The famous Budweiser Clydesdales proceeded up Fifth Avenue in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter this afternoon. The spectacle was part of a one-day-early celebration of the Fourth of July. Tonight there will be a laser light show!
A huge crowd of people swarmed around the iconic Budweiser beer wagon taking photos. Everyone was excited to see the traditional spotted Dalmatian up near the drivers.
The extraordinary exhibition, which occupies nearly all of the Comic-Con Museum’s large first floor, celebrates the history of Spider-Man.
Visitors can see dozens of pieces of original art used in the creation of the comic books, and important props from many of Spider-Man’s immensely popular movies. The superhero’s appearance on television and in video games is also documented.
I spent a full hour today just reading the many displays and viewing incredible, historic artwork.
Originally drawn from the imaginations of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Spider-Man has evolved over time, as new writers and artists have built on Spidey’s complex story. Societal norms and comic book sensibilities have shifted over the decades, but one thing has been fairly consistent. Spider-Man represents a youthful, optimistic “everyman” hero, who copes with life’s ordinary problems while battling fantastic villains.
A good crowd had already arrived as the museum opened at ten o’clock this morning, and I saw numerous families and excited kids–many wearing Spider-Man shirts and costumes. There are many opportunities to take selfies, and the atmosphere created inside the dynamic exhibition is truly exciting.
Walking through, I felt my old passion for Spider-Man flaring again. The exhibition makes it obvious why the wall-crawler remains one of the all-time favorite pop culture icons!
During Comic-Con, a shuttle bus will run between the San Diego Convention Center and the Comic-Con Museum. I encourage Comic-Con attendees to come up to Balboa Park and check out the exhibition. It’s well worth the time and effort!
Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing will continue at the Comic-Con Museum through the end of 2022.
…
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!
Here’s the rest of that very long mural by artist Fizix (@alexfizix) in Logan Heights that I first referenced a couple days ago here. The artwork wraps around a business at the corner of 33rd Street and Broad Avenue.
San Diego is proudly painted in an elegant graffiti style!
As you can see in these photos, the theme transitions from a nostalgic noir theme including classic cars and figures with an old school mobster look, to a Día de los Muertos sugar skull painted lady, to . . . Batman villain Penguin!
You can enjoy photos of the adjacent Batman imagery, also by San Diego artist Fizix, 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 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!
Cool San Diego Sights documented a variety of interesting events five years ago.
In 2017, during the month of July, I visited Old Town, North Park, Normal Heights, Little Portugal and Balboa Park, and I watched the big Fourth of July parade in Coronado. But easily the most exciting event was Comic-Con!
Looking back, I see that my camera was super busy as I walked around downtown San Diego during Comic-Con week. I photographed colorful offsites, lots of cosplay, celebrities, even a bit of insanity!
For your enjoyment, I’ve collected some of my favorite blog posts from 2017 Comic-Con . . . plus a related event in Mission Valley featuring cosplay pets! Click the upcoming links to see LOTS of photos!
Click the following links to see many photographs…
This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a phone or small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
Public transit buses in San Diego are being wrapped for 2022 Comic-Con. I spotted a cool one this morning!
The MTS buses promote Crunchyroll, a distributor, publisher or producer of many anime and manga titles, including Dragon Ball Super and My Hero Academia.
The character on the above bus is Crunchyroll-Hime, mascot of Crunchyroll.
I suspect there might be different designs to come, so I’ll provide updates should I spot any!
It’s feeling like Comic-Con in 2022 is going to be bigger and crazier than ever. Earlier this week I spotted the third Comic-Con trolley wrap. More and more cool stuff is appearing every day, with now only three weeks to go!
UPDATE!
Next day, look what I saw! It appears that city bus route 992 to the Airport is receiving the wraps. Which makes sense!
This one promotes Dragon Ball Super SUPER HERO. Check out the graphics. I had to increase the contrast on the second photo somewhat…
…
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!
Ready to see some awesome Batman street art? Check this out!
A long fence and gate in Logan Heights was painted earlier this year with characters from the Batman Family and with assorted members of the Batman Rogues Gallery.
The spray painted artwork is by prolific San Diego muralist Fizix (@alexfizix), whose more ordinary name is Alex Julian.
You can see this great comic book inspired street art on 33rd Street, just south of Broad Avenue.
The long mural by Fizix actually continues up the fence and onto Broad Avenue, but the subject becomes something quite different, so I figured I’d post those photographs on a separate blog, which will be coming up shortly.
