Long Beach Comic Con Returns Bigger Than Before!

Greetings readers, this is Brandi, back with another con recap! This past Labor Day weekend, the Long Beach Convention Center in Southern California hosted Long Beach Comic Con 2026. Last year, Long Beach Comic Con returned from a hiatus under new management, and it also marked my first time attending LBCC. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I certainly left with mixed feelings, but I’m glad I came back to this particular convention, and I’m here to tell you about it and why you should consider it for next year.

This year, I attended Long Beach Comic Con’s opening day. LBCC drew a noticeably bigger crowd, with a long line of attendees waiting to get their badges and enter the Exhibit Hall when the convention officially began. Their excitement was obvious, especially when the staff asked, “Are you ready for Long Beach Comic Con?” The attendees in line unanimously agreed, and the show commenced.

This year, LBCC spread its programming across four rooms, three panel rooms, and the Main Stage area to accommodate a larger audience, and all Exhibit Hall vendors congregated in Hall A of the convention center. The convention also included a Quiet Room for attendees looking for a calm, quiet space to recharge. Since conventions and crowds can be overstimulating and overwhelming at times, I was glad to see this convention offer a Quiet Room. When I peeked in, it was indeed quiet, but it also looked like an empty room with tables and chairs. It was a little disappointing to find a bare room, but hopefully, LBCC will keep the Quiet Room and add to it over time. Reading is a quiet pastime, and with Long Beach Comic Con being a comic convention, it makes sense to add a quiet space where overloaded attendees can read comics, manga, and graphic novels.

Despite its smaller scale, LBCC was initially difficult to navigate. The entrance was easier to find this year, but inside, the limited signage made it difficult to tell where to find what. At first glance, the convention maps on-site made it seem like the panel rooms and Main Stage shared the Exhibit Hall, but that wasn’t the case. Luckily, I was more familiar with the Long Beach Convention Center and its layout, but other attendees I spoke with also got turned around trying to find the Main Stage and panel rooms.

To kick off the convention, the Main Stage hosted the debut performance of the SoCal-based chamber ensemble known as The Con Orchestra. As a music lover with a particular fondness for classical covers, I was especially excited for this live performance. Giddy, I was one of the first to arrive and sat myself in the front row. When more attendees arrived and sat down, The Con Orchestra introduced themselves, and the performance began.

For their debut, The Con Orchestra played classical covers many fans would recognize, with or without lyrics. Disney and Pixar fans would recognize “Married Life” from the 2009 family adventure film Up. Nintendo fans would recognize “Gusty Garden Galaxy” from the 2007 3-D platform game Super Mario Galaxy. And Star Wars fans would recognize the main theme song from the 2019 American space Western The Mandalorian. Music from Pokémon and Avatar: The Last Airbender was also played.

During the debut, attendees also heard original music from the short comedy-drama Steven Spielberg and the Return to Film School, by writer, director, and musician Josie Hoh, filmed on the California State University, Long Beach campus and premiered in 2013. Based on American filmmaker and screenwriter Steven Spielberg’s return to CSULB in 2001 to finally complete his degree, Hoh’s independent short film is on YouTube. Learning about this project reminded me how wonderfully multifaceted artists can be.

The performance wrapped up, and it was delightful. I loved the opportunity to sit through their debut, enjoy quality music, and I hope to see them perform again. The ensemble hopes to perform next at L.A. Comic Con in late October, and I’m crossing my fingers for them. Right now, fellow music lovers can follow The Con Orchestra’s musical journey on Instagram and Facebook. Consider following them, supporting their journey, and bringing more music to the world!

After the performance, I explored the LBCC Exhibit Hall. Exhibitors evidently included fan groups and clubs, nonprofit organizations, vendors selling miscellaneous merchandise, and independent artists in Artist Alley. Vendors sold prop weapons, comic books, trading cards, blind boxes, 3-D printings, toys, figures, retro and modern games, consoles, and other collectibles. It was fun browsing the selections, and my first console was the Nintendo DS, so browsing the games brought me back to my early DS days.

While exploring, I noted the steady flow of attendees, including families, friends, and cosplayers. I couldn’t help giggling when I saw kids dance with the life-sized, remote-controlled droids the vendors had brought in, and I loved the cosplays. There was a duo dressed as Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper, and another as Dipper and Mabel Pines. But my favorites were the women I saw dressed as Maleficent and Yzma. You could see the level of detail in the wings she constructed for Maleficent, and Yzma won me over with “Have you seen my henchmen?” I love when cosplayers get into character!

I engaged with other attendees, and I even encountered members of The Con Orchestra ensemble and thanked them for their lovely performance. Who you meet at conventions is often part of the magic. I browsed the LBCC Artist Alley, where sellers displayed handmade goods, original zines, ceramics, and more. I liked the variety and ended up buying some original artwork and a spinning standee of Fizzaroli from Helluva Boss.

Among the exhibitors tabling, I especially enjoyed talking with the hosts of the Enter the Nerdom pop culture podcast. With up to 89 episodes, Enter the Nerdom covers pop culture news, breaks down trailers, and discusses movies, television, and more. I love deep dives into pop culture and fandom, and I was looking to pick up a new podcast, so it was great to connect with them and learn about their series. Podcast listeners and pop culture enthusiasts can follow Enter the Nerdom on Instagram and listen to their discussions on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Give them a listen if you wanna laugh and learn what’s latest in pop culture!

This year, LBCC’s programming ranged from panel discussions exploring how anime went from a niche fandom to mainstream, Q&As with industry professionals, independent short film screenings, and fandom debates. Among the panels scheduled, I was especially excited for “Drool Rules: Why Our Hunger for Zombie Stories Will Never Die.” With a moderator who identified as a “zombie scholar” and panelists familiar with the zombie genre on professional scales, the panel was set to discuss the evolution of zombies as non-Gothic monsters depicted in films, television, literature, and video games. As a fan of the zombie genre and its malleability, I was curious to see how the panelists would explore this unique evolution in mainstream media.

The panelists debated what counts as a “zombie,” discussed the social commentary seen across the zombie genre, and dissected popular and unpopular zombie types and tropes. They referenced several zombie flicks, such as 28 Days Later, Train to Busan, and Shaun of the Dead, and theorized how and why zombies became popularized. They quipped that many have a plan when asked, “What would you do during a zombie apocalypse?” as opposed to a more likely emergency. One of my favorite responses to that specific question, and arguably the most reasonable? AVOID PEOPLE! It’s not only the zombies you have to worry about!

I was pretty happy with the direction they took with this topic, and I liked the overall variety LBCC offered its attendees. From what I saw, panel rooms weren’t necessarily packed to the brim, but attendees who were present were excited to participate, ask questions, and learn from the panelists. When I wasn’t peeking in on panels, I spent most of my time navigating the Exhibit Hall and interacting with the vendors and other attendees. In fact, after the zombie panel, I returned to Hall A and explored until my social battery reached its inevitable limit.

Overall, I’m happy I returned to Long Beach Comic Con, and I’m excited to see how it’ll continue to grow over the years. According to the event organizers, Long Beach Comic Con will return to the Long Beach Convention Center on August 14-15, 2027! If you’re looking for a more laid-back, less overwhelming convention experience, LBCC is a great SoCal convention to attend with your family and friends or fly solo!