Another Tampa Bay Comic Con is officially in the books, and after attending this event over the years, one thing continues to be true: you really never know who—or what—you’re going to see walking around the Tampa Convention Center. Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026 took place from September 4 through September 6 at the Tampa Convention Center, bringing together thousands of comic book fans, gamers, collectors, cosplayers, families, and people who simply wanted an excuse to dress up like their favorite character for the weekend. And honestly, isn’t that half the fun?

This year’s convention felt noticeably bigger where it mattered most: the celebrity lineup. There were considerably more recognizable guests than I’ve seen in previous years, and that gave the entire weekend more of that major convention feeling. There were still a few familiar issues—especially when it came to vendors—but overall, Tampa Bay Comic Con remains one of my favorite entertainment events in the Tampa area.

Tampa Bay Comic Con Seriously Stepped Up the Celebrity Lineup

The biggest improvement this year was obvious. There were a LOT more celebrities. And we’re not talking about one or two recognizable names surrounded by extremely niche guests. The lineup was legitimately impressive.

John Cena was probably one of the biggest draws, but he was far from alone. The convention also brought in The Vampire Diaries stars Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, along with Ernie Hudson, Katee Sackhoff, Ken Jeong, Laz Alonso, Holly Marie Combs, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Jackson Rathbone, Alaqua Cox, James Marsters, Ann-Margret, Jerry Trainor, and Austin St. John. That’s a pretty ridiculous amount of nostalgia packed into one building.

Whether you grew up watching Ghostbusters, Charmed, Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, Power Rangers, or newer superhero shows, there was probably somebody there you’d recognize. And that doesn’t even include the voice actors. The animation and voice talent lineup included names such as Alex Brightman, Amir Talai, Michaela Jill Murphy, Christy Carlson Romano, Sarah Natochenny, Ray Chase, Blake Roman, Richard Horvitz, Erika Henningsen, and Vivian Nixon Williams. Comic fans weren’t forgotten either, with creators including Pat Broderick, Jim Calafiore, Ron Garney, Alex Saviuk, and Tim Bradstreet. This year’s guest list felt much closer to what I’d expect from a major regional convention.

Ernie Hudson’s Panel Was One of My Highlights

Of everything I attended, Ernie Hudson’s panel was easily one of my favorite parts of the weekend. There’s something different about listening to someone who has been part of pop culture for decades casually talk about their career and experiences. Obviously, most people immediately associate Hudson with Ghostbusters, but hearing him speak reminds you that there’s an actual person behind a character we’ve seen on screens for decades. That’s one reason I’ve always enjoyed convention panels.

Autographs and photos are great, but panels give you something different. You get stories, personality, humor, and sometimes completely unexpected insight into projects you’ve watched countless times. Hudson was entertaining, personable, and easily one of the highlights of the convention for me.

My Daughter Apparently Knows Ken Jeong Better Than I Do

One of my favorite moments from the weekend didn’t happen during a panel or at a vendor booth. It happened because of my six-year-old daughter. We saw Ken Jeong, and before I could really say anything, she immediately pointed him out: “Look! It’s Bobby from KPop Demon Hunters!” And there it was. The generational difference summed up in one sentence. I’m looking at Ken Jeong thinking about The Hangover and Community. She’s looking at the exact same person thinking, KPop Demon Hunters.

That’s actually one of the things I love about conventions like this. Different generations can walk through the same building and have completely different reasons for being excited. A parent might recognize someone from a television series they watched 20 years ago while their kid recognizes the same actor from something released recently. Everybody gets their own little fan moment.

The Cosplay Is Still One of the Best Parts

I say this almost every year, but it deserves repeating: the cosplay community is incredible. Some people don’t simply put on costumes—they build them. Armor, props, makeup, wigs, lighting, electronics—the amount of time and creativity people put into bringing fictional characters to life is unbelievable. You’ll turn one corner and see Spider-Man, walk another 20 feet and suddenly encounter an eight-foot creature that looks like it escaped from a movie set. Then Deadpool walks past; wait, that was me! followed by someone wearing handmade armor that probably took six months to build. It’s basically organized chaos, and I absolutely love it.

One of my favorite things about Comic Con is that it gives all of us another excuse to dress up as our favorite characters without having to wait for Halloween. For three days, nobody cares if you’re walking around downtown Tampa dressed as Batman, a Jedi, an anime character, or someone so obscure that only five people at the entire convention recognize you. And when those five people do recognize you, they usually lose their minds—and that’s part of what makes cosplay so much fun. There’s an instant connection between complete strangers simply because they love the same character or fandom. Having dressed up at conventions myself, there’s also something genuinely fun about people stopping you for pictures. For a few seconds, you become part of someone else’s Comic Con experience, and that’s pretty cool.

The Vendor Floor Is Still My Biggest Complaint

Now for the part that hasn’t changed enough. The vendors. If you’ve attended Tampa Bay Comic Con multiple years, you’ll probably recognize quite a few booths. There were some new vendors this year, which was nice, but much of the merchandise felt very familiar. Same types of collectibles. Same artwork. Same Funko Pops. Same swords. Same anime merchandise. Same mystery boxes.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of that, especially for someone attending for the first time. The vendor floor is enormous and there’s plenty to browse. But as a returning attendee, I would love to see more variety. Bring in more independent creators. More unusual collectibles. More emerging artists. More interactive booths. More merchandise you can’t simply order online. Give longtime attendees a reason to explore every aisle again.

The Convention Is Becoming More Family-Friendly

Another thing I appreciate about Tampa Bay Comic Con is how naturally it works as a family event. Yes, there are hardcore collectors. Yes, there are serious cosplayers. Yes, there are people who have probably memorized every issue of a particular comic series. But there are also plenty of families simply walking around enjoying everything.

Watching kids encounter their favorite characters is honestly one of the best parts. They don’t care whether the costume cost $5,000 or somebody made it out of cardboard last weekend. They see their favorite character standing in front of them. That’s magic. And experiencing the convention with my daughter has made me appreciate that side of it even more.

Tampa Bay Comic Con Keeps Growing

I’ve attended enough conventions to know that bigger doesn’t automatically mean better. What matters is whether the event gives people enough reasons to return. This year’s Tampa Bay Comic Con made a major improvement with its celebrity lineup. That’s important. Returning attendees need something new. The vendor floor could still use more variety, but bringing in a stronger collection of actors, voice performers, and creators gave the convention considerably more energy. Between the panels, celebrity appearances, cosplay, shopping, and simply people-watching, it’s almost impossible to experience everything in one day. And that’s probably a good thing.

Final Thoughts on Tampa Bay Comic Con 2026

Tampa Bay Comic Con continues to be one of those events I genuinely look forward to. It’s not perfect. But the expanded celebrity lineup was a huge improvement, Ernie Hudson’s panel was fantastic, and—as always—the cosplayers brought an incredible amount of creativity to the convention floor. My daughter recognizing Ken Jeong before I even had a chance to explain who he was might have been my favorite unexpected moment of the weekend.

That’s really what conventions are about. You arrive expecting celebrities, collectibles, and costumes. You leave remembering random little moments you never could have planned. And yes, I’m already looking forward to seeing what everyone dresses up as next year.