Another San Diego Comic-con is water under the Brandywine Bridge, but the memory of many exciting Lord of the Rings events remains, such as TORN’s packed panel which focused on adaptations of Tolkien’s work.
Justin Sewell, host of TORN Tuesdays moderated the panel of guests which included Richard Taylor (WETA), Kellie Rice (Happy Hobbit; author), Clifford Broadway (TORN Tuesdays Host, Ringers: Lord of the Fans), Matt Graf (Nerd of the Rings), Cathy Udovch (TORN Special Events Coordinator), and Jim Wert (TORN Special Events Coordinator).
L-R: Justin Sewell, Richard Taylor, Kellie Rice, Clifford Broadway, Matt Graf, Cathy Udovch, Jim Wert
Justin first showed TORNs SDCC exclusive Prancing Pony wood tankard created in partnership with Middle-earth Enterprises and designed to make you feel like a Hobbit. Besides the tankard, other TORn items at the booth included an exclusive Tom Bombadil and Goldberry T-shirt and our now infamous Prancing Pony Club T-shirt. He also announced the new The Lord of the Rings Fan Club and told everyone to sign up.
Sign up–adventure awaits!
Jim pointed out that the very first adaptation is when a reader first reads a book and they bring their own imagination to what the characters and landscapes look like. Kellie said that adaptation takes longer than writing one’s own stories because it has to be done in a respectful and nuanced way. Richard added that “we say…I love the movie, but it was not as good as the book.” He said the book is as big as the imagination of the reader, but the movie is only as big as the budget. “And the imagination of the reader is pretty bloody big, right?”
The worlds of Tolkien and Magic: The Gatheringare coming together once again, and TheOneRing.net is excited to bring you an exclusive conversation with one of the creative minds behind it all.
If you couldn’t make it to San Diego Comic-Con 2026, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! In the Middle-earth Tour video linked below, we’re taking Tolkien fans on a tour of some of the convention’s biggest destinations for Middle-earth collectibles, giving you an up-close look at the incredible statues, figures, and artwork that had collectors buzzing all weekend long.
Whispers and rumours were heard a couple of weeks ago; and now the way is open at last! The shiny new Lord of the Rings Official Fan Club from Middle-earth Enterprises is here. And what’s more, one of TORn’s own Four Founders, Calisuri, is building it! We’re feeling like it’s those early days of online fandom all over again, seeking out friends on the internet and geeking out together. There are quests to be fulfilled and mathoms to be collected – some of which will be found at San Diego Comic Con this weekend! So get your questing boots on! Head on over to LOTR.com to join the fun.
Here’s what the official press release tells us:
Middle-earth Enterprises Announces the Official Fan Club for The Lord of the Rings ™
Free to join at LOTR.com, the new official community opens in early access this July with Quests, Fellowships, collectible Mathoms, daily games, and a shared San Diego Comic-Con program
LIVERMORE, CALIF. — Middle-earth Enterprises today announced the official fan club for The Lord of the Rings ™ , a free community opening in early access this July at LOTR.com.
Even before any official public announcement, fans around the world had already discovered the hidden entry at LOTR.com and joined the waitlist, underscoring the demand for a welcoming official home for Middle-earth fandom.
Built for fans of The Lord of the Rings ™ , The Hobbit ™ , and the wider world of Middle-earth, the fan club is designed to give members an active role in a new official community at LOTR.com. Members will be able to complete Quests, earn digital keepsakes called Mathoms, form Fellowships, play daily games, follow official brands and creators, and keep a personal record of their fandom journey.
The fan club is also being built to support the fan groups, creators, channels, and websites that already make Middle-earth fandom so strong. Known inside the club as Heralds, they will be invited to create their own spaces within LOTR.com. The goal is to lift up what already exists, help more fans find it, and give those groups new ways to gather followers, share updates, and create experiences inside the official fan club.
“For decades, fans have built extraordinary communities around Middle-earth with creativity, care, and remarkable commitment,” said Jay Komas, General Manager of Middle-earth Enterprises. “LOTR.com is an opportunity to recognize that passion, support the communities that have helped carry it forward, and create an official space where fans, creators, licensees, and community leaders can participate together.”
“Quests” are one of the main ways members can take part in fan club experiences. A member might scan a code at a convention booth, check in at a panel, answer a lore question, enter a secret phrase, complete an online challenge, or help unlock part of a larger shared adventure. Completing Quests can earn members “Mathoms,” digital keepsakes named after the term for a treasured object in the world of Middle-earth. In the fan club, Mathoms are not simply points or badges. They are a record of participation: a show attended, a creator discovered, a fan group joined, a challenge completed, or a moment shared with fellow fans. Some Mathoms will be common, while others will be genuinely rare, giving each member’s collection its own history and character over time.
