At this point, you have already perused the program schedule for the San Diego Comic Con. You likely know most of the guest appearances, the signing schedules and who will be offering the best exclusives. Seasoned Comic Con attendees know there’s as much to be seen and done outside the convention center as in. In fact, one of the coolest Comic Con exclusives can be found a few blocks away.

Special offerings like the Mr. Robot VR special event or The Walking Dead Escape provide rich experiences for those looking to breakaway from the congested floors of the main hall. Every year provides a new pop-culture innovation to rival the convention itself. This year is no different. Coin-Op, the arcade bar located near the heart of downtown San Diego, will be the home to a special Comic Con Pin Pop-Up event.

Featured Artists at Comic Con Pop-Up

Comic book fans will quickly fall in love with He + She Pins. Their Adam West-inspired Batman pins ignited the now wildly-popular trend in the pin-world. Fans will also love their more obscure designs, like Dark Claw and their Star Wars/Deadpool mash-up series. The married couple keep their independent creator status going strong with a long line femme-forward pins celebrating strength and beauty.

Star Wars fanatics will be especially excited to meet BBCRE-8 and Punch It Chewie Press.  A darling of the pin-collector community, BBCRE-8’s work re-imagines the most popular figures of the Star Wars movies in new and related ways. Similarly,  Punch It Chewie Press blends the iconography of the Star Wars universe with familiar and playful imagery.

Comic Con Exclusives

He + She Pins has also created one of the coolest Comic Con exclusives to hit San Diego. “Not Going – Couldn’t Get In” will premiere at Pin Pop-Up event Thursday, July 19th. The design captures the frustration of getting the colder shoulder during the ultra-competitive registration period. This soft enamel, two-post design makes a sleek statement for avid fans and casual goers alike. Due to the nature of the event, this pin will only be available that day, so be sure to make some time between 11am and 4pm to wander over.

Coin Op Pop-Up, What to See…

The event takes place Thursday and Friday during Comic Con, between 11am and 4pm. Each day will feature a different slate of independent creators. The Pin and Patch Convention is well known for its close ties to some of the most popular and note-worthy Southern California makers. Each day features a new mix of breakout and established artists.

The Pin and Patch Convention, itself comprised of a Southern California group of independent pin-makers, features notable creators like BBCRE-8, Punch It Chewie Press and Dare to Dream Flair. These artists have been making quite a name for themselves in the last year. Their events have been drawing larger and larger crowds. In fact their most recent show had people lining up for hours before the doors even opened.

While previous shows have featured larger venues, Coin-Op will appeal to convention-goers’ love of nostalgic pop-culture. The classic arcade combined with sixteen beers on tap provides a quarter-driven stroll down memory lane while giving a brief glimpse into the micro-brewery scene San Diego is known for.

Patrick Healy can be found on Twitter, or in downtown San Diego during Comic Con. Good luck catching him, though.