Gaslamp mural remains from 2019 Comic-Con!

Did you know a cool mural painted five years ago in downtown San Diego for Comic-Con can still be viewed today? Yes!

Back in 2019, I took these photographs of celebrated comic artist Rob Prior painting the above mural halfway up the grand staircase at the Theatre Box movie theater. Today the building at 717 Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter is home to Mr. Tempo Sports Bar.

Because of several popular movies, the characters depicted in this pop culture mural were in the limelight five years ago. Climb the stairs today and you can still find Darth Vader and a stormtrooper from Star Wars, Thanos, Black Panther and Deadpool from Marvel Comics, and Wonder Woman from DC Comics.

Comic-Con 2024 will be here before we know it! As I walk around and discover related developments, Cool San Diego Sights will gradually be entering Comic-Con mode! I haven’t seen any Comic-Con trolleys yet, but they should be appearing soon!

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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.

Superhero, Star Wars, Mario donuts for Comic-Con!

A super cool San Diego Comic-Con tradition will continue in 2023! San Diego’s world-famous Donut Bar will be offering unique (and tasty) donuts that have to be seen to be believed!

The collection of donuts to be offered this year was previewed today. Joining Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman donuts are new edible creations that represent Captain America and Spider-Man. And there are Yoda and R2-D2 donuts to represent Star Wars. And, given the popularity of the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie, there are donuts for fans of Mario, too!

There are gold token donuts that work kind of like Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets. Turn a token over, discover an image of Mario, and you win a trip to Universal Studios! There’s also a cool donut that features a replica of the most valuable Pokémon collectible card! And many more!

You’ll be able to grab some of these awesome donuts during Comic-Con, from Thursday to Sunday, at the Donut Bar downtown location (631 B Street), and in the heart of the Gaslamp at a pop-up shop inside the Pendry Hotel (550 J Street)!

Chef Santiago of the Donut Bar is smiling as usual.

Spidey is clinging to a yummy donut!

8-bit Mario for fans of old school video games.

Wonder Woman.

Yoda.

Look who welcomed yours truly to the Donut Bar. Princess Peach!

I’m covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

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!

Bold art at the San Diego County Fair!

Wonder Woman, by artist Yhoshua Gutierrez.

Should you wander into Grandstand East at the San Diego County Fair, you’ll find yourself surrounded by great paintings and other works of art. There are literally hundreds of pieces in the fair’s Fine Art Exhibit.

Because artists are competing for ribbons, the exhibition has been divided into various categories. One category which really caught my attention is titled Be Bold!

Comic-Con is less than a month away, so an awesome painting of Wonder Woman caught my eye. A nearby representation of the iconic Euclid Tower in City Heights then convinced me to blog a few photos of these Be Bold creations!

Creation, by artist Lydia Twigg.

Celtic Horse, by artist Michael Markopoulos.

Tower Bar, by artist Sarah Conley.

Banje Beach, by artist Rick Lepire.

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I’ll be covering Comic-Con again this year. It’s almost here! To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

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!

Even more awesome Comic-Con cosplay!

It wouldn’t be Comic-Con without tons of awesome cosplay all over the place!

Today, Friday, it was easy to spot cosplay every which way while walking near the San Diego Convention Center.

When the opportunity arose, and action poses were struck, my camera was clicking away!

This is one of those things that makes walking outside Comic-Con such an adventure every year. The experience is exhilarating, surprising, and you don’t want it to ever end!

Sho’Nuff of The Last Dragon.

Plastic Man.

Captain America.

Hawkeye. (She told me she’d beat Green Arrow, no contest.)

The Mandalorian cosplay.

Old school Daredevil.

Watch out Wonder Women. Joker is sneaking up.

Daredevil and Spider-Man combine forces. Villains can’t escape detection given both Spidey sense and Daredevil’s multiple super senses.

Imperial Clone Shock Trooper.

Look at all the Mario characters!

Mysterio is casting an illusion as he stands beside a mesmerized Spider-Man Noir.

Why is Mysterio’s helmet opaque? That darned fish bowl fogs up.

SCP MTF cosplay.

Gandalf and Saruman.

Cosplay inspired by The Haunted Mansion, and the Celestial Knight!

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 Twitter!

