Only you can make it right, Detective Pikachu. Save us, king. Photo: Getty Images/Daniel Knighton

Even though San Diego Comic-Con may be the event with the highest masks-per-capita ratio on earth, it still is a very large, crowded gathering. Therefore, Comic-Con International has canceled the 2020 San Diego Comic-Con, as a coronavirus safety measure. The major pop-culture fan convention was set to take place from July 23 to July 26, in what would have been the event’s 50th anniversary. This will be the first year since the inaugural convention in 1970 that it will not take place. This cancellation sees San Diego Comic-Con joining an ever-increasing list of conventions, festivals, and concerts that have been canceled as a coronavirus precautionary effort. SDCC is used by studios and franchises as a launching pad and publicity event for upcoming series and films, so this cancellation is extra poignant, considering that the fate of 2020 releases is up in the air due to COVID-19 halting production. “Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures and while we are saddened to take this action, we know it is the right decision,” said SDCC spokesperson David Glazner in a statement. “We eagerly look forward to the time when we can all meet again and share in the community we all love and enjoy.” The event will resume July 22–25, 2021. 2021 will also see the grand opening of the Comic-Con Museum. By then, walking around in a Bane mask will probably be the norm, anyway.