SDCC '26: Prism Comics returns to Comic-Con with five panels and a stacked signing roster

Prism Comics is back at San Diego Comic-Con for its 23rd consecutive year, and the nonprofit is bringing five panels, a booth full of talent signings, and its annual guidebook to what remains the largest LGBTQIA+ presence on the convention floor.

The org's programming runs Wednesday, July 22, through Sunday, July 26, at Comic-Con International: San Diego, with Booth 2144 serving as home base for signings, merch, and meet-ups all weekend.

"It's more important than ever to keep LGBTQIA+ voices raised loud and strong in comics and popular media," said Ted Abenheim, President of Prism Comics, in a statement. He framed the booth's programming as a direct response to a moment when queer readers — of all ages — need to see themselves reflected in the stories they consume.

Photo Credit: Ollie Kaplan

Prism Comics Panel Lineup

Prism's five panels this year cover the breadth of queer comics culture. Check them out below:

Transgender and Nonbinary Creators Stay Relevant and Proud

Thursday, 7/23/2026, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Room: 9

Trans and nonbinary people have faced political setbacks as hard-won rights are challenged across the country. However, trans creators are still speaking up, sharing their experiences, and making a difference in the fight for equality. How can trans and nonbinary artists use their work to support the community? How can trans stories reach broader audiences? What can trans and nonbinary creators bring that popular culture desperately needs? Join Prism Comics and moderator Tara Madison Avery (Stacked Deck Press, We're Still Here) and panelists Sonya Saturday (The Greatest Thing You've Ever Seen in Your Life, J.K. Rowling and the Ungrateful Fans), Simon Jane Robrock (Blue Hare Comix, MADE U LOOK), Margeaux Pepoy (The Adventures of Simone & Ajax, Betty & Veronica), Mac Maclean (Opting Out, Death Saves, 3rd Edition), and Jenny Blake Isabella (Black Lightning, Ghost Rider), and Liam Coballes (Shifter, The Out Side) for a lively discussion of these and other questions!

LGBTQIA+ Activism in Comics

Friday, 7/24/2026, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Room: 4

In a time of polarization when politics have seeped into every corner of popular culture, what is the role of comics creators? How do comic books and pop art comment on the current social and political climates...or should they at all?  Join Prism Comics and moderator, David Reddish (political journalist, anchor for Occupy Democrats and host of The David Reddish Show), and panelists Tara Madison Avery (We’re Still Here, publisher Stacked Deck Press), Marc Andreyko, (Torso, Love Is Love), David M. Booher (Canto, Ghostbusters, Killer Queens), Sarah Gailey (Upright Women Wanted, Eat The Rich), and William O. Tyler (We Belong, Theater of Terror: Revenge of The Queers) as they discuss how the Trump era has affected the popular genre of comics and how queer artists use their voices to inspire the public and be catalysts for change and empathy.  

Queer Horror

Friday, 7/24/2026, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM, Room: 10

The horror genre has always attempted to bring us to the threshold of our fears and use a dark lens of the fantastic to force us to come face-to-face with issues the mainstream may otherwise dare not address. For those in the LGBTQIA+ community, this sense of otherness within the genre is not only terrifying and titillating, it is often relatable. The queer community has had a long history with the horror genre, from the sapphic subtext of Gothic Literature to modern fare such as Summoning Sylvia, T-Blockers, and The Boulet Brothers' Dragula. Does a queer horror genre exist, and, if so, what makes it different from mainstream horror?  Furthermore, how does the current political climate alter the lens through which we celebrate and connect to the macabre? Join Prism Comics and moderator/screenwriter Michael Varrati (There’s a Zombie Outside, The Midnight Mass Podcast) and an array of panelists including Drusilla Adeline (Bloodhaus Podcast, Sister Hyde Design), C.J. Arellano (Dry January, Griffica), Casey Gilly (Return to Sleepy Hollow, Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer), Daniel Montgomery (The Jessica Cabin), William O. Tyler (We Belong, Four Seasons of Fear), and Vander Von Odd (The Boulet Brothers Dragula, Scorch Marks) as they explore the current realms of queer horror.

Out In Comics: Year 39

Saturday, 7/25/26, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Room: 4

The comic world’s longest-running panel is back for its 39th record-breaking year. The Comic Book world has become a celebrated part of the Pop Culture world. LGBTQ comics and graphic novels for all ages are being produced and acclaimed in incredible numbers, and queer characters are finally starting to show up in genre movies and TV shows like Star Trek Discovery and X-Men '97. And yet, in our politicized and polarized world, LGBTQ comics and graphic novels and LGBTQ characters in popular media are facing more banning and opposition than in previous years. This means that telling stories of queer characters of diverse backgrounds and identities is more important than ever before. Join Prism Comics, moderator Andy Mangels [he/him] (the Founder of the “Out In Comics” panel; bestselling author of Wonder Woman ‘77 Meets The Bionic Woman, Star Trek and Star Wars books and comics) and special guest panelists Sarah Gailey (Upright Women Wanted, Eat The Rich), George Gene Gustines (comics journalist and editor, New York Times), Jenny Blake Isabella (Black Lightning, Ghost Rider), Rupert Kinnard (Brown Bomber and The Diva), Jim McCann (The Other/Half), Margeaux Pepoy (The Adventures of Simone & Ajax), Brandon T. Snider (Supergirl's Family Vacation, Pride Parade Mad Libs), and others to be announced as they discuss what being “Out In Comics” means now and in the future. A short Prism Comics Meet-and-Greet will follow the panel discussion. 

Queer Comics in Color

Sunday, 7/26/26, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM, Room: 10

Inclusion and diversity are crucial to storytelling. All cultural voices deserve to be heard in comics and popular media. Join Prism Comics, Moderator Viktor Kerney (StrangeLore, We Belong), and panelists Julie Fiveash (The Froggy Library), Jesse Ledina (AndrogynArt), Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies, Living While Black), Sean Z (MYTH, Ramonah Rising) and others to be announced in a discussion of the contributions of queer people of color to comic books and graphic novels and ways of creating a more inclusive and powerful queer geek community.

The headliner is arguably Out In Comics, now in its 39th year and billed as the longest-running panel in convention history. Founder Andy Mangels returns to moderate, joined by Sarah Gailey, George Gene Gustines, Jenny Blake Isabella, Rupert Kinnard, Jim McCann, Margeaux Pepoy, and Brandon T. Snider, among others still to be announced. A meet-and-greet follows the discussion.

Signings and the Guide

Booth 2144 will host signings from more than two dozen creators across the weekend, including David M. Booher (*Killer Queens*, Ghostbusters), Wendy and Richard Pini (*Elfquest*), Sarah Gailey (*Eat the Rich*), and Stephanie Williams (*Nubia: Queen of the Amazons*). Daily signing schedules will be posted at the booth, since lineups shift day to day. But you can check out the preliminary line-up here.

Prism will also distribute its free annual LGBTQ+ Guide to Comic-Con, compiled by Mangels and designed by Abenheim, both at the booth and as a digital download via prismcomics.org.

Kick-Off Party

Ahead of the convention floor opening, Prism hosts its Comic-Con Weekend Kick-Off Party on Thursday, July 23, 8 PM–midnight at Pecs Bar in Hillcrest (2046 University Ave). It's free, 21-and-over, cosplay-encouraged, and doubles as a fundraiser for the organization.

Full panel and signing schedules are available at prismcomics.org and across Prism Comics' social channels.

Source: Prism Comics