A Comic-Con attendee thumbs through comic books for sale inside the main exhibit hall, Friday July 21, 2023.

In photos: Pop culture fans unite at Comic-Con International

By KPBS Staff

Published July 20, 2023 at 6:28 PM PDT

Wednesday, July 19
Thursday, July 20
Friday, July 21
Saturday, July 22
Sunday, July 23

Last year’s Comic-Con International was held in-person for the first time since 2019. Previous editions included Comic-Con@Home and a scaled back Comic-Con Special Edition in November 2021.

Comic-Con 2023 is basically “back to normal” with no strict COVID-19 protocols like last year. The pop culture event running from July 19-23 is completely sold out of badges.

Whether you’re going or you’re badge-less, you can follow along here for photos of one of the biggest pop culture events in the nation.

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Editor's note: This story will be updated throughout Comic-Con International.

Wednesday, July 19

People walk outside of the San Diego Convention Center, which has signs advertising Comic-Con International. July 19, 2023.

A building is being wrapped ahead of Comic-Con International. Downtown San Diego, Calif. July 19, 2023.

A building is being wrapped ahead of Comic-Con International. Downtown San Diego, Calif. July 19, 2023.

Thursday, July 20

Comic-Con attendees cross the trolley tracks on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

A Comic-Con attendee cosplaying as COBRA stands amid the crowd of Comic-Con attendees outside the convention center, Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Downtown San Diego's Fifth Avenue shows Comic-Con attendees the way on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Mario "Karts" through the crowd at Comic-Con on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Wolverine from Marvel's X-Men gives a (sharp-)toothy grin at Comic-Con on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

A Comic-Con attendee cosplaying as a skeleton walks down the street outside the convention center, July 20, 2023. — It ain't easy being bones at Comic-Con on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Spider-Man, Spider-Gwen and Spider-Ham take a selfie at Comic-Con on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

A young Loki at Comic-Con on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Banners inside the convention center lead the way for Comic-Con attendees on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

A Cap'n Crunch in a sea of Cap'n Crunches at Comic-Con on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

An electronic sign in the convention center says "Comic-Con Welcomes You" July 20, 2023. — Comic-Con "welcomes you" on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

From above, Comic-Con attendees look like ants (or Antpeople) walking around the main exhibit hall on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Comic-Con attendees work the joypads playing video games on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

A crowd of Comic-Con attendees in the main exhibit hall on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

A Batman spreads his wings for Comic-Con attendees on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

A Star Trek wrap on a downtown San Diego hotel greets Comic-Con attendees on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Friday, July 21

Comic-Con attendees walk fill the main exhibit hall, Friday, July 21, 2023.

A Comic-Con attendee poses for a photo with a monster from Final Fantasy XVI at booth inside the main exhibit hall on Friday, July 21, 2023.

A family poses for a photo with a shark at the VIZ Media Booth, Friday, July 21, 2023.

Comic-Con attendees play a Venom-themed pinball game at the Stern Pinball both inside the main exhibit hall, Friday, July 21, 2023.

Young Comic-Con attendees contribute to a coloring page at the Dark Horse Comics booth, Friday, July 21, 2023.

A make up effects artists applies body paint to a model at the Cinema Makeup School booth inside the main exhibit hall, Friday, July 21, 2023.

A Comic-Con attendee thumbs through comic books for sale inside the main exhibit hall, Friday July 21, 2023.

Comic-Con attendees look through thousands of comics for sale at a booth inside the main exhibit hall, Friday, July 21, 2023.

Comic-Con attendees look at a wall of pop-culture plushies in the main exhibit hall, Friday July 21, 223.

People cosplaying as characters from the Disney animated movie, "The Emperors New Groove" pose outside the San Diego Convention Center, Friday July 21, 2023.

People picket in support of union SAG-AFTRA in the Gaslamp. San Diego, Calif. July 21, 2023.

People picket in support of union SAG-AFTRA in the Gaslamp district. San Diego, Calif. July 21, 2023.

Samurai C3PO poses with a SAG-AFTRA picket sign in the Gaslamp Quarter, downtown on Friday, July 21, 2023.

