!
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The only way to apply for a professional badge for Comic-Con or WonderCon is to submit a “Comic-Con and WonderCon Application for Professionals” and verification materials before the application deadline date and be approved by San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC). Professionals must provide verification materials demonstrating their continued qualifying work in the industry every three years. There will be NO on-site registration for Comic-Con or WonderCon.
Professional badges are limited and not all applicants who meet the guidelines can be accommodated. Professional verification and approval is ultimately at the discretion of SDCC.
Please keep in mind that a professional badge is a courtesy and is non-transferable. You may not transfer or sell your professional badge. A professional badge has no monetary value and you are not entitled to a refund of any amount for your complimentary professional badge. Duplicate badges of any type are not allowed.
As always, the issuance of a professional badge is at the sole discretion of SDCC.