REVIEW: Fandom Rocked Thursday Night at San Diego Comic-Con 2026

If you were lucky enough to win the lottery (or know someone who knows someone, or if you are “someone”), Fandom once again threw the hottest ticket of Thursday night. There are plenty of parties during San Diego Comic-Con, but year after year, Fandom’s annual kickoff celebration feels like the one everyone wants an invite to. With Entertainment Weekly no longer hosting its annual bash on Saturday, this year’s event felt like it absorbed even more of Hollywood, with an impressive mix of celebrities, creators, industry folks, influencers, and regular attendees all mingling together atop FLOAT at the Hard Rock Hotel. Presented by Halo: Campaign Evolved, this year’s iteration of the rooftop bash featured colorful cocktails courtesy of 196 Vodka Seltzer, as well as a customizable hat-making station from Z2 Comics celebrating And Out Comes the Wolf (and we loved how the customizing felt like it fit right in with the art-centric world of SDCC, so hats off — pun intended — to Z2). Both were fun additions, but the real reason people clamor for an invite to Fandom is for the atmosphere. There’s just something about watching the sun go down over the Gaslamp in downtown San Diego with a drink...