Bust out your Spandex: San Diego Comic-Con International (SDCC) and its fervent fanbase of cosplay devotees will soon descend on downtown San Diego, transforming our city into a metropolis straight out of a comic book.

The iconic event goes down Thursday, July 20-Sunday, July 23 (plus preview night), at the San Diego Convention Center, and the fun will also spill into the Gaslamp Quarter. Here’s a tiny glimpse at the action.

Funko's Funkoville display will include this new release: a Blockbuster Rewind store. | Rendering via Funko

🦹 Inside, for badgeholders

SDCC’s official daily programming schedules will be released soon. While big studios like Marvel, Netflix, and Sony may not host panels this year, there’s still plenty to see.

Three ideas:

Browse through 550+ exhibitors spanning comics, special merch, video games, TV, and film. This is our favorite part of SDCC.
Stop by Funko’s Funkoville display, which will include a Blockbuster Rewind store throwin’ it back to the 1990s — complete with a new line of VHS-themed collectibles.
The Masquerade — the Con’s iconic cosplay performance competition — takes the stage Saturday, July 22, 8:30 p.m., in Ballroom 20. This is an experience.

The cosplay camaraderie at Comic-Con is everything. | Photo via @julez540

💥 Outside, sans badge

If you didn’t score a badge, get into the SDCC spirit with these nearby attractions:

Parq Nightclub will host a “Nick at Nightclub” party Thursday, July 20, 8 p.m., themed after Nickelodeon’s 1990s heyday. Buy tickets.
The Lanford Lunch Box — a pop-up resembling the diner from “Roseanne” — will provide samples of its “loose meat sandwiches” Thursday and Friday starting at noon (while supplies last), at an activation at Sixth Avenue and E Street.
“Jurassic Park” will host a free activation Friday, July 21 + Saturday, July 22, at 325 15th Street that recreates moments from the film. Organizers say there will be a standby line.
Visit Balboa Park's Comic-Con Museum to see existing pop culture exhibits, plus new ones like “Excelsior! The Life and Legacy of Stan Lee.”

The sights outside in the Gaslamp Quarter. | Photo via @therealdngr