Dark Horse Reveals San Diego Comic-Con 2018 Show Exclusives, Programming Schedule, and Signings

Press Release

[Update 7-6-18]

Visit Dark Horse Comics at San Diego Comic-Con to meet some of your favorite creators and get your hands on some free swag, such as comics, pins, posters, and more! Get colorin’ on our communal coloring wall and purchase your favorite coloring book! The wall will feature pages from the #DHColors Coloring Book line! Canvases will vary throughout the weekend but include pages from The Legend of Korra Coloring Book, Avatar: The Last Airbender Coloring Book, The Witcher Adult Coloring Book, Steven Universe Adult Coloring Book, Adventure Time Coloring Book, HALO Adult Coloring Book, and others! Check out our signings and panels too!

We’ll also have a variety of Dark Horse comics, graphic novels, art books, and collectibles for sale in our booth.

Signing Schedule

All creators signing in our booth offer their autographs for FREE. FREE prints, comics, or posters are provided for most of our signings (while supplies last). You may purchase or bring items to be signed; however, we may restrict the type or number of items to be signed as necessary.

Some signings require a wristband for entry, as noted on the schedule. Drawings for wristbands for these events will begin at show opening the day before and day of each signing, unless otherwise noted. Come to the Dark Horse booth early for the best chance to join these events.

Lines may also be closed for some signings due to crowding or time restrictions.

We have two signing stages. One features art by Mike Mignola for Hellboy; the other showcases art from Stranger Things by Aleksi Bricolt, Kyle Lambert and Rafael Albuquerque. The following abbreviations indicate the location of each signing:

HB = Hellboy Signing Stage  ST = Stranger Things Signing Stage

All events are subject to change. Some restrictions apply. Please see Dark Horse Comics staff if you have questions.

THURSDAY, JULY 19

11:00-11:45 AM:     HB      FEMINA AND FAUNA, HELMETGIRLS: Camilla d’Errico
12:00-12:45 PM:    HB      FINAL FANTASY, VAMPIRE HUNTER D, THE SKY: Yoshitaka Amano
*WRISTBAND REQUIRED
*LIMIT ONE PRINT, ONE OTHER ITEM PER PERSON
*OTHER RESTRICTIONS WILL APPLY — SEE STAFF FOR INFO

12:00-12:45 PM:    ST      ROME WEST: Justin Giampaoli, Matthew Taylor
2:00-2:45 PM:        HB      BLACKWOOD: Veronica Fish, Andy Fish
2:00-2:45 PM:        ST       STRANGER THINGSSTARCRAFT: SCAVENGERS: Jody Houser
3:00-3:45 PM:        HB      THE SHAOLIN COWBOY, LEAD POISONING,
THE BIG GUY AND RUSTY THE BOY ROBOT: Geof Darrow
3:00-3:45 PM:        ST       CALL OF DUTY: Jason Blundell, Craig Houston, E.M. Gist
4:00-4:45 PM:        HB       LADY KILLER: Joëlle Jones
5:00-5:45 PM:        HB       ELFQUEST: Wendy Pini, Richard Pini
5:00-5:45 PM:        ST       SOUPY LEAVES HOME: Cecil Castellucci
6:00-6:45 PM:        HB      MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: Todd Nauck, Felicia Day, Michael Heisler
*WRISTBAND REQUIRED
*NO POSED PHOTOGRAPHY
*LIMIT ONE PRINT, ONE PREVIEW COMIC, ONE OTHER ITEM PER PERSON
*OTHER RESTRICTIONS APPLY—SEE STAFF FOR INFO

6:00-6:45 PM:        ST       EMILY AND THE STRANGERS: Rob Reger, Buzz Parker

FRIDAY, JULY 20

10:00-10:45 AM:     HB       USAGI YOJIMBO: Stan Sakai
11:00-11:45 AM:      ST       BANDETTE, COLDER, THE WITCHER, PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES: Paul Tobin
BANDETTE: Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover
12:00-1:30 PM:       HB       DR. HORRIBLE’S SING-ALONG BLOG REUNION: Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon,  Maurissa Tancharoen, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day
*WRISTBAND REQUIRED
*NO POSED PHOTOGRAPHY
*LIMIT ONE PRINT, ONE OTHER ITEM PER PERSON
*OTHER RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY—SEE STAFF FOR INFO
*WRISTBANDS DISTRIBUTED AT OPENING WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY

12:00-12:45 PM:      ST       EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS: Jim Sullos
2:00-2:45 PM:          HB       DISNEY / PIXAR THE INCREDIBLES 2 #1: CRISIS IN MID-LIFE! & OTHER STORIES: Landry Q. Walker
2:00-2:45 PM:          ST       BLACK HAMMER: Jeff Lemire
3:00-3:45 PM:          ST       HALO: Alex Irvine, Tyler Jeffers, Jody Houser, Jonathan Wayshak
3:30-4:30 PM:          HB       BERGER BOOKS: Karen Berger, Richard Bruning, Ann Nocenti, Christopher Cantwell, Dave Gibbons, Dean Haspiel, G. Willow Wilson
4:00-4:45 PM:          ST        AMERICAN GODS: MY AINSEL: Scott Hampton, David Mack, Jennifer T. Lange
4:30-5:15 PM:          HB        HELLBOY: Mike Mignola
5:00-5:45 PM:          ST        BIOWARE: Matthew Goldman (Creative Director, Dragon Age), Mike Gamble (Lead Producer, Anthem)
6:00-6:45 PM:          HB        GOD OF WAR: Tony Parker, E.M. Gist, Corey Barlog

SATURDAY, JULY 21

10:00-10:45 AM:       HB        PROJECT TBA: G. Willow Wilson
11:00-11:45 AM:        HB       THE SEEDS: Ann Nocenti
12:00-12:45 PM:       ST        STRANGER THINGSSTARCRAFT: SCAVENGERS: Jody Houser
1:00-1:45 PM:           HB        THE ALCOHOLIC: Dean Haspiel
1:00-1:45 PM:           ST         NEIL GAIMAN’S A STUDY IN EMERALD: Rafael Albuquerque, Rafael Scavone
2:00-2:45 PM:           HB        SHE COULD FLY: Christopher Cantwell
3:00-3:45 PM:           ST         GO TEAM VENTURE! THE ART AND MAKING OF THE VENTURE BROS.: Doc Hammer, Jackson Publick, Ken Plume
*WRISTBAND REQUIRED
*NO POSED PHOTOGRAPHY
*OTHER RESTRICTIONS WILL APPLY — SEE STAFF FOR INFO

4:00-4:45 PM:           ST         HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE SERPENT’S HEIR: Richard Hamilton
4:30-6:00 PM:           HB         XERXES: THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF DARIUS AND THE RISE OF ALEXANDER, SIN CITY, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARTHA WASHINGTON IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY: Frank Miller
XERXES: THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF DARIUS AND THE RISE OF ALEXANDER: Alex Sinclair
*WRISTBAND REQUIRED
*NO POSED PHOTOGRAPHY
*LIMIT ONE PRINT, ONE OTHER ITEM PER PERSON
*OTHER RESTRICTIONS WILL APPLY—SEE STAFF FOR INFO

5:00-5:45 PM:           ST         BEDTIME GAMES: Nick Keller
6:00-6:45 PM:           HB         THE ORIGINALS, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARTHA WASHINGTON IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY: Dave Gibbons

SUNDAY, JULY 22

11:00-11:45 AM:          HB        ELFQUEST: Wendy Pini, Richard Pini
11:00-11:45 AM:          ST        EMPOWERED: Adam Warren
12:00-12:45 PM:         ST         TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN: Shannon Wheeler
12:30-1:15 PM:           HB        THE SECRET LOVES OF GEEKS: Hope Nicholson, Maia Kobabe, Dylan Edwards, Megan Kearney
2:00-2:45 PM:             ST         BIOWARE: Matthew Goldman (Creative Director, Dragon Age), Mike Gamble (Lead Producer, Anthem)
2:00-3:30 PM:             HB         FINAL FANTASY, VAMPIRE HUNTER D, THE SKY: Yoshitaka Amano
*WRISTBAND REQUIRED
*LIMIT ONE PRINT, ONE OTHER ITEM PER PERSON
*OTHER RESTRICTIONS WILL APPLY — SEE STAFF FOR INFO

