My official first day of San Diego Comic-Con 2026 was packed, but no panels or press rooms, just lots of activations around the Gaslamp area, including the “Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Experience”, the “Lanterns Training Headquarters”, a The Wolf Among Us Remastered experience, enterting Apple TVs Silo, and Nickelodeon’s “Fun Flows Here” outdoor activation.
If you missed my recap of Preview Night, check it out here.
I started off Thursday with a reserved time slot for Warner Bros’ Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Experience…
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Experience
The new The Big Bang Theory spin-off Stuart Fails To Save The Universe premiered on July 23 on HBO Max with new episodes debuting weekly Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. ET.
Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) is tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon. Stuart is aided in this quest by his girlfriend Denise (Lauren Lapkus), geologist friend Bert (Brian Posehn), and quantum physicist/all-around pain in the ass Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie). Along the way, they meet alternate-universe versions of characters we’ve come to know and love from “The Big Bang Theory.” As the title implies, things don’t go well.
The activation allowed folks to step into Stuart Bloom’s iconic comic book store, “The Comic Center of Pasadena” and enter the world of the series. While waiting for the activation to open, some guy walked up and asked us what kinds of things the store sells—he thought we were all in line for a real comic book store! Once we did enter the activation, we were greeted by two employees, who handed out loyalty cards. They explained that something odd as going on, and showed us a video of Stuart entering a portal to a multiverse thanks to some malfunctioning device. It was up to us to find the device and fix it.
We then entered the back room of the comic shop, which was filled with all kinds of memorabilia and TV screens. Some of the items/screens had special pads to tap your loyalty card to in order launch something interactive. The screens would present information on some other alternate universe, showing clips from the show, or asking multiple choice questions on what you would do if you foundd yourself in that universe.
Once you complete 3 of these stations, you are sent off to a curtained room that contains the device, and another video message from Stuart, but unfortunately, no matter which button you pressed, you are unsuccessful at fixing things. However, a portal does open and you make your way into the comic-book gift shop, where the employees scan your loyalty card to see how you answered the multiple choice questions in the previous tasks, in order to match up your personality with one of the characters from the series. You are then presented with a collector’s card of that character in a plastic container, along with a comic, some candy and a t-shirt. There is also a photo op before you exit the comic shop.
Lanterns Training Headquarters
Next I headed down the street for an activation for another new Warner Bros. series, Lanterns. The series doesn’t premiere on HBO & HBO Max until August 16, but folks at SDCC got the chance to experience what it was like to become a new recruit for the Green Lanterns Corps!
LANTERNS follows new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery with cosmic ties as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. HBO in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios. The LANTERNS pilot is co-written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, who are co-creators for the series. Mundy serves as showrunner. The first two episodes are directed by James Hawes, with Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel and Alik Sakharov also tapped to direct. The series is executive produced by Mundy, Lindelof, James Gunn, Peter Safran, King, Ron Schmidt, and Hawes. Based on the DC comic characters from “Green Lantern.”
Our interactive journey to become a member of the Green Lantern Corps began at a Rushville, Nebraska training facility. As each group of 32 recruits enter the building, they are divided into 4 groups. I was part of group D. We were led into a pit where the four instructors provided a briefing and then each led their team of 8 off to a separate area. We were led down a dark path where we saw someone escape through a glowing green portal. We followed and soon found ourselves in a small town, in front of some sort of wreck, and an angry local cop.
Each group was sent on a different escape room-like mission, and ours was in the bar. A local was talking with the bartender about how he didn’t appreciate the aliens taking over their town. As they talked and interacted with us, we had to figure out how to find what we were looking for. When the bar patron mentioned that some stranger would often come in and play the same song over and over again on the jukebox, we knew that was the key. When we pressed the buttons for that song, the dart board on the wall swung open to reveal a hole in the wall. One of the other recruits reached in and pulled out a glowing lantern.
We left the bar and headed to a firing range to test our skills. We were given ear protection and five shots each to try to take down the targets. While I didn’t manage to hit any, we had a sharpshooter on our team that did really well.
