Cartoon Network has dropped a video to promote its appearance at this year's Comic-Con@Home. As with most large-scale summer events this year, Comic-Con International in San Diego has had to adapt to the new worldwide conditions brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A gathering as large and crowded as SDCC makes physical distancing virtually impossible, so the organizers have taken the step of making the entire convention virtual.
Cartoon Network is amongst the participants in the virtual convention and will be presenting first looks from upcoming series and original movies. The video features performers and creators from numerous Cartoon Network series, including Apple & Onion, Craig of the Creek and Victor and Valentino.
Overwhelmingly, the message conveyed by voice actors, animators, producers, artists and everyone else featured in the video is one of solidarity. Though the video is designed to spark interest in the network and its upcoming shows, virtually all of the short clips of creatives focused on a message of hope and connection in a time when connection is often difficult to achieve. For many, the annual trip to a comic convention is a chance to connect with like-minded individuals in a welcoming environment. In the absence of such a physical space for the time being, the virtual space of Comic-Con@Home will have to do as a substitute for SDCC.
The Cartoon Network virtual panel takes place on Thursday, July 23 at 12 p.m. PST. Comic-Con@Home streams from July 22-26 on the official Comic-Con@Home website, and on the Comic-Con YouTube channel.