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Comic-Con 2023 is happening in San Diego — without large movie studios and high-profile stars. Some participants say the Hollywood actors and writers strikes are taking the event back to its comic book roots. For VOA, Genia Dulot has the story.]]
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((PLAYBOOK SLUG: COMIC-CON OPENS
HEADLINE: Comic-Con Kicks Off in San Diego Amid Hollywood Actors, Writers Strikes
TEASER: Participants say this year's event feels like a return to its comic book roots
PUBLISHED AT: 07/21/2023 at 6:41am
BYLINE: Genia Dulot
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: San Diego
VIDEOGRAPHER: Roy Kim
VIDEO EDITOR:
ASSIGNING EDITOR: Stearns, Reifenrath
SCRIPT EDITORS: Stearns, Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE (S):
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 2:43
VID APPROVED BY: Bill Ide
TYPE: TVRPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO:)) Comic-Con 2023 is happening in San Diego — without large movie studios and high-profile stars. Some participants say the Hollywood actors and writers strikes are taking the event back to its comic book roots. For VOA, Genia Dulot has the story.]]
((NARRATOR))
San Diego is hosting the 54th annual Comic-Con, one of the world’s largest pop culture conventions connecting writers and artists with fans of their comics and their screen adaptations.
Superhero movie stars and major U.S. movie studios pulled out of this year’s event because of the Hollywood actors and writers strikes, but that has not diminished the enthusiasm of cosplayers, people who dress up as their favorite comic book, movie or video game characters.
[[Stand-up]] ((Genia Dulot, VOA Correspondent))
"Cosplay comes from the words ‘costume’ and ‘play’, playing with a costume to represent a character. This year, in order to fit in the Comic-Con vibrant crowd, I decided to dress up as Wonder Woman."
((NARRATOR))
Patricia Burns retired from the Navy. Today she is the Marvel Comics superhero “Black Widow.”
((Patricia Burns, Black Widow Cosplayer))
“I am 62 years old, that’s why I say: “At any age!” It’s never too late. We all want to enjoy life, and what better way to do it is to reinvent yourselves, what are the limits? We put limits on ourselves, so I would say to anyone, doesn’t matter what race you are, what size you are, find you!”
((NARRATOR))
Ashley Laurence and Keith Foster — or Barbie and Ken — are wearing space costumes to celebrate the “Barbie” movie premiere on Friday.
((Ashley Laurence, Barbie Cosplayer))
“I looked to the catalogue of Barbie, and this is actually from Barbie 1985, is astronaut Barbie. She did exist, that’s why I picked her."
((Keith Foster, Ken Cosplayer))
“Unfortunately, there was not an ‘85 astronaut Ken, so I had to take some creative liberties.”
((NARRATOR))
IT engineer and Superman cosplayer Chris Perry says the absence of Hollywood superhero blockbusters at this year’s show allows more room for the comic books at the core of the convention.
((Chris Perry, Superman Cosplayer))
“It (Hollywood’s absence) definitely took the wind out of the sails a little bit. But, one of the cool things that is coming from that is that we’re getting back to our roots. Now it’s all about the comic books. The pop-culture, the TV, the movies, yeah, that’s a lot of fun, but Comic-Con, when it first came out and originated, it was all about the comic books.”
((NARRATOR))
And attendees can find many comic books among the more than 500 exhibitors at this year’s Comic-Con, along with pop culture merchandise, video games and opportunities to discuss topics like promoting diversity in comics and graphic novels.
((Genia Dulot for VOA News, San Diego))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJuly 21, 2023 06:51 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
