SAN DIEGO — Comic-Con International is returning to San Diego for the first major in-person event since before the COVID-19 pandemic began, and masks will be mandatory.

In addition to wearing masks, attendees must also provide proof of vaccination, or of a negative COVID test taken within the previous 72 hours.

Maren Dougherty works at the San Diego Convention Center and said they’re estimating more than 135,000 people will attend.

“Even throughout the pandemic, we had Comic-Con fans who were coming down to our building, nostalgic for the experiences they had,” Dougherty said.

Tara Selletti has waited years to go to Comic-Con and said masks are a small price to pay to get the event back.

“Your favorite artists who are signing your comics may be elderly and may be immunocompromised and you know you got to think about them too,” Selletti said.

The gathering starts Thursday and runs through Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center.