This year at Comic-Con, accessibility in media and audio description are featured.
I’m proud to host a panel alongside Anna Capezzera, Serina Gilbert, and Colleen Connor, three brilliant leaders whose work amplifies accessibility for blind and low vision audiences.
But that’s not all.
I’m also honored to return as a panelist myself, joining blind adventurer and comedian Joshua Loya, legendary audiobook narrator Scott Brick, and magician/writer Chad Allen. Together, we’re unpacking one essential question: How do blind people enjoy comics, gaming, TV, and movies?
How Do Blind People Watch Movies and TV?
Blind people absolutely watch movies and TV. And they don’t just “sit there and imagine it.”
They’ve got a secret weapon: audio description (AD).
Picture this: while sighted folks are busy watching the action, blind audiences get a special narration track that jumps in during quiet moments, describing the visual details that help bring the story to life.
Think of it as a storyteller sitting beside you, whispering all the good stuff you can’t see, without stepping on the dialogue.
But audio description isn’t just someone reading a list of what’s happening on screen. Done well, it’s like a soundtrack of the visuals: bringing emotion, rhythm, and professional storytelling to the mix. It’s translating the magic of the visuals into sound that lands in your heart, not just your ears.
Sadly, when audio description is rushed or underfunded, it can feel more like a robot reciting stage directions. And let’s be honest, nobody gets swept away by “Man picks up cup. Man drinks.”
That’s why conversations about accessibility in media aren’t just nice, they’re necessary. Because everyone deserves an invite to the full experience.
Can Blind People Enjoy Comics?
Absolutely! Blind and low vision fans are every bit as geeky about comics as anyone else. They just experience them a little differently.
Enter accessible comics: think comics that you can hear, touch, or explore in totally creative ways. From alternative text describing each panel to tactile graphics you can feel with your fingers, comics become adventures you don’t have to “see” to dive into.
One especially cool example? Chad Allen’s Unseen. It’s an audio comic that ditches the visuals entirely. Instead, it pulls you into the story with rich sound design and narration, letting your ears build the world your eyes don’t need. It’s proof that when it comes to comics, imagination isn’t limited by sight.
How Do Blind People Play Video Games?
Yep, blind people game too. And not just on “easy mode.”
Thanks to accessible gaming, blind gamers are battling dragons, solving mysteries, and racking up high scores right alongside everyone else.
How?
With tools like adaptive controllers, vibrating haptic feedback, descriptive audio that paints the action, and screen reader support that talks them through menus like a trusty sidekick.
And game developers? They’re finally getting wise, creating accessible video games designed with blind players in mind from the start, not as an afterthought. At Comic-Con, we’ll be geeking out over the latest innovations that help blind gamers dive headfirst into their favorite virtual worlds. Because everyone deserves a chance to slay the final boss.
Why Is Accessibility Important in Media?
Accessibility in media isn’t some kind of charity project! It’s an invitation.
It’s how we make sure everyone gets to join the party, including blind folks who love a good plot twist as much as anyone.
But let’s be real: accessibility for blind people isn’t ticking a box labeled “compliance.”
It’s crafting inclusive entertainment that actually respects both the art and the audience.
Thoughtful audio description, clever accessible gaming interfaces, and creative accessible comics aren’t bonus features. They’re the main event for the people who need them.
Too often, blind fans are told, “Well… at least it has AD,” like they should be grateful for whatever scraps of access get thrown their way.
But bare-minimum access isn’t the goal.
We’re here for high-quality audio description, immersive sound design, and storytelling that lets blind fans laugh, cry, and gasp right alongside everyone else.
Because at its heart, storytelling is connection. And everyone deserves a front-row seat.
What Makes Audio Description Good?
So… a hint: it’s not just someone listing what’s happening on screen like they’re reading a grocery list.
Great AD feels like a friend guiding you through the movie. A friend who knows exactly when to lean in and whisper, “Wait for it…now!”
Professional AD performers know it’s not just reading the words. It’s tone, nuance, timing, and knowing when to let a pause say just as much as a sentence. They bring emotional nuance and pacing that pulls listeners right into the story.
Want to hear it done right? Check out audio description examples from House of the Dragon or Marvel’s Hit-Monkey. In those shows, AD doesn’t just explain what’s happening. It sets the mood, builds the tension, and makes the story hit harder. It’s the difference between hearing “a dragon flies by” and almost feeling the air shift as it roars past you.
My Contribution to Inclusive Entertainment
By day (and sometimes late into the night), I’m a consultant, author, producer, advocate, and performer helping creators and companies turn “well-meaning” into “well-crafted.”
Audio description, coaching, and accessibility consulting, I bring my not-so-secret weapons: Connection, Excellence, and Inclusion.
Connection: I help creators do more than just describe stuff-I help them connect. Because blind audiences deserve more than facts; they deserve to feel the story.
Excellence: I’m on a mission to make sure audio description isn’t treated like the “optional frosting” on the cake. It’s part of the cake. Actually, it is the cake. I treat AD as the artform it is, and I help others do the same.
Inclusion: I believe inclusive entertainment means bringing blind professionals into the creative process-not just creating content about them, but creating content with them.
At the end of the day, I help stories open their doors a little wider, and make sure everyone gets an invite.
Why This Work Matters
At Comic-Con, our panel’s here to bust a myth: non-visual storytelling isn’t some dull workaround.
It’s vibrant. Powerful. And straight-up cool. Audio description makes dragons roar in your ears, accessible comics that turn sound into story, or accessible video games that let blind players battle the final boss. In each of these examples and more, one thing’s clear: blind fans aren’t sitting quietly on the sidelines. They’re right in the middle of geek culture, playing, laughing, and obsessing over their favorite fandoms just like everyone else.
This panel? It’s not a chat. It’s a call to action. Because creators don’t need to see accessibility as a chore. Creators see accessibility as a creative goldmine.
Non-visual formats open up new ways to tell stories, spark connections, and invite whole new audiences into the adventure.
In short: accessibility doesn’t limit stories. It makes them bigger, bolder, and better.
What’s Next for Non-Visual Storytelling?
As I hit the stages at Comic-Con International this year, my mission’s still rolling: helping creators and companies craft accessibility that doesn’t “check boxes.” It tells great stories. Whether I’m consulting, coaching, producing AD, or lending my voice behind the mic, my goal stays the same: helping creators flourish by making inclusive entertainment part of their creative DNA.
Because for me, accessibility isn’t just a job. It’s personal.
I believe stories are meant to pull us together, whether we’re watching, listening, or imagining along.
Sight or sound, it’s all storytelling.
So, to every blind gamer, comic nerd, movie buff, and TV binge-watcher: we see you.
And we’re working hard to make sure the doors to every story swing open wide, so you’re not just invited in, you’re already part of the adventure.
And if you work in the industry, connect with these panelists, and seek out supporters and partners, to make sure we all get to enjoy this interactive entertainment.
Comic Books For The Blind is Saturday 12:30pm, Room 3.
https://comiccon2025.sched.com/event/271Tr/comic-books-for-the-blind?iframe=no
And for more on the panel “Unseen Heroes: The Art of Audio Description in Superhero Stories and Sci-Fi Worlds” (Thursday 7pm, room 11), check out the panelists’ background, and a podcast from The ADNA Presents on how they’re approaching the panel: https://roysamuelson.com/behind-the-mic-how-we-built-our-comic-con-panel-on-audio-description/
(If you’d like more content, keep scrolling down to sign up for my newsletter, below, “Stay In The Loop.” The subscribe button is along the right.)