Tag: comic books

Superhero team guards entrance to El Cajon!

For many years, a mighty team of superheroes has stood guard at the entrance to El Cajon. As I walked past the motley, costumed group on Saturday, I noticed they were fending off a variety of dangerous supervillains and otherworldly menaces!

I immediately recognized some of the universe’s most powerful heroes. I saw Thor, Spider-Man, Hellboy, Yoda, Batman, Superman, Hulk and Wolverine. Together they were engaged in an epic battle against evil on the wall of Comics-N-Stuff, on El Cajon Boulevard!

A clerk at the comic book store told me this huge, fun mural was painted about 14 years ago by a local artist. It has really faded in El Cajon’s sunshine over time, so I’ve increased the contrast of various photographs.

Will Doc Ock and Venom get past Spidey and invade the city of El Cajon? I doubt it!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Super cool Batman painted on a van!

OMG! Check this out!

I timed this shot just perfectly!

An amazing van painted with a super cool Batman and other colorful images flashed past me as I was photographing the sculpture at the corner of Highway 101 and Plaza Street in Solana Beach.

I aimed my camera a little ahead of the Caped Crusader and hoped for the best as he whizzed by!

Yes!

Then the Dark Knight (striding heroically near rockets, palm trees and sea creatures) came back around setting up a second, more distant photo.

Hey, dude. That’s one awesome van!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Comic-Con Museum helps you create comics!

I’m no graphic artist. I can barely draw a stick figure.

But check out some news I learned today in an email blast from the Comic-Con Museum!

The fun Comic-Con Museum@Home web page has begun an online series where a variety of comics layouts can be downloaded by anyone and everyone!

The first PDF file they’ve released contains six pages of blank, ready-to-use comics layouts. You can print them out and create your own cool comic strip or comic book!

Here’s an example of one dynamic layout:

When I read this email I had a sudden silly idea. Using a few of my photos of cosplay (mostly from past San Diego Comic-Cons) and the graphic editing software GIMP, I’d create my own thrilling comics page! (My creative efforts were limited to applying the “cartoon” filter to cropped photos.)

Mind you, I did this as a rank amateur, merely goofing around this evening by cutting and pasting some images on my computer. As you can see, I obviously did not use the Comic-Con Museum layouts.

You can surely do better than me!

You’re artistic efforts will instantly surpass my own if you download the Comic-Con Museum’s first set of professional comics layouts here!

Hey, Cool San Diego Sights is mostly about enjoying life, learning new things and having some creative fun, right?

Justice League heroes wear face masks!

I noticed a cool graphic on the side of an AT&T truck parked downtown. DC Comic’s powerful Justice League superheroes are all wearing face masks!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Flash and Aquaman want you to be a hero!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

See how amazing the Comic-Con Museum will be!

Are you wondering how amazing the Comic-Con Museum will be when it has its Grand Opening in Balboa Park in 2021?

It promises to be super amazing!

Check out this web page to see a video fly-through of the future museum’s layout and features. Numerous renovations and additions to the museum will continue from it’s Opening Day in 2021 through 2024.

The Comic-Con Museum is going to be the place where pop culture fans of all ages go for a wide range of unique experiences–to be dazzled, learn, create and simply have fun.

Students will have access to an Education Center where STEAM learning will be emphasized. The museum will have multiple rotating art galleries, areas where fans can participate in panels, movie nights, workshops and a variety of special events, a super cool lounge area above it all for social gatherings, tabletop gaming, book club meetings and more, plus a cafe with ever-changing themes, and a store filled with comic books, graphic novels, and all sorts of cool, collectible merchandise. There will also be an Online Museum for those fans who can’t make it to San Diego, or who’d like to enhance their visit!

And much of the Comic-Con Museum’s programming will be determined by the community of fans!

Does that sound pretty amazing to you?

Check out this web page for all the details!

An artist's rendering of what the entrance to the Comic-Con Museum will appear like when it opens in San Diego!
An artist’s early rendering of what the entrance to the Comic-Con Museum might appear like when it opens in San Diego!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! And I’m an excited Comic-Con Museum charter member! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Awesome cosplay group poses for Comic-Con!

An awesome group of cosplayers assembled near the San Diego Convention Center late this morning!

Members of the Science Fiction Coalition arrived for the special occasion from all around Southern California. It’s Sunday, and while there’s no ordinary Comic-Con in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, local fans have been visiting the Comic-Con shrine during Comic-Con@Home week by the Tin Fish Restaurant.

I was lucky to walk through the Gaslamp Quarter as this fantastic cosplay event was underway. I’ve had a number of encounters with this fan group in the past, most notably in Balboa Park and at the future home of the Comic-Con Museum.

Check it out!

DSCN3677z

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Chalk art appears at the Comic-Con shrine!

Chalk art reminds passersby in Gaslamp Square that 2020 is the 50th anniversary of San Diego Comic-Con. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event is being held entirely online.
Chalk art reminds passersby in Gaslamp Square that there have been 50 years of Diego Comic-Con.

The Comic-Con 2020 shrine just keeps on growing!

Now there’s a bunch of chalk art that has been created by passing Comic-Con fans!

