Posted in: Comics, Conventions, Events, Pop Culture, san diego comic con | Tagged: Dan Watters, Ignition Press, sdcc
Ignition Press Go Up A Storey At San Diego Comic-Con This Year
Ignition Press Go Up A Storey At San Diego Comic-Con This Year… and also get a story from Dan Watters and Brian Level with Mad Science Division
As Bleeding Cool folk wanderedaround the San Diego Comic-Con setup over the past few days, we got our first look at the Ignition Pavilion pop-up, for its first anniversary… of having a pop-up last year, this time going up a storey… and going up some stories too. See what I did there?
Last year, the Ignition Press Room unveiled their first seven series, along with related merchandise with merch, live makeup sessions transforming cosplayers into victims of The Beauty, a professional burlesque show themed around Leah Williams and David Baldéon‘s Voyeur, an interactive art installation from the Miranda Brothers to launch Arcadia, and an invite only (though they were handing invites out like lanyards) on the Saturday.
One year later, they have published some comics and will announce seven new series over seven weeks in comic shops, with all of them available at San Diego Comic-Con, including a few early releases, adding to the 18 previous series the company has launched in its first year. Meaning the Ignition Press booth on the exhibit floor will have plenty in the way of new comics and early trade paperbacks. Last year, it would have been a bunch of ashcans…
The more impressive move is grabbing one of the larger, two-story spaces across the street and trolley tracks from the convention in the San Diego Wine & Culinary Centre for their pop-up in the same complex as Peanuts and along the same eyeline as major studio, network, and streamer activations in the Gaslamp. And by impressive, I mean someone paid out some decent money. The newly dubbed Ignition Pavilion is also close to Grand Manchester Hyatt and the Marriott Marquis, so odds are it will be in many selfie backgrounds.
They’ve brought in partners eBay Live and Revenge Of TV. eBay Live will have multiple livestreams running every day of the show from dual dedicated sets within the Ignition Pavilion. Already confirmed making appearances are Bill Sienkiewicz, Rene Nezhoda, and DC Publisher, President and CCO Jim Lee doing some moonlighting from his DC gig. Don’t tell anyone in HR. Revenge Of is launching their new content platform Revenge Of TV from the Ignition Pavilion with live coverage of the show all week long and announcing its slate there, live across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch starting Wednesday evening through end of day Sunday and have teased quite the line up including the ROTV Morning Show, celebrity interviews, exclusive content from the SDCC floor, backstage sneak peeks, insider content from exclusive parties, the End of Day Haul, and unannounced surprises. That’s in addition to dedicated Ignition Press segments, including Tinis With Tini hosted by Tini Howard, the Ignition Hot Seat, What Ignites You, and Rejected Panels on the platform. What surprises might we get? Revenge Of is probably best known for their Comic Creators Block Party with Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum, and Ignition Press just announced East Side Saints with AJ Mendez, Aimee Garcia, and Ildy Modrovich. So, them probably.
Mad Science Division #1
Mad Science Division #1
Mad Science Division #1
Ignition Press has also just announced Mad Science Division #1 from Dan Watters and Brian Level for the 4th of November 4th, 2026, a madcap, sci-fi horror series that asks, “What if DOGE dismantled the SCP Foundation?” So maybe them as well. “Mad Science Division is my first foray into creator-owned comics for a few years,” said Dan Watters. “I’ve been champing at the bit to work in this space again, and this book is an explosion of all the things I’ve wanted to do. I wanted to make something mad, gross, fun and funny, and I knew Brian was the perfect person to make that comic with. This story delights me. If you like any of my work at all, I think you’ll like this too.”
“It’s no secret Archimedes Anderson is a nepo hire. Assigned chief-coordinator of R&D at the American arm of genetic engineering and bioweapons development company Miyashi-Smith, everyone knows he’s here for one purpose: to slash the budget and trim the fat. If he can cut 30% from the unaffectionately nicknamed “Mad Science Division” budget, he’ll earn a cushy, high-level job at HQ. He goes in with a move-fast-and-break-stuff attitude, knowing absolutely nothing about the dangerous genetic experiments taking place in the division. When he upsets the delicate equilibrium of the department factions and removes guard rails which protect the workers and the public, he winds up exposing them to terrible, evil experiments.”
Anything else we’ll have to wait for their Doing Comics Differently: Ignition Press Year One and Beyond panel on Friday at noon in room 23ABC. The Ignition Pavilion will also feature a dedicated art gallery installation for The Patron by artist John J. Pearson, who will conduct Live Art demonstrations throughout the show to promote his series with Christian Ward. And to save money on their own party, and to avoid any HR issues with another burlesque show, Ignition Press has teamed with Mad Cave Studios to be the sponsors for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Welcome Party at the Westgate on the Thursday night.
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