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Our Panel Presentations and events are below as well as people and booths of LGBTQ+ interest around the Con. And our Talent Signing Schedule is in an upcoming article.

Come join us in championing LGBTQ+ diversity and representation in comics, graphic novels and popular media. Our queer voices and our stories need to be heard now more than ever.

PRISM COMICS PANELS AND EVENTS AT COMIC-CON 2025

Transgender and Nonbinary Creators Take a Stand in Tough Times
Thursday, 7/24/25, 4:00PM – 5:00PM, Room: 9

Cartoonists have been taking on current affairs since the dawn of comics, and in difficult times, transgender and nonbinary comics creators continue to tackle the issues that affect them and their community. How can comics and culture fight back against transphobia? Can poking fun at political figures influence their opinions? Can comics change the way people think about the trans community? Can a knowledge of trans history improve public understanding? Join Prism Comics, moderator Tara Madison Avery (Stacked Deck Press, Prism Comics) and panelists Aimee Campbell (We Belong, Thorns of a Rose), Liam Coballes (Shifter, The Out Side), Alex L. Combs (Trans History, Magical Boys), Andrew Eakett (Trans History); Nicole Maines (Bad Dream, Suicide Squad); Sonya Saturday (The Greatest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Your Life, J.K. Rowling and the Ungrateful Fans), and Tilly Bridges (The Color of Always, Begin Transmission) for a lively discussion of these and other topics!

Queer Horror  
Friday, 7/25/25, 2:00PM – 3:00PM, Room: 4

As a genre, horror has always attempted to bring us to the threshold of our fears and use a dark lens of the fantastic to force us to come face-to-face with issues the mainstream may otherwise dare not address head on. For those in the LGBTQIA+ community, this sense of otherness within the genre is not only terrifying and titillating, it’s quite often also relatable. The queer community has had a long history with the horror genre, from the lesbian vampires of Gothic literature to modern fare like The Boulet Brothers Dragula, I Saw The TV Glow, T-Blockers, and more. Does a queer horror genre exist, and, if so, what makes it different from mainstream horror?  Furthermore, how does the current political climate alter the lens through which we celebrate and connect to the macabre? Join Prism Comics and moderator/screenwriter Michael Varrati (There’s a Zombie Outside, The Midnight Mass Podcast) and an array of panelists including David M. Booher (Specs, Killer Queens), Teri Gamble (Horror Movie Survival Guide, Horror X), Casey Gilly (Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer, Ravenloft), Sina Grace (West Hollywood Monster Squad, Ghosted in L.A.), and Wendy Pini (ElfQuest, Masque of the Red Death)!

Out In Comics: Year 38
Saturday, 7/26/25, 6:00PM – 8:00PM, Room: 4

The comic world’s longest-running panel is back for its 38th record-breaking year. The Comic Book world has become a celebrated part of the Pop Culture world. LGBTQ comics and graphic novels for all ages are being produced and acclaimed in incredible numbers, and queer characters are finally starting to show up in genre movies and TV shows like Star Trek Discovery and X-Men ’97. And yet, in our politicized and polarized world, LGBTQ comics and graphic novels and LGBTQ characters in popular media are facing more banning and opposition than in previous years. This means that telling stories of queer characters of diverse backgrounds and identities is more important than ever before. Join Prism Comics, moderator Andy Mangels [he/him] (the Founder of the “Out In Comics” panel; bestselling author of Wonder Woman ‘77 Meets The Bionic Woman, Star Trek and Star Wars books and comics) and special guest panelists as they discuss what being “Out In Comics” means now and in the future. 

A short Prism Comics Meet-and-Greet and fundraising Silent Auction of cool comics items will follow the panel discussion. 

Panelists include:

• Alison Bechdel, (Comic-Con Special Guest)  [she/her], Eisner, Stonewall, Inkpot, Harvey, and Tony-award-winning writer and artist of Fun Home, Are You My Mother?, Dykes To Watch Out For, The Guide to Super Human Strength, and the new Spent: A Comic Novel.

