Behind the “Lanterns” Training Headquarters: How NVE Built One of SDCC 2026’s Most Immersive Offsites

Photo Credit: David Jon/HBO Max Do you have what it takes to be a Lantern? That was the central question behind the Lanterns Training Headquarters at San Diego Comic-Con, the ambitious HBO Max activation that ran for three days during the July convention and transformed Venue 808 into the fictional town of Rushville, Nebraska. Rather than simply walking through recreated sets, attendees became Green Lantern recruits who had to prove their mettle by solving mysteries, completing missions, and ultimately earning one of the convention’s most sought-after giveaways: a custom Green Lantern power ring. After the con, I caught up with Jen Kadragich Thomas, Senior Creative Director at NVE Experience Agency (who are behind some of Comic-Con’s most beloved activations over the last few years, including Peacemaker PeaceFest and Dungeons & Dragons), about how the experience came together, the challenges of bringing an entirely new world to Comic-Con, and why making fans part of the story was always the goal. Photo Credit: David Jon/HBO Max Photo Credit: David Jon/HBO Max Becoming the Green Lantern From the moment recruits entered the building, Lanterns Training Headquarters made one thing ...