PHOENIX - July 16, 2026 - GRAMMY-nominated nerdcore rapper Mega Ran (Mortal Kombat 1, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge) will host X-Pod ‘97, a live X-Men ‘97 fan experience presented by Geekscape, on Saturday, July 25 from 1:00–2:00 PM at the Neil Morgan Auditorium at the San Diego Central Library. The official SDCC-badged panel lands in the middle of X-Men ‘97 Season 2’s run on Disney+, which premiered July 1. This marks Mega Ran’s first-ever SDCC panel appearance.
Co-hosted by X-Pod’s Marcos Rivas and moderated by ATO Worldwide, the panel features Larry Houston, Executive Producer of X-Men ‘97 and original director of X-Men: The Animated Series; JP Karliak, voice of Morph (Crash Bandicoot 4, Spider-Man 2); Isaac Robinson-Smith, voice of Bishop (FINAL FANTASY VII Rebirth, Marvel’s Avengers); Zehra Fazal, voice of Emma Frost (Dragon Age: Absolution); Gui Agustini, voice of Sunspot; and Jonathan London, CEO of Geekscape. Cosplay is encouraged.
"I've been attending San Diego Comic-Con for a decade and to have my first hosted panel about a show that's been so inspirational to me is an absolute honor," notes Mega Ran. "I'm so stoked to bring my love of games, comics, and music to this stacked panel, and who knows, there might even be a surprise musical number! Can't wait!"
Learn more: https://megaran.com
Event Details
• Event: X-Pod ‘97 — “To You, Your X-Pod!” A Live X-Men ‘97 Fan Experience
• Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026
• Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PT
• Location: Neil Morgan Auditorium, San Diego Central Library, San Diego, CA
• Presented by: Geekscape
Panelists
• Mega Ran (Host): GRAMMY-nominated nerdcore rapper. Music featured in Mortal Kombat 1 and TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge. Guinness World Record holder (most songs referencing a single videogame franchise). First hip-hop licensing deal with Capcom. Music also in Clerks III, WWE, and AEW. Billboard Kids Chart #2 debut.
• Marcos Rivas (Host): X-Pod podcast co-host and co-presenter.
• JP Karliak (Morph): Voice over talent on FINAL FANTASY VII Rebirth, Spider-Man 2 (PS5), Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (Dr. Nefarious Tropy), Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (Joker), Skylanders series (Wolfgang). Also: Boss Baby, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Spidey and His Amazing Friends (Green Goblin).
• Isaac Robinson-Smith (Bishop): FINAL FANTASY VII Rebirth, FINAL FANTASY VII Remake, Marvel’s Avengers, Cookie Run: Kingdom.
• Zehra Fazal (Emma Frost, Season 2): Dragon Age: Absolution, Voltron: Legendary Defender (Nadia Rizavi), Young Justice (Harper Row), GlitchTechs, The Bad Guys.
• Gui Agustini (Sunspot/Roberto da Costa): The Time Traveler’s Wife, Elsbeth.
• Larry Houston (Executive Producer, X-Men ‘97): Producer and director of the original X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997). First African American Saturday Morning Storyboard Artist (Filmation). Also: Batman: The Animated Series, Thundercats, Captain Planet.
• Jonathan London: CEO, Geekscape.
• ATO Worldwide (Moderator): Artist and voice actor.
About Mega Ran
Mega Ran (Raheem Jarbo) is a GRAMMY®-nominated rapper, producer, and educator known for pioneering nerdcore hip-hop and bridging the worlds of videogames and music. A former teacher turned full-time artist, Mega Ran has built a global following through his storytelling, live performances, and collaborations, including officially licensed projects with Capcom. His album, Buddy’s Magic Tree House, received a GRAMMY® nomination.
Learn more: https://www.megaran.com
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