A huge new San Diego Comic-Con building wrap going up on the Hilton Bayfront today is a bit of a mystery.
Less than six days to go until 2015 San Diego Comic-Con kicks off!
I walked all around downtown today, looking for signs of preparation. Nothing much has popped up in the Gaslamp yet, but a brand new huge building wrap is now being installed on the Hilton Bayfront near the San Diego Convention Center. After talking to some people, I’ve concluded the wrap will promote The Strain on FX. This would make sense, as the large grassy area in front of the Hilton will be the site of FX’s cool-sounding Fearless Arena Experience.
Stay tuned for more pics of Comic-Con stuff!
Baristas at hotel’s Starbucks and a tourist info guy in the Hilton seem to think this graphic will promote The Strain on FX.Several Game of Thrones banners were hung on trolley track fences near the Gaslamp a few days ago.Game of Thrones banners on trolley electrical poles along Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade in San Diego.The huge Conan Live from Comic-Con wrap on the Marriott Marquis is nearly finished.Swirl Girl has amazing rainbow powers of sweetness, it seems. She appears on the door of Sweet Things Frozen Yogurt.San Diego Symphony ticket booth at Embarcadero Marina Park South advertises the upcoming Pokeman and Star Trek movie Summer Pops concerts.The American Comedy Co. in the Gaslamp has a funny lineup set for Comic-Con, including Jay and Silent Bob.Crown Books in Horton Plaza is where you can buy Chewbacca at a nice discount!
Several huge Minority Report banners have been hung on the Hilton parking garage for the upcoming 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.
I got off work early today, so I took the trolley down to the San Diego Convention Center and walked around looking to photograph cool 2015 Comic-Con preparations. The main thing I noticed was that several gigantic building wraps and banners are being installed at this very moment! One week to go until Comic-Con, and things should soon start getting interesting!
A gigantic orange Conan O’Brien building wrap is being applied to the side of the Marriott Hotel facing the San Diego Convention Center.A suspended platform is used to adhere panels of The Last Ship building wrap to shining windows of the Marriott Marquis.Major preparations have begun the week before 2015 San Diego Comic-Con!
Superman has been spotted walking through the Gaslamp two weeks before San Diego Comic-Con!
Two weeks to go until 2015 San Diego Comic-Con! Signs and omens of the super popular event’s coming are popping up around downtown, especially in the Gaslamp Quarter. Here’s what I spotted in the past couple days…
MTS has Comic-Con trolley passes that can be purchased with your smartphone.Game of Thrones advertisement at a trolley station. A Conan Live at Comic-Con trolley wrap passes by.The latest Comic-Con trolley wrap promotes soon to debut The Muppets television series on ABC!Kermit drives a trolley full of Muppet fun. Naked frogs. Egotistical pigs. Welcome to Hollywood.Miss Piggy gets her own personal section, because she’s such a big star.Who attending Comic-Con wouldn’t love to have Kermit driving them on the San Diego trolley?Shops in downtown San Diego have stocked up on superhero gear for coming throngs of pop culture fans and cosplayers.Shirt in store window features Darth Vader saying: “Soy tu padre, mijo.”Here come Batman, Thor, Wonder Woman and other powerful heroes. Villains in San Diego, beware!Trust me. I’m a superhero. The San Diego Trading Company on Fifth Avenue will have lots of Comic-Con deals, so swing on by! The lady at the counter is really nice!Comic-Con Weekend at the Onyx Room is an unofficial party many will attend!The House of Blues asks whether you’re ready to rock. San Diego will be rocking big time in a couple weeks! I can’t wait!The Hulk is busting loose! He’s coming to San Diego!
Young kids learn how to become cool DJs at Make Music Day San Diego.
One more blog post this weekend about Balboa Park! Today was Make Music Day San Diego, which was held throughout our huge urban park! Music filled the air everywhere I walked!
2015 is the first year San Diego has taken part in this unique worldwide event. Countless people in more than 700 cities participated! The public was encouraged to bring instruments to Balboa Park and make music, and many instruments were given away, including 100 harmonicas. A big parade of harmonica players was one part of the event I unfortunately missed, as well as a Mass Appeal guitar jam. There was just not enough time, and too much to see in Balboa Park–and to hear!
Anyway, here are some fun pics that provide a bit of the atmosphere. This blog, alas, doesn’t feature sound.
San Diego’s first ever Make Music Day was held in Balboa Park this Sunday.Friends of Balboa Park helped to organize the musical event, which encourages public participation.Some lucky person won this guitar!The public, street musicians and special Make Music Day event performers all contributed to a giant concert throughout Balboa Park.Numerous musicians were up and down El Prado, playing their hearts out.This gent was playing a cool sax in the shade.Live Music Today included Flamenco in Spanish Village, which I already blogged about!The avant-garde band Swarmius was setting up in the Zoro Garden among butterflies. Their half electronic, half instrumental music borrows from every conceivable musical style.Radio Pulso del Barrio, an internet station out of Barrio Logan, was teaching one and all how to be a DJ for the day!Music was heard no matter where you walked!Poster by Spreckels Organ Pavilion lists summer musical performances for Twilight in the Park, Centennial Celebration 1915-2015. (Click to enlarge.)By the way, Sweden had their lawn program at the International Cottages today.I missed the festive maypole dance, but got a photo of the flower-bedecked pole!Beautiful singing was heard from the stage at the International Cottages, as the House of Sweden also provided musical entertainment during Make Music Day!
