It’s Wednesday, the day of Comic-Con 2026 Preview Night, and I continue to walk all over the place!
The first two photos were taken inside the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel. I then worked my way over to San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter where Comic-Con preparations are in earnest…
The Doomsday arch now has simulated flames at either end. Doctor Doom must be on the way!
But can he cope with Sauron?
Hot Wheels will be here…
Nickelodeon…
Splatoon…
The Gaslamp has been invaded by people and products seeking attention!
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
Took a leisurely walk through the Gaslamp and around the San Diego Convention Center this morning. It’s Wednesday. This evening Comic-Con 2026 will kick off with Preview Night.
The main thing I noticed is that many of the offsites are being completed. Workers are scrambling to get everything done!
Here are my photos…
UPDATE!
I was wondering about that huge steel structure being built in the Petco Interactive Zone. When I returned later this morning, I learned it’s miniature golf promoting Magic: The Gathering!
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
Another fun blog post full of photos taken while walking around San Diego before the start of Comic-Con 2026. It’s now Tuesday. Tomorrow is Preview Night.
Shop windows, activations rising, exhibitors arriving, a little cosplay–just random images!
Enjoy!
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
Are those trees being forklifted into San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter enchanted?
Yes!
LAIKA is setting up a tiny magical forest at the entrance to the Hard Rock Hotel to promote their upcoming movie Wildwood. It’s another cool activation for Comic-Con 2026!
I thought enchanted trees had the ability to move around by themselves. Not these ones, apparently…
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
Yes, Doomsday is fated for San Diego. A portent of Doomsday is arising in the Gaslamp Quarter!
The historical Gaslamp Quarter sign is undergoing a sinister transformation. Doctor Doom seems to have recruited workers to prepare for his arrival. Some say the mighty throne of God Emperor Doom will be placed here in the center of Fifth Avenue.
Or perhaps this is a dimensional portal through which he’ll arrive to conquer Earth during Comic-Con 2026!
Avengers Assemble!
UPDATE!
The next morning I saw this…
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
All sorts of cool and surprising sights are appearing outside the San Diego Convention Center! Including bales of hay, a silo, a huge owl, and a Gaslamp Quarter gateway that invites you to Doom!
These pics are from a noontime walk. Comic-Con offsite activations are being built all over downtown. Enjoy!
First, bales of hay were being carried into the Lanterns offsite…
Along MLK Promenade, fans will be able to visit the Ignition Pavilion…
Peanuts is back in their usual spot…
The Hulu Animayhem offsite is coming together…
Big banners along the trolley tracks include one promoting Lanterns…
Check out the Gaslamp Quarter arch. It appears to be a portal to Doomsday!
What’s this? A snowy Victorian winter scene being built with a crane on Fifth Avenue?
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds building wrap on Marriott Marquis is done…
Paramount+ offsite The Lodge under construction…
Our Doom is near…
In Gaslamp Square, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is returning to Comic-Con…
Why can’t Stuart Save the Universe?
A Wildwood wrap is being applied to the Hard Rock Hotel…
The IGN balcony is ready…
At the Hilton Bayfront, the Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is being readied…
It appears there’s no big FX offsite this year. But Adult Swim is back, and they’ve brought a giant owl!
13 seasons of American Horror Story is celebrated with a big wrap on the Hilton…
The Star Trek wrap from a different angle…
Lastly, a peek at the Apple TV Silo Experience…
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
The many international street artists who’ve converged upon San Diego for the epic Meeting of Styles event have completed their Marvel and DC character walls in time for Comic-Con 2026!
The walls are about a block east of the 12th and Imperial trolley station on Commercial Street.
I took photos of works in progress four days ago. See those images here.
I took photos of the finished spray paint art this morning!
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
Workers putting up building wraps and offsite activations have only four more full days to complete their work before the official start of Comic-Con 2026!
Early this (Saturday) evening I walked through downtown San Diego, through the Gaslamp Quarter, behind the San Diego Convention Center, and back to the Gaslamp. I photographed all sorts of Comic-Con preparations.
Enjoy these images. They provide an idea of what goes on before the start of our city’s epic international pop culture convention!
Sorry if I don’t provide much description this time. I’m tired. Gotta work again tomorrow…
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
Now six days to go before Comic-Con 2026. During my final walk of the day around downtown San Diego, I spied two new building wraps and two new offsites that are just beginning to rise!
First, behind the San Diego Convention Center, the big stage for Adult Swim on the Green was being tilted up into place!
I then noticed the Hilton Bayfront’s big building wrap was being applied. What will it be? FX show American Horror Story?
Turning around, I saw a new wrap being applied to the Marriott Marquis, next to the ESRI wrap, which will be coming down very soon. Looks like Star Trek…
After crossing over to the Gaslamp trolley station, look what I found. They’re getting ready to put up this year’s Percy Jackson offsite!
I then noticed the Rings of Power wrap on Fifth Avenue is done and features Sauron. (Those balloons are from a street party for the ESRI convention, which concludes today.)
Finally, I observed the Yaga wrap on the Hilton Gaslamp is about done! There are The Vampire Lestat graphics, too.
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
