This year marked my third consecutive time attending Comic-Con International in sunny San Diego, California, and, like the previous two years, it was an unforgettable experience and arguably going to be one of the main highlights of my year. I attended panels, explored the convention halls, people watched, attended a fashion show, crashed bumper cars, and interviewed three incredibly talented authors YOU may recognize. Keep reading to learn more about my 2025 San Diego Comic-Con! You may learn something to implement for SDCC 2026, which is set for July 22 to July 26, 2026!
As I have done in the past, I rode the train to San Diego since parking anywhere near the convention center can be a beast. I pre-purchased my train tickets for the days I wanted to attend and used the official Comic-Con International app to confirm that none of my panels of choice, interviews, and whatnot conflicted. Once I was confident that my days were planned out, I laid out what I wanted to wear each day and filled a go-bag with sufficient snacks, water, portable chargers, and more.
On Thursday, July 24, I took the early morning train to San Diego. On the route, I noticed several other passengers dressed in cosplay and wearing graphic tees, so it was safe to say I was on the correct train. I make regular trips to San Diego throughout the year via the train because it beats sitting in traffic and allows me to sit down, relax, and plan for whatever I want to do for the day. It was arguably the perfect way to start my departure to Comic-Con.
When the train stopped and opened its doors, every passenger poured out. Like me, many of them were going to Comic-Con, walking directly from the station to the convention center. Within fifteen to twenty minutes of walking, I arrived at the front of the convention center and joined the swarms of people waiting to get inside. As in previous years, thousands of people lined up to receive their badges. But like previous years, it was a lengthy process to keep the line moving while also keeping attendees from rushing the front doors.
Once inside, I got my badge and found the room for my first panel of the day, From Page to Pixel: Legendary Comics for a New Generation on WEBTOON. During the panel, the panelists announced that iconic properties are coming soon to WEBTOON. As a long-time fan of the platform, I was excited to see that WEBTOON was collaborating with other comic publishers, and I cannot wait to see what their joint efforts will produce in the future.
After the panel, I left the convention center and headed for one of the nearby hotels. Since Comic-Con has expanded considerably over the years, panels or events with a higher attendance expectancy were often hosted off-site. I wanted to score a seat for The Hellaverse on Prime Video: Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss Cast panel, and I expected it to fill up fast. A full hour before the panel was set to start, there were attendees lined up, dressed in Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss cosplays and merchandise. I, too, was wearing a shirt that illustrated the Hazbin Hotel protagonist and Princess of Hell, Charlie Morningstar, and, like the many attendees waiting in line, I was excited to see the creator and series stars in the flesh.
To be expected from the cast of an adult animated series, the panelists cursed, laughed, and called out any parents who brought their kids to this panel. They talked about being a part of the Hellaverse and confirmed that an uncensored version of Helluva Boss would be available to watch via Prime Video starting September 10, 2026, and Hazbin Hotel will return for its second season on October 29, 2025. Animator, writer, and creator of the Hellaverse, Vivienne Medrano, also confirmed that the villain Vox would be receiving more screentime in season two and hinted at a boss fight between him and Charlie Morningstar. I watched the original Hazbin Hotel pilot back in 2019 and have been watching Helluva Boss episodes on YouTube for years, so as a fan, I was thrilled to see this Hellaverse flourish with so much support from the community and cannot wait for what’s next.
Next on my agenda was the highly anticipated Her Universe Fashion Show. I attended last year in 2024 for my first time, and it was fantastic. I loved the originality of the designs and was excited to see what the 2025 designers had to show. This year, Her Universe was celebrating its 11th annual fashion show, and the theme of the show was Wicked. On point with the theme, attending fans had the opportunity to take a closer look at the costumes from the 2024 film, and I saw many attendees dressed in Wicked-themed apparel.
To my absolute delight, I bumped into the Project Nerd representative from last year, and we sat together in the front row. It was great to sit down and watch the show with a familiar face and fellow fandom enthusiast, and the show itself was incredible. I loved the energy in the air, and the 2025 designs were beautifully detailed. The Her Universe Fashion Show is free to attend, so if you have the chance to attend next year, DO IT! It is a wonderfully fun way to celebrate fashion and fandom!
On Friday, July 25, I started my second day of Comic-Con with the Anime’s Next Era: What’s Fueling the Boom? panel that was set to discuss how webcomics are gradually being adapted for anime. During the panel, the panelists talked about what makes a webcomic ideal for animation and made educated predictions for anime in 2025 and beyond. According to the panelist, with anime becoming more mainstream, it is natural to assume anime will incorporate into other aspects of life, such as music, fashion, and more. I have loved anime since I was seven, so seeing it become more mainstream makes me excited for what the future holds.
