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The San Diego Comic-Con returns later this month with the following pro wrestling-related events:
THURSDAY 6/23:
11:15 AM in Room 6A - WWE Mattel Reveals - Under the watchful eye of the very nice, very evil Danhausen, the Mattel WWE Elite Squad presents a panel packed with action figure reveals, exclusive announcements, and WWE Superstar guests. Featuring Rey Mysterio, Sam Roberts, and surprise appearances, the session may determine whether Mattel has earned Danhausen's approval—or receives the curse he's been promising for months.
6:30 PM in Room 10 - Headlocked and Masked Republic- Taking Wrestling Beyond the Ring - Denise Salcedo (Busted Open) leads a discussion with Michael Kingston (Headlocked, Vampiro: Rockabilly Apocalypse), Kevin Kleinrock (Masked Republic), Jorge Gutierrez (El Tigre, The Book of Life), and Jeff Everett (Luchadores versus Everything), plus surprise wrestling guests, on the intersection of wrestling with other storytelling mediums, including comics, film, television, and video games, and what makes wrestling so adaptable. The discussion leads into announcements from Headlocked and Masked Republic about an upcoming slate of projects featuring collaborations with major names in professional wrestling.
FRIDAY 6/24:
10 AM at The Omni San Diego Hotel's Omni Grand Ballroom - D&D Wrestle Royale - Brandon Cutler (AEW wrestler) DMs a group of wrestlers and D&D personalities through a 5e battle royale to the death. Peter Avalon (AEW), Evil Uno (AEW), Johnny Stanton IV (NFL, Sink!), and Ify Nwadiwe (Um, Actually) battle it out to see who the sole survivor is, with additional participants possible.
11 AM Autograph Area AA06 - AEW Stars - "The Protostar" Kyle Fletcher, Ricochet, Speedball Mike Bailey, and AEW Women's World Champion, Thekla. Attendees may have either one personal item signed or choose to have signed one AEW-provided headshot. Limit one autograph per person. Posed photographs, selfies, and additional items for signing will not be permitted.
3 PM in Room 6DE - No Capes Required: Women Empowering Pop Culture - You don't need a cape to be a hero in storytelling. Moderator Janet Hsieh (Fun Taiwan) leads a lively panel with AJ Mendez (WWE pro wrestler), Anjali Bhimani (Ms. Marvel), Carolina Ravassa (Overwatch), Helen Shang (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), and Silenn Thomas (CEO, Frank Miller Ink), women who are making their mark across comics, gaming, sports, television, and film. Expect candid stories, industry insights, and a celebration of the voices driving today's most exciting and inclusive pop culture moments.
6 PM in Room 6A - Challenge Everything - The Future of Wrestling and Culture - Wrestling doesn't just reflect culture; it shapes it. Stars of All Elite Wrestling discuss how professional wrestling has evolved from spectacle to cultural force, influencing sports, music, gaming, and beyond. From global fandom to viral moments to the stories only pro wrestling can tell, the conversation considers what comes next when performers refuse to follow the old playbook and challenge everything.
SATURDAY 6/25:
10 AM at The Omni San Diego Hotel's Omni Grand Ballroom - Wizards Wrestling Each Other - SATURDAY! SATURDAY! SATURDAY! An (imaginary) steel cage sets the stage for a mashup of D&D and tag-team professional wrestling, with Brandon Cutler (AEW wrestler), Johnny Stanton (Dropout TV), Tanlynn Morgan (5 GMs in a Trenchcoat), Reed Sights (TTRPG performer, comedian, actor), and Jes Wade (TTRPG producer, ChariTTRPGs) competing under dungeon master Tulok the Barbrarian (YouTube personality). Expect high Strength scores, but these nerds have been hitting up their local bookstores. Six wizards enter, but only two will leave. Pay for the whole seat, but you'll only need the edge!