The first major community program, Gather the Fellowship, will launch this July around San Diego Comic-Con. Fan Club members will be able to form or join Fellowships and collaborate across online and in-person activities. Attendance at San Diego Comic-Con will not be required to participate. A fan at the convention may complete part of the adventure from the show floor, while another member joins from home. Together, the Fellowship moves forward.
Members will also find games with a Middle-earth twist, including a daily riddle and a palantír-inspired lore challenge, giving fans a reason to return, play, and build their Fan Club record over time.
Official licensees, known inside the club as Merchants, will have a place within LOTR.com to build a page, post announcements, offer rewards, run promotions, and create co-branded Mathoms tied to events, products, booths, packaging, and other fan experiences.
The club will also recognize members of the early 2000s fan club whose names appeared in the Extended Edition film credits, allowing them to search for their name in a special archive and claim a commemorative keepsake. A launch campaign, Give Us a Gold Ring, will invite members to support a formal proposal for a plain gold ring emoji, to be submitted to the Unicode Consortium by the close of San Diego Comic- Con.
A NEW COMMUNITY STANDARD
Everyone is welcome, as long as they welcome everyone.
Newcomers and longtime fans, readers and film fans, gamers, collectors, creators, and community leaders will participate on equal footing.
As part of its commitment to genuine fan engagement, Middle-earth Enterprises brought on longtime community builder CHRIS PIRROTTA as VP Marketing & Fan Experience. Pirrotta co-founded TheOneRing.net in 1998 and helped grow it alongside a global volunteer community that has supported Middle-earth fandom for nearly three decades. He also spent 25 years at Sideshow, where he helped grow one of the world’s leading collector-focused fan businesses. TheOneRing.net continues to operate independently through its volunteer team, while Pirrotta’s day-to-day focus is now on building the official fan club at LOTR.com.
“When we started TheOneRing.net in 1998, the internet still felt like a place you went to find your people,” said Pirrotta. “A lot has changed since then. Too much of the modern internet rewards outrage, pile-ons, and the loudest voice in the room. LOTR.com is being built for something different, inspired by the community at the heart of Middle-earth: a place where everyone has a part to play, whether they arrive as royalty, a seasoned Wizard, a loyal gardener, or someone taking their first step out the door. No one is above anyone else here. That is what makes this work with the Middle-earth Enterprises team so meaningful. This is not just about opening an official site. It is about opening the door wider, with a welcome to all.”
The official fan club for The Lord of the Rings will be free to join. Early access invitations will begin ahead of San Diego Comic-Con, with additional members welcomed in over time as the community grows. New licensees, creators, Heralds, Merchants, and fan groups will be added on an ongoing basis. Fans can visit LOTR.com now to join the early access waitlist.
ABOUT MIDDLE-EARTH ENTERPRISES Middle-earth Enterprises owns exclusive worldwide rights to motion picture, merchandising, stage, and other rights in certain literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Middle-earth Enterprises works with partners around the world to support high-quality films, games, merchandise, stage productions, location-based entertainment, events, and other experiences inspired by these works.
ABOUT EMBRACER GROUP Embracer Group is a global group of creative and entrepreneurial businesses in PC, console and mobile games, as well as other related media. The Group has an extensive catalog of over 400 owned or controlled franchises. With its head office based in Karlstad, Sweden, Embracer Group has a global presence through its operative groups: THQ Nordic, PLAION, DECA Games, Dark Horse, Freemode and Crystal Dynamics – Eidos. The Group includes 53 internal game development studios and engages over 6,000 talents across nearly 30 countries.
Every great era of music has its power couple. And long before anyone in the Fourth Age (or the 1970s) picked up a Fender and sang about RUMOURS and heartbreaks, Middle-earth’s original singer-songwriters were already selling out the Old Forest: Tom Bombadil and Goldberry, the River-daughter.
He’s the eldest. She’s the daughter of the River. Together they’ve spent Ages singing about love, devotion, heartbreak, and taking care of the land — decades before it was cool, and they never once needed a record label, a tour bus, or a second take. When your relationship has outlasted the literal shape of the continents, you’ve earned a greatest-hits record. You could say they GO THEIR OWN WAY around Middle-earth.
This year at San Diego Comic-Con, TheOneRing.net is throwing the album release party the Withywindle valley never got.
