SiliCon (ex. Silicon Valley Comic Con)

SiliCon, formerly known as Silicon Valley Comic Con (SVCC), is an annual pop culture and technology convention held in San Jose, the largest city of the San Francisco Bay Area. According to the organizers, the event is designed to bring together America’s two greatest superheroes, pop culture and technology.

Silicon Valley Comic Con was created by co-founder of Apple Inc. Steve Wozniak and former president and chairman of Marvel Comics Stan Lee. They first announced the event in April 2015 though an online video. The first edition of the convention took place from March 18–20, 2016 at the San Jose Convention Center and attracted about 60,000 attendees.

According to Wozniak, Silicon Valley Comic Con aimed to bring together all major pop culture elements (comic books, film, television, video games, cosplay, popular arts) and technology (apps and consumer electronics). This approach seems logical because many pop culture fans, especially those who are particularly interested in sci-fi, keep track of the latest technology. Actually, this is what being a geek is about. The main goal of adding technology to the convention program was to give the event a uniquely Silicon Valley flavor.

The convention received its current name in 2020, when Adam Savage, an American special effects designer and fabricator, actor, educator, and television personality and producer, became its new creative director.

The programming of SiliCon is rich and diverse. It features traditional events and activities such as panels, autograph sessions and photo ops, over 350 exhibitors, Artist Alley, and more. Along with typical comic convention staples, the convention hosts tech-related activities such as App Alley and presentations of new and emerging technology items.

Each edition of SiliCon features an impressive line-up of special guests including celebrities, science and tech specialists, authors and artists. For instance, media guests at the first convention included William Shatner (Star Trek), Jeremy Renner (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Ray Park (Star Wars, X-Men, Heroes), Nathan Fillion (Firefly), Alan Tudyk (Firefly), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Michael J. Fox (Back to the Future), Lea Thompson (Back to the Future), and Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek).

SiliCon is the largest multi-genre convention in the San Francisco Bay Area. The title used to be held by WonderCon that took place in San Francisco before moving to Anaheim in 2012. The title then went to Big Wow! Comcifest which was added to the schedule of Wozniak’s convention in 2016.