A member of the Screen Actor's Guild, the union representing Hollywood actors, holds a picket sign in as Comic-Con attendees walk by, Friday July 21, 2023.

A person cosplaying as Spider-Man poses for a photo in front of the FX Network sign at an off-site activation, Friday, July 21, 2023.

Inside the FX Network off-site activation a character from the show "American Horror" story poses for a picture with a prop syringe, Friday, July 21, 2023.

Saturday, July 22

Sharknado hits the Gaslamp in downtown San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023.

The line at Hall H line at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 22, 2023 at San Diego Convention Center. It wasn't full as it would have been at past Comic-Cons.

The line for security for Hall H at Comic-Con. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023.

Crowds inside of Hall H at Comic-Con. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif.

Comic-Con attendees pose in cosplay. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023.

Lots of toys from Funko for sale at Comic-Con. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023.

Cartoonist Keith Knight talks to Comic-Con attendees at his booth. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023.

An illustration of the late Rep. John Lewis by Keith Knight. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023.

Comics for sale at Comic-Con. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023

Comic-Con attendees dressed as Power Rangers. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023.

A Comic-Con attendee dressed as Michelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. San Diego Convention Center. San Diego, Calif. July 22, 2023.

A Star Trek fan in cosplay outside of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 22, 2023.

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Sunday, July 23

Cosplayer walking through downtown during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.<br/><br/><br/> — Cosplayer walking through downtown during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Cosplayers pose for photo during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.<br/><br/><br/> — Cosplayers pose for photo during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

A family of cosplayers from Atlanta, Georgia at Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.<br/><br/><br/> — A family of cosplayers from Atlanta, Georgia at Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Attendee at Comic-Con International creating personal video as part of the "Star Wars Outlaws" video game promotion on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

The Addams Family cosplayers on way to the San Diego Convention Center for Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.<br/><br/><br/> — "The Addams Family" cosplayers on way to the San Diego Convention Center for Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Four cosplayers inside the Sails Pavilion during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.<br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/> — Four cosplayers inside the Sails Pavilion during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

People waiting for the San Diego Trolley during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.<br/><br/><br/> — People waiting for the San Diego Trolley during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” doom buggy outside of the San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.<br/><br/><br/> — Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” doom buggy outside of the San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con International on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Attendees at Comic-Con International attend session on Pokémon, where participants could learn the basic rules of the card game, on Sunday, July 23, 2023.<br/><br/> <br/> — Attendees at Comic-Con International attend session on Pokémon, where participants could learn the basic rules of the card game, on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Attendees at Comic-Con International cheer for attention to win prizes at a giveaway from Marvel Comics on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Two people cosplaying as storm troopers from the Star Wars movies pose outside the San Diego Convention Center in downtown San Diego on Sunday, July 23, 2023. — The doors of the Convention Center are now closed after five days, but it certainly did not stop the cosplayers from displaying and parading in the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, Sunday, July 23, 2023.

A man rushes throughout the deserted alleys inside of the main exhibit hall at the San Diego Convention Center as everyone is rushed to leave the premises of Comic-Con, Sunday, July 23, 2023.

A man disguised as Spider-Man snags one more poster before the doors close at Comic-Con, Sunday, July 23, 2023.

A kid gets a final discount on a Star Wars poster as all the booths are packing up at the end of Comic-Con, Sunday, July 23, 2023.

A comic book vendor inside the main exhibit hall finalizes his last sale as 5 p.m. comes around and marks the end of Comic-Con, Sunday July 23, 2023.

Nathan Donovan (center) moved to San Diego in 2005 with the only intention to attend Comic-Con every single year. Years later, it has become a family tradition. Here he is with his family reenacting a viral meme of three spider men pointing fingers at each other, Sunday, July 23, 2023.

A group of fans take a selfie with a life-size Deadpool figurine at a booth inside the main exhibit hall at Comic-Con, Sunday, July 23, 2023.

People walking the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter at 5:20pm, as Comic-Con closes its doors, Sunday, July 23, 2023. The international convention might be over, but the spirit of the event has not left the streets, animating each corner with cosplay displays and other activations still in place.

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Local Comic-Con 2023