Introducing: Merry Dol, River-daughter
Every year TORn brings a brand-new, fan-designed shirt exclusively to SDCC — and this year’s design pays loving parody tribute to one of the most iconic album covers in rock history. You know the one: the mystical duo, the dramatic pose, the dangling magic object, the interlocking destinies. If a certain 1977 masterpiece by a certain band famously full of romantic entanglements taught us anything, it’s that couples who make music together make legendary music together.
The Merry Dol, River-daughter shirt is artist-designed and hand silkscreened, and it looks like the album your coolest aunt kept in pristine condition and would not let you touch.
The details:
Price: $30
Where: TheOneRing.net Booth 1934 (near door C), all convention long
Cuts: Unisex premium cotton/poly blend (Bella Canvas 3001) and a women’s flowy dolman scoop neck (Next Level 1560)
🚨 Preview Night Exclusive: The Rare First Pressing 🚨
Real record collectors know the first pressing is everything. Attendees on Wednesday Preview Night only can grab a limited edition variant of the shirt featuring the classic tan album sleeve with artwork rendered in striking black & white — the “demo tape” edition, if you will. When Wednesday ends, it’s gone. The rumors are true, and they will not be repeated Thursday.
And Yes — Actual Vinyl available at Booth 1934
What’s a release party without records? Also at the booth: vinyl and CD copies of Tom Bombadil’s song, featuring the talents of Bear McCreary and Rufus Wainwright.
Even better: Bear McCreary himself will be at Booth 1934 on Friday at 12:30pm to sign recordings. The first 50 folks who purchase one of Bear’s recordings (we’ll have his album The Singularity, as well as Rings of Power Season 2 soundtrack recordings) at the booth before Friday 12:30 get a guaranteed spot in the signing line — so come early, buy your vinyl, and leave it safely in your hotel room until showtime (pro tip: just bring the cover).
Derry dol! Ring a dong dillo! Or in the language of the music press: this one’s going platinum in Bree.
Find Your Fit
The shirts are hand silkscreened, so know your size before you sprint to the booth Wednesday.
Unisex Tee — Bella Canvas 3001
A soft, retail-fit unisex tee in premium Airlume combed ring-spun cotton/poly. Heads up: this cut runs slimmer than an old-school boxy tee — if you like a relaxed fit, size up one.
Size
Chest Width (laid flat)
Body Length
XS
16.5″
27″
S
18″
28″
M
20″
29″
L
22″
30″
XL
24″
31″
2XL
26″
32″
3XL
28″
33″
Measured flat: width is armpit to armpit; length is from the highest point of the shoulder to the bottom hem.
Women’s Dolman Scoop Neck — Next Level 1560
Lightweight 60/40 cotton/poly jersey with a flowy, relaxed dolman cut, scoop neck, and curved hem. Goldberry-approved for twirling.
Size
Body Width (laid flat)
Body Length
XS
17.75″
25″
S
18.75″
25.5″
M
19.75″
26″
L
20.75″
26.5″
XL
22.25″
27″
2XL
23.75″
27.5″
3XL
25.25″
28″
The dolman is designed to drape loose through the body with wide, flowy sleeves — it’s meant to move like river-weed in a current, not fit like a rock tee from the merch tent.
The Setlist (Booth 1934 Edition)
Wednesday Preview Night: Limited edition B&W variant shirt — one night only
All weekend:Merry Dol, River-daughter shirts, $30, in unisex and dolman cuts
All weekend: Vinyl & CDs of The Singularity and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 soundtrack
Friday 12:30pm: Bear McCreary signing (buy a recording before Friday 12:30 for a guaranteed line ticket)
Loudest couple in the Old Forest, captured in silkscreen and on vinyl. ‘Now let the fun begin! Let us sing together!’ ‘We’ll be waiting for you’ – all you have to do is show up.
DONT STOP until you find Booth 1934. Hey dol! Merry dol!
We asked the community for tips on queuing and surviving Hall H, so here is a guide put together by Discord member Shawn Fields.
First Time?
Braving the crowds and adrenaline of San Diego Comic-Con for the first time? Welcome! It’s an amazing, exhausting, exhilarating experience that you will never forget.
Remember, though, one does not simply walk into Comic-Con.
With all the panels, exclusives, activations, booths, and constant flood of news, there are several things you can do to make sure the rip-tides of the event don’t pull you out to San Diego Bay. Some suggestions are common sense while others are super specific to SDCC, but either way, below are a few ways to make the most of your con.
The community has a sign up sheet for doing shifts on Thursday for Hall H THE RINGS OF POWER panel Friday morning. You can find that here. Discord is the main communication place.
