San Diego Comic Con Reaction
Written By Alex Eklund
Canon was nominated for the 2026 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism, so Colin and I made the trip to San Diego Comic Con and the Eisner’s to see what was happening across the comics world and the broader pop-culture universe.
The Floor
I had several genuinely wonderful conversations on the floor. I spoke with Steve Leaf of Hermes Press about his love of comics and his work reprinting classic newspaper strips. He shared some heartfelt stories about George Pérez, someone I never had the chance to meet, but felt closer to after hearing Steve’s memories.
I also had a fantastic conversation with members of the Massive Publishing team about their Zorro: Man of the Dead Artist Edition. They’ve done an impressive job creating an affordable hardcover format for original art reproduction, large enough to appreciate the work, yet still comfortable to pick up and read. They were incredibly generous with their time, discussing their process and the future books they’re excited to produce.
Panels
I love a good comics panel, even a memorably bad one, and this year delivered some excellent sessions.
One standout was “Trina Robbins: Comics Activist,” which covered her work advocating for women’s rights, abortion access, and the LGBT community during the AIDS epidemic. The panel featured a strong lineup, including cartoonist Lee Marrs. I met Trina Robbins once before, in 2023 during my only other visit to Comic Con, when she signed my copy of The Complete Wimmen’s Comix shortly before her passing, so this panel meant a lot.
Another highlight was “Last Man Standing at SDCC,” hosted by Gary Groth of Fantagraphics and featuring Paul Levitz, Mike Richardson, Ross Richie, and Dean Mullaney. As someone running a micro-publisher, it was fascinating to see the mix of ego, vision, and interconnectedness required to run a major comics company. Everyone on that stage had a story that tied into someone else’s it was a great time.
Original Art
Of all the West Coast shows I’ve attended, SDCC has the strongest and priciest selection of original art. I saw pieces by Basil Wolverton, Milt Caniff, Frank King (a personal holy grail), and many other masters.
One day on the floor, I stumbled upon Esad Ribić painting live. For some reason I assumed he worked digitally, but seeing him paint in person was incredible.
I picked up Cornelius: The Merry Life of a Wretched Dog by Marc Torices, who sketched in my copy as we talked about the honor of being Eisner-nominated and the likelihood that someone else would win our category. Marc was one of the kindest people I met all weekend.
I also got a cat sketch from Geof Darrow at the Dark Horse booth. He was doodling on posters before his signing started, and he remains one of the funniest, quickest, and most generous storytellers you’ll ever meet.
Finally, I purchased two Joe Sacco pages from Scott Eder easily the most expensive art I’ve ever bought. I heard Sacco speak for the first time at Rose City Comic Con this year, and his work was instrumental in pulling me back into comics during college. Scott was incredibly kind and even lowered the price after we had a great conversation. The pages are from his collaboration with Harvey Pekar, a reminder of Pekar’s longevity and the sheer number of artists he worked with on American Splendor.
Like many comic art collectors, my bank account was hurting a bit after the trip but it was worth every penny.
The Eisners
The Eisners were easily the most exciting part of the trip. I never expected to be nominated for an Eisner, ever. Being there was surreal, even if a couple at our table had a loud argument that drew the attention of five other tables around us.
I met John Kelly and his wife, creators of Dummy zine. John was one of the funniest people I encountered all weekend, his sarcasm is elite. I also met David Harper of SKTCHD and Off Panel, whose podcast I’ve listened to since the pandemic. He was just as gracious and kind in person as he is on his show.
Colin and I said repeatedly that we had no chance of winning, and I think David Harper absolutely deserved his win in our category. The hosts were excellent, and it was inspiring to see so much talent on stage.
One thing I walked away with was a renewed appreciation for how much creativity exists in the comics community. I’m not always the most positive person, and I’ve had concerns about parts of the industry lately. But even if the variant-cover bubble bursts or the Big Two decide to stop printing physical editions, a very real concern under corporate ownership, there are still incredible creators at every level making books worth reading.
Honorable Mentions
A few people made the trip even better. I want to thank the very cool young couple from Florida I met while entering the convention on Friday. We had a great conversation about animation, working at Disney, and indie comics. I hope they found plenty of treasures.
It was also wonderful meeting Jake Zawlacki in person for the first time. He’s a fellow educator, and his passion for comics is obvious both on the page and in conversation.
Finally, thank you to Colin, Tami, and my wife Anna for being such great travel companions. This was truly a trip I won’t forget.
