San Diego Comic-Con and fandoms go together like franks and beans, and one of the first fandoms to embrace SDCC was Star Trek. Trekkies have been part of Comic-Con from the very beginning, and Star Trek has become one of the most popular franchises at the con.
Star Trek‘s annual Hall H panel has become a must-see event for Trekkies to learn the future of the franchise and catch some funny stories from their favorite cast members.
The last week of October this year sadly took three convention mainstays from us: Walter Koenig (Star Trek: The Original Series), Sir Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Picard), and Eric Bauza (Star Trek: Lower Decks).
Walter Koenig
The earliest confirmed SDCC appearance we could find for Walter Koenig dates to 1974, the convention’s fifth year in existence, when he and fellow Star Trek cast member Majel Barrett were among the convention’s guests. Photographs taken by Comic-Con co-founder Shel Dorf capture Koenig at that year’s masquerade at the El Cortez Hotel, a glimpse of his place in the convention’s early history.
Sadly, I was never lucky enough to encounter Walter Koenig at SDCC (his last formal appearance at the con was in 2006), but I do have a convention story involving him.
In January 1991, I celebrated my 15th birthday at a Star Trek convention in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Among the guests was Ensign Pavel Chekov himself, Walter Koenig. He got up on stage and told us some great stories about his time on the show and in the movies, followed by an autograph signing and fan meet-and-greet. I mustered my courage and patience to wait in line.
I was so nervous when I finally met him, I think I blacked out for a second. Thankfully, he was extremely patient and kind with me, autographing a beautiful pencil sketch with a “Happy Birthday!”
Sir Patrick Stewart
For someone so closely associated with both Star Trek and the X-Men, Sir Patrick Stewart made his formal San Diego Comic-Con debut surprisingly late, appearing in Hall H on July 23, 2011, to promote the animated musical Dorothy of Oz. Apparently, even Stewart was surprised it had taken him so long. “I thought I’d been here already,” he joked, explaining that his publicist had told him otherwise. “I must’ve come down here for a party, and thought I was at Comic-Con.”
In my own life, the very next year after I met Koenig and for the same reason, we were back at the Holiday Inn off of Route 100 in Allentown. This time, the guest was Captain Jean-Luc Picard himself, Patrick Stewart. Since it was an election year (1992), there were a lot of Picard/Riker t-shirts for sale.
Stewart addressed the topic directly while on stage, explaining that while he was honored to have that much faith placed in him by fans, he wasn’t eligible to run. He did take a moment to mull it over, trying on the title “President Pat” for size. Personally, I think “Sir Patrick” suited him much better.
The closest I came to having an SDCC experience was on the IMDboat in 2023. He was on board with some of his Star Trek: The Next Generation castmates to promote their historic reunion for Star Trek: Picard‘s third season. While I couldn’t get lucky enough to hang out in the same room, I also happened to be on the IMDboat at the same time in the lower decks. In other words, I got to be on the same ship (boat) as Captain Picard. It’s not much, but I’ll take it.
Eric Bauza
Although better known for his voice work with Looney Tunes, Eric Bauza was a prolific voice actor who often lent his talents to Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, and Star Trek: Very Short Treks.
Bauza’s final San Diego Comic-Con appearance was in 2026 to promote Coyote vs. Acme (again!), which he also promoted in 2025. I volunteered both years and had the good fortune to be assigned to his holding rooms each year. The best way I can describe his interactions with his castmates and fans is pure joy. Hearing him slip into one of his many voices during casual conversation was so much fun. Once, when I asked a passing, “That’s all,” I heard a distinct voice behind me reply, “Th-th-th-that’s all, folks!”
I’ll miss his beaming smile and childlike personality.
Star Trek and SDCC
Star Trek has always been a huge presence at San Diego Comic-Con. Every year, we try to guess who will be on the Star Trek wrap. The Star Trek Hall H Saturday afternoon panel fills the hall each year. Various cast members can be found throughout the Exhibit Hall signing at booths or just wandering around (someday, I will find a way to bump into Todd Stashwick).
As early as that 1974 convention with Koenig, Star Trek was even gracing the cover of the annual Souvenir Book, with artwork by Milton Caniff in a mash-up with his Steve Canyon comic strip.
David Glanzer, Comic-Con International’s Chief Communications and Strategy Officer, had this to say to us about Star Trek’s impact on the convention: “I think Star Trek has always had a very special relationship with fans in San Diego. Obviously with fans worldwide, but San Diego in particular. In the early 1970s a club called S.T.A.R. San Diego (Star Trek Association for Revival) was a fan group devoted to bringing back Star Trek, [and they] held monthly meetings at San Diego State University. I think a great many fans in San Diego originally connected through that organization. And to this day, Comic-Con always seems to have a Star Trek panel, whether studio-generated or even fan-inspired.”
“I think Star Trek really led other franchises in how to treat their fan base,” Glanzer continued.
Glanzer also pointed out that Star Trek is, for many, including me, their introduction to a sci-fi fandom. I can confidently say that if I hadn’t gone to those Star Trek conventions in the late 1900’s, I wouldn’t have become as passionate as I have about San Diego Comic-Con.
Check on the Trekkies in your life, folks. We’re not OK.
