The 19 most important panels of San Diego Comic-Con 2022
San Diego Comic-Con is back after a two year hiatus. Here are the biggest panels you need to hit up.
There’s been an awakening. Do you feel it? It’s the return of Comic-Con, baby!
After a two year absence, Comic-Con makes its in-person return in San Diego.
From Thursday, July 21 through Sunday, July 24, San Diego Comic-Con will take place inside the San Diego Convention Center, with the biggest news in nerddom breaking out like Batman villains from Arkham Asylum.
Inverse will be on the ground to check out the festivities and interview some of your favorite TV, movie, comic, and game creators. But whether you’ll be in San Diego with us or keeping tabs from home, you definitely want to know what the biggest panels are and when news about your favorite franchises will break. Here are the most buzzworthy panels to keep up with at Comic-Con this year.
Are any of the panels being livestreamed?
In a word, no. While there may be some exceptions, that decision is left up to the organizers of each individual panel, and the vast majority aren’t being livestreamed. While there will be some footage released after the convention, there aren’t any ways to watch along from home.
While some entities like Marvel will host a livestream during the weekend, they won’t stream the panels themselves. Instead, to keep up with the news it’s recommended you follow the official accounts of your favorite franchises on social media.
Aside from Special Edition Comic-Con last fall, the last time San Diego Comic-Con took place in person was in 2019. What awaits the first proper Comic-Con in two years?
THURSDAY, July 21
Celebrating 50 Years of Jim Starlin
- Legendary comic book creator Jim Starlin, responsible for icons like Thanos and Shang-Chi, has his very own panel to kick off Comic-Con. Hosted by Coy Jandreau of Nerdist and Collider, the panel promises to feature never-before-seen art, anecdotes from Starlin’s career, and some surprises.
- Where: Room 7AB
- When: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
- Paramount Pictures and eOne will unveil the upcoming live-action Dungeons & Dragons movie. Paramount hasn’t yet confirmed which cast members will appear, but given that it’s taking place inside the hallowed halls of Hall H this is not one to miss.
- Where: Hall H
- When: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Charge to 100 and Beyond!
- The legitimately awesome, we-swear-it’s-good Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comics from BOOM! Studios celebrates the upcoming milestone 100th issue. Veteran scribes Ryan Parrott, Mat Groom, and Melissa Flores join editors Dafna Pleban and Allyson Gronowitz for a discussion about past issues and what’s yet to come.
- Where: Room 25ABC
- When: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Todd McFarlane Celebrates Spawn’s 30th Anniversary
- Todd McFarlane commemorates three decades of the most powerful indie comic book superhero in history. While McFarlane is going to have plenty to say about his NFT endeavors, he’ll no doubt also have something to say about the long-in-development Spawn reboot movie.
- Where: Room 6DE
- When: 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
A Look Inside the Making of Gotham Knights
- In a world without Batman, the Bat-Family rises to the occasion. The developers behind Gotham Knights will be at Comic-Con to reveal more about the upcoming video game, including creative director Patrick Redding, narrative director Ann Lemay, actors America Young (Batgirl), Christopher Sean (Nightwing), and more.
- Where: Room 6A
- When: 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Harley Quinn Season 3 Advance Screening
- The third season of Harley Quinn on HBO Max will premiere at Comic-Con with convention attendees previewing the first two episodes of the season. Seats are limited, so get there early. You might be surprised at who’s in attendance.
- Where: Room 5AB
- When: 10:00 p.m to 11:00 p.m.
The convention isn’t limited to the San Diego Convention Center. All weekend, the nearby Gaslamp District becomes a hangout for attendees looking for a bite to eat and cosplays to check out.
FRIDAY, July 22
The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power
- Jeff Bezos said he wanted a Game of Thrones killer for Prime Video. Does he have one? We’ll find out soon enough when Amazon brings the the historic (and historically expensive) Lord of the Rings series, The Rings of Power, to Comic-Con. Series showrunners JD Payne, Patrick McKay, and Lindsey Weber will attend alongside the show’s numerous principle cast members as they unveil more about the show in an epic Hall H panel.