If you like this comic book-style street art, you’ll like another mural painted by Fizix several years ago with even more superhero and pop culture characters. You can enjoy photos of that amazing mural by clicking here!
Looking from left to right along the long Batman-themed mural by San Diego artist Fizix.Penguin by artist Fizix.Catwoman by artist Fizix.Batman by artist Fizix.Bane by artist Fizix.Batwoman by artist Fizix.Poison Ivy by artist Fizix.Continuing left to right…Robin by artist Fizix.Joker by artist Fizix.Harley Quinn by artist Fizix.Red Hood by artist Fizix.
…
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!
Early this morning I walked in Logan Heights to see a super cool Batman mural I’d heard about by San Diego street artists Fizix.
But first I found more of his art in the neighborhood!
Let me share this mural painted by Fizix on one side of Stoody Industrial & Welding Supply, located at 33rd Street and National Avenue.
The image of hardworking welders and workers is awesome!
If the mural has something of a comic book look, that’s because San Diego illustrator, digital artist and muralist Alex Julian aka Fizix (@alexfizix) has a distinctive pop style that can also be found in his graphic novel art.
…
This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
A new trolley wrap has appeared for 2022 Comic-Con! This one celebrates crossover cosplaying!
Over the years, I’ve seen all sorts of cool cosplay mash-ups, utilizing some of the most unexpected character combinations. I suppose that during Comic-Con this year, some of that crossover cosplay magic might be found while riding the San Diego Trolley!
This is another wrap promoting Amazon Prime Video. It appears they will have a major footprint at Comic-Con. Of course, their epic series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is highly anticipated by many, particularly lovers of Middle Earth and Tolkien’s class novels!
…
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!
The 34th San Diego International Organ Festival began this evening in Balboa Park.
It was the first festival concert of many to come this summer. They are free to the public on Monday evenings, beginning at 7:30 pm. See the full program here. Some of the world’s top organists will fill thousands of ears with dazzling sound from the incomparable Spreckels Organ.
But tonight, before San Diego Civic Organist Raul Prieto Ramírez began his magic, two people were brought to the pavilion stage for a special Thank You.
Past Spreckels Organ Society President Arlene Way and Civic Organist Emeritus Robert Plimpton spoke a few words–including doing good for the community and bringing happiness to people–then received applause.
I want to personally thank Robert Plimpton. He’s the one who “introduced” me to the Spreckels Organ. One day, I forget when, as a young man in Balboa Park, I sat down on one of those metal benches and listened. I hadn’t realized an organ could play so movingly, so exquisitely. Like poetry.
His energetic, elegant, precise play of the mighty Spreckels Organ made me a fan of the King of Instruments for life. Sitting on that bench, amazed, it might have been the first time I realized Balboa Park has a living heartbeat.
So, thank you to all who keep that heartbeat going.
And thank you Robert Plimpton.
…
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!
Would you, or someone you know, like to embark on the adventure of a lifetime?
You can start that adventure this very moment. Sign up to become one of a select few: those who help sail famous tall ships right here in San Diego. Including the oldest active sailing ship in the world, Star of India!
Start down the path to becoming a crewmember and you’ll create incredible memories. Your background, age or experience don’t matter.
Today I watched from the poop deck of Star of India as two new museum volunteers learned to tie knots.
With training, which includes a special class that begins every January, you, too, can help operate the replica 19th century schooner Californian; the replica 18th century British Frigate HMS Surprise; the 19th century three-masted Bark Star of India; the replica 16th century Spanish Galleon San Salvador; and the 20th century steam yacht Medea.
Learn all about this incredible opportunity by clicking here!
Retired? No problem? A student? No problem. Don’t know anything about ships or sailing? No problem!
Begin this adventure and you’ll learn nautical skills and acquire knowledge that very few people share.
Afraid of climbing high into a tall ship’s rigging? No problem! When operating these historic ships, there’s plenty to do down on deck, too!
This afternoon I spoke to Jim, First Mate of Star of India, and absorbed all sorts of interesting information. He told me there’s something new to learn at the Maritime Museum every single day. And he’s been with the museum now for almost 50 years! (He started out working in the gift shop!)
Interested? Begin your adventure of a lifetime now, by clicking here. You’ll even have a chance to help sail the beautiful Star of India herself, when next she goes out to sea, in November 2023!
That would make for one amazing memory.
Two beautiful tall ships of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, Star of India and Californian, head out into the Pacific Ocean.
…
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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 