The Best Finds at Comic-Con 2022

By Elizabeth Bickford

Comic-Con 2022 was filled with so many unique and interesting experiences! I was curious as to how Comic-Con would feel after so many years of postponement, but it was like we never left. It felt the same, except for the masking indoors, with just a bit more excitement and anticipation after two years away. I wanted to mention some of the best experiences from Comic-Con 2022.

The Best Convention Floor Display

This display was not done by a big name the best display was done by a collectibles company called EFX Collectibles. Their animatronic Grogu from the Mandalorian was one of the most intricate and amazing props I have seen. The lifelike precision of the “Baby Yoda” inside of its floating egg made me want to just squeeze the little characters cheeks. The lifelike expression and motion of the face, eyes, and ears brought this character to life! It was definitely something that everyone had to see and it was such a surprise to turn around the corner and see this adorable Grogu sitting in a booth facing the backside of the convention center. It needed a place of more prominence and I hope that it’s at more conventions so that more fans can experience this impressive display.

The Best Off-Site Activation

The best off-site activation was also one of the toughest to get into! The Severance, by Apple TV+, experience was full of surprises. Every person who went through the activation had a different experience and a different story to tell when they left. If you have not seen Severance you definitely should check it.

The line was insane and very difficult to get into! Almost everyone at the con was waking up at 6 AM to try to get one of the coveted experience time slots. When I went I waited approximately seven hours in the standby line. When I woke up that morning, I did not get a pass so I went directly to the standby line and waited from 6:15 until 1 PM when I finally got into the activation - but I have to say that it was definitely worth it!

The experience was full of set props and it was a re-creation of the Lumon property, the main setting for the series. There were so many hidden experiences within the experience that everyone was able to walk away with a unique perspective. When I went through I was able to see O&D and find some paintings and hidden books. We also had a chance to see the security room, the wall of smiles, and we even saw a goat walk by! We were able to have a defiant jazz dance party (MDE) and we were able to explore the main office. The thought and attention to detail was beyond any other activation I have experienced this year or years prior! I hope that Apple TV+ puts on more experiences like this at future cons. Take a look at my experience here.

The Best Fan Experience

The best fan experience was the Walking Dead Fan Celebration! This event was a highlight of our time at Comic-Con 2022. This was one of the few after hours events that I went to that the actual actors and creators of the production were mingling with the guests. They were walking along the party, and I can tell you that as a fan we appreciated the actors willing to personally interact with fans of their work. Fans really are the reason that work gets to continue, and I love that The Walking Dead has always really appreciated their Fanbase and went out of their way to connect with them. At the fan party they offered food and drink and they had some very fun activities – like face painting and custom t-shirts. They had personal touches that touched back to the inception of the television series. You can see my reel here that features all the cool fan experiences offered at the event.

The Best Giveaways

Comic-Con is always full of a lot of giveaways and tons of freebies to promote brands, TV shows, and art. This year it was no different! There were tons of great giveaways, but I have to say that the Disney bundle works was the best place for the giveaways! The free swag was not just won by a push of a button or handed to you as you walk down a path but you played games and won tickets that you redeemed for different prizes. The assortment of prizes was the best at Comic-Con. They had branded items such as Disney jungle cruise hats, Mickey Mouse ears, Hulu plus mugs, ESPN water bottles, and so much more! This activation did take quite a bit of time to get through but the swag was worth it! I hope that they bring this back in the future! You can see my reel on all the fun games and prizes that this activation was giving away!

The Best Party

The best party of Comic-Con was The Fandom party! This exclusive event was one that you wanted to be at! The tickets sold out within seconds but if you were lucky enough to snag one you were treated to bottomless drinks, tray passed food, and a red-carpet event that was definitely Insta-worthy! To top off the night the event hosted world seventh DJ straight from Amsterdam, DJ Don Diablo played a 90 minutes set that was epic! Even the red-carpet attendees stayed to listen and catch the set. By the end of the night, celebrities and guest were intermingled and celebrating the kick off of comic-con. This is an event that you want to try and get tickets to next year! Be sure to check out my reel on the red-carpet event and catch a bit of DJ Don Diablo’s set.

The Best Year-Round way to Celebrate Pop-Culture

San Diego has a lot of great ways to celebrate pop-culture! To wrap up con this year I attended the Rooftop Cinema Club’s presentation of Pulp Fiction and I must tell you that this was a highlight of the week. The movie theater takes place on the fourth floor of the grand Hyatt San Diego and features a full concession stand and bar. Grab yourself some popcorn and candy and settle into a cozy and Adirondack chair. To complete the experience, they have headsets that help you control the volume and help hotel guest to not be disturbed. This presentation of Pulp Fiction was great because it really was a fun way to wrap up Comic-Con 2022. You can experience the Rooftop Cinema all year long! They have special themed events like the Harry Potter summer festival that they have going on this currently. You can check out my reel on my visit during Comic-Con or visit their website to book yourself some tickets.

You can watch my reel featuring all the best finds on my Instagram. Remember, many of these events do not require a Comic-Con badge and I encourage locals to stop by the con for a bit a fun!

Thank you to my hosts: Rooftop Cinema Club and Fandom – All thoughts and opinions are my own.