It’s been a busy week with plenty of new San Diego Comic-Con tidbits as we gear up for the big show in just a few weeks — including updates on some of our favorite vendors, including 100% Soft, Chris Maze, Calico Critters, and more. There’s also plenty of artist news, and possible tease of The Dragon Prince panel. Things are getting real now!
Let’s take a look at the news you might have missed:
- Artist Nan Hockin is bringing the heat — and the rice! — to San Diego Comic-Con this year, with an adorable new sticker featuring a “Cuckoo for Rice” design, inspired by her own recent Cukoo rice cooker purchase.
- Did you enjoy last year’s first-ever Calico Critters booth at San Diego Comic-Con? Well good news, because they’re bringing the adorable-ness back to the con this summer according to a recent interview in Publishers Weekly, as well as the L.A. Anime Show. Yipee!
- While panel announcements haven’t gone out yet (soon! Typically it’s mid-to-late May!), selections for the Comic-Con International Film Festival have. So we’re excited that Shopping for Superman, a documentary about your “friendly neighborhood comic shop”, was selected and will be heading to the con.
- Actress and voice actor Paula M. Burrows took to Instagram to tease that “something” is getting “leaked” at San Diego Comic-Con. We’re willing to bet she’s referring to The Dragon Prince, in which she voices Rayla, Opeli, and Berto — and which has been a longtime mainstay at San Diego Comic-Con.
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- Artist Zorilita showed off several of her 4×6 pieces she’s bringing to Small Press #N-04, including My Little Pony cover concepts and Marvel AP cards, which can be signed.
With things taking a turn, this may be the last year for enamel pins and charms, so I'm pivoting back to art prints. I finished some discarded cover concepts for MLP this year and updated my old Marvel AP cards. They are 4×6 and can be signed. @SD_Comic_Con pic.twitter.com/SuRkAd2TtT
— Zorilita – Mary Bellamy (@Zorilita) May 7, 2025
- Chris Maze is back at it! While just last week he wasn’t sure if he would meet or top his Comic-Con 2024 exclusives (18 — which you can check out over here), he’s already met that record and completed his 18th piece for SDCC 2025. What else can this man do in the next week?! We can’t wait to find out.
Happy Friday! I finished the latest for #SDCC last night, which brings the total of new work debuting at the show to 18 (which includes a variant). I’ve tied last year’s amount which was the most I’ve ever released. Can I break that record? I’m going try! NGL, I’m tired now.
— Chris Maze: Design + Illustration (@MAZEhimself) May 9, 2025
- Feeling a littly toon-y? The Cartoon Art Museum’s annual Sketch-A-Thon fundraiser at San Diego Comic-Con returns, and if you’re an artist at the convention who would like to spend an hour or two at their booth, be sure to get in touch with Andrew Farago over on Bluesky.
Comic-Con’s a couple of months away, but it’s never too early to start getting read. If you’re an artist who plans to attend and would like to spend an hour or two at our booth drawing as part of the Cartoon Art Museum’s Sketch-A-Thon fundraiser, please let me know!
— Andrew Farago (@andrewfarago.bsky.social) May 8, 2025 at 2:33 PM
- Have you ordered your commissions yet? You can check out this helpful list of known artists with Pre-Con Commissions that Andy at the UBlog puts together — and then keep an eye out for upcoming openings from artist Eliza Ivanova (Journeys) next month.
- Be sure to keep an eye out for artist Dan Veesenmeyer (X-Men: The Animated Series, Hasbro, LEGO)’s commissions as well, who will also be opening sometime next week. Traditionally, Dan accepts requests over a set period of time, and then picks and chooses his favorites — so get your thinking cap on for a good prompt.
- A comic book musical, you say? We’re listening. Comic Book Crackdown, a new musical about comic book publisher Bill Gaines, revealed that they’re working on mounting a fully staged production of the musical this fall — and also that they’ll be at San Diego Comic-Con. Could we get a musical production as well, or will this simply be a panel? We’ll have to stay tuned to find out.
- There’s good news or bad news for you 100% Soft fans, depending on your viewpoint. Truck Torrance, the visionary behind 100% Soft, revealed in Discord that he doesn’t think they’ll be part of the Comic-Con Online Exclusives Portal this year. We’re hoping for much smoother processes this year (and can’t wait to see the 2025 Dumpster Fire and exclusives line-up).
- Are you ready to crawl out from the Fallout? Artist Nick Kremenek is actually ready to crawl back into the fallout this year, and wants to know if others would be interested in his 8″x10″ Fallout posters being redesigned as 11″x17″ pieces for Comic-Con. Let him know over on Twitter.
Starting to prep artwork for #SDCC and had a thought.
I created these fun #Fallout posters at 8×10 size. Would people be interested in getting them larger? Like 11×17?Vaulties, let me know your thoughts!#FalloutFanArt pic.twitter.com/nH4kXbBtWf
— Dreamforger Studios (HellmouthCon!) (@NickKremenek) May 10, 2025
- Pinmakers Yesterdays is working on hard on setting up another small meet-up again this year, this time at Stone Brewing. Fingers securely crossed they can make it work. And if you haven’t already, be sure to get your pre-orders in for this year’s tees and tote.
UPDATE: we have made contact with @StoneBrewing on Kettner. #SDCC plotting has begun 🫡 https://t.co/Mno97t29sy
— Yesterdays (@yesterdaysco) May 10, 2025
- Gecko Adams, the creator of Keenspot, showed off a nifty new limited edition shirt that’s heading to the con this summer.
Limited edition shirt coming to SDCC. Bluesky won’t show this.
— Gecko Adams (@geckoadams.com) May 8, 2025 at 11:33 PM
- Illustrator Nate Lovett (Dungeons & Dragons: The Cartoon, TMNT, Paw Patrol) has been hard at work on a new 12-page ashcan for San Diego Comic-Con, and shared a sneak peek.
Working on a 12 page ashcan for @sandiegocomic-con.bsky.social featuring my character Saiko. It’s different from my usual all ages stuff. But it’s been fun working on it in between everything else I’m doing. And it’s been giving me a chance to work on various fighting techniques. #creatorownedcomic
— nate lovett (@natelovett.bsky.social) May 8, 2025 at 8:50 AM
- Go big or go home. Saturday Morning Cards, the makers of officially licensed limited edition collectible mini art, revealed that they have not one, not two, but three booths at SDCC this year. Keep an eye out for updates on their exclusives, previews of upcoming releases, a special guest, and more.
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- Artist Clayton Crain (Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears, Ghost Rider: Road to Damnation, X-Force, Carnage) is heading to San Diego Comic-Con, where he’ll be signing at the CGC booth. Plus, fans who get a collectible signed will receive an exclusive Clayton Crain Gem Mint 10 pin, exclusive to the con. You can find more information on the signing, including a mail-in option, on the CGC website.
- Marvel, DC, and Image Comics artist John Giang has a busy year ahead of him — but lucky for us, it includes a stop at SDCC.
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- And finally for today, artist and writer Megan Huang (Dark Horse, DC, Titan) revealed that she is also heading to SDCC, though she’s still waiting for her exact placement in Artist Alley.
for those interested, my next con is San Diego Comic Con. Thu, Jul 24, – Sun, Jul 27. no artist alley table number yet, but I'll let you know when I know! Excited to try this show! friends, fans, enemies, undead hordes– do come by and say hi!#sdcc #sandiegocomicon #comiccon pic.twitter.com/rfyoTyvcvw
— Megan Huang (@MeganHuang5) May 9, 2025
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!