Panels

THURSDAY, JULY 19

11:00 AM-12:00 PM:      Growing Up with Comics: Introducing Younger Readers to Graphic Storytelling (Room: 23ABC)
Comics are a great way to get kids interested in art, reading, and storytelling—and, well, they’re fun! Join Sergio Aragonés (Groo), Cecil Castellucci (Soupy Leaves Home), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), and Landry Q. Walker (Disney / Pixar The Incredibles 2: Crisis in Mid-Life! & Other Stories) to discover and discuss the ever-growing library of incredible all-ages comics!

 3:00-4:00 PM:                 Spotlight on Jeff Lemire (Room: 25ABC)
Comic-Con special guest Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer, Descender, Gideon Falls) and veteran comic book editor Will Dennis discuss Lemire’s various creator-owned projects and for the first time preview both the upcoming Family Tree and Ascender! Panel will feature Dustin Nguyen (Batman, Descender) and a Q&A session.

5:00-6:00 PM:                 Across the Editor’s Desk: A Day in the Life of Comics Unsung Heroes (Room: 23ABC)
Have you always wondered what a comic book editor does? Do you think you have what it takes to become a comics industry professional? Dark Horses want to give you insight on breaking into the industry and working with a powerhouse publisher! Join Dark Horse editors for a rare behind the panels look at the secrets to breaking into the industry and building successful comic and graphic novel programs.

FRIDAY, JULY 20

10:00-11:00 AM:             Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog Reunion (Room: Hall H)
In 2008, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog became a beloved web-series. The show tells the story of Dr. Horrible (played by Neil Patrick Harris), an aspiring supervillain; Moist (Simon Helberg), Dr. Horrible’s minion; Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion), his nemesis; and Penny (Felicia Day), their shared love interest. Celebrate the 10th anniversary of this popular show by joining creator Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day, and Maurissa Tancharoen for a lively discussion and celebration!

 11:00 AM-12:00 PM:         Thirty Years of Dark Horse Manga (Room: 23ABC)
Come celebrate Dark Horse’s 30 years of manga with special panel guest Yoshitaka Amano! One of the most honored Japanese fantasy, science fiction, and video game illustrators, Dark Horse has released more works in English by Amano than any other publisher. We’ll have previews of our forthcoming illustrated biography of Yoshitaka Amano—and of course, a discussion of his life and career with the book’s subject, the artist himself!

2:30-3:30 PM:                   Spotlight on Mike Mignola (Room: 24ABC)
Comic-Con special guest Mike Mignola discusses Hellboy and anything else the audience wants to talk about regarding his career.

5:00-6:00 PM:                   Berger Books: The Second Wave (Room: 25ABC)
Berger Books keeps great comics coming in its second wave of new and unusual genre-bending series! Editor Karen Berger (Vertigo founder) is joined by Christopher Cantwell, co-creator of AMC’s acclaimed Halt and Catch Fire (She Could Fly), Dean Haspiel, Emmy Award-winning artist of HBO’s Bored to Death (The Alcoholic), legendary comics writer Ann Nocenti (The Seeds), art director Richard Bruning, and the one and only Dave Gibbons (The Originals) plus a special surprise guest and announcement! 

SATURDAY, JULY 21

2:30-3:30 PM:                Spotlight on Yoshitaka Amano
Join Comic-Con International in honoring one of the most recognized Japanese artists of the last half-century, Yoshitaka Amano. Amano’s storied career spans decades with thousands of works including Final FantasyVampire Hunter D, and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman: The Dream Hunters. Amano will delight fans by live drawing some of his original characters and will participate in a brief Q&A.