After the panel, I met with illustrator and author Wendy Martin, best known for their webcomic Castle Swimmer. We discussed the two in-print editions of Castle Swimmer currently available for purchase, and delved into detail about the third volume due in March 2026. If you are a fan of Castle Swimmer and want to learn more, stay tuned because my interview with Wendy Martin will be published shortly.
After my interview with Wendy, I explored the convention halls, talked to vendors, and appreciated the figurines on sale. I cuddled plushies sold by Tentacle Kitty, which are adorable, soft, and perfect for cat fans. I checked the collectible eyewear sold by Galaken, which was sleek and stylish, and next, I played a demo of an unreleased game called Delivery Issues. After some trial and error, I made it past the tutorial and the first three levels, but I couldn’t get past the fourth level. According to the game developers, Delivery Issues isn’t set to release publicly until late 2026, but after playing it, I happily added it to my Steam Wishlist.
Lastly, I bought a signed copy of To a Darker Shore by Leanne Schwartz from the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore booth and made my way out. On route back to the train station, I took a small detour and bought a box of donuts from the iconic San Diego Donut Bar. All year round, Donut Bar sells delicious donuts made fresh every morning, but when Comic-Con takes over, they sell donuts that are themed after superheroes, like Batman and Spider-Man, and other IPs like Pokémon and Minecraft. With donuts in hand, I got on my train and headed home, tired but excited for the following day.
By Saturday, July 26, I was admittedly wiped out. Attending Comic-Con all day can be fun, but also incredibly draining. My social battery was running low, but I was nonetheless excited to end my 2025 Comic-Con tour with a bang. After departing my morning train and making my way further into downtown San Diego, I sat down with graphic designer and comic artist Miranda Mund, best known for their webcomic Muted. We discussed the in-print first edition of Muted and talked about the second volume set to release in October later this year. If you are a fan of Muted and want to learn more, stay tuned because my interview with Miranda Mundt will be published shortly.
After my interview with Miranda, I raced to the convention center to snag a seat for a highly anticipated panel, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint: The WEBTOON Phenomenon and First Look at the New Film. During the panel, the panelists discussed how ORV originated as a webnovel that was later adapted into a webcomic, and is now being released as a live-action film. The panel was packed, with attendees sitting in silent anticipation. As part of the panel, attendees had the opportunity to watch the trailer for the ORV live-action film, and it was awesome. The film will be in theaters starting August 1, 2025, so if you want to watch it, see what’s playing at your local theater!
After the panel, I exited the convention center to reach my next adventure, the Twisted Metal Bumper Battle. Peacock was promoting their post-apocalyptic live-action comedy series, Twisted Metal, via an outdoor event that was free to attend, with or without badges. Their event offered free photo ops, ice cream, and a bumper car battle. Riding my bumper car and listening to their clown master of ceremonies made me laugh and feel like a kid again. After I was done, I explored the outside more and saw that there were food vendors, artists, and more lined up on the opposite side of the convention center. It was awesome to know that there were opportunities to have fun outside of Comic-Con, especially since the SDCC badges sell out so fast.
Once I was done exploring the outside, I returned to the convention center and purchased an SDCC 2025 exclusive plush from Toy Temple. It was the sixteen-inch plush of the possessed lamb from The Cult of the Lamb action roguelike, and I knew it was meant to be mine after a single test hug. After being introduced to the game by a friend, I have been playing CotL religiously, and I highly recommend the game to anyone who loves Animal Crossing and roguelike games.
Last but certainly not least, I ended the day by interviewing comic artist and writer Purpah, best known for their webcomic Suitor Armor. We discussed the upcoming release of Suitor Armor’s third volume and talked about the previous volumes currently up for sale. Purpah is arguably one of my favorite creators, so meeting with her was an extraordinary way to end my 2025 Comic-Con experience. If you are a fan of Suitor Armor and want to learn more, stay tuned because my interview with Purpah will be published shortly as well.
Overall, I loved my third time at San Diego Comic-Con and hope to attend next year as The Game of Nerds’ representative! I love that it gives me the chance to learn first-hand what’s next in the entertainment industry, support small creators, connect IRL with people I would normally only talk to online, and share my experience with TGON readers. If YOU have the chance to attend San Diego Comic-Con in 2026, go for it! Tickets for SDCC 2026 will go on sale on October 4, 2025, for those who have attended Comic-Con 2025, and on November 15, 2025, tickets will be available for purchase to everyone, so mark your calendars! Comic-Con will return to the city of San Diego from July 22 to July 26, 2026!