• Tilly Bridges [she/her], writer for TV, animation, comics and books including Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming from IDW, Begin Transmission: The Trans Allegories of The Matrix, Monster High, Star Trek Prodigy – http://birdguest.com

• Chris Cantwell [he/him], writer for Doctor Doom, Star Trek Defiant, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and the TV series Paper Girls and The Terror: Devil in Silver

• Richard Fairgray [he/him], writer and artist of Octopus, Four-Color Heroes, The Ex-Wives of Frankenstein and many other comics. Booth Small Press O-02. https://richardfairgray.com/

• Dr. Craig Hurd-McKenney [he/him], writer of Oni’s Station Grand, Hermes’ Curse of Dark Shadows, and Some Strange Disturbances. http:www.hspcomic.com

• Maria Sweeney [she/her], 2025 Eisner-nominated for both Best Writer/Artist and Best Painter/Multimedia Artist for her book Brittle Joints https://mariasweeney.com/

• Jasmine Walls [she/her], writer of the noted graphic novels Brooms and The Last Session, and titles for Maverick and DC including Vixen: NYC. https://www.jasminewalls.com/

Queer Comics in Color
Sunday, 7/27/25, 10:30AM – 11:30AM, Room: 10

Inclusion and diversity are crucial to storytelling. All cultural voices deserve to be heard in comics and popular media. Join Prism Comics, Moderator Viktor Kerney (StrangeLore, We Belong), panelists Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies, Living While Black), Emely Corona Sandoval (Animator), Fernando Velez (Class 6, The Queen’s Heroes) and Jasmine Walls (Brooms, The Last Session) in a discussion of the contributions of queer people of color to comics and on creating a more inclusive and powerful queer geek community.

Queer Eye on ElfQuest
Sunday, 7/27/25, 11:00AM – 12:00PM, Room: 29CD

Wendy and Richard Pini’s landmark series ElfQuest has been popular with LGBTQ+ comics fans since it debuted in 1978. In 2000’s Wendy and Richard published their Masque of the Red Death graphic novel and web comic with queer characters and adapted the story into a musical. Join Prism Comics and Andy Mangels (bestselling author of Wonder Woman ‘77 Meets The Bionic Woman, Star Trek and Star Wars books and comics) in an interview with Richard and Wendy Pini that explores gender openness in their work and the popularity of ElfQuest and Masque of the Red Death within the queer community.

For afterhours fun – Prism Comics will also hosting a free Comic-Con Weekend Kick-Off Party at Pecs Bar in Hillcrest to raise funds for Prism:

Comic-Con Weekend Kick-Off Party
Thursday, July 24
8 pm to 12 midnight
Pecs Bar – 2046 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104

pecsbar.com
Cosplay encouraged!  Win comics swag! Drink specials!
21+ no cover

OTHER QUEER-CENTRIC AND QUEER-OWNED BOOTHS AT THE CON

Adalisa Zarate FF-10 (Artist Alley)

Amy Chu FF-01 (Artist Alley)

Ashleigh Popplewell FF-02 (Artist Alley)

Badali Jewelry Booth #715

BethBeRad EE-18 (Artist Alley)

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Booth #1629

Con Artist Comics L-04

Con Rangers Booth #1336

Dan Parent F-12
DarkChibiShadow L-11

David Haug Comics C-07-C-08

Demiurge Studios L-02

Diwata Komiks – Mark AJ Nazal  K-04

Emil Ferris HH-14 (Artists Alley)

Fandom Charities Inc A-06

Fanbase Press O-03

Flex Comics Booth #1331

Hannah Hillam Illustration BB-01 (Artist Alley)
Homo Heroes L-14

Husband & Husband Comics L-12

Jacoby Salcedo DD-21 (Artist Alley)

Jey Parks Art Booth #708

Joe Phillips BB-08 (Artist Alley)

KikiDoodle & Purrmaids/Christine Knopp Booth #4819

Megan Lara Art CC-19 (Artist Alley)

Meloria Maille Booth #4816

Meraki G-02

Prism Comics Booth #2144

Real Gone Girl Studios / Miriam Libicki Booth #1947

Richard Sux/Richard Fairgray O-02

Sofawolf Press Booth #1236

TokyoPop Booth #1837

Toma Vagner BB-23

Yaoi Army L-13

Yaoi Revolution/Saguaro Media L-10

Prism Comics would like to thank Comic-Con International: San Diego for their continued support of diversity in comics! For all the info about Comic-Con please visit:

Comic-Con International: San Diego – link to https://www.comic-con.org/

Wednesday, July 24 – Sunday, July 28

San Diego Convention Center

111 Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101

* Comic-Con is a large, exciting convention, and we aim to be as comprehensive as possible with our listings. Please understand if there are any omissions or errors.