3:00-4:00 PM:                 Artists Who Write: The Craft and Creation of Comics (Room: 7AB)
Whether it’s a superhero adventure, a colorful fantasy world, an ultra-violent crime noir, or a new take on an old classic, creators put a lot of thought into the sequential art that drives stories told in comics. Join an all-star lineup of Dark Horse creators including Frank Miller (Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander, Sin City), Dave Gibbons (The Originals, The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the Twenty-First Century), Joëlle Jones (Lady Killer), Wendy Pini (ElfQuest), and Rafael Albuquerque (EI8HT) as they discuss turning an idea into a full-fledged story and how they continue to keep their writing fresh.

SUNDAY, JULY 22

11:00 AM-12:00 PM:       The Secret Loves of Geeks (Room: 32AB)
Vita Ayala (comics writer, The Wilds), Ivan Salazar (PR, comiXology), Maia Kobabe (cartoonist, Genderqueer), Hope Nicholson (editor, The Secret Loves of Geeks) and Dylan Edwards (cartoonist, Transposes) discuss the genesis behind The Secret Loves of Geeks anthology, how vulnerable writing and comics are needed, and the new projects they are working on next. Moderated by Dustin Nelson.

10:00-11:00 AM:              Spotlight on Rafael Albuquerque (Room: 24 ABC)

3:00-4:00 PM:                  Spotlight on Ann Nocenti (Room: 4)   

[Original Article – 6/26/2018]

Dark Horse is proud to announce its selection of exclusive merchandise available at SDCC! We have two new gorgeous convention exclusive variant covers set to debut: The Quantum Age #1 and StarCraft: Scavengers #1! Dark Horse will also reveal four new convention exclusive products from Game of ThronesMystery Science Theater 3000, and The Umbrella Academy.

All exclusive merchandise will be available at the Dark Horse booth (#2615) for all of SDCC 2018. Please note, there will be a fixed number of exclusives set aside for each day of the convention.

Check out the full roster of Dark Horse’s convention exclusives, along with quantity and price, below!

The Quantum Age #1 Convention Exclusive (Marcos Martín)
$10.00
Limited print run of 1,000
Limit of 5 per person per day

StarCraft: Scavengers #1 Convention Exclusive (Wei Wang)
$10.00
Limited print run of 1,000
Limit of 5 per person per day

Game of Thrones Dothraki Map Marker
$30
Limited quantity of 1,000
Limit of 5 per person per day

Game of Thrones Tormund Giantsbane Figure
$40
Limited quantity of 300
Limit of 2 per person per day

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Coaster Set
$10
Limited quantity of 1,000
Limit of 10 per person per day

Umbrella Academy Hazel and Cha Cha Enamel Pin
$10
Limited quantity of 1,000
Limit of 10 per person per day

Umbrella Academy Crest T-shirt
$25
Limited quantity of 400
Limit of 2 per person per day

Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 Convention Exclusive (Rafael Albuquerque)
$5.00
Limited print run of 1,000
Limit of 5 per person per day

American Gods: My Ainsel #1 Convention Exclusive (Christian Ward)
$10.00
Limited print run of 1,000
Limit of 5 per person per day

American Gods: Shadows #1 Convention Exclusive (Skottie Young)
$10.00
Limited print run of 1,400
Limit of 5 per person per day

Black Hammer #1 Convention Exclusive (Fábio Moon)
$10.00
Limited print run of 1,400
Limit of 5 per person per day

Black Hammer: Age of Doom #1 Convention Exclusive (James Stokoe)
$10.00
Limited print run of 1,000
Limit of 5 per person per day

Henchgirl Convention Exclusive Hardcover (Kristen Gudsnuk)
$25.00
Limited print run of 250
Limit of 1 per person per day

Sherlock Frankenstein & The Legion of Evil #1 Convention Exclusive (Daniel Warren Johnson)
$10.00
Limited print run of 750
Limit of 5 per person per day

About the author

Media Journalist | Michael loves all things pop culture and has an opinion about everything whether you ask for it or not. Michael collects steelbooks, posters, convention exclusives, LEGO, Transformers, and everything in between.