In brightest day… you’ll want to make room on your offsite schedule. HBO Max is bringing the light to San Diego Comic-Con 2026 with a Lanterns activation taking over Venue 808 (808 J St.) from Thursday, July 23 – Saturday, July 25, as well as a separate activation for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
Attendees will be able to immerse themselves in the world with the Lanterns Training Headquarters.
Before anyone can wear the ring, they’ll have to earn it. Recruits will be put through a series of interactive challenges designed to determine whether they have what it takes to join the Green Lantern Corps. After receiving a briefing from the Guardians, trainees will tackle everything from target practice and trust exercises to maze navigation and escape room-style puzzles set inside locations from the series, including a sheriff’s office and a dive bar.
Those who complete their training will receive a custom Green Lantern ring to take home, try out their powers using a Snapchat-powered interactive mirror, and have the opportunity to shop exclusive Lanterns merchandise from WB.
Reservations open Monday, July 13 at 9am PT at hbomax.com/lanternstraininghq and are required. Reservations are now full, but a standby line “for those with immense patience” will be available on site on a first-come, first served basis.
Attendance is limited, available on a first-come, first-served basis, and restricted to guests ages 18+.
Hours are:
- Thursday, July 23: 9:00am – 6:00pm
- Friday, July 24: 10:00am – 7:00pm
- Saturday, July 25: 11:00am – 9:00pm
HBO Max will also partner with local businesses in the Gaslamp district for surprise swag giveaways in addition to a Lanterns Recharge Station for fans to cool off and charge their phones using Lantern Batteries.
Just a few blocks away, HBO Max is also bringing The Comic Center of Pasadena to life with an immersive experience inspired by Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the upcoming Max Original spinoff of The Big Bang Theory. Taking over Sparks Gallery, the activation invites fans inside Stuart’s comic shop before sending them on a multiversal adventure.
Guests will walk through portals into alternate realities, encounter interactive moments and photo opportunities, including a replica machine from the series, and ultimately discover their own hero archetype through a personalized journey tied to one of the show’s characters.
Each experience concludes with exclusive merchandise and a personalized collectible to take home.
Hours are:
- Thursday, July 23: 11:00am – 7:00pm
- Friday, July 24: 11:00am – 7:00pm
- Saturday, July 25: 11:00am – 7:00pm
- Sunday, July 26: 11:00am – 3:00pm
[UPDATE July 20]
As revealed today by Variety, at the offsite, fans can pick up a free exclusive comic book based on Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, featuring a cover by DC’s Jim Lee and Alex Sinclair. The limited-edition comic will be available at the Hall H panel for the series, as well as the the offsite, and the DC Booth #4544 from July 23-26, while supplies last.
It will also be available online through DC beginning July 29.
Variety also offered a little more details about the offsite, which will feature six universes from the first season of the upcoming series, and attendees can find “hidden inside scenic touchpoints, waiting to be unlocked by the membership cards to the store.” Attendees will walk through an LED tunnel and watch as a comic shop hallway transforms into an adventure through both time and space, as you discover which hero (or character) you really are.
English (US) · 