People enter the Art of Comic-Con exhibit, opening today at the downtown San Diego Public Library.
Today a very special exhibition opened at the downtown library’s 9th floor gallery. The Art of Comic-Con, developed by Comic-Con International and the San Diego Public Library, contains a huge collection of original artwork used throughout the 45 year history of San Diego Comic-Con.
The exhibition runs through August 30 and should draw a crowd during Comic-Con week. During today’s two hour opening reception, super popular cartoonist Sergio Aragones was on hand to talk with fans and sign copies of his 40th anniversary Comic-Con cover. He was very friendly and spoke with everyone in line for a minute or two, always smiling and laughing and posing for the camera. He’s into his fourth decade of writing and drawing the adventures of the hilarious and very successful Groo the Wanderer!
Here are a bunch of photos! My small camera did its best in the dim light of the gallery…
Someone heading in to check out the gallery is wearing a 1997 Comic-Con International shirt.The Art of Comic-Con is a first ever museum exhibition consisting of original artwork used for past comic conventions.A cool mural composed of covers from past San Diego Comic-Con programs, plus other affiliated conventions.Past souvenir program covers feature many different superheroes and pop culture characters.A riot of fun images dazzled many visitors to the opening of this special exhibit.Close photo of part of the Comic-Con program book mural.I see Bart Simpson, a bunch of Marvel heroes, Star Wars characters, Balboa Park and much more.This part of the exhibit traces the history of the Comic-Con International logo and the development of the popular toucan mascot.Fun artwork that was used during the 40th anniversary of San Diego Comic-Con.The toucan is flapping around anticipating another Comic-Con!Someone checks out a display case containing an example of an Inkpot Award. These are presented to outstanding authors, artists and other creative luminaries every year during Comic-Con.I spotted Krypto the Superdog taking a nap among more enthusiastic human Comic-Con fans.Visitors check out original comic book art created for Comic-Con souvenir program books over the past 45 years.The Art of Comic-Con special exhibit contains original work from more than 60 notable cartoon and comic book artistsAll kinds of animals hang out in San Diego!Space alien asks Marmaduke for directions to Comics Con. It will be mere blocks from the Central Library! In a few weeks, I expect to see a few aliens walking around San Diego, too!I guess Jimmy Carter was having troubles during a past Comic-Con.Cartoonists of every stripe have contributed greetings for the Comic-Con souvenir book over the years.I spotted Conan the Librarian in downtown San Diego’s incredible new library!Commander Spock of Vulcan visited Earth back in 1974. Comic-Con then was held in the El Cortez Hotel, a couple blocks from where I’m preparing this blog!Mickey Mouse headed down to San Diego one year. I’m willing to bet he’ll be here again this year!In 1981, Peter Parker lost a game of strip poker with Mary Jane Watson!This guy is probably still looking for the San Diago Convention Center.Kid checks out a hands on exhibit showing how comic books are produced and printed.A penciled panel featuring Batgirl in action. Part of a cool display which demonstrates the processes involved in creating a comic book.Inked and finished cover of the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con souvenir book. The art celebrates the 75th Anniversary of Will Eisner’s The Spirit, by artist Michael Cho.Visitors to the San Diego’s Art of Comic-Con museum exhibit enjoy a huge mural from a 2008 book cover created by legendary cartoonist Sergio Aragones.Check this out! The mural by Sergio Aragones, of Groo the Wanderer fame, contains hundreds of characters romping about San Diego during Comic-Con!Everyone is heading toward San Diego! I bet they’ll crowd into the Gaslamp for an enormous cosplay and pop culture party!Gazillions of fans and cosplayers are assembled in front of the San Diego Convention Center!Superheroes are swinging and flying all over the place!The silly Sergio Aragones characters have materialized in San Diego from a fertile imagination.One wall in the Central Library museum contained original art used to create past Comic-Con souvenir book covers.Artwork used for the 1989 program book cover.1993 cover artwork from the legendary comic book and graphic novel artist Frank Miller.The Justice League flies into action in this original 2011 cover art from fan favorite Jim Lee.John Romita, Jr. drew some of Marvel’s Avengers for the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con souvenir book.Dave McKean cover artwork for 2013 Comic-Con.Jim Lee drew Superman for this WonderCon program book cover in 2013.Cliff Chiang’s Wonder Woman graced the cover of WonderCon’s program book in 2014.Sergio Aragones signed his covers from the 2008 book “Comic-Con 40 Years of Artists, Writers, Fans and Friends”. He’s a super friendly guy!If you’re going to 2015 San Diego Comic-Con, head to the 9th floor of the downtown library. The gallery is up there, along with some great views of the city!
Ant-Man banners in downtown San Diego decorate street lamps for 2015 Comic-Con. According to a nearby sign, the tiny Marvel superhero better not park here!