Hall H Line Management & Camping Comfort
The “Tag-Team” Rule: Try to avoid attempting major lines (like Hall H or Ballroom 20) alone. Team up with friends, make friends in line, or join a line group to rotate for restroom breaks and food.
Check the Line Signs: Because lines wind around the marina and boardwalk, it is incredibly easy to accidentally spend an hour standing in a line for a completely different room or a food truck. Always check official signs or ask volunteers to ensure you aren’t in the wrong line.
Great Power, Great Responsibility: If you are the designated line holder, remember that you cannot pull a large party into the room if they aren’t with you when the line moves. Make sure your team reunites before the doors open.
The Power of Pivoting: Pick one “must-do” item per day. If your top panel fills up, have a backup plan or go explore the show floor instead.
Gear: Invest in a compact line chair (e.g., Cliq chair, Campster 2.0, or similar). Sleeping bags are allowed for overnight camping
lines (like Hall H), but large inflating camping beds/cots or giant gaps between people are usually restricted or discouraged.
Utilize bag check: Use the convention center’s bag check service to store bulky camping gear so you don’t have to carry it around the main floor.
Bungee cords: Use bungee cords to secure loose items to your backpack to consolidate everything into “one bag”.
Share snacks: Bringing extra snacks to share with others is a great tip for making friends while waiting in long lines.
Physical Preparation, Health, & Etiquette
Invest in comfortable shoes: Depending on your budget, recommended brand and model recommendations include New Balance Fresh Foam x More v4, Hokas (specifically Bondi 8s), and Adidas Ultraboost or NMD lines. Break them in well before the convention.
Pack extra socks and/or Rotate Footwear: Changing into a fresh pair of socks midway through the day helps keep feet feeling refreshed. Some people bring at least two different pairs of shoes and alternate between them each day.
The 3-2-1 Rule: Aim for at least 3 hours of sleep, 2 decent meals, and 1 shower every single day.
Hygiene & Health: Be a Clean Citizen: You are going to be shoulder-to-shoulder with 130,000 people in the July heat. Pack deodorant and body spray. If you have a sensitive nose, dab a tiny bit of essential oil or vapor rub under your nostrils before diving into dense crowds. Condition your body with daily walking leading up to the event.
Sun & Temp Protection: Bring a hat, a sun umbrella, and sunscreen for outdoor lines. Layer clothing for the daytime heat and the aggressive, freezing AC inside the convention center.Staying cool in cosplay or regular clothes:
Run cold water over the undersides of your wrists.
Incorporate vents, lightweight pieces, and sweat-wicking/cooling fabrics into clothing.
Carry a handheld misting fan or a portable air duster (which acts like a hand-held air dryer).
Etiquette: Always ask cosplayers politely before taking a photo. Step out of the walkway quickly after to avoid bottlenecks. Pack a sufficient supply of any necessary medications.
Condition your body: Do walking and cardio daily leading up to the convention to prepare for the physical demand. Moving and light exercise also engage the lymphatic system, which helps boost your immunity.
The Ultimate Travel & Packing Essentials
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.: Pack a refillable water bottle and dense snacks (protein bars, nuts, jerky). Outside food is permitted, but outside alcohol is not.
Pre-made packing lists: Utilize a digital checklist (like a Google Sheet) with auto-updating percentages to keep track of your packing progress.
Print important documents: Printing physical copies of your hotel reservations and badge confirmations can be a real life saver in case your phone fails or internet access cuts out.
Use the tech: From SCHED to Google Sheets to the Comic-Con app, there are many a tool at your fingertips. Use them. Calendar reminders and panel list will help you keep organized and lower the stress of trying to keep it all in your head.
Power Banks: Convention centers are cell signal black holes, meaning your phone will drain rapidly while searching for a signal. Bring a high-capacity power bank (10,000mAh+), but ensure you keep it in your carry-on luggage—lithium-ion batteries are strictly prohibited in checked baggage.
Charging Cables: Bring every type of cord you could possibly need, plus one extra. Nothing ruins a moment quite like your phone dying because of a broken cable right as a celebrity walks by.
Outlet Strategy: Pack a multi-port GaN wall plug to make sharing public outlets easier, and bring a power strip for your hotel room so you can charge all your devices at once.
Medication supply: Ensure you pack a sufficient supply of any necessary medications to last the entire duration of the trip.
Travel insurance: International travelers should secure medical travel insurance, as medical care in the U.S. is very expensive.
Bank notification: Inform your bank about your travel plans; purchases made at international vendor booths (e.g., from Canada) may trigger fraud alerts if your bank isn’t expecting them.
