Tag: pop culture

Surprise encounter with Killer Tomatoes movie star!

Samantha Bailey is in San Diego for Comic-Con 2025. She plays the villain in the latest Attack of the Killer Tomatoes movie.

Samantha joined a Comic-Con Saturday panel concerning Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence and signed autographs.

Today, Sunday, when I saw a smiling somebody walking down MLK Promenade with a Killer Tomatoes sign, I quickly found out I had met the movie star herself!

I had seen Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence filming in early June by the USS Midway, but Samantha informed me she hasn’t performed her role in San Diego. Her work for the movie was done in Long Beach.

Samantha is the nicest person you could ever hope to meet. For sure she’ll be a superstar!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

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Lightsabers light the night in Balboa Park!

Hundreds of Star Wars fans gathered in Balboa Park this evening to light the night with uplifted and dueling lightsabers. It’s an annual tradition during San Diego Comic-Con, organized by the Underground Lightsaber Fighters of San Diego.

The family-friendly event was billed as the Light Saber World Championship, but the competition seemed entirely informal. As far as I could see, it was mostly parents and kids having a blast.

After dark, near the fountain by Park Boulevard, simulated lightsaber battles would begin. First it was kids against a gentle “master” lightsaber fighter. Then the masters faced each other. The roar of the crowd determined the winner!

Two rules were announced. Be safe. Have fun!

I could clearly see there was a ton of fun!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

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San Diego becomes center of the cosplay universe!

There’s no denying that, at this moment, San Diego, California is the center of the entire cosplay universe!

Hundreds of cosplays can be seen everywhere in the city, mostly around the San Diego Convention Center. That’s because it’s the Saturday of Comic-Con 2025!

How does one convey the wild and crazy atmosphere? Take a look at some photos! Most of these were taken in the Gaslamp Quarter on Fifth Avenue. Now multiply it!

Every fandom imaginable is represented by creative cosplayers. There are traditional superheroes and a whole array of anime characters. There are colorful characters from television, movies, video games…

There are often-seen cosplays and esoteric cosplays. Some costumes are simple, others are incredibly elaborate. Young and old participate. There are even cosplaying pets!

I took these photos while navigating through the dense crowd this afternoon. Cosplayers were excited to strike poses for passersby. Much humor! Lots of smiles!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

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Star Trek dancers beam into San Diego!

What happens when Star Trek: Strange New Worlds beams into San Diego for Comic-Con 2025? A Strange New Spectacle!

Dancers representing characters from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have appeared this Saturday on the streets of San Diego, performing in an unusual but entertaining Broadway-like production!

Who knew the 23rd century would be so much fun!

Captain Christopher Pike, Spock, Uhura, and the happy crew of the starship Enterprise danced before a large crowd in the Gaslamp Quarter, loosely reenacting scenes from the science fiction series. Boldly they went where no one has gone before: a noir murder mystery (complete with trench coats), a sudden zombie situation, a ’60s retro mission, a Vulcan wedding, and plenty of sci-fi mayhem that the crowd loved.

Yes, it was a little bit silly, but everyone loved it. Lots of kids were in the audience. A few even danced along with the futuristic acting troupe!

Wouldn’t dancing in San Diego in the 21st century violate Starfleet’s Prime Directive?

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

Feel free to share!

Weird, wonderful Saturday in San Diego!

You gotta love it!

It’s Saturday in San Diego–but not just any Saturday.

It’s the Saturday of Comic-Con 2025!

The crowds have grown larger and larger. Cosplay is absolutely everywhere. Huge lines have formed outdoors at the various offsite activations. (Wait up to four hours? No thanks! I’ll wait until Sunday.)

The endless weird and wonderful sights around downtown San Diego were more than enough for me!

I should probably think up clever captions for these photos. But it’s lunchtime. And I really need to take a quick nap before heading out again!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

Feel free to share!

More cosplay photos from Comic-Con 2025!

Red Guardian

San Diego Comic-Con is a cosplayer’s dream.

In 2025, the variety and quality of cosplay inside and outside of the San Diego Convention Center is simply amazing.

Here’s another batch of cosplay photos taken while walking around outside!

Wilma and Fred Flintstone
Pee-wee Herman
Stay Puft Marshmallow Man
Doctor Doom
Snoopy lying on his doghouse and Woodstock
Tigra
Death Eater, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Bellatrix Lestrange and Knight Bus driver
Wolverine and Deadpool
Luigi and Mario
Maui
Hmm. I really don’t know.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Legend of Zelda
Ekko
Riddler
Black Cat and Spider-Man
Wonder Woman
Zoidberg
Captain Picard
Rorschach
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Rogue and Cyclops

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

Feel free to share!

Fun in San Diego at Crunchyroll Anime FanFest!

The two day Crunchyroll Anime FanFest in San Diego began this afternoon. The huge event takes place during Comic-Con 2025.

Fun, sunshine and live entertainment can be freely enjoyed by all comers at the Rady Shell, on San Diego Bay behind the convention center!

