A staple for local pop culture fans and cosplayers, Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) 2026 drew crowds exceeding 90,000 for the annual four-day event this past weekend. Featuring celebrity panels, local artists, and various activities, there was a place for everybody. 

Looking beyond the crowds, this event displays deeper value: A community interconnected through art, shaping a space where creativity and self-expression is not only accepted, but encouraged.

This year’s Artist Alley was the place to be, with hundreds of creator booths filling the Seattle Convention Center. Artists from all over the country gathered to share their crafts with fans, sparking even more enthusiasm for creativity among attendees. Authors and comic book illustrators happily answered questions about their projects, while other artists took on-the-spot commissions!

One of the biggest highlights of ECCC is the diverse selection of celebrity guests and panels. Actors from some of the most popular fandoms (including “Star Wars”, “Doctor Who”, “Star Trek”, and more) interacted with fans throughout the convention. Photo ops, autograph signing, and spotlight discussion panels are a major draw of this event, giving attendees the opportunity of meeting those who participated in creating their favorite pieces of media.

Jamie Campbell Bower (“Stranger Things”) was a fan favorite this year, with seemingly endless lines for photos and autographs. During a spotlight panel he discussed the recently premiered “Stranger Things” finale with fans, sharing his own thoughts about the long-awaited conclusion to the crowd of listeners.  

Referencing Eleven’s character in the final episode, Bower says, “I never thought that she ever died, even reading the script during that read through. I always held the belief that she was somewhere safe. And what’s my evidence? I don’t have any. Just my gut and emotions.”

While many discussed already-completed projects, others are still in the midst of them. “Yellowjackets” stars Courtney Eaton and Sophie Nélisse made an appearance on both weekend days, just after they began filming the show’s fourth and final season. “We only know up until episode three,” Eaton replied when asked if the cast knows how the series will conclude yet.

Cosplay is a staple of ECCC, and it was no different this year; characters from all corners of pop culture could be spotted throughout the crowds of attendees. Creativity among fans gets its own place to shine with these meticulously crafted costumes bringing even more immersion and excitement. 

While some cosplayers simply re-purpose Halloween costumes, others go all out. For many, it’s not uncommon to spend the months leading up to ComicCon creating most of their outfits from scratch, or have entirely different costumes for each of the four days. Meetups and photoshoots are a highlight for many cosplayers, especially when finding others wearing the same costume.

“I had a great time,” wrote one attendee in an Instagram post following the event. “I saw so many fun cosplays and talked with many wonderful people about comic books, Wonder Woman, Queerness, Star Wars, and X-men!”

In a society growing increasingly concerned with AI’s impact on the art community, ECCC is a refreshing reminder that the joys of human creativity and connection can never be replaced.