PRISM COMICS AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON 2026
WHAT: PRISM COMICS PROGRAMS AND EVENTS AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, JULY 22 THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2026
WHERE: COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO
SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER 111 HARBOR DR, SAN DIEGO, CA 92101
Prism Comics will be presenting five diverse panel presentations and hosting signings with more than two dozen comics creators and TV and animation celebrities at the Prism Comics Booth 2144 at San Diego Comic-Con. Prism Comics has been providing a safe, welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ and LTBTQIA+ friendly comics creators, readers, educators, librarians and families at San Diego Comic-Con since 2003 – prismcomics.org
Prism also presents its annual Prism Comics LGBTQ+ Guide to Comic-Con – a free guide to panels, people and exhibitors of LGBTQ+ interest at Comic-Con. The Guide is compiled and edited by Andy Mangels and designed by Ted Abenheim and will beavailable as a free hand out at the Prism Comics booth 2144 or as a digital download HERE (clickable)
To quote Ted Abenheim, President of Prism Comics – “It’s more important than ever to keep LGBTQIA+ voices raised loud and strong in comics and popular media. LGBTQ+ people of all ages need to see themselves reflected in the books they read and the film and TV they watch to know that they’re good and that they are valued. We’re very excited to have so many creators and entertainment people with us at our booth for this cause. And we’re presenting five panels covering the diversity of the queer comics and media – transgender and nonbinary creators; queer creators of colors; queer horror; LGBTQIA+ activism in comics; and Andy Mangel’s Out In Comics: Year 39 panel – the longest running comic convention panel in the world.”
Prism Comics will offer a wide selection of independent and mainstream LGBTQIA+ comics and graphic novels for sale for all ages at their Prism Comics Booth 2144. Talent signing at the booth will include Tara Madison Avery (Stacked Deck Press, We’re Still Here); David M. Booher (Killer Queens, Ghostbusters); Tilly and Susan Bridges (Just Another Summer, Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming); Tate Brombal (Everything Dead & Dying, Christopher Chaos); Liam Coballes (Shifter, The Out Side); Rupert Kinnard (Ooops…I Just Catharted! Fifty Years of Cathartic Comics); Sarah Gailey (Eat the Rich, Know Your Station); Craig Hurd-Mckenney (Station Grand, Curse of Dark Shadows); Jenny Blake Isabella (Black Lightning, Ghost Rider), Jessie Ledina (AndrogynArt); John Lustig (Last Kiss); Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies, Living While Black); Samantha Newark (Jem); Wendy and Richard Pini (Elfquest, Masque of Red Death); David Reddish (The Passion of Sergius and Bacchus); Brandon T. Snider (Supergirl’s Family Vacation, Pride Parade Mad Libs); Michael Varrati (There’s a Zombie Outside, The Midnight Mass Podcast); Stephanie Williams (Nubia: Queen of The Amazons, Temporal); and more!
The Talent Signing schedules are available online at prismcomics.org and on Prism Comics’ Facebook and Instagram pages. For most up-to-date Talent Signing schedule please check by the Prism Comics booth 2144 each day.
Prism Comics will be hosting Comic-Con Weekend Kick-Off Party at Pecs Bar in Hillcrest to raise funds for Prism:
Comic-Con Weekend Kick-Off Party
Thursday, July 23
8 pm to 12 midnight
Pecs Bar – 2046 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104
pecsbar.com
No cover, 21 and over; Cosplay encouraged; Win comics swag; Drink specials
Here is a complete listing of Prism Comics’ panel presentations at San Diego Comic-Con:
Transgender and Nonbinary Creators Stay Relevant and Proud
Thursday, 7/23/2026, 4:00PM – 5:00PM, Room: 9
Trans and nonbinary people have faced political setbacks as hard-won rights are challenged across the country. However, trans creators are still speaking up, sharing their experiences, and making a difference in the fight for equality. How can trans and nonbinary artists use their work to support the community? How can trans stories reach broader audiences? What can trans and nonbinary creators bring that popular culture desperately needs? Join Prism Comics and moderator Tara Madison Avery (Stacked Deck Press, We’re Still Here) and panelists Sonya Saturday (The Greatest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Your Life, J.K. Rowling and the Ungrateful Fans), Simon Jane Robrock (Blue Hare Comix, MADE U LOOK), Margeaux Pepoy (The Adventures of Simone & Ajax, Betty & Veronica), Mac Maclean (Opting Out, Death Saves, 3rd Edition), and Jenny Blake Isabella (Black Lightning, Ghost Rider), and Liam Coballes (Shifter, The Out Side) for a lively discussion of these and other questions!
