WonderCon on Sidewalks
Annual event for fans of sci-fi and comics in San Francisco
Watch our videos with backstage coverage
In February, March or April, San Francisco becomes the home of WonderCon, a three-day convention spotlighting comics, science fiction, fantasy, and pop culture at the Moscone Center in the downtown area.
The weekend event has a lineup filled with panel discussions and special presentations, as well as workshops on the comics industry. Another highlight of WonderCon is the exhibit hall, where comic book designers, publishers, various artists, classic stars from the world of sci-fi TV and movies, and retailers give attendees an opportunity to meet, get autographs, and purchase toys, clothes, and back issues of vintage comics books. Many attendees also get into the fun by dressing as one of their favorite characters in movies and comics.
WonderCon debuted in 1987 in the city of Oakland, CA then moved to the current San Francisco location in the early 2000’s. The convention became part of Comic-Con International, an organization that does a similar event in San Diego since 1970.
As the WonderCon convention grew, Hollywood used the convention as an exclusive venue to showcase previews of forthcoming major motion pictures and television shows. Recent years of the convention has presented never-before-seen clips and trailers, such as “Star Wars: Episode 3,” “Spider-Man 2,” “Batman Begins,” and “Superman Returns.” Some of the recent big names producers/directors appearing at WonderCon included Kevin Smith (“Clerks”), J.J. Abrams (Lost, “Mission: Impossible 3”), Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, “Serenity”), Wes Craven (“Nightmare on Elm Street”), and Bryan Singer (“Superman Returns”). Classic TV stars, such as Noel Neill (TV’s first Lois Lane), Richard Hatch and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. (the original Battlestar Galactica), Jon Provost (Timmy on Lassie), and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca on “Star Wars”), are regular participants.
Members of the Sidewalks Entertainment team has been attending the event since 2005 and each year has brought back interviews with some of the classic and current sci-fi/fantasy stars.