Z2 Brings Rock, Comics, and Pop Culture Together with an All-Star San Diego Comic-Con 2026 Lineup

If there’s one publisher redefining the intersection of music, comics, and pop culture, it’s Z2—and the company is arriving at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 with its biggest convention presence yet.

Returning to Booth #1529, Z2 is bringing together an extraordinary roster of musicians, actors, authors, and comic creators for four days of exclusive signings, live interviews, major publishing announcements, and can’t-miss panels. Whether you’re a fan of rock legends, acclaimed actors, or groundbreaking graphic novels, Z2 is shaping up to be one of Comic-Con’s hottest destinations.

An Unforgettable Guest Lineup

Z2’s booth will welcome an impressive collection of entertainment icons throughout Comic-Con, including:

• Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
• Mike McCready (Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season)
• Marc Maron (WTF Podcast)
• David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad, Late Night with the Devil, Street Fighter)
• Charlie Benante (Anthrax, Pantera)
• Spencer Charnas (Ice Nine Kills)
• Dance Gavin Dance
• TX2
• Wild Wing (The Anaheim Ducks)
• And many more special guests.

Throughout the weekend, fans will have opportunities to meet their favorite creators, attend signings, and hear firsthand about the latest graphic novels inspired by music, film, and comedy.

Major Graphic Novels Debut at Comic-Con

Among the biggest attractions at Z2’s booth are several highly anticipated publishing premieres and exclusive releases.

Comic-Con attendees will be among the first to experience:

• Marc Maron’s WTF IS A PODCAST, an illustrated history of the groundbreaking podcast that helped define modern podcasting.
• Mike McCready’s Farewell to Seasons, an alternative history of Seattle’s legendary grunge movement.
• Bruce Dickinson’s The Mandrake Project: YEAR TWO, continuing the Iron Maiden frontman’s supernatural epic.
• Les Claypool’s Frizzle Fry, bringing the Primus frontman’s distinctive creative vision into graphic novel form.

Collectors will also find new deluxe editions of popular Z2 releases created in partnership with Ice Nine Kills and “Weird Al” Yankovic, continuing the publisher’s growing catalog of premium music-inspired graphic novels.

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready Explores the Grunge Revolution

On Thursday, July 23, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Mike McCready takes fans back to the birth of grunge.

Joined by co-writer Mark Sable, artist Sebastián Piriz, Z2 President Josh Bernstein, and Editor-in-Chief Rantz A. Hoseley, McCready will discuss Farewell to Seasons, an emotional exploration of Seattle’s music explosion during the 1990s.

Drawing on his experiences as a founding member of Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, and Mad Season, McCready offers a deeply personal perspective on one of rock’s most influential eras.

Marc Maron Celebrates Nearly Two Decades of WTF

Immediately following McCready’s panel, Marc Maron takes the Indigo Ballroom stage from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Joined by longtime producing partner Brendan McDonald and acclaimed cartoonist Brian “Box” Brown, Maron will celebrate the release of WTF IS A PODCAST, the official graphic novel chronicling the evolution of one of podcasting’s most influential shows.

The panel promises behind-the-scenes stories, creative insights, and reflections on nearly 20 years of groundbreaking conversations.

Bruce Dickinson Returns to The Mandrake Project

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson headlines Friday’s programming with a deep dive into The Mandrake Project: YEAR TWO.

Taking place on Friday, July 24, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Room 5AB, Dickinson joins artist John Devilman and editor Rantz A. Hoseley, moderated by Ryan J. Downey, to discuss the next chapter of his supernatural saga.

Fans can also expect new details about YEAR THREE and Dickinson’s upcoming solo album, Vigor Mortis.

Where Comics and Culture Collide

On Saturday, July 25, Z2 presents one of its signature panels, “Where Comics and Culture Collide,” in Room 7AB from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

The discussion features:

• David Dastmalchian
• Charlie Benante
• Carla Harvey
• Cage Claypool

Joined by Z2 editor Jasminne Saravia and moderator Ryan J. Downey, the panel explores how comics continue to evolve through collaborations with musicians, filmmakers, and entertainers while previewing Z2’s ambitious publishing slate for 2026 and beyond.

Meet Your Favorite Creators at Booth #1529

Throughout Comic-Con, Z2’s booth will host an extensive signing schedule featuring many of its headline guests.

Highlights include:

• Mike McCready
• Marc Maron
• Bruce Dickinson
• David Dastmalchian
• Charlie Benante
• Carla Harvey
• Spencer Charnas
• Dance Gavin Dance
• Lee Jennings
• The creative team behind …And Out Comes the Wolf

With appearances spread across all four days of Comic-Con, Booth #1529 is expected to become one of the convention’s busiest destinations.

Bigger, Louder, and More Ambitious

For Z2 President Josh Bernstein, this year’s Comic-Con represents the publisher’s biggest celebration yet.

“San Diego Comic-Con is supposed to feel larger than life, and that’s exactly what we’re bringing this year. When you have Marc Maron, Bruce Dickinson, Mike McCready and David Dastmalchian all appearing as part of your weekend, you’re not just putting together a convention schedule—you’re creating moments fans will be talking about for years to come. Everything about this year’s Con feels bigger, louder, and more ambitious than anything Z2 has done before.”

That philosophy is evident throughout Z2’s Comic-Con plans.

By blending legendary musicians, acclaimed actors, bestselling creators, and premium graphic novels under one roof, the publisher has carved out a unique space where comics and pop culture naturally collide.

Whether you’re discovering Farewell to Seasons, revisiting the history of WTF, diving deeper into The Mandrake Project, or picking up one of Z2’s newest collector’s editions, Booth #1529 promises to be one of the most exciting destinations at San Diego Comic-Con 2026.