The Walking Dead conventions will look different in the future

Amid social distancing guidelines and the need to prevent future outbreaks of any kind, The Walking Dead conventions will look very different in the future.

Anyone who has ever attended San Diego Comic-Con, Walker Stalker events or any other pop culture convention across the world can understand the potential challenges facing organizers of conventions in the future, and there is no question that The Walking Dead fan conventions will look very different in the future.

Keeping six feet apart from people in the grocery store can be challenging enough, so imagine trying to wrangle tens of thousands of fans inside a crowded but cramped convention center. There are things that can help to mitigate the crowds, such as directing the flow of traffic, limiting the number of people inside an area at a particular time and spacing out seating inside panel rooms.

The challenge comes with finding a way to have fan interactions with celebrities. The photo opportunities and autograph sessions are some of the most beloved events at The Walking Dead conventions, but until enough time passes (and a vaccine has been developed) it is not likely that celebrities will want to be up close and personal with their fans.

The sad reality is that a cast member like Melissa McBride might sell several thousand photo ops and autographs in a given weekend, and the endless cycle of fans coming and going would not only put her at risk, but it would put everyone at risk.

While everyone loves exchanging hugs and doing fun poses in photo ops, there’s no way to do that while keeping people safe. Autograph sessions might be done at a distance, with selfies taken off the table unless they can be done from a distance.

Long lines are another issue, as spacing people six feet apart makes any line six times as long. And if you limit the number of fans in a convention space, how do you choose how many can be in the same place when everyone paid the same price?

With San Diego Comic-Con cancelled this year, there is a very real possibility that New York Comic Con, Fandemic Dead and Creation of the Dead will also be pushed back to 2021 to ensure that no new outbreaks take place and hopefully allow time for vaccines to develop.

Would you still feel comfortable attending a fan convention this year? What changes do you think will be made to change how people interact at future conventions? Let us know in the comments!