Food and Drinks Pricing Strategy
Refillable water bottle: Bring one to use at the convention center’s numerous water stations. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
Food and drinks: Pack plenty of sandwiches and snacks. Outside food is explicitly permitted inside the convention center; outside alcohol is not.
Starbucks Pricing Strategy: Depending on your budget, consider avoiding major hotel locations like the Manchester Grand Hyatt, Hilton Bayfront, Marriott Marquis, or Hard Rock. Their prices are significantly higher than standard, non-convention pricing found at local corporate stores. If you are going to pay those premium prices, supporting a local “mom and pop” coffee shop is a great alternative.
Navigation, Budget, & Logistics
Trolley strategy: When taking the trolley, get off at the Gaslamp Quarter stop instead of the Convention Center stop. Gaslamp drops you off at 5th Street right in the middle of the convention floor and gets you out of the heat faster, whereas the Convention Center stop lets you out further north by a narrow, painful, and crowded sidewalk.
The “hidden” walkway: There is an open, plant-lined, and mostly shaded path located between the Marriott Marquis and the convention center. It serves as an excellent shortcut to bypass crowds when navigating from the front to the back of the center, or when heading toward Hall H or offsite activations.
Lines will be long:
Signings & Merch
Autograph pricing & preparation: Official SDCC portal lottery signings are free, while independent booth signings usually charge fees (which artists often post on social media or tracking sites like the SDCC Unofficial Blog).
Post-it notes for signing: Stick Post-it notes on the comic books or items you want signed, labeling the booth number/location and writing exactly how you want your name spelled (“To [Name]”) to save time.
Art portfolios: If you’re buying custom prints, bring an 11×17 portfolio. It’s the standard size, and it’ll keep your treasures safe from the crush.
Keep a written merch list: Instead of taking photos of booth merchandise—which can sometimes draw pushback from protective artists fearing art theft—write down the item details along with the booth name and number in a notes app.
The Online Exclusives Portal: Major vendors use a lottery system. If you didn’t win, check back after 3:00 PM for leftover inventory as many booths open to the general public then.
Sunday Bargain Rule: Buy high-demand items early, but wait until Sunday afternoon for general merch when vendors slash prices to avoid shipping items home.
Trading tickets safely: When trading offsite tickets, cross-reference the trader’s reputation in chat groups or request a screenshot of their tickets. If trading in person, always coordinate the exchange in a highly trafficked area, such as a local CVS or inside the convention center itself.
Security & Logistics
Car security: Lock all purchases out of sight in your trunk. Never leave items on the back seat where they might entice thieves. If parking at the venue, lock all purchases completely out of sight in the trunk. Never leave items on the back seat where they might entice thieves.
Parking pass security: Print only individual daily parking passes rather than a master sheet showing all your barcodes. If your car is burglarized, thieves won’t get access to all your prepaid codes and passes.
Trading tickets safely: Cross-reference a trader’s reputation in chat groups or request a screenshot of their tickets first. Always coordinate in-person exchanges in highly trafficked, public areas like a local CVS or inside the convention center.
FOMO
You will miss things: There is no way humanly possible to see everything at Comic-Con. You will miss something. Something will be sold out or a line will be capped or a drop will be missed. That’s ok. That’s part of it. It’s a tall order, but try not to stress. You get into what you get into and you do what you can do.
Navigation: there is an elevator at the back of the Convention center near the middle for getting from a line out back to inside really quickly. I have seen them try to say that others cannot use it if they dont have a stroller, but you CAN use it. You just tell them you cannot do stairs.
Expect to wait for HOURS sometimes. I have been in a line for 12 hours before.
Bring bandaids for blisters and the body lube stuff like runners use. Powder works too, but yeah, that’s a great tip
Bring a thin, easily folded mat to sit on.
Earplugs to sleep
Compression socks if you have ankle issues
Everything takes at least an hour longer than you expect. Leave EARLY.
Bring your photo ID with you everywhere too. It’s random but they sometimes check at offsites as well when you might not think you’d need it. Most people do bring ID (except my absent-minded husband…)
I know it’s a lot, so above all else, have fun. Make friends in line. Everyone is there for the same stuff. You likely have more in common with the random person next to you at Comic-Con than any random person back home. Comic-Con is a community bonded by the fandoms we love and the sweat we all shed in San Diego.
One does not simply walk into Comic-Con…we do it together.
Join our Discord Convention Channel to coordinate with other fans about sharing line duties, getting exclusives that overlap with other exclusives, and more.
