Every year San Diego Comic-Con is a unique experience, and this year was no exception. There were loads of interesting, informative and entertaining panels, screenings, sneak-peek previews and the Comic-Con Masquerade (better-than-ever choreography and incredible, custom-made costumes) in the San Diego Convention Center. For those you needed a Comic-Con badge, as did the opportunity to check out the many exhibits and vendors in the massive Exhibit Hall. Speaking of which, I added my share of revenue to the event, with my purchases of gifts to share some of the San Diego Comic-Con joy with others.
Even though I have a San Diego Comic-Con badge each year, I probably spend at least half of my time exploring downtown San Diego to experience exhibits and activities beyond the San Diego Convention Center, at locations including the San Diego Central Library and nearby hotels (Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Manchester Grand Hyatt and Omni San Diego). Activations and activities included the Alien Gaming Lounge, Stern Pinball arcade, card games, Comic-Con merch, San Diego Blood Bank’s blood drive (over 3,500 pints of blood collected!), films, anime, Comic-Con art show & sale — plus the creative and very entertaining “Her Universe Fashion Show.”
Her Universe Fashion Show
(Jan Wagner)
As in past years, much of what is fun to see and experience are the mostly free pop-ups, activations and exhibits outside, on the streets that are within walking distance of the Convention Center.
These included: Apple TV’s “SILO” Experience; “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe ‘The Comic Center of Pasadena’” (a “multiversal adventure” in Stuart Bloom’s comic shop); “Clash of the Clans: Clash for the Stache” (an interactive team challenge room & themed shopping experience — not free, operating July 15 to Sept. 7 at Seaport Village); “Star Trek Fleet Command: 60 Years of Star Trek Archives Experience” (a museum-caliber collection of costumes and props — organized by each Star Trek series, a VR experience, claw machines with Star Trek prizes, and a personalized photo trading card); “Star Trek: Boldly Built” (photo op and Magic: The Gathering giveaway); Alliance Authentic pop-up; the Petco Park Interactive Zone, featuring the Maruchan Marumart (showcasing a huge variety of Maruchan noodle varieties, with samples), plus “Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Experience” (with instruction, a free starter pack and game play); “Adult Swim on the Green” (entertainment, games with prizes and an indoor carnival ride!); “Splatoon Raiders x Brisk”; and “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.”
The very first shooting model of the USS Enterprise — lost for 45 years
(Jan Wagner)
Returning to the Gaslamp Quarter again this year was “Paramount+ The Lodge.” This year’s interactive sets represented “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “South Park,” the “UFC” and more, complete with food and drinks. However, there was also something else — an iconic artifact that had been lost for 45 years. On display was the very first shooting model (33-inches in length) of the original “Star Trek” TV series’ USS Enterprise (NCC-1701).
In 1964 the USS Enterprise was designed by Matt Jefferies and this model built by Richard C. Datin Jr.. It was then used to film Star Trek’s pilot TV episode (“The Cage”) and the iconic “Star Trek” TV show opening, where it whooshed through space week after week, taking its crew on what was intended to be a 5-year mission: “To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, (and) to boldly go where no man had gone before!” It was also used as the reference model for the series’ much larger (11-foot) miniature.
Part of the massive Comic-Con Exhibit Hall
(Jan Wagner)
From the late 1960s until around 1978-79, the model sat on Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s desk, as a personal keepsake and piece of franchise history. Then he loaned “the model to Paramount during production of the film “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.” Shortly afterward, it went missing — for 45 years — until October of 2023, when, against all odds, it was discovered inside a California storage unit purchased at auction. The finders initially listed it on eBay before experts identified it as the genuine model.
The “Hulu Animayhem” exhibit, while smaller than in previous years, and relocated from behind the San Diego Convention Center to the front, and across the street, included free food and drinks inspired by “Futurama” and “King of the Hill.”
As I was returning home on the San Diego Trolley on the final day (Sunday) of San Diego Comic-Con, someone gave me this sticker: “Comic-Con SWAG BANDIT.” Over the five days that I was there, I did accumulate a lot of Comic-Con swag: T-shirts, posters, “Magic: The Gathering playing cards,” a “My Little Pony” collectable (that I gifted to someone else), a custom and plastic-encased “Star Trek” trading card with me wearing a Federation uniform, boxes of Red Vines licorice, pins, stickers, comic books, a bobble-head, a frisbee plus a Doctor Doom mask and cape from the insanely cool Marvel Studios presentation in Hall H — and that is just some of the free stuff that I collected!
Marvel Studios blockbuster presentation in Hall H
(Jan Wagner)
I am happy to report that Comic-Con will be staying in San Diego through 2030, at least. San Diego is where Comic-Con began, and our venue is unique. Whereas some other cities have huge convention centers, a large part of the charm of San Diego Comic-Con is the activation-filled Gaslamp Quarter and surrounding blocks in downtown (usually not requiring a Comic-Con badge). If this event moved entirely into a huge convention center, it would not be nearly as much fun, nor would it be as accessible.
A picture can, indeed, be worth a thousand words, so I will upload — to the AutoMatters.net website — many of my photos from all four days, plus Preview Night, of San Diego Comic-Con. Included will be the star-studded Hall H Apple TV panels and Marvel Studios.
As always, to explore a wide variety of content dating back to 2002, with the most photos and the latest text, visit “AutoMatters & More” at https://automatters.net. Search by title or topic in the Search Bar in the middle of the Home Page or click on the blue ‘years’ boxes and browse.
Copyright © 2026 by Jan Wagner – AutoMatters & More #938r3