Fans had been waiting in line for hours when Comic-Con International Preview Night kicked off on Wednesday, July 20.

That sounds like business as usual at San Diego Comic-Con. But after two years of waiting due to the COVID-19 pandemic halting mass gatherings, the mood among con-goers, exhibitors and industry professionals alike was one of celebration and appreciation.

Renee Morales of San Diego was among the first group of people to line up for Preview Night in hopes of scoring limited-edition merchandise from Japanese-inspired apparel and accessory company Tokidoki.

“I got in line at about 7:45 or 8 a.m.,” Morales said. She’s been coming to SDCC for the last 15 years, “minus the last two,” she said. “It’s so exciting to be back.”

For weeks, con-goers have been creating plans of attack to score one-of-a-kind merchandise from brands big and small. Once the doors opened at 6 p.m., it was time to execute.

Eddie Carpenter of Sonora, who began his Preview Night wait at 4 a.m. with a chair, blanket, bottles of water, snacks and lots of enthusiasm, knew what he was after. 

“I’m most excited for Street Fighter collectibles,” he said. “A lot of anime – I’m definitely going to be hitting up Viz Media for Bleach’s 20th anniversary manga. I’m going in hot and heading straight there.”

SDCC is a celebration of fandom, and one aspect of that celebration includes collecting merchandise from beloved brands as large as Disney and as small as Ninobuni World.

The latter is a company founded by Las Vegas artist Juan Muniz that sells, among other things, plushes, prints and apparel adorned with cute characters. The goal of his work is to raise awareness about mental health, said Ninobuni World sellers Alex Keith and Elyuz Ureno.

Keith and Ureno, both first-time SDCC attendees, said they’re feeling the positive energy from fans out on the exhibition floor.

“Meeting new people is really exciting,” Ureno said. “I wish we could see each other’s faces but I understand why we have to do it this way.”

Safety has been a topic of discussion ever since SDCC organizers announced the event would be taking place in 2022. Besides wearing masks, attendees are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test before they’re allowed into the San Diego Convention Center. 

“Comic-Con has taken safety very seriously,” said Jane Lui, Viz Media’s director of trade shows and events. “So we feel very comfortable being at the show.”

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While the general feeling among fans was enthusiasm for getting back to normal, one or two mentioned that things still felt a bit different after the multi-year hiatus. Athena Pappa of Anaheim said that while she was able to score the merchandise she wanted – exclusive mini backpacks from the Loungefly lottery – she felt that this year’s Preview Night was not as organized as those of previous years. 

“It felt a little slapstick, to be honest,” she said. “I understand why, because things are so uncertain and it’s hard for people to commit in the situation we’re in. I’m not seeing as many of my friends as usual, because we had to wait two years and people made other plans.”

Ultimately, Pappa said, she’s ready to enjoy “being back in the con vibe.”

Lui also said it was great to see the fans back out in full force. 

“Everyone is just so happy to be back,” she said. “It’s been great to be able to interact with our fans again and feel the love.”