I often talk here about a Global New Renaissance, and this week we’ve seen a clear example of that in action as the latest news from the US comics industry was rolled out for Christmas.

DC’s movie adaptation of the comic classic Shazam is getting a sequel at last, courtesy of Warner Bros. Zachary Levi will star.

Meanwhile Star Wars: the Rise of Luke Skywalker is set for release later this month.

A new behind-the-scenes featurette has been released that includes interviews with Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) talking about their off-screen moments during filming.

For those who prefer their fantasy Earth-based, who could resist the latest news about Godzilla vs. Kong?

Wonder Woman 1984 took Brazil and Comic Con Experience by storm Sunday but Godzilla and King Kong left their mark too.

Footage of the goliaths’ confrontation in Godzilla vs. Kong was shown in a montage of 2020’s coming attractions from Warner Bros. 

And then there’s the aforementioned Wonder Woman herself: The new trailer for Wonder Woman 1984, like all the above, was shown first not in New York or San Diego, home to the biggest comic cons in the US, but in Brazil.

There were plenty more. The Eternals, for example.

Last year the Brazil event saw the trailers debuts for Men In Black: International and Spiderman: Far From Home.

The São Paulo Comic Con Experience, known as CCXP, has only existed since 2014, and Brazil is perhaps not on most people’s radar as a comic-loving nation. Yet back in 2017 the 4th CCXP blew apart conventional comic con wisdom when it clocked 220,000 visitors, sinking the New York Comic Con’s record of 200,000.

Brazil’s comic con may have been bigger than the USA’s. 275,000 expected as the Jeddah Book Fair gets under way in Saudi Arabia

That in turn of course made even more industry professionals and fans sit up and take notice, resulting in a renewed focus on São Paulo from the big American players, and that in turn led to a new record being set for CCXP footfall, with 280,000 visitors this year.

But size aside, this is not such a rare event. Comic cons around the world are getting bigger and better each year, thanks to digital.

That is, new reach from digital comics and graphic novels, new reach from digital video, and new reach through social media which propels these global comic cons to new heights each year.

We are witnesses to, and participants in, a Global New Renaissance quite unprecedented in human history.

Be part of it.