FAN EXPO Anaheim: Special Edition Welcomes Its First Attendees!

The last weekend of June 2026 marked the debut of FAN EXPO Anaheim: Special Edition at the Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California. With a strong lineup of talent as celebrity guests and pop culture icon and legendary American actor Mark Hamill as their official headliner, FAN EXPO Anaheim provided ample opportunities for attendees to meet and greet their favorite actors, artists, writers, and comic creators. As a seasoned con-goer and first-time FAN EXPO attendee, I arrived in Anaheim excited and with great expectations. After a full weekend of wandering Artist Alley, attending panels, and chatting with vendors and other attendees, I left with three days’ worth of merch, memories, and musings. 

On Friday, FAN EXPO Anaheim welcomed its first day of attendees, myself included. I dedicated the day to exploring the Exhibit Hall and seeing what the convention and vendors were offering attendees. Per usual at fandom conventions, retailers and vendors in the shopping section were selling fun assortments of items, including toys, mystery boxes, trading cards, graphic tees, figures, replica swords, comic books, and signed collectibles. I bought a Helluva Boss shirt from the US-based merch distributor, Shark Robot. It was referencing Moxxie’s ridiculously specific coffee order from the “Truth Seekers” episode, and I couldn’t resist.

Meanwhile, Artist Alley (arguably one of my favorite components of fan conventions) hosted aisles of independent artists, authors, and comic creators, who sold fan art merch and more. Among the vendors I recognized were the artist behind ​​Shellsea Studio and ​​the Canada-based artist BIRDUYEN, who chose FAN EXPO Anaheim as their first California convention. As always, interacting with AA vendors is one of my favorite pastimes at fan conventions, and buying from an artist from abroad I knew only from social media was a huge highlight. After walking up and down the aisles and chatting with the AA vendors, I called it a day and left with a delightful mix of stickers, keychains, pins, and fidget clickers.

On Saturday, I planned for three panels and more exploring of the Exhibit Hall. First, I attended the Bringing Magic to Life panel with American filmmaker, animator, and author Don Bluth, who brought us The Secret of NIMH, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and much more. During the panel, Bluth spoke on projects such as Dragon’s Lair, detailed an unexpected encounter with Walt Disney, and answered questions from the audience. As a longtime fairy tale lover, Don Bluth’s Thumbelina was one of my childhood comfort shows, and getting the opportunity to shake his hand and share kind words after the panel did wonders for my inner child.

Later, I attended the Hunters, Angels, and Legends panel with Supernatural stars Jared Padalecki, Mark Pellegrino, Ruth Connell, Jim Beaver, and Timothy Omundson. As someone who rewatched all 15 seasons from the start, I loved seeing the cast interact, laugh, share behind-the-scenes stories and stunts, and reminisce. Jared Padalecki, for example, talked about numerous pranks pulled on set, and when asked about on-set stunts, he thought back to the bees in the “Bugs” episode that still has many fans cringing. Padalecki also brought up moments that many SPN fans would recognize as bloopers viewable on YouTube, and the cast spoke on the evolution of their characters and the key themes of family, love, and loyalty throughout the 15 seasons of Supernatural.

Between panels, I bought a loose-leaf tea sampler set from the fandom-themed tea company, Tea & Absinthe. As a lover of tea and many fandoms, I love buying from their selection of loose-leaf teas every chance I get. With teas titled after Princess Peach, The Road So Far, and Dragon’s Gold, Tea & Absinthe always has something for me to bring home and enjoy. I also bought a copy of The Ojja-Wojja, a coming-of-age supernatural horror story, by Magdalene Visaggio from the non-profit Prism Comics, which supports LGBTQ+ comics, creators, and readers. Reading The Ojja-Wojja blurb drew me back to bingeing R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps series as a kid, so yet again, my inner child took the reins.

Then I ended Saturday by attending the panel, The Villains of Batman: The Animated Series, with American actors Mark Hamill and Paul Williams, and American writer Paul Dini. During the panel, Hamill and Williams reflected on their animated roles as The Joker and The Penguin and acknowledged the radical change in voice acting today. The “Almost Got ‘Im” episode, widely recognized as a fan favorite, was referenced, as was American actress and comedian Arleen Sorkin, who inspired the DC character Harley Quinn. And toward the end of the panel, Hamill graced the audience with his iconic Joker laugh. Hearing Hamill laugh brought me back to watching BTAS as a kid, and it left me excited to attend the last day of FAN EXPO Anaheim.

On Sunday, I planned for two panels and one last tour of the FAN EXPO Anaheim Exhibit Hall. I started by attending the Hollywood’s Four-Legged Star panel with dog actress Peggy, widely known for her role as Dogpool in the 2024 blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine. As a Marvel fan and animal lover, I was delighted to learn about Peggy and her love for Cheez Whiz and see her signature floppy tongue. And, of course, there couldn’t be a panel with Peggy without at least one Deadpool cosplayer in the audience.

Between my two panels, I walked the Exhibit Hall and interacted with the vendors and other attendees. Until, finally, it was time for the Into The Hellaverse panel with Helluva Boss voice actors Brandon Rogers, Bryce Pinkham, Richard Horvitz, and Vivian Nixon Williams. With the Hellaverse being my current fandom hyperfixation, I was reasonably hyped for this panel and excited to hear from the panelists. During the panel, they answered fan-submitted questions and talked about themselves, their favorite fan interactions, and what being a part of the Hellaverse has meant for them. Brandon Rogers, for example, delved into his love for sassy Disney villains, and Bryce Pinkham pondered how flawed fathers Stolas and Lucifer would interact in the event of a crossover. 

As an adult animated series that explores severely flawed characters and centers around redemption and relationships, Helluva Boss has a massively passionate fandom. That fact was wonderfully apparent when I was in the audience, with fans of the Hellaverse seated and excited to hear more from the panelists. For obvious reasons, no spoilers or hints regarding the next season of Helluva Boss could be offered during the panel. But the cast ensured that fans could look forward to an awesome third season of Helluva Boss premiering in October 2026. And I left FAN EXPO Anaheim happy as hell!

Considering this was FAN EXPO Anaheim’s debut, I see lots of potential. FAN EXPO Anaheim: Special Edition brought an incredible lineup of talent to Southern California, including stars from Supernatural, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and more, much to the excitement of this year’s attendees. Despite being limited to Hall D of the convention center, FAN EXPO Anaheim offered diverse on-stage panels, opportunities to connect directly with adored creators and celebrities, and an intimate Artist Alley. What would I hope to see FAN EXPO Anaheim deliver moving forward?

Upon arrival, I noted that VidCon Anaheim, an annual convention also produced by FAN EXPO HQ that celebrates internet culture, occupied most of the Anaheim Convention Center from Thursday, June 25, to Saturday, June 27, 2026. With little to no visible signage for FAN EXPO Anaheim, it was hard to believe there were two conventions sharing the convention center. The outdoor food trucks parked in front of the convention center were also exclusive to VidCon attendees only.

As a first-time attendee, I would have loved to see stronger signage clarifying where to find FAN EXPO Anaheim and enjoy access to on-site food trucks. First impressions can be very important, and what attendees see firsthand can affect their ultimate experience. Overall, I had fun at FAN EXPO Anaheim, and I would love to give it another go in 2027 to have much more fun and see how the event staff applies what they’ve learned from this debut.