Afterwards, we headed back to the center of town, where one of the Lanterns gathered all four groups together and gave an uplifting speech. We were presented with a case of rings to select our size, and then all held our hands high as we recited in unison the Green Lantern pledge and were welcomed to the team.
“In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil’s might,
Beware my power… Green Lantern’s light!”
To celebrate our completion of training, we proceeded to the Lanterns Lounge/gift shop where we were offered a Heineken, and could purchase some exclusive merch. There was also a photo op, as well as a video portal on the wall that was a live video connection to a similar portal in the previous SFTSTU activation.
This was easily the most immersive and impressive experience at this year’s con. The ring is also really solid metal ring that even glows in the dark after charging it up in the light!
The Wolf Among Us Remastered experience
PM Studios and Telltale took over the 207 Bar at the Hard Rock to turn it into Fabletown’s legendary Trip Trap Bar to celebrate the upcoming release of The Wolf Among Us Remastered. They had some food, signature cocktails, photo ops, hands-on opportunities to try the game, and also some of the team mingling to answer questions. The Remastered version of the original game should be out “soon” while the sequel will be released next year.
I didn’t realize until afterwards that while I was in line for this, literally right around the corner Johnny Depp was making a appearance on the street in character as Ebenezer!
Apple TV’s Silo Activation
As I was walking to my next scheduled event I happened to pass by Apple TV’s Silo activation which was set up in a parking lot. I noticed they had signs up for press by hardly anyone in line. So I decided to stop by and see if they would let me take a look. Fortunately they let me in, and the line moved fairly quicky.
For the activation, they let two of us in at a time, along with a guide. When you enter the building, it looks like the floor and ceiling of the silo go on and on, and can be a bit disorienting. Then lights start to flash as there is some sort of emergency. Some ominous writing appears to glow white on the walls, and the attendant rushes you back outside, where you meet up with another attendant who hands you a pin and offers to take your photo. The whole thing only takes about 3 minutes—it’s a short but immersively-fun experience.
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As I continued my walk to my next event, I also passed a Discovery Shark Week pop-up.
Nickelodeon “Fun Flows Here” outdoor activation
Nickelodeon has set up a great immersive activation this year for fans of all ages in the Museum Park at The New Children’s Museum. It features all kinds of giveaways, photo ops and activities related to various Nick properties.
When I arrived at the activation, I was handed a punch card that could be redeemed for a drink, a food item, a prize and a sliming. I was also given a second card for a guest that included everything but the sliming. When I got there, a couple of the pups from PAW Patrol were there all the way from Adventure Bay, dancing on the stage and offering a meet & greet with fans. Around the area were wooden cutouts of Nickelodeon characters for photo ops, and several stations to redeem your freebies. First was an ice cream cart offering SpongeBob popsicles, and next to this was a station offering aluminum PATH Water bottles with SpongeBob, TMNT and PAW Patrol deigns as well as gummy Krabby Patty candies. Another station offered either a SpongeBob bucket hat or a small Nickelodeon umbrella to attach to the back of your phone, to help make things more readable in the sun. There was also a station with someone drawing characters on demand, and a place where you could make your own slime.
On the other side of the activation were photo ops to present you were wearing SpongeBob’s iconic square pants, holding a Kid’s Choice Award, and posting for the Avatar series. Across from this was the sliming station. This was the only one that really took a long time as it took a while for them to clean up the chamber after each sliming. Those with the special sliming option would remove their socks and shoes and step into the slime chamber. Most opted for the optional poncho to protect from most of the slime., though there were several people who threw caution to the wind and just went for it with no protection, and a couple others who had the Double Dare bowls to catch the slime. While I was in line, someone from the PR team gave me a nice clear Nickelodeon swag bag containing a bucket hat, a phone umbrella and a bottle of PAW Patrol bubbles. When it was my turn I opted for the poncho, I thought we were going to get a full video at the end, but just a 10-second slow-motion close-up.
As I existed that section, Patrick Star and SpongeBob arrived! They say never meet your heroes, but… They were so energetic and the crowd loved them. I was right there, so I hopped in line to get a photo with them.
Afterwards I headed back to my hotel. It was a very long and busy first day! Look for my Day 2 recap soon.
