Thousands crammed San Diego Convention Center for Preview Night!
I finally sorted through a bunch of photos from 2014 San Diego Comic-Con Preview Night, which ended just a few hours ago! Many images came out blurry, poorly composed or marred by glare from bright lights in the convention center’s ceiling. I did manage to capture a few decent pics which provide an idea of the extraordinary, mind-blowing experience. Three hours raced by in a flash as I wandered with a friend about the endless and amazing displays. I hope you enjoy this small glimpse…
Loads of awesomely cool stuff was literally everywhere one turned.Anything imaginable could be bought, including Star Trek uniforms.Models of science fiction and fantasy characters were everywhere.Spiderman figurine just one of hundreds on display.Rocket Raccoon was a very popular character.Huge Marvel mural contained the new Thor and Captain America.I recognized this tiny alien from Men in Black.Mace Windu in a movie clip shown above huge Star Wars exhibit.Cool detailed model of Boba Fett.One of many Darth Vaders at San Diego Comic-Con!This is a special, huge Darth Vader Hot Wheels car!I spotted the DeLorean from Back to the Future!Super scary looking Predator head.Almost looks like this T. Rex is devouring a nearby Nazgul.I tried to jazz up this sadly blurry image of the DC exhibit.Wonder Woman in a glass case and passing fans.Cowl used by Michael Keaton in first Batman movie.Cowl used by George Clooney in Batman and Robin.Batarangs used as props in various movies.Clown masks used in heist scene in The Dark Knight.Mosaic of MAD magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman.Alfred E. Neuman evolves from a caveman.Swag bags were handy for 2014 San Diego Comic-Con Preview Night.Art, prints, comics, collectibles, you name it was for sale and on display.Huge Alien pod was an isolation chamber for video game players.Lots of video games could be sampled including realistic racers.Comic books are a staple of San Diego Comic-Con.Even Sponge Bob has his own crazy comic.Horror paintings from Clive Barker’s Imaginer art book on display.Gollum with a tasty fish poses with Tolkien fan.Elven helmet from Lord of the Rings trilogy.Smaug from The Hobbit was a popular attraction during Preview Night.Bright cartoon faces hover above the Nickelodeon exhibit.Another sample of sheer fun and eye-catching delights.You could buy official Wonder Woman bracelets!Batman and his rogue’s gallery are always super popular.Warner Bros. was promoting their superhero television lineup.Fantastic art filled row upon row. You could spend hours just looking.Geek Nation did a fine job creating this fellow.Kids young and old were just having a big load of fun.You could win a White Walker mask from Game of Thrones.
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Workers put up special venue for 2014 San Diego Comic-Con.
This afternoon, four days before the start of 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, I went for a walk around the Gaslamp and convention center and took a bunch of very unique pictures!
Check out some photos of construction workers assembling cool event venues, hanging banners, applying gigantic building wraps, and painting colorful advertising murals for the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con!
Enjoy!
This structure will promote the new Constantine television show.Blacklist site is by the convention center and Omni Hotel.Gaslamp’s Tin Fish restaurant to be taken over by the Blacklist.Hannibal poster with Comic-Con construction in background.Grimm ad by the Gaslamp trolley station.Emerald City will be a brand new NBC TV series.Brad Pitt’s Fury splashed on side of the Hard Rock Hotel.Workers take break while hanging big 2014 San Diego Comic-Con banner!Several Comic-Con banners already on San Diego Convention Center.Huge Legends building wrap on Marriott Hotel features Sean Bean.Workers on platform apply Legends graphic on building for Comic-Con!Magic 2015 table top gaming poster on Marriott Hotel parking wall.True Blood banners have been hung from San Diego trolley posts.Huge Simpsons wrap rises colorfully on the Marriott!
Looks like the left half of the Simpsons graphic is up so far.
Simpsons TV marathon to launch in August on FXX.Assassin’s Creed obstacle course being installed across Harbor Drive.Obstacle course includes lots of jumping and climbing.Ubisoft’s video game Assassin’s Creed Unity to debut at 2014 Comic-Con.New television show The Strain has mural painted on Gaslamp building.Worker paints worm dangling from a huge bulging eyeball!
Stay tuned! Many more pics are coming!
UPDATE!!!
Here come more pics that I took early Tuesday morning, with about 48 hours to go before 2014 Comic-Con officially opens…
The Strain building mural is finally completed.The Assassin’s Creed obstacle course looks half finished on Tuesday.The Interview on Hard Rock Hotel with James Franco and Seth Rogen.Large blue Constantine dome appears to be covered with strange runes.Constantine banners hang by the Gaslamp trolley station.The Tin Fish restaurant now completely covered with Blacklist graphics!History Channel mural on Petco Park advertises Vikings.Ascension building wrap being applied early Tuesday morning.Closer look at Ascension graphics on Gaslamp building.Goosebumps green face peers from Hard Rock Hotel.