LGBTQIA+ Activism in Comics
Friday, 7/24/2026, 2:00PM – 3:00PM, Room: 4
In a time of polarization when politics have seeped into every corner of popular culture, what is the role of comics creators? How do comic books and pop art comment on the current social and political climates…or should they at all? Join Prism Comics and moderator, David Reddish (political journalist, anchor for Occupy Democrats and host of The David Reddish Show), and panelists Tara Madison Avery (We’re Still Here, publisher Stacked Deck Press), Marc Andreyko, (Torso, Love Is Love), David M. Booher (Canto, Ghostbusters, Killer Queens), Sarah Gailey (Upright Women Wanted, Eat The Rich), and William O. Tyler (We Belong, Theater of Terror: Revenge of The Queers) as they discuss how the Trump era has affected the popular genre of comics and how queer artists use their voices to inspire the public and be catalysts for change and empathy.
Queer Horror
Friday, 7/24/2026, 6:30PM – 7:30PM, Room: 10
The horror genre 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. For those in the LGBTQIA+ community, this sense of otherness within the genre is not only terrifying and titillating, it is often relatable. The queer community has had a long history with the horror genre, from the sapphic subtext of Gothic Literature to modern fare such as Summoning Sylvia, T-Blockers, and The Boulet Brothers Dragula. 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 Drusilla Adeline (Bloodhaus Podcast, Sister Hyde Design), C.J. Arellano (Dry January, Griffica), Casey Gilly (Return to Sleepy Hollow, Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer), Daniel Montgomery (The Jessica Cabin), William O. Tyler (We Belong, Four Seasons of Fear), and Vander Von Odd (The Boulet Brothers Dragula, Scorch Marks) as they explore the current realms of queer horror.
Out In Comics: Year 39
Saturday, 7/25/26, 6:00PM – 8:00PM, Room: 4
The comic world’s longest-running panel is back for its 39th 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 Sarah Gailey (Upright Women Wanted, Eat The Rich), George Gene Gustines (comics journalist and editor, New York Times), Jenny Blake Isabella (Black Lightning, Ghost Rider), Rupert Kinnard (Brown Bomber and The Diva), Jim McCann (The Other/Half), Margeaux Pepoy (The Adventures of Simone & Ajax), Brandon T. Snider (Supergirl’s Family Vacation, Pride Parade Mad Libs), and others to be announced as they discuss what being “Out In Comics” means now and in the future. A short Prism Comics Meet-and-Greet will follow the panel discussion.
Queer Comics in Color
Sunday, 7/26/26, 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), and panelists Julie Fiveash (The Froggy Library), Jesse Ledina (AndrogynArt), Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies, Living While Black), Sean Z (MYTH, Ramonah Rising) and others to be announced in a discussion of the contributions of queer people of color to comic books and graphic novels and ways of creating a more inclusive and powerful queer geek community.
Prism Comics is excited to once again be “LGBTQ+ Comics Central” at Comic-Con and would like to thank
- The staff of Comic-Con International: San Diego for their long-time support of LGBTQIA+ diversity, equity and inclusion in comics.
- Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab for their Presenting Sponsor support of Prism Comics’ Q Con LGBTQIA+ comic convention
- Oni Press and Modern Fanatic for their Astonishing Sponsor support of Prism Comics’ Q Con LGBTQIA+ comic convention
- And the generous printer who donates the printing of The Prism LGBTQIA+ Guide each year.
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