Skip to main content

5 best moments of San Diego Comic-Con 2024, ranked

A masked Ryan Reynolds covers his mouth as Hugh Jackman glowers in a still from the movie "Deadpool & Wolverine."
Disney/Marvel

Did you miss San Diego Comic-Con this year? As big as the convention is, it doesn’t have enough room to let everybody in to enjoy the show. Some of us are only able to experience Comic-Con vicariously through social media or online videos. But for the people who attended Comic-Con, it’s unforgettable and unlike anything else.

Unsurprisingly, Marvel dominated Comic-Con with its two Hall H panels, but it wasn’t the only major player. In the absence of DC, aside from The Penguin panel, Prime Video landed two slots in our roundup of the five best moments of San Diego Comic-Con 2024. You can see them for yourself below.

Recommended Videos

5. Prime Video brings The Rings of Power to Hall H

Checking in from Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con. #TheRingsOfPower pic.twitter.com/Nekk5aaj0q

— The Lord of the Rings (@TheRingsofPower) July 26, 2024

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is far from universally loved by Tolkien fans, but no one can argue that Prime Video doesn’t know how to put on a show at Comic-Con. Composer Bear McCreary and his musicians led things off with a powerful performance of music from the show that was worthy of a concert.

In addition to unveiling a new trailer for the upcoming second season, most of the cast gathered on stage and provided some other surprising moments. One of the most memorable was the emergence of an orc in character.

ALL HAIL ADAR! pic.twitter.com/XcPDCIC9X1

— The Lord of the Rings (@TheRingsofPower) July 26, 2024

4. Michael C. Hall is back as Dexter

SURPRISE‼️ Not only is #DexterOriginalSin coming soon… but #DexterResurrection starring Michael C. Hall is also on the way🩸#SDCC pic.twitter.com/XEr6MfnBFo

— Dexter (@SHO_Dexter) July 27, 2024

The Dexter panel was supposed to be about the upcoming prequel series, Dexter: Original Sin. But the only thing that anyone can talk about after this panel is that the original star of the series, Michael C. Hall, is reprising his role… twice! Hall is narrating the Original Sin miniseries, and returned for a second sequel series, Dexter: Resurrection.

How is the show possibly going to explain Dexter Morgan’s survival after his death in Dexter: New Blood? Nobody cared while the crowd was screaming with joy about the news.

3. The Boys bring Broadway to Comic-Con

You’re all fuckin welcome, Hall H pic.twitter.com/yGnfcmsI9F

— THE BOYS (@TheBoysTV) July 26, 2024

In a growing Comic-Con trend, Prime Video also brought live music performers out for its Hall H panel for The Boys. A group of professional Broadway singers opened the panel with a performance of satirical songs from The Boys season 4, including Put the Christ Back in Christmas.

That was followed by almost the entire cast of The Boys taking the stage to tease the fifth and final season, while also announcing a new spinoff prequel series, Vought Rising. The first spinoff series, Gen V, will return to Prime Video for season 2 in 2025.

2. Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine panel

The musical stylings of Deadpool Corps.#DeadpoolAndWolverine#SDCC pic.twitter.com/1gbEg87B6c

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 28, 2024

Marvel had two Hall H panels this year, and the one on the first day of Comic-Con was all about Deadpool & Wolverine. After a choir sang Madonna’s Like a Prayer, Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and director Shawn Levy gave everyone at the panel their first chance to see the entire film at Comic-Con.

Deadpool & Wolverine isn’t the first movie to have a Comic-Con premiere, but it’s by far the biggest.

1. The return of Robert Downey Jr. and the Russo brothers

Presenting Victor Von Doom.

Robert Downey Jr. stars in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, in theaters May 2026. #SDCC

pic.twitter.com/P34bBScrGm

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) July 28, 2024

Marvel’s entire Hall H panel on Saturday was easily the biggest attraction at the con. But out of all of the announcements, none were bigger than the reveal of Doctor Doom. Robert Downey Jr. was accompanied by Doom duplicates as he unmasked on stage and confirmed his MCU return.

Additionally, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo will return to direct the next two films. Avengers: Doomsday will arrive in May 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars will follow in May 2027.

Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
The 10 most controversial moments at San Diego Comic-Con
A banner for "San Diego Comic-Con."

San Diego Comic-Con is one of the most highly-anticipated events in pop culture. Hordes of fans gather from around the world to show off their cosplays, get celebrity autographs, or see film and TV studios' big reveals live and in person.

But such a huge cultural event has had more than its fair share of controversy over the years. With 2023's convention now open for business, fans should take a moment to acknowledge the more contentious moments in SDCC's history.
The Rhys Ifans incident

Read more
The best San Diego Comic-Con panels ever
Andrew Garfield poses as Spider-Man at San Diego Comic Con.

San Diego Comic-Con has a long history, but it's only in more recent years that the event has become fodder for such extensive media coverage. At its core, Comic-Con is all about finding ways for the people behind nerd culture to connect with the genre's many fans. Naturally, this has led to a number of truly excellent panels over the long history of the event.

Even so, though, some Comic-Con moments live forever in a way that others don't. These are the panels that rise above the rest as the best in the history of Comic-Con.
Star Wars makes its debut
MidAmeriCon (1976) Worldcon - Star Wars Q&A

Read more
10 best San Diego Comic-Con 2023 exclusives you need to get
Batman Knightfall 30th Anniversary figure from McFarlane Toys.

Are you heading to San Diego Comic-Con with money to burn? If so, there's a good chance that you are one of the many fans who will be on the lookout for this year's Comic-Con exclusives. While Comic-Con's movie and TV panels tend to get most of the press, you have to keep in mind that this show also has one of the largest dealers' rooms in the country. And everyone is bringing something to sell.

That tends to be where you, the collector, come in. To further entice buyers, companies capitalize on Comic-Con by putting out exclusive collectibles, comics, prints, lithographs, action figures, statues, and everything else under the sun. Some of these items may even be available online for fans who can't make it to San Diego. But if you really want them, then your best bet is always to be there in person on Wednesday, July 19 for Preview Night, or Thursday, July 20 for the first day of the show.

Read more