Here’s one last cool pic which I altered a bit by increasing the contrast:
View from San Diego Convention Center as Gotham trolley passes.
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2014 Imperial Beach Sun and Sea sandcastle greets visitors.
I had to take one more trip to Imperial Beach this summer because of another big, fun event by the pier. Today was the 2014 Sun and Sea Festival! The event replaces the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition which came to an end back in 2011.
Master sandcastle builders who have won many international awards converged to demonstrate their craft and compete for top honors just north of the Imperial Beach pier. When I arrived, the creations were roughly half done. So I got a bunch of interesting photos of the artists in action!
Featured sand sculpture built by Kirk Rademaker of Sand Masters.
This centerpiece sandcastle stood near the foot of the pier, adjacent to busy vendor tents, and a variety of other fun activities.
Crowd watches master sand sculptors creating fantastic works of art.
Looking north from the pier toward the field of action.
Teams north of Imperial Beach pier work on detailed creations.Plastic fork with two tines removed is used to create stonework detail.Patience, planning and creativity on a Southern California beach!Sand creations are sprinkled with water to prevent disintegration.Tall structure looks like an exaggerated Eiffel Tower.Sand head props up photos used to model rat from Ratatouille.One unique sand sculpture was all about dogs.A beach dog has its day at Camp Run a Mutt.A castle with tall spires in the Imperial Beach competition.The 2014 Sun and Sea Festival attracted many onlookers.Brushes are often used to smooth and contour the sand.Water and sand are mixed to form raw building material.Close look at some detailed work getting started.Artist works on a tire of a Transformers sand sculpture.
Unfortunately, the Transformers sculpture wasn’t too far along, so I couldn’t get more interesting pics.
I think this is an octopus.Huge, complex sand sculpture with many team members working.Now and Then is the theme of this sculpture.Long straight edge turns a broad swath of level sand into a boardwalk.I like how quaint this sandcastle appears!The Sand Squirrels was one team competing at the festival.Rocket’s engine of the funny Futurama sand sculpture.Robot appears to be doing some sun bathing!Super cool locomotive sand sculpture near the IB pier.I liked this huge underground sand train most of all!Everybody is watching the pros build their sand creations!Kids on the pier’s other side build castles, too!
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Front entrance of Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.
Like the nearby WorldBeat Center, the Centro Cultural de la Raza is housed in a colorful old water tower in Balboa Park. Its huge mural draws the attention of those heading up Park Boulevard, just north of downtown San Diego.
Centro Cultural de la Raza is a cultural center with an emphasis on Chicano, Mexican, Indigenous and Latino art. It hosts many exhibits and artistic performances throughout the year. Ballet Folklorico dancing is one of the educational classes that are available.
I walked around the building and took a bunch of photos of the huge public mural!
Starting around the old water tower, checking out the artwork.Centro Cultural de la Raza seen from Park Boulevard.Snake-entwined female in front of glowing moon.Diverse images from Latino culture in the richly detailed mural.A kneeling Geronimo crowned by a radiant sun.Hispanic music, education and optimism are portrayed.Colorful mural contains many animals from the Americas.A ram and corn are among the many images.Circling around toward back of the water tower.Mesoamerican pyramid in a beautifully painted scene.Stylized ancient face watches from Centro Cultural de la Raza.Latino family stands proudly in the San Diego mural.Eyes seem to rise out of the ground.Nearby utility box made into a work of art.This crazy face made me laugh.This appears to be an Aztec warrior.
UPDATE!
When I posted these photos, I really didn’t know much about the mural. After doing some online research, I’ve learned the 240 by 18 feet mural was painted by nine artists, each responsible for a section. The mural painting project was headed by Antonia Perez. The Geronimo artwork was the work of Victor Ochoa, one of the co-founders of El Centro Cultural de la Raza in 1970.
Here are additional photos I took in early 2021, with a better camera under brighter light conditions…
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Gaslamp trolley station has superhero sign about a ticket app.
Here are a few pics of new Comic-Con related things I’ve spotted around the Gaslamp in the past two days. The 2014 San Diego Comic-Con is now just one week away! It seems that most of the important preparation will take place early next week, and perhaps over this weekend. I’ll post new stuff as I discover it!
Several long banners with faces advertise The Leftovers on HBO.
