07/20/2026
Come celebrate our 25th birthday anniversary with Isotope Comics - San Francisco’s iconic destination for comic books & graphic novels and those who love them.
Featuring Rick Remender, writer of so many of the industry’s best comics (including THE SACRIFICERS, ESCAPE, BLACK SCIENCE, DEADLY CLASS, TOKYO GHOST, THE SEASONS) and mad architect behind Image Comics’ GIANT GENERATOR imprint.
An all-ages daytime signing plus a 21+ evening event for the old school nightowls. Isotope, run by the duo of Kirsten Baldock & James Sime, celebrate a delightful career with a unique comics loving community & lifelong friendships made.
“The stars align! Isotope’s very first event back in 2001 was a team up with Rick Remender. So there’s a beautiful symmetry in re-teaming with our quarter-century friend Rick for this 25th anniversary celebration. Plus, he is utterly brilliant, slightly insane, and totally hilarious!”
Also featuring:
THE GIANT GENERATOR ZIGGURAT permanent installation debut dedicated to Rick Remender comics.
A 2026 update on our popular HOME OF WUVABLE OAF window display by Ed Luce.
Garage, punk, new wave, psyche and funk on the soundsystem with DJ Bearzbub. And once-in-a-lifetime Remender-themed liquid arts by Kirsten Baldock.
Remender says:
“Twenty-five years ago, I was a dirt-poor writer/artist struggling to pay rent for the rotting garage I called home in the Sunset District of San Francisco.
When James Sime, a young whippersnapper in a W***y Wonka zoot suit with hair like the bride of Frankenstein, opened the Isotope comic book store down the street from me, it seemed fated by the rat god of punker nerds.
Pretty soon, I was there a couple of times a week. James and I would spend hours talking about old hardcore, new wave, post-punk, skating, and the strange business of attaching one’s life to the comics business.
Isotope quickly became my home away from the black-mold dungeon I was living in. At a very uncertain time in my life, when there appeared to be little hope I’d feed myself, much less accomplish my dreams, Isotope gave me a home base and a safe harbor. James was always generous with encouragement and advice, not only supporting the books but throwing parties around them.
When you’re dead broke, working yourself to death while receiving very little positive feedback, something like this can encourage you to continue. In my case, it sure did. It was the kind of support that made me feel like I was part of a community, and it offered a glimmer of hope that the dark tunnel had some light down the road.
As James and I were reminiscing a few months ago, it turned out that I was one of the creators featured at Isotope’s first-ever signing event, where I drew Black Heart Billy on a toilet seat, beginning a long-running Isotope tradition that hundreds of artists have contributed to since.
So, returning to San Francisco to celebrate Isotope’s 25th anniversary and 25 years of Giant Generator is a true homecoming.
We’ll be using the occasion to launch a permanent Giant Generator pop-up shop inside Isotope, featuring our full library of compendiums and limited-edition oversized hardcovers, along with giclée prints, rare single issues, signed posters, and more.
If you’re in the region, or feel like traveling to my favorite city to come hang out, we’d love to see you. You’ll find me sitting in a corner, reminiscing with ghosts and wondering how the f**k it’s been a quarter of a century. You can toss pebbles at my head.
Nothing bigger than that, though, as my old bones have become quite brittle.”
RICK REMENDER + ISOTOPE COMICS
25th Anniversary Celebration
Saturday, August 8th, 2026
All Ages Signing: 3-6pm
21+ Afterparty: 7pm
Isotope Comics, San Francisco
