UDON Entertainment is always cooking up something exciting for fans at San Diego Comic-Con. The publisher and collectibles company celebrates your favorite original and translated art books, graphic novels, and manga, and is passionate about bringing fans a quality product.
You can find them on the show floor at Booth #100 (new location!), where they’ll be hosting the legendary Kenichi Sonoda, manga creator, character designer, and anime, for his first visit to San Diego Comic-Con. Sonoda was instrumental in many of the most beloved manga over the years, including Gunsmith Cats, Gunsmith Cats: Burst, Cannon God Exaxxion, and Riding Bean, as well as character and mechanical designs for Bubblegum Crisis, Gall Force, Scramble Wars, and SoltyRei.
Sonoda will be signing at the UDON booth for two days, with a different limited-edition shikishi signing board available for each day. The signing will be ticketed with purchase, with the exact autograph procedure still to be announced.
[UPDATE July 17]
Mega Man creator Hitoshi Ariga is heading to San Diego Comic-Con with UDON, and will be signing autographs as well as debuting new merch at Booth #100, for his first appearance at the con. Ariga will be signing for fans on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27, and each signing session will be limited to a total of 150 fans per day. To attend, you will need an autograph ticket, which can be obtained at UDON’s booth with the purchase of selected Mega Man merchandise.
Additionally, Ariga-sensei will be doing a limited amount of pre-con commissions, which can be picked up on-site. You can choose between mini commissions for $200 or standard for $500, and you can pre-order now.
And now, onto the new merchandise, including:
Mega Man Robot Masters Limited Edition Metal Card Set – $60/set
Illustrations by Ariga-sensei
Glow-in-the-Dark Mega Man ZX Tee – $40
Mega Man ZX Gold Foil Tee – $40
[UPDATE July 16]
On the comics side of things, UDON will have four SDCC exclusive variants available at the event, including:
Darkstalkers #1: 20th Anniversary Edition Cover X1 by REIQ – $20
This edition will be debuting at San Diego Comic-Con, and artist Reiq will be signing at the UDON booth during the con.
2024 Street Fighter & Friends Swimsuit Special #1 – SDCC Covers 1 & 2 by Genzoman – $20 each
These two connecting covers by Genzoman will be available for $20 each. It will also debut at select comic shops starting July 23.
BONUS: EVO Exclusive Street Fighter Masters: Game Gals #1 by Long Vo, Jeffrey “Chamba” Cruz, and Edwin Huang – $20
Pick up this EVO exclusive JAM cover at the convention, where they’ll be saving a few copies from EVO.
[UPDATE July 9]
UDON Entertainment has been brining original and translated graphic novels, manga, comic books to fans since 2000 and is venturing forth into new territory today with the launch of their Manga Biographies line. Focusing on the lives of some of history’s most interesting and influential people in the incredibly popular global medium of manga.
UDON’s very first biography will feature Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, exploring the life and times of the revered creator in a 168 page graphic novel written and illustrated by Yuzuru Kuki. Manga Biographies: Charles Schulz is a fully authorized biography follows Schulz’s life, from his humble beginnings in Minnesota, to his time in the army and on to becoming one of the most recognized and beloved cartoonists in the world.
Manga Biographies: Charles Schulz will be available in stores everywhere in October 2024 but San Diego Comic-Con attendees will be able to purchase special advance copies from the Peanuts booth at the event, #1635.
The welcoming style of this graphic novel will be perfect for readers young and not-so-young and will include many real-world historical events that impacted Schulz’s life and work, a selection of beautiful archival photos and and a suggested bibliography for further reading.
[UPDATE July 1]
Udon will be offering a brand new Street Fighter 6 Juri Tee, with art by Capcom artist Mita Chisato. You can pick it up for $40 only at Booth #100, their new home on the show floor.
[UPDATE June 26]
UDON’s popular “Swimsuit Special” will be getting another San Diego Comic-Con special edition, this time for 2024 Shantae Swimsuit Special #1. The print features an illustration by Nami Sakurajyousui and will be printed on high-quality cardstock and feature gold-foil stamping. Pick it up at the booth for $25 in limited quantities.
[UPDATE June 20]
Sonoda and UDON will debut an all-new Bubblegum Crisis: Complete Archive Hardcover Collection, a 304-page collection that includes an assembly of materials from the manga and its sequel and prequel, Bubblegum Crash and A.D. Police Files. The original Bubblegum Crisis released from 1987 to 1991, and UDON has worked to find and include all of the color illustrations, promotional illustrations, and design sheets from the series available. The volume also includes detailed character guides, complete episode synopsis, a forward by Bubblegum Crisis comic creator Adam Warren, and a brand new cover illustration by Sonoda, as well as an interview with the legendary creator.
There will be two editions of the collection, including a special shared exclusive hardcover slipcase-edition (with shikishi signing board) available at both San Diego Comic-Con and online at the UDON store, as well as a standard hardcover edition releasing in retail this fall.
All copies at San Diego Comic-Con will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, with more Bubblegum Crisis merchandise for the con still to be announced.
