San Diego Comic-Con Málaga expected to attract 120,000 fans this weekend, double the original projection

San Diego Comic-Con Málaga 2025 (SDCCM) is almost ready for the huge number of pop culture expected to descend on the capital of the Costa del Sol this weekend. Teams are working flat-out both inside and outside the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos (Fycma) to prepare the venue. There are less than 48 hours before it all begins. But SUR is welcomed by SDCCM executive director Javier Barberá under one of the arches that reads "Welcome Cosplayers". We catch him as he and his team are working on the final touches of the event.

First of all, with two days to go, is everything ready?

Everything is going according to plan. What had to be done at this stage of production has been completed and we are more excited than nervous. The excitement to see how the dream becomes reality. We've spent two intensive weeks at the venue and everything is already taking shape. You see how the things you had in mind are happening exactly as planned. This is already our reality. The first reward for the effort is to see SDCC Málaga take shape. We can't wait for people to see it, because there are a lot of expectations and we are sure that we are going to meet them.

What do they say from San Diego? How do they see it?

They are overwhelmed, but in a good way. They have high expectations and are looking forward to seeing it. We have been holding meetings every 15 days since we first discussed production, content and talent. They will be joining us for SDCC Málaga. For them it's their first time, as it is for us, and we share the excitement.

Let's start with the seed of it all. How did you come up with the idea of bringing all this to Malaga?

There was a bit of uncertainty as to the public-private partnership between the regional government of Andalucía, Malaga city council and Dentsu that was to bring San Diego Comic-Con to Malaga. But it fits well with our goals. Defending the candidacy was only a bit of a challenge, as San Diego and Malaga share many things: both are cultural capitals and border cities; they have a very similar climate and are also similar in terms of population. Positioning the candidacy and defending it was a nice and relatively easy thing to do, I confess, because there was a natural match. If San Diego Comic-Con had to come out of San Diego at some point, Andalucía was the destination.

What is your goal for the first edition?

We have exceeded all expectations. When we presented in March, we had a target of 60,000 attendees for the four-day event, but we listened to the fans, companies and brands that wanted to participate in SDCC Málaga and that's when we realised that the demand was much higher. So we started to analyse format options: how we could expand the event to give fans the best experience and we were inspired by big theme parks. We wanted to create a format that would allow us to grow not only in terms of space but also in terms of capacity so that more people could come. We were very concerned that there would be more people interested than there would be tickets. That's how we came up with today's result: a four-day event with 120,000 attendees, which was our goal for the third year.

Did you also try to distance yourselves from the original San Diego Comic-Con?

The essence is the same. We share the same DNA and I would say that 80% of the content is repeated. But it is true that San Diego always insisted that we had to strike regional and local integration. It wasn't so much about bringing in things from outside as adapting the format to how the experience should be lived here. Very prominent people from the international video game and film industry are actually Andalusian. The event in San Diego does the same through the 'Artist Alley', which we have also implemented here. There is a large international representation, but there are also 14 very outstanding Andalusian talents.

What have been the biggest challenges in organising an event of this scale?

We have tried to create a spectacle in every sense of the word, building a venue of 82,000 square metres that can be enjoyed by everyone. This event is a challenge because it's a first for everybody. It is the first time for us, it is the first time for San Diego and a challenge for Fycma, as this is the first time that the venue will be 100% occupied by a single event. In addition, we have extended the space by adding another 22,000 metres. Every participating company is facing a big challenge. If you ask around, they will tell you this: a challenge but a positive one. We have given 120%, the best of us, to put this event where it needed to be. The best part is that we've achieved it. In these four days you are going to see many things that have not been seen before in any other event of this nature. We have worked a lot on that part of the experience - on what we wanted to build - and I think it's an incredible opportunity to enjoy.

In all this production work, who was the easiest guest to convince?

It's funny, because if you tell the biggest names the idea in person, in the end they are the first ones to join the project. There are many examples, both in companies and in people. One of the first people to offer us his help was Álex de la Iglesia. We invited him to participate in the presentation and he saw the enthusiasm we had for this project, so he has been helping us since then. The same thing happened with some top brands.

Maybe the fact that SDCCM is going to become a permanent date in the calendar will make things easier?

