Like that line from The Godfather Part III, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” My wife and I have been attending San Diego Comic Con together for roughly 22 years, only missing it in 2007, and, of course, the year it was shut down in 2020 for COVID. As much as I’ve enjoyed it in years past–and still do–I also find that at nearly 60 years old, it takes a lot more out of me than it used to. The long waits, the shoving, the pushing, the crowds, etc. Not to mention that standing still in line for hours at a time is hell on my arthritis. As my sister once joked, “Comic Con is a full-contact sport.” Sometimes, I’m in that packed Dealer Hall at the San Diego Convention Center, and I find myself almost struggling to breathe, like an extracted fish gasping for water…
Crowds in the lobby, as seen from the escalators of the San Diego Convention Center.
Certain events, like the panels in Hall H, for example, are off-limits to me. I refuse to wait all night sleeping on a sidewalk to catch a distant glimpse of celebrities in a panel that I’ll be able to watch on YouTube the following day (in my comfy hotel room, on my laptop). Despite being an arthritic old geek, I will do my best to convey this experience for as long as I’m able. Though my wife and I have professional registration, I’m very aware of the difficulty of obtaining San Diego Comic Con tickets, nabbing hotel rooms, etc. and I recognize how privileged my wife and I have been to attend SDCC for as long as we have with such regularity.
When you’re there, San Diego Comic Con feels like the true epicenter of American pop culture, and in that regard, this one was no different. This year featured heavy promotion for Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday,” the 60th Anniversary of “Star Trek” and the upcoming sequel to Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs” (1987) called, appropriately enough, “Spaceballs: The New One,” as well as many comic books, movies and TV/streaming shows. This was my own experience of it…
The Gaslamp Quarter, Downtown San Diego
Directly across from the Convention Center is San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, which gets redecorated every year at this time to promote various TV shows and movies, with local storefronts, restaurants and even parks all getting in on the act–converting themselves into tangible manifestations of pop culture, and becoming ad hoc museums, amusement parks, etc. It’s a blast.
San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter was slathered in advertisements for “Avengers: Doomsday,” “Rings of Power,” and many other films, with streets closed off almost entirely to normal traffic for the convention’s pedestrians. Not uncommon to see a news van or two pulling up or stationed there all day.
A storefront in the Gaslamp was converted into the Scrooge and Marley counting house, in 19th century London–including fake snow–to promote “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol” (2026), the latest incarnation of Dickens’ classic tale. On Thursday afternoon, star Johnny Depp exited the front door (in character) as Ebenezer Scrooge.
Down the street, there were ads plastered all over one of the apartment complexes for AMC’s “The Vampire Lestat,” the adaptation of the late Anne Rice’s 1985 book, previously adapted in 2002 as “Queen of the Damned.” I have yet to see this season, but I did review the first two seasons of AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire” (2023/2024).
The massive, severed head of the mutant-hunting robot “Sentinel” from the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” (2026).
I realize this display at a nearby water park was for Discover’s Shark Week and not for “JAWS,” but I couldn’t help myself.
The Dealer Hall
Once again, major movie/TV studios, toy companies and publishers, as well as smaller presses, independent vendors, artists and charities use their respective spaces within the massive Dealer Hall of the San Diego Convention Center. These spaces contained walk-thru exhibits/booths, screen-used costumes and props, celebrity/author signings, and other points of interest. However, the heavy flow of bodily traffic means you have to watch your step, move forward, and throw your voice a bit; even to the person next to you. These “Soylent Green”-like conditions within the Dealer Hall are formidable, but the experiences gained can be worthwhile. Here’s a few highlights from my own SDCC 2026 Dealer Hall walk-throughs…
A large Star Trek 60th Anniversary mural lines the corridor outside of the ‘E’ entrance into the Exhibit Hall.
The “Hero Within” booth, which features very authentic-looking Star Trek jackets, hoodies and costumes.
While the unique collections of books, collectibles, costumes and clothing are always impressive, the stamina needed to navigate the crowds is not for the timid.
The IDW Comics Booth, including a board with an autograph schedule for all writers and artists who’ll be offering limited books signings over the convention.
