Earlier this month, we received this bizarre image from the folks at Dark Horse Comics without any explanation and only a hashtag-inspired clue which, sure enough, led us to the Twitter feed, @notatcomiccon.

After weeks of long, sleepless nights wondering what it all meant and if we'd need to mow corporate logos into our yards (likewise, we'd have to actually have a place with a yard, which made this all the more stressful), the publisher, joined by Red Bull's ChinaShop magazine, have finally lifted the veil off their teaser image game.

#NotAtComicCon is the all-encompassing name of a nationwide party being held at 55 different comic shops, where those of us who can't make the big show can pretend we're having just as much fun as those who are in the thick of Nerd Prom. According to the press release, participating #NotAtComicCon shops will each create a unique, fun spot for comic and pop culture fans to gather, have some drinks, share some laughs/heated debates, and possibly win $200 worth of Dark Horse prizes. And just so fans who attend #NotAtComicCon can experience the thrill of being there, Dark Horse will make an exclusive announcement to participating stores in advance of their panel at Comic-Con.

If you're thinking to yourself, "this sounds right up my not-going-to-comic-con alley -- but where's the party at?" then check out Dark Horse's dedicated #NotAtComicCon site by clicking here, and be sure to keep up with the event by following @notatcomiccon and @chinashopmag on the Twitters for the latest info.

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