Main Menu

Under the Tents 2026: Sarah Wilkinson, Riftbound, Don Nguyen, Sara Kipin

Happy Friday, ya freaks! I mean that as a term of endearment, I truly do. I would never call passionate fans of any ilk “freaks” in a negative way when I, myself, am clearly freaky about so many things, Wrestling? Absolutely freaky. Escape rooms? Freaky, deaky. Giving my Prize Mule, Janet, a full on personality and history with a temperament and disposition that matches my own? Freak on a leash.

So, now that we’ve established that we are all freaks, let’s get freaky about some great San Diego Comic-Con news, including more panel announcements, a few exclusive reveals, some vague invitations to the Hasbro booth and lots more.

Let’s get our freak on:

  • Have you been struggling to find the Gay Geeks? Well, it’s about to get a little easier with another edition of the Gay Geeks and Where to Find Them panel, returning to SDCC. All the details are still TBA but you can be sure we’ll have them ASAP after they are announced.

  • Also announcing a panel is the Teebs & Kid Phoenix VS Podcast, who will be sharing tips for the aging nerds and not gonna lie….I’m feeling a wee bit attacked and targeted by this panel announcement.

  • May as well slide another panel announcement in, while we’re already on the subject. Critical Entertainment announced on their socials that they will be hosting a Showcase panel at SDCC where they intend to announce a new collective, discuss their recent distribution deals, introduce some new comics, and a whole lot more. In addition, they will have a booth over at #4014 where you can meet the team and check out the books.

  • Creator “Zorilita” Mary Bellamy might be well known for her work with My Little Pony, but that’s not the only animal in her catalog…this plush trio from her Guardians series, Honey, Jereboa and Dvorak, are making their way to SDCC. You can meet them in Small Press at booth #N-04 near the 1700 aisle.

  • The Felix Comic Art folks will have a very small number of the Spider-Man / Superman #1 featuring the variant cover collaboration between Ryan Stegman and Daniel Warren Johnson. The stunning cover art (shown in the tweet) has long been sold, but you still have a chance to pick up a comic, if you don’t dawdle! Also mentioned in the tweet, Johnson and Stegman will both be there, available to sign.

  • Filmmakers of all kinds have dreams of attending SDCC, but in the case of Casey De Fremery, they are attending as an invited guest, with a film to show off at the CCI-IFF, the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival. My Severed Arm will be screened during the event.

  • Can you imagine going to Comic-Con and actually making money? It could be your reality if you are a seasoned Overpower or Lorcana player who can offer your services as a Judge. You’ll be compensated for your time, and receive a badge for the day you work. Check out the post and fill out the form if you qualify.

  • You could be some of the first to congratulate Calamity Comics on their first time vending at San Diego Comic-Con. Head over to booth #2103 where they will be with Dial R Studios, showcasing their independent book You Never Know.

  • I just knew that when we saw Don Nguyen was accepted to table at Artist Alley that his “Friend’s List” would not be far behind. Nguyen has a biiiiig circle of friends and he’s here to let you know (before the exhibitor list is revealed even!) who will be there in July and where. Nguyen provides the public service at every con he exhibits, entirely out of the kindness of his heart. We’re not on the list (because we are actually a roving band of marauders) but we appreciate it all the same!

  • File this one under “Absolutely Vague But Now I’m Obsessed.” Hasbro Marvel Legends employee Dan Yun was back on Twitter dropping diabolical nuggets of news. Thanks for the news, Dan, we appreciate it and will see you on Sunday, along with hundreds of other people and (probably) the local Fire Marshal.

  • Brad and Lisa Gullickson, the couple behind the mics on the Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast have been called up to do panel duty. And not just one duty, but at least double duty, maybe even triple duty by the time it’s all sorted.

  • It seems like every year artist Sara Kipin outdoes herself in the adorable washing tape design department. Dungeon Meshi in 2024, L.O.T.R. for 2025! For 2026, Kipin is going berserk for Berserk and bonkers for Jojos Bizarre Adventures and we are there for it. Or here for it, which ever the case may be. Just know, we are NOT wishy-washy about this washi tape.

