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8 Comic-Con Experiences You Can Do Without a Badge

Stroll through the Petco Park Interactive Zone, watch a rooftop superhero movie, experience working at Severance and more
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man

Spider-Man

Spider-Man: No Way Home

July 20

2022 Night at The Comic-Con Museum

Enjoy an extravagant night at the Comic-Con Museum as Spider-Man gets inducted into the Comic-Con Museum Character Hall of Fame, joining recent inductees like Wonder Woman, Pac-Man and Batman. The celebration will be filled with creative food, cocktails, characters and cosplay, and also features exhibits and entertainment detailing the legend of Spider-Man. Event tickets are $250 and tickets for the red carpet reception are $650, both of which can be found here. | 2131 Pan American Plaza, Gaslamp 

July 21

Comic-Con Day at Rooftop Cinema Club

Enjoy your favorite superhero films on the rooftop of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, just a 10-minute walk away from the Comic-Con action at the San Diego Convention Center. There are three superhero-sized showings throughout this Thursday with a 4 p.m. showing of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, another Marvel hit Spider-Man: No Way Home at 7:45 p.m., and finishing off with a late-night screening of Venom: Let There Be Carnage at 11 p.m. Get your tickets online for the chance to see your favorite comic book heroes fight on the big screen from the comfort of a lounge chair. | 1 Market Place, Embarcadero

July 21-23

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Tavern

In a pop up tavern just a few blocks away from Comic-Con, fans of the mythic role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons can immerse themselves in a D&D style setting that gives fans a sneak peak of what to expect for the franchise’s upcoming film. Fans can take a 20-minute tour with photo ops, try Dragon Brew, and talk with characters in the D&D universe. You can reserve a tour online or join the stand-by line operating on a first come first served basis. The tavern will be open Thursday from 12-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Corner of Sixth Avenue and Island Avenue, Gaslamp

July 21-24

The Comic-Con Art Show

Another Comic-Con feature that’s open to the general public is the Comic-Con Art Show being held on the lobby level of the Manchester Grand Hyatt. There will be many unique drawings, sculptures and paintings on display from amateur and professional artists available for purchase through silent auction bidding (which closes Saturday at 6 p.m.) or quick-sale. Also on display will be the nominated books and comics for the 2022 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, which showcases the best comics in creative achievement. The art show will be on display Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. | 1 Market Place, Embarcadero

Petco Park Interactive Zone

Wander into the Petco Park Interactive Zone with more than a dozen different features for fans to check out across the street from Comic-Con. Fans get the chance to demo new Nintendo games including Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Nintendo Switch Sports and Mario Strikers: Battle League. There will also be a Hello Kitty Cafe Truck with desserts and collectibles, and fans can try the Coolhaus Ice Cream Truck which will be serving Star Trek: Wrath of P’Khan Anniversary Ice Cream. The interactive zone will be open Thursday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 100 Park Boulevard, Downtown

Severance Experience

On the cusp of receiving 14 Emmy award nominations, the new AppleTV+ drama Severance is offering fans the chance to experience life as a Lumon Industries’ employee at the Hard Rock Hotel this Thursday-Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Featuring recognizable locations from the show, fans will go through new employee orientation at Lumon and have their work and personal life “severed” while discovering that everything isn’t as it seems. Reserve a time slot on their site for the day of (reservations open at 6 a.m.) or come early to snag a spot in the standby line. | 207 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp

Chuck Jones Gallery Popup

For the duration of Comic-Con, Sparks Gallery will be hosting the Chuck Jones Gallery, with artwork and animation paying tribute to the iconic Looney Tunes animator and writer of classic shorts featuring iconic characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and more. The gallery will be selling abstract, surreal and pop-inspired artwork from artists whose work is on display. Visitors can take a peek at Looney Tunes characters in augmented and virtual reality and catch appearances from several animators in the industry, including The Simpsons storyboard artist Stephen Reis on Thursday. Open Daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 530 Sixth Avenue, Gaslamp

Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing Exhibition

Want to know the extensive story behind everyone’s favorite teenage webslinger? Check out the Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing exhibition, which opened on July 1. Guests can see the documented history and progression of Spider-Man lore and the stories behind the people who made it all possible. Featuring interactive props, costumes and artifacts from the 1960s to the present, learn more about one of the world’s favorite superheroes. Adult tickets are $30 and can be purchased here. | 2131 Pan American Plaza, Gaslamp

By Ryan Hardison

Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.

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