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Under the Tents 2026: Skottie Young, Troma, Gemma Correll, Bill Diamond, Bee and Puppycat

For those of us at the UBlog, July 5 may be a more important holiday than July 4 (I know it is for me). That’s because it is what we unofficially dub the “final day of peace and quiet”, before the floodgates open tomorrow. Am I terrified? Yes. Am I prepared? No. Are we going to muddle through it somehow anyway? I sure hope so! Come find out with me, as my sanity dwindles over the next two weeks in real time!

But for now…

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

  • I’m a big fan of artist Skottie Young and his playful style (bring back the Marvel pins, you cowards!), which is why I’m especially excited he’s signing at the Image Comics booth this year on Thursday-Saturday of the con, from 10am-11am each day. There is a limit of five books per person.

Looking to add a commission or original sketch to your collection? Fletch-A-Sketch Talent Representation is bringing artists Dustin Nguyen and Ace Continuado to SDCC, where both will be available for sketches and commissions throughout the show. If you’ve got something specific in mind, you can even reserve a commission ahead of time.

  • Everything is coming up Troma! You can meet founder Lloyd Kaufman on Saturday, July 25 from 9pm-10pm at Booth #1533, and it also appears the annual Troma panel will be returning to Room 25ABC (and while there are no details yet beyond that, it stands to reason that the panel is also on Saturday).

 

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A post shared by Lloyd Kaufman (@unclelloydkaufman)

  • Kodama, the publisher behind Baki the Grappler, is heading to San Diego Comic-Con Booth #3735, where they promise “very exciting surprises“. We happen to be big fans of surprises.

  • If you’ve ever looked at a Pokémon and thought, “Wait… what real dinosaur inspired that?” this panel sounds like it was made for you. Paleontologist “Dino Mommy, Ph.D.” is bringing the real-world science behind some of Pokémon’s prehistoric-inspired creatures to SDCC with a panel on Sunday, July 26 at 11am in the Neil Morgan Auditorium of the San Diego Central Library.

  • It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights! It’s time to meet the Muppets… in sticker form at Jeff Pina’s booth, #Q-06 in Small Press! You can view a preview below, as well as his Tron stickers.

 

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A post shared by Jeff Pina (@jeffpinamakescomics)

 

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A post shared by Jeff Pina (@jeffpinamakescomics)

  • The force (and the hunger) is strong with this adorable “naughty Grogu” felt ornament from artist Nan Hockin. Want to take him home? Head to #F-11 in Small Press and just pay a small “rehoming fee”.

 

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A post shared by Art By Nan (@nanhockin)

  • Bill Diamond’s resume is kind of incredible. One minute it’s The Muppets and Fraggle Rock, the next it’s Terrifier 3. The legendary creature creator will be at SDCC signing, sketching, and offering props from the latest Terrifier film, proving that puppets and killer clowns? Not actually that far apart.

  • Forget happily ever after. Baked Gods: Butcher, Baker, Candle-Maker is getting a new “Nursery Rhyme Redefined” cover for SDCC, with art by Margeaux Pepoy and colors by Joel Chua. We have a feeling this fairy tale collection comes with a much higher body count?

 

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A post shared by Michael Heffron (@m1chaelheffron)

  • Comic artist Ryan Claytor is headed back to Small Press, where you’ll find him behind #O-01… despite his own admission that its location makes absolutely no sense in the grand geography of the Exhibit Hall. Just remember: head to the back of the 1800 aisle, and you’ll be rewarded with both comics and existential questions about Comic-Con booth numbering.

  • At the Comic-Con Art Show, it’s a chance for artists to show off their skills… and to create goblins dressed for the Renaissance, which is exactly what Ronnie Hansen has created with this “Elizabethan Goblin“. I kind of love him.
  • Round one… fight! 52TOYS is bringing Ryu and Chun-Li to San Diego Comic-Con, teasing their Street Fighter collectibles are ready to throw down at Booth #4837.

  • The Gonk Hunt continues, as we announced last week. If you’re a Star Wars fan who enjoys a little hunt, keep an eye on Dapper Fett’s Instagram during SDCC. He’ll be hiding goodies around the convention each day, including mini maquettes inspired by the original ILM Return of the Jedi models.

 

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A post shared by Dapper Fett (@dapper_fett)

  • Silver Age Comics is giving collectors a little preview of what’s headed to SDCC, and if stacks upon stacks of CGC slabs make your heart race, you may want to start making room in your backpack now. This is just a taste of what they’ll have at Booth #1106, where they’ll also be joined by Elite Comics11.

  • The EC Fan-Addict Club is digging deep into the vault at SDCC with a new panel, “Crypt of Covers“. The Burns Brothers will be joined by special guest Grant Geissman and moderator Mike Catron to preview the upcoming Fantagraphics collection, while exploring the stories behind some of EC Comics’ most iconic and infamous covers. Time and location are still to be announced, but this one already sounds like a scream.

  • Author Gracie Marsden will join Thursday’s “Mythical Mayhem: New Twists on Beloved Myths” panel at 12pm in Room 23ABC, where she’ll discuss reimagining classic legends. Fans can also stop by her signing for an exclusive first chapter of her upcoming fantasy novel, Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice… and, perhaps most importantly, a limited-edition autographed photo of her cat, Chewie. Frankly, that last part may steal the show.

  • Looks like Rupp’s Comics has been digging through the long boxes. They’ll have copies of Bee and PuppyCat #9 by Rose Besch at Booth #1101, and judging by the excitement in the comments, this one’s been a tough find. If it’s on your wishlist, you may not want to wait too long.

 

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A post shared by Rupp’s Comics (@ruppscomics)

  • Bill Morrison has had an expansive career, creating promotional art for some of Disney’s biggest animated classics, serving as an illustrator on The Simpsons, and his work in comics (he is also the co-founder of Bongo Comics, alongside Matt Groening and Steve and Cindy Vance). This year at SDCC, you can catch him at #I-05 where he’ll have comics, prints, original art, and commissions.

  • The sci-fi animated film Isla Monstro will have some sort of presence at the convention, as a Bluesky user who did character, prop, vehicle, and background work on it will be in attendance to help support the film. As for what that entails, specifically? Well, we’ll just have to wait to find out.

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. But maybe try the Contest Hub?

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!

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