Guess what ya’ll ….it’s VALENTINE’S DAY and even if you don’t have a sweetheart, if you’re mad at your bae, if you’ve sworn off romance forever, if you’re not sure if your latest hook up is their innie our their outie (it’s a REAL PROBLEM!) or if your soul mate is 1000 miles away….this post if for you! Because San Diego Comic-Con is EVERYONE’S VALENTINE! It loves us no matter what and in five short months it will be there for us, with bouquets of panels and heart shaped boxes of exclusives. Until then, read up on all the latest news and try to have a swell Valentine’s Day, no matter what your situation might be because (as some conversation hearts might say) U R COOL and SDCC 🤍S YOU.

Let’s take a look at the news you might have missed:

• I want to start with Patrick Ballesteros, because he’s one of our favorites and because his originals are so popular. He’s already been hard at work creating these mini-originals, with the intent to have them at San Diego Comic-Con. What do you think of this new style?

Getting there, I’m going to keep these up all the way til SDCC for the mini original release day. This approach definitely gives my art a different feel and I love it. A lot more work but well worth it. More to come and of course I’ll have a few surprises in store 😊#SDCC pic.twitter.com/B2xT4rh4QL

— Patrick Ballesteros Emerald CIty Comic Con (@PatrickBallest) January 19, 2025

• We so very much appreciate it when creators and vendors update their convention schedules on their website, it’s a very helpful way to know who we can expect to see in July. Artist Savvy Jensen has San Diego Comic-Con on her schedule and we are looking forward to seeing what she brings from her incredible selection of fantastical prints.

• Here’s another schedule update that caught our eye; Dark Planet Comics, an independent comic book imprint from comic book creator Stephan Franck, who has earned multiple nominations for his work.

• The Little Friends of Printmaking always capture our hearts with their bold and playful styles. They are planning on adding to their vinyl figure offerings this year at SDCC. I’d personally love to see then do a very chill pug, how about you?

We recently printed another edition of our Coffee Cat print, a companion piece to our Coffee Cat toy! We plan on making a new toy for this year’s San Diego Comic Con (we just have to decide on what exactly it is 😅)

— The Little Friends of Printmaking (@littlefriendsof.bsky.social) 2025-02-01T18:43:36.932Z

• Speaking of pugs….another big-eyed and flat faced creature is being produced in masse by creator Nan Hockin. These festive felt Star Wars Porg ornaments will be flocking to San Diego in July.

Adding stock. Some will go on my site in a few weeks to sell and some will be at Comic Con in July. #sdcc #sdcc2025 #porgs #ornaments

— Nan Hockin (@artbynan.bsky.social) 2025-02-05T21:23:06.928Z

• We never like being the bearers of bad news, but artist Don Nguyen recently posted on Twitter (yes, we still call it Twitter, thankyouverymuch) that he will not be dxhibiting at WonderCon or San Diego Comic-Con. Fins will have to catch him in Atlanta or Calgary. You’ll be missed, Don. Hopefully someone will take up the mantle of “Best Person Who Posts Table Numbers Before the Official Lists Come Out.”

I'll be at @wcoast_cardshow Artist Avenue! #CommissionsOpen

I will not be at #WonderCon nor #SDCC this year 🥺. Only other shows slated are @DragonCon
& @Calgaryexpo

Tix: https://t.co/InYB7BDPDB pic.twitter.com/uOnuCMG7fT

— Don Nguyen • West Coast Card Show (@nguyeningit) February 6, 2025

• One of the most unique and fun things at San Diego Comic-Con are the various random “item drops”. Creators make items and then “drop” or hide them in the vicinity of SDCC and then post a clue about how to find them. Crocheted items have been all the rage in the last handful of years but it looks like one creator is trying something new this year, leather items. MiniCritterDrop posted recently on Blue Sky that they will be sharing their new hobby, leather crafts, in the same fashion as their former crochet items. What a cool idea! Give them a follow so you can play along!

New year, new me? Now, same old craft me, but I did start a new hobby! Leather working!I think this year for SDCC, I will be dropping some leather crafts rather than crochet.

— #minicritterdrop (@minicritterdrop.bsky.social) 2025-02-14T21:00:56.466Z

• If you prefer your art and your romance to be a little more XY + XY and a little less XY + XX then (First) we absolutely get you. And (Second) we are happy to tell you that the team from The Yaoi Army will be at San Diego Comic-Con with all the romantic and spicy art you can handle.

con rejections kept on coming XD At this point you'll only see us at anime expo, fanime and SDCC (they allow rebooking so yeah, we'll be there)

— The Yaoi Army (@theyaoiarmy.bsky.social) 2025-02-07T05:40:07.563Z

• The Kayan Pepper Company, in addition to exhibiting at WonderCon in March, will be setting up at San Diego Comic-Con. We keep looking at their website and their bandanas (seen below) are so very much calling my name.

• Someone else also doing the WonderCon + San Diego Comic-Con Double Duty in the Exhibiting Olympics* is Lorcana artist and illustrator Julie Vu. We’ve heard that Lorcana fans like to get their cards signed, making this a perfect opportunity to do so. We have also heard that our friend James enjoys playing Lorcana, and enjoys talking about Lorcana. Have you met James?      * Not a real thing but maybe should be?

• Artist Amy Mebberson recently showed off some new sticker designs that she later clarified would only be available at conventions. Lucky for fans, one of those cons includes San Diego Comic-Con. There’s some sticker sticking in your future.

• Goodness gracious! Artist Ales Dos Diaz has such a full schedule that we struggle to wonder when they sleep! The Pennsylvania based artist will be earning some frequent-flyer miles this summer with a trip to San Diego Comic-Con.

2025 CONVENTION TOUR
pt.1
– Katsucon: Feb 14-16
– KawaiCon: March 14-16
– Utah gaming con: March 29th
– Kogaracon- May 3
– ANIME Boston: May 23 – 25
– FanExpo Dever: July 3-6
– SDCC: July 22-28th
– Gencon: July 31-August3 More to come, Hope to see you all out there!!!

— Alex Dos Diaz (@alexdosdiaz.bsky.social) 2025-02-09T17:02:22.071Z

• And finally today, with only two confirmed conventions so far, we’re not so worried about writer and illustrator Rebecca Hicks…but if those pending conventions get approved then we think Hicks might deserve a  round of applause (and maybe a coffee or two?) Good thing we know that there is a Starbucks at the San Diego Convention Center. See you in July, Rebecca!

You want to see me? I want to see you! Here's my appearance calendar for 2025. Let's see each other!

— Rebecca Hicks (She/Her) – ECCC 20208 (@rhicks.bsky.social) 2025-02-11T17:46:03.553Z

 

Anything we missed? Let us know by dropping us a line, or tweet us at @SD_Comic_Con.

If you missed our previous Under the Tents posts, you can find them HERE.

Looking for a commission? We’ve got a post for that!