DC Universe booth, designed to resemble Superman’s Fortress of Solitude.
The Marvel “Avengers: Doomsday” booth, featuring actual screen-used costumes from the movie.
Closeups of screen-used costumes worn by Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom (right) and a woman’s costume, rumored to be a Latverian Witch.
Left: A life-sized C3PO mannequin from Sideshow collectible’s “Star Wars” collection.
Right: On the opposite end of the display is a mannequin of C3PO’s creator, Darth Vader.
“Star Wars” cantina denizens, including Greedo and Han Solo from the Sideshow Collectibles Booth; and Han shoots first, dammit.
There was also a dedicated Star Wars booth, featuring props, spaceships and costumes from “The Mandalorian and Grogu” (2026), including a life-size, stormtrooper-driven scout walker.
My wife won a signed Indominus Rex toy from a Mattel Booth trivia contest for “Jurassic World,” signed by the toy’s designers as well. The trivia question she answered was all too easy–name the best-known composer for the Jurassic Park movies. Needless to say, we don’t need the toy, so we’re giving it to our friend’s son, who’s a huge fan of Jurassic Park and the music of John Williams.
The Hall H Controversy
This year, the biggest events were at Hall H, which had a controversy of its own, as some of those long-suffering fans waiting outside were denied entry as the venue’s 6,500 seats rapidly filled to capacity. Apparently they didn’t have legitimate wristbands for entry. Obtaining wristbands for Hall H is a relatively recent idea, beginning in 2014, and was refined in 2024. When I first attended Comic Con in 2004, I got into Hall H with comparative ease to see Carrie Fisher and other Star Wars actors at a panel for Lucasfilm. The line to get in was about an hour or two long (in California sun), but compared to how it works now? Those days were paradise.
This year, many of those shut-out waiting fans claimed they were victims of alleged scammers handing out counterfeit wristbands, though Comic Con organizers deny this. Since I was not there personally, I leave this hyperlink from CosmicBookNews: “Comic Con Hall H response; No Apology.” Not to sow a Comic Con mutiny, but for any future attendees thinking of attending Hall H events? I would advise they spend their time elsewhere at the convention, which outgrew the confines of the Convention Center in the last decade, and is now spread seemingly across half of downtown San Diego.
There are now SDCC-connected events at several nearby hotel ballrooms, the San Diego Central Library, and outdoors. Not to mention the many local restaurants and retailers supporting the event as well. Hall H isn’t the only way to enjoy San Diego Comic Con.
The Panels & Encounters
Since I despise sleeping overnight on sidewalks during a muggy summer (especially when I have a very comfortable hotel room), I didn’t attend the “big” panels at Hall H, though I did manage to find videos of the panels for Star Trek’s 60th Anniversary (via YouTube/Paramount), “Spaceballs: The New One,” and the Marvel Studios Panel, which included casts from “Avengers: Doomsday,” “Deadpool” and the new “Daredevil” movie, with Ryan Gosling now assuming the role. Two of these links need to be played on YouTube directly, while the Star Trek panel allowed for embedding. I also attended a panel featuring an original cast member from 1968’s horror classic, “Night of the Living Dead,” and had another meet-and-greet with Jackie Dallas (“Stranger Things,” “Hunting Wives”).
Room 5A, a much smaller venue than the infamous Hall H, featured a panel for the genre-defining zombie film, “Night of the Living Dead,” which is the subject of a new book from Titan Publishing called “Night of the Living Dead: The Official Story of the Film,” by Simon Braund. On hand for the panel were Titan Books’ COO Andrew Sumner, original “Night of the Living Dead” actress Judith O’Dea, who played the near-catatonic “Barbara,” and Image Ten producer/writer/historian Jim Cirronella. Original NOTLD producer and costar Russell Streiner (“Johnny”) also sent a video greeting to the panel from his home.
Original “Barbara” actress Judith O’Dea (second from right) is flanked by Titan Books COO Andrew Sumner (left), an unknown Titan Books rep (second from left), and Image Ten producer/historian Jim Cirronella (right).