I showed up today–Friday–shortly after the family-friendly Anime FanFest opened at 1 pm. Everyone was admitted into the spacious outdoor venue quickly. Fans of anime–particularly entertainment streamed on Crunchyroll–will love the photo ops, exclusive merchandise, food, free swag, and a fan-fueled happy atmosphere.

Later on during the festival, some super popular musical acts would take the stage. Big names include SPYAIR, yama, Denzel Curry and INIKO. To see the lineup and for more details, check out the Crunchyroll website here.

I must admit, I simply love hanging out at the Rady Shell on San Diego Bay, whatever the reason. To get away from it all, for relaxation, I love to walk out on the nearby pier. I’m an older guy, so I like that sort of thing.

The Crunchyroll Anime FanFest continues tomorrow, Saturday July 26. If you want to have a relaxed chill experience, or party it up, head on over to the Rady Shell!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

Feel free to share!

Unified Intelligence Taskforce’s Black Archive in San Diego!

Would you like to help defend Earth from paranormal and extraterrestrial threats? UNIT’s (Unified Intelligence Taskforce) Black Archive has arrived in San Diego, where you can join forces with Doctor Who to investigate all things weird and terrifying!

The Doctor Who UNIT Black Archive is open free to the public in San Diego through this Sunday during Comic-Con. The super cool offsite is located on MLK Promenade, across Harbor Drive from the San Diego Convention Center. It’s open 10 am until 8 pm each day, except Sunday when it closes at 5 pm. When I visited the activation on Thursday afternoon, the wait was perhaps 15 minutes.

In addition to the exploration of Black Archive relics, visitors can take an outdoor photo op with Doctor Who props and purchase exclusive Doctor Who merchandise.

My photos provide a hint of what you’ll experience.

Doctor Who fans will go crazy. There are references to every sort of Doctor Who monster, creature and alien, and Easter Eggs concerning past and future shows abound.

The atmosphere inside the Black Archive is indeed creepy. It feels real!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

Feel free to share!

Cosplay everywhere outside Comic-Con!

It’s Thursday evening. Comic-Con 2025 has barely begun. Even so, cosplay is now appearing all over downtown San Diego– particularly in the Gaslamp Quarter and outside the San Diego Convention Center!

Most of these cosplay photos were taken today as I walked all around. A few were taken on Wednesday, the day of Preview Night.

Enjoy!

Captain America.
Team Boba Fett!
Hatsune Miku.
Winter Soldier.
Jurassic Park.
Hazbin Hotel.
Joker and Harley.
I asked what version of Spider-Man, but failed to write it down.
Another Harley, with Beetlejuice!
Galactus without giant headgear about to devour the Earth.
Star Wars.
Anakin Skywalker, before going to the Dark Side.
Han Solo and Rey.
Tinker Bell and Pirate Fairy.
One Piece and Doctor Who.
Come on. Everyone knows this is Batman!
Peacemaker has had it with me.
Joker, Thor and Harley. Um, I think Thor might be a smidgeon more powerful.
Sandtrooper with a big gun that doesn’t miss.
The Wicked Witch. Stay away from water!
A cool Star-Lord cosplay.
And here’s good ol’ Spidey.
Wolverine has adamantium claws out for action.
G.I. Robot!
Drax.
Uh, oh. Cobra is here! (Where’s G.I. Robot when you need him?)
Invisible Woman and Human Torch seem to be missing Mister Fantastic and Thing.
An awesome Doctor Octopus cosplay!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

Feel free to share!

Fun activities at Comic-Con’s Interactive Zone!

As it turned out, the Comic-Con Interactive Zone at Petco Park has a fair number of cool activities for 2025. When I looked down at the parking lot yesterday, I was wondering what all might appear.

Well, apart from the great food trucks and a first aid station (where you can get free water), there are several activations that will thrill kids (and adults) and those who love collectibles.

I visited the free to the public Interactive Zone in the afternoon, and there was no wait to get in. Lining up in the morning and waiting in my opinion is a waste of time. Once that initial line goes away, it’s a breeze to walk in.

So what did I see?

I had camera, phone, keys, etc. and I passed right through the metal detectors without removing them, no problem…

The various sides of this activation promote video games by ARC System Works…

People at the ARC System Works activation loved playing Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impact. It appeared one could grab cool swag, too…

I see Marge Simpson at one picnic bench!

(I bought a pulled pork dish but found nowhere to sit, so I took it outside and sat in some shade at nearby quiet Petco Park.)

Check out this awesome Winx Club chalk art!

Pose with cabbages for a fun photo at the Magic: The Gathering x Avatar activation! I believe I saw those who participated getting a swag bag…

Kids will love this Winx Club photo op…

eBay has a large activation with different activities and winnable stuff…

eBay Live podcast concerning collectibles was drawing a lot of attention…

This photo op aimed to get people across the street to The Labu’Tique Pop-Up Shop…

Food, fun and fascination for your family!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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

Feel free to share!