It’s Friday, and we’re in the middle of the first-ever virtual Comic-Con@Home. But the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t kept San Diegans from safely walking by the shrine that has been erected next to the Tin Fish Restaurant, directly across from the San Diego Convention Center.

The shrine keeps morphing and growing larger. Today chalk art superheroes and other pop culture characters have appeared in Gaslamp Square!

If you want to see what the shrine looked like on Wednesday, click here. For Thursday (plus several fun photos of cosplay!) click here.

To watch a live stream of the Comic-Con 2020 shrine, you can click here!

The Comic-Con 2020 shrine keeps growing larger. On Friday new fan-created chalk art appeared!
The Comic-Con 2020 shrine keeps growing larger. On Friday new fan-created chalk art appeared!

I spotted some new fan art made with colored markers, too!
I spotted some cool fan art made with colored markers, too!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Cosplay by the expanding Comic-Con 2020 shrine!

Dude Vader was eating lunch at the Tin Fish when I happened by Thursday afternoon!
Dude Vader was eating lunch at the Tin Fish when I happened by Thursday afternoon!

I stumbled upon some great cosplay this morning and afternoon! A news reporter and a couple of Comic-Con fans were dressed up in costume to celebrate this year’s unusual Comic-Con!

As everybody knows by now, Comic-Con isn’t being held at the San Diego Convention Center this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event for 2020 is entirely virtual, and you can enjoy live panels, visit an online Exhibit Hall, view cool art, play video games, participate in a cosplay contest, and enjoy many more unique experiences at the Comic-Con@Home website here.

A shrine was set up several days ago by the Tin Fish where Comic-Con fans in San Diego could leave messages and mementos from their past experiences. This morning I noticed several items had been added, then when I walked by this afternoon the shrine had extended outward in the plaza as it continues to grow each day!

Is that Batgirl or a reporter for the local Fox TV news station?
Is that Batgirl or a reporter for the local Fox TV news station?

Thursday morning some more swag bags had been added to the Comic-Con 2020 shrine.
Thursday morning some more swag bags had been added to the Comic-Con 2020 shrine.

In the afternoon the Comic-Con shrine had enlarged!
In the afternoon the Comic-Con shrine had enlarged!

Some comic books were added! And I see a Syfy thumbs up!
Some comic books were added! And I see a Syfy thumbs up!

The Tin Fish Restaurant across from the San Diego Convention Center still has its The Good Place decor from last year's Comic-Con.
The Tin Fish Restaurant across from the San Diego Convention Center still has its The Good Place decor from last year’s Comic-Con.

It's a great Alvin cosplay! Alvin . . . Alvin . . . Aaaaalvin!!!
It’s a great Alvin cosplay! Alvin . . . Alvin . . . Aaaaalvin!!!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Favorite photos from past Comic-Cons!

Are you ready for Comic-Con@Home? The gigantic international virtual event kicks off this Wednesday, July 22. And it’s entirely free!

There’s going to be a live Exhibit Hall!

There are going to be over 350 separate panels viewable on Comic-Con’s YouTube channel!

There will also be many “at home” activities, including art and cosplay challenges, and a video competition!

Learn everything you need to know, and print your free official badge by clicking here!

Plus, visit Amazon’s Virtual-Con here! Amazon is the official sponsor of Comic-Con@Home and will have lots of cool experiences at their website.

Meanwhile, I’ve gone through hundreds of photographs that I’ve taken during Comic-Con over the past six years, and I’ve selected some of my personal favorites . . . in no particular order!

While the world anticipates Comic-Con’s triumphant return to downtown San Diego and the Convention Center in 2021, enjoy this wonderfully mixed-up collection of photographic memories!

img_0408z-get-your-photo-taken-in-some-gigantic-bony-jaws

img_0416z-the-turner-boat-is-all-dressed-up-and-ready-to-go-when-comic-con-opens-tomorrow

img_0668z-the-syfy-band-was-entertaining-the-crowd-on-fifth-avenue-in-the-gaslamp-for-sdcc-2017

img_7133a-theres-so-much-crazy-fun-going-on-my-head-was-on-a-rapid-swivel

img_0845z-syfy-had-a-handy-cosplay-repair-cart-along-mlk-promenade

img_5957a-super-awesome-suits-of-armor-at-the-fantastic-weta-workshop-exhibit

img_6367a-clive-barker-is-back-at-comic-con-this-year-with-more-of-his-horror-themed-artwork

img_6201a-and-heres-another-cool-hot-wheels-car-modeled-after-a-star-wars-stormtrooper-helmet

img_6658a-a-large-troop-of-colony-soldiers-marches-down-martin-luther-king-jr-promenade-during-comic-con

img_9311a-mace-windu-in-a-movie-clip-shown-above-huge-star-wars-exhibit

img_7077a-a-cool-dragon-ball-z-poster-in-window-of-a-gaslamp-eatery

img_9256a-almost-anything-imaginable-could-be-bought-including-these-star-trek-uniforms

img_9370a-clown-masks-used-in-heist-scene-in-dark-knight

img_9451a-lots-of-video-games-could-be-sampled-including-realistic-racers

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Spider-Man on the hood of a Corvette!

Look what I stumbled upon today while walking to work. A very cool Spider-Man graphic on the hood of a Corvette!

The friendly guy said he’s a big Spider-Man fan. I can see that!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!