Yes, there is a date, but the format of the event will grow and it will appear in other parts of the city, not only in this space. In the end, this is an event that we want to transform into a city that we must structure within Malaga, beyond Fycma. We already have clear locations for growth from next year and that will allow other companies that have not been able to be here this year to join. For us, in addition to the content, the experience we want to create for and by the fans is important. In the end, all of this is done by and for them and we have to be able to understand that the objective is to favour them.

Within this wave of advertisements that we find on social media every day, is there an 'Easter egg' that we can expect?

There is always something hidden. I think that's also part of the essence: playing with illusion, with surprise (smiles). We'll see it together. There are always things we hide.

There has also been criticism of various kinds. How have you dealt with it?

Constructively, always. We have to match with society, with the fans and with the format. It's not easy to communicate SDCC Málaga openly: there are more than 300 hours of content in four days and organising that agenda well is very complex.

What impact do you expect that San Diego Comic-Con will have on the city and the local cultural industry?

We were talking a little bit about that earlier. The impact is huge and very organic. In terms of organisation and production, we have tried to work with the highest level of local companies and professionals: from the most artistic to the most constructive aspects. Directly and indirectly, they are with us. A lot of people work here and a large part of our team is from Malaga. Beyond that, there is a huge social impact, alongside the economic impact, which we will evaluate a posteriori. Hotel occupancy is at full capacity and there is a very festive atmosphere in the air this week. If we manage to grow along these lines, in the end what we will have created will be a week that pays tribute to culture from Malaga and Andalucía to the rest of the world.

As for the creators and artists - local, Andalusian, Spanish, global - what does this event mean for them?

Without a doubt, we are an amplifier that allows us to spread a message of talent and culture to the global arena. SDCC Málaga is a first opportunity for a lot of people. We have borrowed aspects from the essence of San Diego Comic-Con, such as 'Portfolio Review' where we place local talent under the international spotlight - a great opportunity that everyone should take advantage of. It's up to us to make it happen by creating venues to showcase that content. This also includes creating our 'Hall M' with 3,087 seats and equipping Fycma with everything needed so we could host more than 4,500 people for simultaneous presentations. That, too, is working to give as many people as possible a chance.

How do you see San Diego Comic-Con Málaga evolving next year?

Growing the format towards a civic event, without a doubt. In fact, that has been the goal since the beginning: to be able to bring together that love for culture and for icons, for your idols and for what all entertainment means, from comics to cinema, from series to gaming. But we have to make it expansive in the city and get everyone involved. There are many things that we have already worked on for the second, even for the third year, although we are still at the start of the first event. It is an organic growth in all areas.

What plans do you have for the international projection from this year and from 2026 onwards?

Right now, around 20% of the attendees are international and we are talking about the first year, so this number will grow. It was one of the pillars of support for Malaga's candidacy. Having an airport with so many international weekly flights gives you an idea of how easy it is to get here. Moreover, we have a very important guest in this first edition - mayor of Lucca (Italy) Mario Pardini. It means a lot to us that Lucca Comics & Games, which has been running for 60 years, welcomes us to Europe. It is also a lot of responsibility, as it puts us under pressure, but in a way, we are recognised as a great meeting point in Europe.

What are you learning from the experience of running and organising the project for the first time?

Everything is a learning process. I would say that the first thing is the management of teams, of people. It is essential to be able to share that vision. Everyone has to participate in the dream, in what we want to build. One of the things we would like to do for successive years is give each edition a narrative, a story to integrate with, an objective that allows us to expand that dream. This year it was 'The hero's journey' - the narrative with which we have built everything, both internally, within our organisation, and externally. Whoever collaborates with us, we have put that hero's journey in their DNA. Having that great entrance portico or the other three gates that we have inside the venue symbolise, in a way, those four stages. It has been very nice to build and share with a huge team of people. Sharing is important and, from there, learning. Also because it is the first year for everyone, which means that it is a continuous learning process.

How would you invite someone who has never been to a San Diego Comic-Con and is unfamiliar with the culture to encourage them to attend?

I would tell them to follow everything very closely. We received a lot of promotional support during the sales and stall reservation processes, as well as during the presentation. I would tell people to stay tuned, there are a lot of things that are going to happen. When it's all over, we'll announce the 2026 edition and you'll have to be ready.