- Where: Hall H
- When: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal Season 2 Q&A
- Legendary animator Genndy Tartakovsky shows off the second season of his acclaimed series, Primal. If you ever had a question for the man about his work, which encompass the likes of Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and Star Wars: Clone Wars, this is your shot.
- Where: Indigo Ballroom
- When: 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
DC’s Jim Lee and Friends
- Comic book industry titan Jim Lee will be joined by a few surprise guests as he previews what’s to come from DC Comics.
- Where: Room 6DE
- When: 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
60 Years of Spider-Man: A This Week in Marvel Special Event
- Marvel’s Ryan Penagos and Nick Lowe are joined by Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott — and some surprise guests — for a panel on all things Spider-Man in a live recording of the podcast This Week in Marvel.
- Where: Room 25ABC
- When: 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
FXX’s Little Demon Exclusive Pre-Series Premiere Sneak Peek Screening and Q&A
- Community and Rick Morty creator Dan Harmon shows off his newest live-action series, Little Demon, for FXX. 13 years after being impregnated by Satan (Danny DeVito), a young mother (Aubrey Plaza) tries to raise her teenage daughter Chrissy (Lucy DeVito) in suburban Delaware. Series creators Darcy Fowler, Seth Kirschner, and Kieran Valla are joined by executive producer Harmon for an advance screening and Q&A.
- Where: Indigo Ballroom
- When: 4:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
When Marvel last graced the stage of Hall H, it unveiled the slate of Phase 4. Will Marvel reveal what’s to come in Phase 5?
SATURDAY, July 23
Warner Bros Theatrical (AKA: The Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods panel)
- The official title for the panel may sound more like a quarterly meeting on Wall Street, but rest assured: Warner Bros.’ panel this year is full of might. Warner returns to Hall H with previews of both Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods with stars Dwayne Johnson and Zachary Levi. Will these two finally duke it out on the big screen? Maybe we’ll find out.
- Where: Hall H
- When: 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Cartoon Voices 1
- One of the best annual Comic-Con panels — and arguably the convention’s best kept secret — finally returns. Voice director Mark Evanier once again assembles an all-star cast of voice actors, including Phil LaMarr (Samurai Jack), Alicyn Packard (The Tom & Jerry Show), Shelby Young (Star Wars), and Townsend Coleman (The Tick) to table read a familiar story while using their talents to make it unforgettable. As any Comic-Con veteran will tell you, this is one of the best panels of the weekend.
- Where: Room 6BCF
- When: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The Sandman Special Presentation and Q&A
- Prepare to enter The Dreaming. The live-action adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s celebrated DC comic book series The Sandman, set to begin streaming August 5 on Netflix, will grace Hall H with attendance from several stars and producers. The panel will have a “special video presentation” followed by a Q&A.
- Where: Hall H
- When: 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Marvel Studios
- Two years after unveiling Phase 4, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige returns to Hall H to reveal the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Expect the unexpected.
- Where: Hall H
- When: 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
A Panel With Kevin Smith!
- Kevin Smith returns to Comic-Con with a preview of Clerks III. He’ll also drop some news about the second season of his Netflix series, Masters of the Universe, subtitled Revolution.
- Where: Hall H
- When: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
If you’re going to Comic-Con this year, know that the convention is mandating masks inside the convention. Luckily, that shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.
SUNDAY, July 24
I Hear Voices with Will Friedle and Christy Carlson Romano
- The stars of Disney’s Kim Possible reunite for the show’s 20th anniversary to record a live episode of Romano’s podcast I Hear Voices. The panel promises to have a few extra surprises in a deep dive about the voice acting industry.
- Where: Room 6BCF
- When: 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Bringing Marvel’s Superhero Team to Life on the Big Screen
- A panel featuring an ensemble of production designers, fight choreographers, stuntmen, and prop makers from Marvel Studios look back on how the MCU came to life.
- Where: Room 6DE
- When: 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Cartoon Voices 2
- The second Cartoon Voices panel of the weekend, featuring voice actors Jim Meskimen (Thundercats), Rosemary Watson (Let’s Be Real), Fred Tatasciore (The Hulk), Kaitlyn Robrock (Minnie Mouse), and Zeno Robinson (My Hero Academia).
- Where: Room 6A
- When: 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
See you there!
