Derek McCaw

Of course this summer you don’t want to go back in the water — it’s the 50th anniversary of JAWS! To celebrate, Stern Pinball gussied up their JAWS game with a glow up that’s impressive and not too distracting. That’s crucial when you’re trying to avoid getting eaten while at Amity Island or in your favorite arcade. Stern sponsors an SDCC arcade in the Marriott Marquis, surrounded by fan screening rooms, gaming rooms, and panels.

A year ago, I ran into Jim Zub right after Comic-Con ended. He was tired but excited, as the first issue of Conan the Barbarian for Titan Comics had just gone into its second printing even before its release. Though he’d written Conan before, there was something different about this run and fans somehow knew ahead of time. Heroic Signatures, the owners of Robert E. Howard’s creations, had even bet on reviving the black and white Savage Sword of Conan magazine.

You can make Comic-Con International into the show you want to see. Like movies and TV shows? Of course you can hang out in Hall H or visit activations outside the convention center. Like comics? Of course they’re here. Like games? They’ve got all kinds. In the Marriott Marquis, Stern Pinball set up a pop-up arcade featuring the latest and greatest of their pinball machines and if you haven’t played pinball in a while, you haven’t played pinball.