12 PM at The San Diego Central Library's Neil Morgan Auditorium - Space Command: Epic Adventures! Space Command is a series of epic adventures set in a hopeful vision of the future. Thousands of fans funded the pilot, seen by fans around the world, and the series is now streaming. Cast includes Doug Jones (Star Trek Discovery, The Shape of Water), Ethan McDowell (The Walking Dead, Doom Patrol), Bryan McClure (Doom Patrol, Mindhunter), Mike Harney (Orange Is the New Black, Project Blue Book), Bruce Boxleitner (Babylon 5, Tron), Bill Mumy (Lost in Space, Babylon 5), James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Blade Runner), Mira Furlan (Lost, Babylon 5), Aaron Gaffey (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Katharine McEwan (Solitary), and John Hennigan (GLOW, WWE). Postproduction supervision by David Bartlett (Speed), designs by Iain McCaig (Star Wars, The Avengers), edited by Dave Edison (Remember the Sultana), and music by David Raiklen (Star Trek New Voyages, Max Steel). Creator Marc Scott Zicree (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The New Twilight Zone) is joined by Joe Ochman (Star Wars: Visions, CSI) and Ellen Dubin (Dune, M3GAN). An extended HD preview of the new episode "Great Solar War" is included, followed by a Q&A.
1:45 PM in Room 6DE - Actors Turned Comic Writers: Patton Oswalt (Marvel's M.O.D.O.K., Dark Horse’s Minor Threats), Aimee Garcia (Dexter, Day of the Dead Girl), AJ Mendez (WWE champion, Day of the Dead Girl), and Hannah Rose May (Ghosts, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn) discuss the journey from playing fan-favorite characters in TV and film to creating their own characters. Moderated by Jordan Blum (co-creator of M.O.D.O.K., Minor Threats), with a Q&A.
6:30 PM in Room 5AB - Rey Mysterio vs. The Darkness: From Screen To Comics - Wrestling superstar Rey Mysterio and animator Calavera Hermanos share a behind-the-scenes look at their latest comic, based on the epic Mexican animated series. The panel offers a first chance in the U.S. to experience the series and the comic book. Moderated by Jorge R. Gutierrez (director, writer, animator, and ASIFA-Hollywood Advisory Board member).
8 PM at Marriot Marquis San Diego Marina's Grand 10 & 11 - Not So Strange Bedfellows: The Relationship Between Comics and Pro Wrestling - Some have called the spectacle of pro wrestling "a comic book come to life." That is not far from the truth. From the heroics of Hulk Hogan to the anti-heroics of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and the villainy of Ric Flair, this panel explores the parallels in character development and storyline advancement between these outrageous forms. Featuring Francis Szyskowski (creator, The Massacre Twins), Jonathan London (Hero of the Prophecy), Michael Mondragon (founder, Punk Rock Art School), Flobo Boyce (26 Stone: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut), Anthony Ray Bench (associate editor, Ultima Comics), Scott Lost (creator, The 2nd Shift), Rik Offenberger (editor-in-chief, First Comics News), and Hunter Jackson (co-founder, GWAR). Moderated by Joshua Waldrop (founder/publisher, Ultima Comics).
ANNOUNCED EXCLUSIVES:
Jazwares - Exclusive Will Ospreay action figure. Priced at $60, the figure will "features Will in his iconic appearance from Full Gear 11/23/24, with a premium redeco and new soft goods."
Mattel - WWE Elite 3-Pack features “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Captain Lou Albano, and the first-ever WWE action figure inspired by music icon Cyndi Lauper, commemorating the legendary Rock ‘N’ Wrestling era that helped bring WWE into the pop-culture spotlight during the 1980s. Inspired by Lauper’s memorable appearance on Piper’s Pit, the collector set celebrates the intersection of music, entertainment, and wrestling fandom through one of WWE’s most iconic crossover moments." Priced at $80.'
WHERE TO FIND...
Headlocked Comics - Booth 1901.
Jazwares - Booth 3513
Mattel - Booth 2945
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