I have been a Conan O’Brien fan since 1993, back when Late Night with Conan O’Brien first aired and felt like something completely different from anything else on TV. More than two decades later, seeing Conan fully embrace Comic-Con in 2015 felt like the perfect collision of two things I have loved for a very long time. That is why SDCC 2015, the year of the first “ConanCon,” still stands out as something special.
ConanCon Begins
Conan brought his TBS show CONAN to San Diego and taped a full week of episodes during Comic-Con. From Wednesday, July 8 through Saturday, July 11, the show took over the Spreckels Theatre, becoming the first late-night talk show to commit to multiple SDCC tapings on site. My SIL made Conan Funko Pop! t-shirts for us to sport at the show; we were the coolest Conan fans in the theatre (ha!).
While Comic-Con officially runs Thursday through Sunday, Conan jumped in early, and that early start helped set the tone for the entire weekend. It was not just a late-night show temporarily relocated. It felt like Conan had become part of the convention itself.
Our First ConanCon Experience
We attended the Wednesday night taping, the very first show of Conan’s SDCC run, and the energy was unreal. The audience was packed with fans who clearly loved both Comic-Con and Conan, and it showed. That night’s guests included Elijah Wood and Chris Hardwick, which made it feel like a warm welcome into Conan’s version of Comic-Con. At the end of the show, we were given exclusive Conan Funko Pop! collectibles.
As someone who has been watching Conan since the early 90s, seeing him riff on fandom, cosplay, and SDCC chaos in real time felt incredibly full-circle. It was the same Conan humor, just filtered through the unique madness of Comic-Con.
The Guest Lineup
Each night of ConanCon reflected the biggest pop culture moments of the time:
- Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Elijah Wood and Chris Hardwick kicked things off and helped ease everyone into Comic-Con mode.
Conan O’Brien (regular) Funko Pop! The classic Conan look in his suit. - Thursday, July 9, 2015
The cast of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, including Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth, brought blockbuster energy to the stage.
Batman Conan Funko Pop! Conan dressed as Batman, complete with cape and cowl. - Friday, July 10, 2015
Fans were treated to appearances from Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead cast members, making it feel like a crossover event made specifically for SDCC.
Zombie Conan Funko Pop! Conan in zombie form, with green skin and tattered clothes. - Saturday, July 11, 2015
The final show closed the week with surprise guests (Peter Capaldi from Doctor Who as well as members of the cast of X-Men: Apocalypse), because no Comic-Con experience is complete without at least one secret reveal.
Conan’s Monster Funko Pop! A playful monster version of Conan, exaggerated features, referencing his humor and sketches.
CONAN BINGO: NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S BINGO!
One of the most fun parts of ConanCon 2015 happened outside the theater. On Friday, July 10, we played Conan Bingo, an interactive game that turned classic Conan habits into a full-on spectator sport. Conan Bingo ran from July 9–12, and Conan himself even showed up on July 9 (we missed him by one day)!
We were given Bingo cards filled with iconic Conan moments and predictions, like making fun of cosplay, referencing nerd culture, poking fun at himself, or imagined audience interactions. As the event went on, we checked off squares in real time. There were also dance-offs and lots of other fun moments. By the end, plenty of cards were filled, creating a sense of a shared inside joke among us Team Coco fans.
More Than Just a Talk Show
What made the first ConanCon so memorable was how fully Conan embraced Comic-Con culture. From themed opening bits to exclusive audience giveaways like Conan Funko Pops, everything felt designed specifically for SDCC fans.
By the end of the week, Conan’s presence had become one of the unofficial highlights of Comic-Con 2015.
I’m in Love with the Coco
After more than twenty years of watching Conan, seeing him thrive at Comic-Con felt like watching two worlds collide in the best possible way. SDCC 2015 was not just the first ConanCon. It was proof that Conan’s brand of humor, weirdness, and genuine love for fandom belonged right in the middle of Comic-Con.
For longtime fans and first-timers alike, SDCC 2015 will always be remembered as the year Conan took over San Diego and somehow made Comic-Con even more fun.
