Excitement grows in downtown as San Diego Comic-Con sets up

Emily Coffey
Posted

Comic-Con 2026 is taking over downtown San Diego, and the event doesn't even officially start until Thursday.

On Harbor Boulevard and in the Gaslamp District, setup is already well underway. Adult Swim is building a massive off-site installation on the harbor, and as you walk toward the convention center, it's hard to miss the building wraps covering nearly every surface.

American Horror Story, The Rookie, Avatar, Wolverine, and Rings of Power are among the movies and shows represented.

The Gaslamp District is already packed with fans, though they acknowledge the crowds are only going to grow.

"It's the calm before the storm," Randy Nickel, a long-time Comic-Con goer, said.

Among the most notable changes, the Gaslamp sign itself has been transformed. Marvel is releasing Avengers: Doomsday at the end of the year, and the studio is making its presence known by transforming the sign into an Avengers: Doomsday-themed arch.

For longtime attendees, the scale of the event is striking.

"It does seem to be bigger this year, but I remember when this convention was held in the basement of a hotel," Mike Walker, a comic-con volunteer said. \

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