For the first time ever, my daughter and I had the incredible opportunity to visit San Diego and experience the legendary Comic-Con.
Our journey began with a few challenges. Despite Delta Airlines’ efforts, our travel was far from smooth. We were scheduled to arrive on Sunday but arrived 36 hours late, and our luggage didn’t catch up with us until Wednesday, just in time for Preview Night at Comic-Con.
Unable to secure tickets, my daughter and I volunteered for three days—Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. This allowed us to attend the event on Saturday in exchange for our efforts. While volunteering limited our ability to attend every event we wanted, it did provide access to some fantastic panels and exhibits.
Thursday, July 25th
Celebrating 25 Years of “SpongeBob SquarePants”
The first panel I attended was the “Celebrating 25 Years of SpongeBob SquarePants” in Hall H on Thursday. Hosted by Ken Mitchell (Good Burger, Kenan & Kel), the panel included a table read of the pilot episode “Help Wanted.” The highlight was a surprise appearance by Mark Hamill, who will voice the Flying Dutchman in the upcoming SpongeBob movie, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, scheduled for release on December 19, 2025. The Q&A session was particularly entertaining, with panel members answering questions in their character voices.
Hall H can be challenging to get into, but once there, attendees are not required to leave between panels unless there is a special event. I took full advantage of my seat and stayed for the next panel.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Though I hadn’t watched any of this Disney+ series, I attended the panel discussing the upcoming second season, which begins filming in August. The panel included clips, bloopers, and a lively fan Q&A. It was fascinating to learn that Rick Riordan, the book series’ author, was on set, and that the cast were fans who had many questions for him. Since returning home, I’ve watched the series and found it to be a great family show, especially for fans of the books.
I missed out on the Deadpool & Wolverine panel and the drone show, but managed to catch the latter online. It’s by far the best drone show I’ve seen and worth watching.
Friday, July 26th
Collider’s Directors on Directing
This panel featured two of today’s most successful action directors: Antoine Fuqua and Roland Emmerich. Fuqua, known for Training Day, The Equalizer series, Olympus Has Fallen, and more, and Emmerich, director of Independence Day, The Patriot, 10,000 BC, and others, discussed their past, present, and future projects. They also shared their thoughts on having two White House invasion movies (Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down) released around the same time.
20th Century Studios: “Alien: Romulus”
The highlight of the day was the panel for Alien: Romulus, featuring director Fede Alvarez and cast members Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu. Hall H was transformed with red lighting and fog, setting the stage for an immersive experience. The panel included clips from the movie, a promise of no spoilers, and a face hugger attack reenactment, complete with rubber face hugger masks for everyone in the audience.
Saturday, July 27th
“Superman & Lois” Special Video Presentation and Q&A
Although I had never watched the show, this panel discussion about the final season piqued my interest, and I’ve added it to my list of shows to watch.
“BRZRKR”: The Immortal Saga Unleashed
Seeing Keanu Reeves in person was a treat. This panel focused on the BRZRKR comics, with Todd McFarlane showcasing prototypes of new collectibles. The upcoming movie was discussed, revealing a lot of exciting developments in the BRZRKR universe.
The “Star Trek” Universe
This panel featured conversations with cast and producers from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and Star Trek: Section 31.
Kevin Smith Book Signing
Earlier in the day, I purchased Kevin Smith’s book, Kevin Smith’s Secret Stash: The Definitive Visual History. The purchase included a book signing, which was a long wait but worth it to meet and chat with Kevin Smith, even though it meant missing the Marvel panel.
A Panel with Kevin Smith
The highlight of the entire event for my daughter and me was attending Kevin Smith’s panel. He was smart, relatable, creative, irreverent, and most of all, hilarious. This panel turned me from a fan into a superfan. Kevin showcased a trailer for his upcoming movie, 4:30 Movie, and I can’t wait to see it and write a review.
Overall, Comic-Con 2024 was an unforgettable experience, filled with memorable panels, exciting announcements, and special moments shared with my daughter.
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