God Hand washi tape for SDCC because I wanted to fulfill my sick desire to see them all as chibis 🤏 #berserk

— 🌜Sara Kipin🌛 (@sarakipin.bsky.social) 2026-05-28T22:06:40.770Z

Freek'n You washi tape for SDCC ✨🍝 #jojo #jojosbizarreadventure

— 🌜Sara Kipin🌛 (@sarakipin.bsky.social) 2026-05-29T20:20:29.459Z

  • I see a lot of chatter around this time of year regarding comic creators and their processes and fees regarding signing at conventions. Every creator is different and their fees and qualifications may vary from show to show, so it’s always best to follow your favorite creators on social media, or send them a politely worded e-mails asking how they handle signing comics. In the case of the Essential Sequential roster of artists, which includes, David Finch, Art Adams, Rafael Albuquerque and more, they have listed their fees on the website. Be sure to check it out so you know what to expect when you arrive at the booth.
  • Ok, now back to some panels now, chop, chop! James Owen is being honored with his very own panel this year, celebrating his expansive 40 years in the industry, most notably his epic fairy-tale series, Starchild. Alex DeLuca will be moderating with Wendy and Richard Pini and Maggie Thompson there as well. Congrats, James!

  • Star Trek and X-Files comic artist Gordon Purcell took to Facebook to announce that in addition to the Spotlight panel in his honor as a Special Guest, he will also be on an alien panel on Sunday. Is that Alien, with a capital A, or just alien, as in lots of different extra terrestrials? That remains to be seen. Considering all the different kinds of life forms that Purcell has drawn over the years, anything is possible.

  • If you use fingers and toes to help count then you’re going to need to find a friend to help figure out just how many years that John Layman has been attending SDCC. (Spoiler: it’s been 35 years!) He’ll have a new comic book, Ghostbrawler, with pal Rob Guilory, to promote.

  • Writer Jimmy Palmiotti isn’t (as of yet) invited to L.A.Comic-Con, but he will be at San Diego Comic-Con. He revealed this as part of a larger conversation swirling about this week regarding what role conventions play in the success of creators. Palmiotti and his partner Amanda Connor are firmly in Team Making Time For the Fans and we appreciate that. 🫶 (Sidenote: Going on about 30 years ago, Jimmy and Amanda agreed to have lunch with a group of my customers while at Wizard World in Chicago, in exchange for a donation to a charity of their choice. Those lucky customers still talk about their kindness and generosity!)

  • Eventually, the punks will take over the world. The STEAMPUNKS, I mean. And it might just all start at San Diego Comic-Con with this Steampunk Meet-up, set for Saturday, July 25 behind the convention center.

  • Artist Dan Veesenmeyer has confirmed that he will indeed be returning to SDCC this year, but he won’t be handcuffing himself to his table. He’s adopting a “less work, more fun” attitude for that week and we can’t blame him at all. When he is conducting business though, he’ll have some original X-Men pencil sketches to sell.

  • Artist Sarah Wilkinson got the all clear to reveal this Star Wars Asajj Ventress piece, which will be sold via Trends International at the convention. Backed by her Night Sisters, she’s looking stronger than ever.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sarah Wilkinson (@sarahwilkinsonart)

  • Original comic book art fans know that one of the best booths to find treasures is that of Scott Eder, who has been buying and selling since 1990. Eder recently confirmed that they will be back with a double sized booth (#4513 for reference) packed to the gills with incredible art.

  • IDW Publishing sidearm that specializes in horror content, IDW Dark, is set to introduce a new book from Hannah Rose May and Andrea Scalmazzi, called Fatal Fest. Centered around a mysterious festival run by a reclusive horror maestro, more will be revealed about this series at San Diego Comic-Con, according to Graphic Policy.

  • Riot Games has updated their Riftbound Roadmap for the rest of 2026 and viewers noticed that tucked between Parthenay, France and Indianapolis, IN is a stop at San Diego Comic-Con. A “booth presence” is noted, but hopefully we’ll hear more details soon.

  • One last panel announcement for today before I turn you wild to enjoy the rest of your Friday. The executive producers and hosts of the Ororo Comic Podcast, Karla Medrano and Dr. Ebony Toussaint will celebrate Black women in comics with a panel titles Capes, Curls, & Culture. Details, TBA.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Karla Medrano (@moon_the_storyteller)

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

Still need a badge for San Diego Comic-Con? Sorry. We can’t help.

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!

Tags

Related Posts

Share this post
Scroll to Top