O’Dea told many stories about the movie’s production, such as nearly toppling over a poorly bolted gas pump during filming when she leaned against it (!), or when zombie actor Bill Cardille smashed a car window with his hand, and the shards of glass fell all over director George Romero, who was operating his camera just below the car’s window.
Original “Night of the Living Dead” actor and coproducer Russell Streiner managed to send a video to the panel, where he greeted attendees and costar O’Dea, who played his sister. For the many times I’ve seen the film, I never realized Streiner was never credited for his role as Barbara’s zombie-slain brother Johnny–who becomes a zombie himself.
Thanks to my wonderful wife getting a place for me in line, I was able to get into a queue for Judith O’Dea’s autograph immediately following the “Night of the Living Dead” panel. Usually you have to do one or the other, since lines for autographs are often formed during a celebrity’s panel. I was determined to copies of the “Night of the Living Dead” book autographed both for myself and my sister in the Midwest, who recently celebrated her birthday.
I first met rising star Jackie Dallas years ago at WonderCon and at several conventions since. She’s had roles in Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and now has a recurring role in the hit series “The Hunting Wives,” which is returning for a second season. She’s also had guest roles on “Fear the Walking Dead” as well as other series and movies. Dallas and her husband are both doctors who decided to address some of the glaring deficiencies concerning women’s healthcare, with HerHealth101.com I wish her all the success in both her rising career and her work with women’s healthcare advocacy.
Cosplayers
One of my favorite things to see at sci-fi/fantasy/comics conventions is, of course, the cosplayers. And as I’ve said many times before, and will say again (my column, my rules); cosplayers are the hearts and souls of these conventions. The quality, charm, resourcefulness and sheer imagination of their efforts always amazes me. If SDCC were a cosplayer-only event, I think I’d still enjoy it every bit as much.
A “Mini-Jacket” rooster-faced cosplayer, from the video game “Hotline Miami.”
Four cosplayers, trapped in “The Matrix”; I tried to give the photo an appropriately greenish tint.
“X-Men” cosplayers I ran into at the Dealer Hall; “Wolverine,” “Professor Xavier,” and “Mystique” all looked terrific.
Right: “Storm” from “The X-Men” brings on the heat and humidity over San Diego! Love her contacts!
Matching cosplayers pose together as the recent Artemis 2 lunar-flyby mission!
I showed them my own photo I took with (then-rookie) astronaut Victor Glover back in 2015.
Left: Two cosplayers from “JAWS,” one of my all-time favorite movies. It looks like “Bruce the shark” and “Chief Brody” have decided to let bygones be bygones. Right: From classic “Battlestar Galactica”; “Commander Adama” and “Lt. Boomer” prepare to defend themselves against the Cylons! Boomer even had the firefighting mask seen in the episode “Fire in Space”!
“Star Wars” Jawas scavenging for droids on the Harbor Drive Pedestrian bridge…
A wildly clever and hilarious “Wilson” the volleyball cosplay from the Tom Hanks desert island epic “Cast-Away” (2000).
Summing It Up
San Diego Comic Con is always colorful and exciting, and attending it really feels like you’re at SoCal’s answer to the Cannes Film Festival. Attendees from all over the world make an annual pilgrimage to see this massive, unique celebration of pop culture. San Diego Comic Con is a mecca for fans of comic books (home of the Eisner Awards), movies, TV shows, and cosplay. That said, it can also be exhausting; with overwhelming crowds, seemingly interminable lines, and a few bad actors (ticket scalpers, scammers, etc). I’m also reaching an age and level of arthritic infirmity that makes navigating this event (spread across half of downtown San Diego) increasingly difficult.
However, as I told my wife on the drive home this morning, I would rather have a ticket for San Diego Comic Con, even if I can only tolerate it for increasingly shorter durations, because when you’re here, you really feel like you’re at the epicenter of all those things you loved throughout your fandom life. SDCC is so vast (and competitive) in scope and design that there will always be events that you miss, or people you won’t be able to see. So, temper your expectations accordingly, and make the best of it.
A quote from “Q” in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation sums it up well; “It’s wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it’s not for the timid.”
Until next summer…