I just got home from a short walk after work through downtown San Diego. I wandered down Broadway and a bit through the Gaslamp. I noticed a bunch of new street lamp banners are up for 2015 Comic-Con. They all promoted the upcoming Marvel Ant-Man movie!
I’ve also included a couple bonus pics, just for fun!
While I walked around, I spotted this cool guitarist making music by the door of the Hard Rock Cafe.A bar called Analog in the Gaslamp had a huge (non-digital) Rubik’s Cube out on the sidewalk! The security guard said it’s there just for fun!Large Marvel Ant-Man movie banners flutter in the breeze down the center of Broadway.
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A new San Diego Comic-Con trolley wrap features Conan O’Brien turned into what appear to be Funko POP! toy figures. Here he’s a blank-eyed zombie, plus his own ordinary bland self.
I spotted another 2015 San Diego Comic-Con trolley wrap in the past couple days! This one promotes Conan O’Brien’s television show on TBS. He’ll be hosting his talk show live from Comic-Con July 8-12. I’ve read that he’ll also be moderating two panels in Hall H: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 and The Last Witch Hunter.
The images on the trolley wrap seem to show Conan turned into several Funko POP! toy figures! Cool!
Here Conan O’Brien has been transformed into Batman and a green Frankenstein monster.Here’s a wrap on an older version San Diego trolley at America Plaza. Conan will be live from Comic-Con July 8-11.Finally, here we have a commuter who’s entirely unconcerned that Frankenstein Conan is threatening him with scary outstretched monster arms.
Stay tuned for a ton more cool Comic-Con stuff in the coming few weeks!
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2015 San Diego Comic-Con is less than a month away! As everyone gets ready, it’s time to remember some of the crazy fun stuff we experienced in 2014. Here’s a collection of blogs which contain numerous photos from SDCC last year.
Because I live in downtown San Diego, I’ll attempt to photograph a whole bunch of cool sights and Comic-Con craziness again this year, including trolley wraps, building wraps, special events, exhibits, cosplay and miscellaneous stuff around the Gaslamp! Stay tuned!
Mural being painted for the Balboa Park Centennial 2015 Philippine American Celebration.
I saw a variety of cool sights during my morning walk today. While soaking up some San Diego sunshine, I checked out this weekend’s Balboa Park Centennial 2015 Philippine American Celebration. The annual Filipino cultural event is bigger and better than ever!
The Spreckels Organ Pavilion is the setting for many top notch performances, including a concert tonight by American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez! The festival also enlivens the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages, with lots of art, history, food and fun.
I learned that the House of the Philippines has received the green light to build their own cottage in Balboa Park. I’ll be sure to follow that project’s progress on my blog!
House of the Philippines participated in the event. They will soon have a home among the nearby House of Pacific Relations International Cottages.A crowd is gathering on Saturday morning to watch Filipino entertainment at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.Tents around the perimeter of the pavilion contained interesting cultural information.Poster shows many important Filipinos throughout San Diego’s rich, diverse history.Marie Zhivago wrote a cool children’s book titled The Sakura. I learned sakura in Japanese means cherry blossom.
Marie Zhivago is a super nice person who is also an author and cartoonist. I enjoyed talking with her and learning new stuff! Please check out her website!
Numerous interesting displays were on the lawn in the International Cottages area.This poster documents Heroes and Presidents of the Philippines.Another poster shows how hip hop culture has been influenced by Filipino artists.Beautiful costumes and dresses were being worn by many at the festival.Kids check out fun exhibits at the Balboa Park Centennial 2015 Philippine American Celebration.Philippine American organizations contributed to Balboa Park’s historic centennial with this great event.
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Classic images of Greeks and ancient Greece are sprinkled about the festival venue.
I enjoyed a wonderful long walk this morning. But it seems my poor old brain forgot some important information. Because when I arrived at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church at 3655 Park Boulevard, I learned that San Diego’s big annual Greek Festival wouldn’t begin for over an hour!
I was allowed to walk about the area behind the church where the festival takes place and snap a few photos. Folks were setting up tents and preparing food. All the people I spoke to were very friendly. According to one, this annual festival is about 40 years old! The three day event features Greek food, music and dancing, and draws thousands from around San Diego. It will be open until 10pm tonight, and again tomorrow from 11am to 8pm.
My legs wanted to continue walking, so here are some photos of morning preparations…
Each year a big Greek Festival is held at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church.An hour before the event opens, preparations are being made for coming crowds.Flags, decorations and colorful wares are a feast for the senses outside St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church.Orthodox religious icons displayed by one tent include familiar Christian symbols.Icons of Mary and infant Jesus appear as if they’re gilded in the San Diego morning sunshine.Looking up at the church from the parking lot behind it, where the festival is held each year.Lots of people will be following the arrow to Greek coffee and pastries.One fun area contains tables, umbrellas and eventually yummy food. Unfortunately, I was much too early!Pita bread is stacked up waiting at one end of this Greek Deli tent.An ancient scene seems to have sprung from the pages of the Iliad. Are those Greek warriors stirring up some Nescafé?
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