Comic-Con 2026: Full Schedule

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10:00am PDT

Book-Talking with the Comic-Con Graphic Novel Book Clubs of San Diego

Sunday July 26, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

For more than 12 years, the Comic-Con Graphic Novel Book Clubs of San Diego have been talking comics and building a community of readers. At this panel, members from clubs across the region discuss two recent Eisner Award–winning titles: Somna by Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay, and Zatanna: Bring Down the House by Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez. The discussion offers a book club–style look at these distinguished works, along with tips for organizing and conducting a comics and graphic novel book club. Featuring Nicole Assante (La Jolla club), Lisa Capehart-Gidney (Mission Valley club), Karim Chee (Encinitas Club), Richard Hannasch (Escondido club), Tiffany Kellbach (Chula Vista club), Eva Parrill (North Park club), and Attiba Royster (Downtown club). Moderated by Erwin Magbanua (Chula Vista club).

Sunday July 26, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 4

1: Programs, Books, Comics

11:00am PDT

Harvey Pekar's American Splendor at 50

Sunday July 26, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Room 4

Harvey Pekar (1939–2010) created and wrote American Splendor comics, which debuted 50 years ago in 1976. American Splendor also inspired a branch of memoir comics and the 2003 American Splendor film. Joyce Brabner (1952–2024), Pekar's wife and creative partner, collaborated on American Splendor, along with artists including R. Crumb, Gary Dumm, Frank Stack, Joe Zabel, Joseph Remnant, Spain Rodriguez, Dean Haspiel, and Josh Neufeld. The work influenced generations of graphic novelists. Panelists include Joe Zabel (American Splendor artist), Peter Kuper (Insectopolis, who knew Pekar in 1970s Cleveland), Arie Kaplan (From Krakow to Krypton), Jackie Estrada (Comic-Con International, friend of Harvey’s), Andrew Kunka (USC Sumter), and moderator Danny Fingeroth (Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero).

Sunday July 26, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 4

1: Programs, Anniversaries, Comics, Education, Fandom, Historical, Humor & Satire, Television, Tributes, Writers & Writing

12:00pm PDT

Life in Comics: Graphic Nonfiction

Sunday July 26, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Room 4

Graphic memoirists Briana Loewinsohn (Raised by Ghosts), Thien Pham (Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam), and R. Sikoryak (Declaration/Emancipation Illustrated) discuss their art, process, and research with Rocco Versaci (professor at Palomar College).

Special Guests

Briana Loewinsohn

Artist Alley HH-16, Comic-Con Special Guest

Briana Loewinsohn is the author of the graphic memoir Ephemera (Fantagraphics, 2023), which was listed as one of the ALA’s top graphic novels of 2023 and was awarded the 2023 Foreword Indies Editors Prize for nonfiction. Her latest book, Raised by Ghosts (Fantagraphics, 2025), won... Read More →

Sunday July 26, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 4

1: Programs, Art and Illustration, Books, Cartooning and Comic Strips, Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances, Comics

1:00pm PDT

Megascope: Celebrating Five Years

Sunday July 26, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Room 4

John Jennings (founder and director, Megascope), Tananarive Due (writer, The Keeper), Steven Barnes (writer, The Keeper), Marco Finnegan (illustrator, The Keeper), Stacey Robinson (illustrator, Across the Tracks), A. Fox Harrell (editorial board, Megascope), and Michael Dando (editorial board, Megascope) discuss Megascope, a graphic novel line curated by John Jennings dedicated to amplifying speculative and nonfiction stories by and about people of color. Spanning science fiction, fantasy, horror, history, and magical realism, the imprint centers bold narratives that expand the possibilities of comics storytelling. A Q&A follows, moderated by Dr. Ebony Toussaint (editorial board, Megascope).

Sunday July 26, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 4

1: Programs, Anniversaries, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Writers & Writing

2:00pm PDT

Comics GOAT: Tribute to Archie Goodwin

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Room 4

For many DC and Marvel big names of the '70s–'90s, the answer to "Who was your comics guru?" is the same: Archie Goodwin. Explore the indelible influence—and hilarious "war stories"—of the Marvel editor-in-chief and DC group editor who guided Star Wars, Epic Comics, Batman: The Long Halloween, and more. Jordan B. "Gorf" Gorfinkel (Batman, Batguys Return podcast) moderates a who's who of Archie's colleagues and collaborators, including Paul Levitz (DC Comics president), Charles Kochman (editorial director, Abrams ComicArts), and Chuck Kim (Archie's DC assistant editor), with appearances by Mike Carlin, Howard Chaykin, Klaus Jansen, Jeph Loeb, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Walt and Louise Simonson.

Special Guests

Paul Levitz

Comic-Con Special Guest

Paul Levitz has been a comics fan (The Comic Reader), editor (Batman), writer (Legion of Super-Heroes), executive (decades at DC Comics, ending as president & publisher), historian (Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel) and now teacher of subjects related to comics and tra... Read More →

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 4

1: Programs, Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances, Comics, Fandom, Historical, Podcasts, Superheroes, Tributes, Writers & Writing

3:00pm PDT

Ask a (Comics) Librarian

Sunday July 26, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Room 4

Did you know that comics librarianship is over 50 years old? Or that libraries have championed graphic novels as "real reading" for just as long? Comics creators who have worked in a variety of libraries discuss their professional and creative practice, tips and tricks for starting, growing, and evolving graphic novel collections, and what comics for kids, teens, and adults librarians are reading and recommending.

Sunday July 26, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 4

1: Programs, Books, Comics, Education

4:00pm PDT

Everyone's a Critic: Being a Journalist in an Online Age

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Room 4

The past decade has seen an increase in the scope of journalism, from the rise of citizen journalism to blogging, vlogging, podcasting, and online-only news sources. Writers and hosts from CBR, Geek Magazine, The Digital Bits, Bleeding Cool, Film Threat, and others discuss the roles new media play between their readers and the industries and communities they serve. Topics include varying levels of informality versus classic ideas of professionalism, show-specific outlets versus general news sites, and more. The panel offers insight into the challenges behind the scenes and how to become a writer.

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 4

1: Programs, Historical, Web, Writers & Writing

Comic-Con 2026

10:00am PDT

11:00am PDT

12:00pm PDT

Briana Loewinsohn

1:00pm PDT

2:00pm PDT

Paul Levitz

3:00pm PDT

4:00pm PDT

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