San Diego Comic-Con 2027

San Diego Comic-Con, officially Comic-Con International: San Diego, is the world's best-known celebration of comics and popular culture. The 2027 convention runs from Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 July, with Preview Night on Wednesday 21 July. For four days, the city fills with comics creators, publishers, film and TV studios, game companies and fans for panels, previews, signings, an enormous exhibit hall and Artists' Alley.

For comic artists and illustrators, it is also a professional event: publishers hold portfolio reviews, and the convention is a meeting place for the whole comics industry.

About San Diego Comic-Con

Comic-Con began in San Diego in 1970 as a small gathering of comics fans and grew into one of the largest pop culture events in the world. It is run by Comic-Con International, a non-profit organisation dedicated to creating awareness of comics and related art forms. Over the decades it has expanded from comics into film, television, animation and games, while keeping comics at its heart.

What to Expect

• The Exhibit Hall: publishers, studios, retailers and displays for every fandom
• Artists' Alley: comic artists and illustrators selling and signing their work
• Panels and previews: presentations by publishers, studios and creators
• Portfolio reviews: sessions with industry professionals, listed in the Events Guide
• Autographs, anime, games and films, including the Comic-Con Independent Film Festival
• The Masquerade: the convention's costume event

2027 Programme

Preview Night is on Wednesday 21 July 2027, and the convention runs from Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 July. Programming is announced in the weeks before the event, with the full schedule of panels, signings and portfolio reviews published in the official Events Guide and app.

Who Is It For?

• Comic artists, writers and illustrators
• Animation, film and game artists
• Students hoping to break into comics or entertainment
• Publishers, editors and agents
• Fans of comics, film, TV and games

Tickets and Badges

Entry is by badge, sold through the official Comic-Con registration system. Returning attendees from the previous convention can buy first, from 17 October 2026; open registration for everyone follows on Saturday 14 November 2026. Preview Night can only be bought together with a full set of Thursday to Sunday badges, and buying all four days converts them into a 4-day badge. Badges sell out quickly, and 2027 prices are announced on the official badge page.

Tips for Artists

If you are an illustrator or comic artist, check the portfolio review schedule as soon as it is published, and prepare a short, focused portfolio in print or on a tablet. Publishers look for clear storytelling and consistent characters across pages, so include sequential work, not only single illustrations.

Walk Artists' Alley with a notebook: it is the best place to see how professionals present, price and sell prints and books, and many artists are happy to talk about their careers when the crowds thin. Bring business cards with a link to your portfolio.

Planning Your Visit

The convention is held at the San Diego Convention Center, next to the Gaslamp Quarter. Hotels near the convention centre are allocated through an official hotel system and sell out fast; many visitors stay further away and use the trolley or shuttle services. Create your Member ID account in advance so you are ready when registration opens.

Things to Know

• Registration: create a Member ID before the open registration on 14 November 2026.
• Preview Night: only available with all four daily badges.
• Crowds: popular panels have long queues; prioritise and arrive early.
• Comfort: wear comfortable shoes and carry water; the exhibit hall is huge.
• Artists' Alley: applications for tables are handled separately by Comic-Con.

Attend San Diego Comic-Con 2027

Planning a visit?

Visit San Diego Comic-Con

Badge information, programming and visitor guides are on the official Comic-Con website.

Looking for more to see? Browse all events, festivals and exhibitions on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 26, 2026