Several of these banners run along the trolley tracks opposite the convention center. I saw one being put up yesterday morning.
Jay and Silent Bob will eat Comic-Con!
Looks like The American Comedy Co. has a bunch of hilarious Comic-Con entertainment ready to go!
This unusual Hulk is on one window of Rockin’ Baja.Lobster with pointed ears. Steam me up, Scotty!
I wonder if Spock would ever put on a sombrero. He probably would if it were logical.
Electric Dreams Factory sign applied to Hard Rock Hotel window.
Huge signs concerning an upcoming Adam Sandler movie called Pixels were going up all over the Hard Rock Hotel as I walked by early this morning. Sony will host a special event during Comic-Con called the Pixels Electric Dreams Factory Arcade, where gamers will be able to play classic arcade games from the 80’s!
San Diego Comic-Con logo being painted on a taco shop window.
Okay, I added the above photo from Little Italy on Friday afternoon. I was walking home from work. So now, technically, all these pics aren’t from the Gaslamp.
UPDATE!
I just learned I’ll probably be attending Preview Night this coming Wednesday, so stay tuned for (hopefully) a whole bunch of awesome stuff!
ANOTHER UPDATE!
Here come more pics… I snapped these in the days leading up to Comic-Con!
Poster by trolley station promotes another season of Blacklist.Alex Ross cool Justice League graphic above a Gaslamp door.The Haunted Hotel has two scary Comic-Con dates.The Strain television show advertisement on Old Town Trolley Tours bus.
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These might be super secret agents from the pages of Marvel Comics.
A little more than a week to go until the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con! So far I’ve noted two different trolley wraps. I posted awesome pics of Gotham character graphics a few days ago, and now I’ve got photos of the S.H.I.E.L.D. RISES black trolley wrap! Watch out all would-be supervillains! These trolleys are patrolling both the convention center and Gaslamp!
Stay tuned for lots more cool Comic-Con stuff!
San Diego Comic-Con black trolley wrap reads S.H.I.E.L.D. RISES.S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem on a San Diego trolley for 2014 Comic-Con.
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Ocean Riders bronze sculpture by Wyland has three dolphins.
Imperial Beach is in many ways a typical Southern California beach community. The Pacific Ocean and surfing are dominant themes. You see it in the local culture; you see it just about everywhere you turn.
The above photo is of a very cool sculpture just steps from the beach, in Imperial Beach’s Dunes Park. Ocean Riders, dedicated in 1996, was created by Wyland, a famous environmental artist who is known worldwide for his graceful depictions of marine animals.
Utility box on Seacoast Drive shows girl playing in the sand.Sea and Sky sculpture by Ken Smith.
The above sculpture can be found adjacent to the beach a short distance north of the Imperial Beach pier. In 2009, it was part of an Urban Trees exhibition along San Diego’s Embarcadero.
Fantastic mermaid and shark street mural in Imperial Beach.
This mural represents typical Imperial Beach street art. I found this on the side of a building on Palm Avenue.
Surfboard sculpture in outdoor museum.
You see in this pic one of 25 surfboard sculptures placed along Palm Avenue between 3rd Street and Seacoast Drive. They belong to The Imperial Beach Outdoor Surfboard Museum and represent the history of surfboard design dating from ancient times to 1985.
Shiny metal sculpture of abstract surfer on Palm Avenue.Cool surfboard rack on a bicycle near the beach!
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Dogs and their human pals arrive at the big surfing competition.
I’d never seen a dog surf in my entire life. Not until today.
Now I’ve seen a whole pack of dogs surfing.
Yes, I have to admit it. I couldn’t resist heading down to the big Surfdog event at Imperial Beach today. This year it was sponsored by Unleashed by Petco. In the past it was called Loews Coronado Bay Surf Dog Competition.
What? Some of you have never seen a dog athlete mount a surfboard and skillfully ride mighty ocean breakers?
Seeing is believing…
It’s the epic Surfdog summer event everyone has waited for!Finishing touches are put on a sand sculpture at Imperial Beach.This dog can hardly wait to watch the intense animal action!Information boards outline the various heats in the big surf contest.Announcer readies for some incredible pooch performances.The VIP section fills and so does the beach and pier.Dogs and non-dogs at water’s edge have a great place to watch.These guys want a great spot on the pier to view the action.Everyone is ready for the first exciting freestyle heat!This little fellow doesn’t seem to know what’s going on.Surfing contestants mount their surfboards waiting for the starting horn.The crowd favorite, a genuine superstar, poses for my camera.The horn blows and the first fifteen minute heat begins!The crowd converges on the ocean in disbelief.One four-legged athlete is already out near the breakers.Here come two canine athletes showing great form!Steady as she goes!Hot dogging it and hanging twenty!Wow, those incredible, amazing surfers are absolutely inhuman!Thousands enjoy Unleashed by Petco’s surf dog event!
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Mural in Old Town alley depicts explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.
I was wandering aimlessly around Old Town some time ago, just poking my nose here and there, when I discovered a whole bunch of beautiful murals! I found them in an interesting alley off San Diego Avenue, just south of the State Historic Park. The alley, a narrow walkway containing a variety of touristy wares, is called Avila Court. It’s tucked between the Old Town Surf Co. and Covered Wagon stores.
After looking at the artwork closely and talking to a lady working in the area, I learned most of the murals were painted by students from Grossmont College out in East County. Further research on the internet showed that there were originally ten murals, created in 2008, decorating over 85 feet of stucco wall. It’s apparent some of the murals were redone or altered in 2011.
Most of the murals depict people or places that are important in San Diego’s history. Those of you who follow my blog will probably recognize many!
Image of Charles Lindbergh and Spirit of St. Louis.
Lindbergh’s famous airplane that crossed the Atlantic, the Spirit of St. Louis, was custom-built in San Diego by Ryan Airline Company.
Native American with flower at night painted in rich colors.Hotel del Coronado, buildings and beach scene.Day of the Dead skeleton in front of the Whaley House.Tuna fishermen and whale fluke off Coronado.Navy ship, huge surf and Mission San Diego.Mural shows an American tall ship in San Diego Bay.
I’m not sure who the whiskered military person is. If anyone out there knows, please tell us!
A combination of various old historic buildings.Point Loma lighthouse shines over Pacific Ocean.Tuna cannery worker and a Little Italy fisherman.Star of India tied to dock at Embarcadero.This part of one mural contains a gray whale.Sepia tone World War II era figures stand by old car.Seals, flowers and carrying cattle hides from a beach.Many murals were painted by Grossmont College students.
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Arriving at the long-time OTL venue on Fiesta Island.
Shame on me. I’ve lived in San Diego a good chunk of my life, and I’ve never headed to Fiesta Island to experience the legendary fun of OTL. Well, I finally went early this morning!
Over The Line, commonly called OTL, is a San Diego original, a unique beach game that every year seems to gain in popularity. Played on the sand, it resembles a simple version of softball with no baserunners. You must hit the ball over “the line” and between two foul lines, and not have it be caught, which would result in an out. Three innings, three outs. While the rules are a bit more complicated, that’s the gist of it.
The OTL World Championship has become a local institution. It’s played on Fiesta Island, which is located near the center of Mission Bay. It’s put on by OMBAC, the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club. The highly anticipated annual summer event is now 61 years old! But you might never guess this spectacle was so venerable, given its outlandish party atmosphere and the sheer raunchiness of the crowd.
Team names are often juvenile and sexually explicit, to the extent you’d probably just roll your eyes. But it’s all very good-natured and amusing. The crowd is composed largely of males in their 20’s and 30’s, and beer is chugged freely everywhere, as it’s BYOB. I suppose as the day progresses, the crowd becomes more randy–I’ll admit that’s one reason I swung by so early in the morning. That and the avoidance of a hot afternoon!
The tournament goes on for two weekends. This first weekend is for the amateurs; on the second weekend the teams and the play become more serious.
I’m glad I checked it out. Now I know what I’ve missed all these years!
Follow me as I arrive from the shuttle bus around seven in the morning. The sun hasn’t broken through the clouds yet…
Walking past an Old Mission Beach Athletic Club truck and banner.People stand as day begins with the national anthem.Official OTL programs for sale near the entrance.Miss Emerson Headquarters is on sandy Emerson Street.
As you might guess, there’s a bikini contest, and every year the winner is titled Miss Emerson.
Scoreboard for 61st World Championship of Over The Line.Players and teams check the official schedule board.Early in the morning and many people are arriving with chairs and coolers.The OTL tournament doesn’t begin until seven thirty.San Diego Parrot Head Club lounge is still empty at this early hour.Guy checks out some silly, very raunchy posters.A player practices fielding a batted ball.The huge OTL tournament finally begins in earnest!Ball is to be struck into a narrow outfield.Lots more people will arrive throughout the day.Some old guys just kicking back on the sand.Marines from opening ceremony color guard pass on an OMBAC cart.The t-shirt gardens shack is becoming more active.Hundreds of games of OTL will be played here over two weekends.San Diego’s sunny Fiesta Island is the home to Over The Line.
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