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!

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!

WonderCon art at the Comic-Con Museum!

Another super cool exhibition opened this evening in Balboa Park at the future home of the Comic-Con Museum!

Sense of Wonder: The Art of WonderCon Anaheim features a gallery full of original artwork used for the covers of WonderCon program books. Many top comic artists have created these covers over the years, and visitors this evening were admiring sketches, thumbnails and finished pieces by the likes of Jim Lee, Dan Jurgens, and many others.

Before everyone filtered into the gallery, the 2020 WonderCon program book cover by artist Jen Bartel, winner in 2019 of an Eisner Award, was revealed: a stunning rendition of Wonder Woman with her golden Lasso of Truth! There was applause all around!

This great exhibition will be open to public on select dates through May 31, 2020.  If you’re in San Diego and love either WonderCon or Comic-Con, or if you have kids who love superheroes–particularly DC characters like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman–don’t miss it!

Follow the Comic-Con Museum’s Facebook page here for more info!

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!

A few odd photos of superheroes and ducks.

Kid meets Gold Zeo Power Ranger in front of the San Diego Museum of Art!
Kid meets Gold Zeo Power Ranger in front of the San Diego Museum of Art!

I have a few odd photos to share. Problem is, I’m not really sure what to do with them. So I’ve posted them here, together!

The first three photos were snapped in Balboa Park over the weekend; the final two were taken during my commute home today.

Behold: two valiant superheroes and ducks waiting for a bus!

Gold Zeo Power Ranger, Trey of Triforiaz, cosplay in Balboa Park.
Gold Zeo Power Ranger, Trey of Triforiaz, cosplay in Balboa Park.

Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) stands guard inside the House of Israel in Balboa Park.
Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) stands guard inside the House of Israel in Balboa Park.

A flock of ducks waits for a bus at the Fashion Valley Transit Center.
A flock of ducks waits for a bus at the Fashion Valley Transit Center.

Ducks prepare to board a waiting bus.
Ducks prepare to board an arriving bus.

These silly ducks, unfortunately, forgot their bus passes.

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!

Rob Prior paints cool mural during Comic-Con!

Comic book artist Rob Prior paints a cool mural inside the Theatre Box in San Diego.
Comic book artist Rob Prior paints an awesome mural inside the Theatre Box in San Diego.

I stepped into the Theatre Box in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter this morning and made a cool discovery! During 2019 Comic-Con, an absolutely awesome mural is being painted on the wall behind the Theatre Box’s grand staircase!

The artist is Rob Prior, a popular comic book artist who has worked for Marvel, DC, Todd McFarlane and Image Comics, as well as video game companies and major advertisers.

Check out this cool artwork! I didn’t go right up and disturb Rob Prior as he worked, but I did manage to photograph some of the characters. I captured Darth Vader and a stormtrooper from Star Wars, Thanos and Black Panther from Marvel Comics, and Wonder Woman from DC Comics. It appears that Marvel’s Deadpool might be part of the mural, too! All of these characters have appeared in recent movies.

I was told that this mural, when completed, will be a permanent decoration at the Theatre Box. Look for it in the lobby at the top of that first flight of stairs!

Rob Prior works on a mural that includes several well-known pop culture characters.
Rob Prior works on a mural that includes several well-known pop culture characters.

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!

Justice League superheroes patrol Balboa Park!

Wonder Woman and Batman pose for photos in Balboa Park. It seems these superheroes can never get enough public adulation.
Wonder Woman and Batman pose for photos in Balboa Park. It seems these superheroes can never get enough public adulation.

The Justice League was out in force today patrolling Balboa Park!

Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman were leading a team of powerful superheroes and supposedly reformed supervillains down El Prado, keeping an eye out for nefarious doings.

I followed the superhero team in order to capture a bit of the action.

(I learned this cosplay group is called the Science Fiction Coalition. It was cool to see many of these guys later on in the cafe inside the Federal Building, future home of the Comic-Con Museum. It kind of reminded me of that superhero-themed eatery Planet Krypton in the graphic novel Kingdom Come!)

I spotted Penguin and Riddler with members of the Justice League. Fortunately, Batman stood nearby keeping an eye on these supposedly reformed supervillains.
I spotted Penguin and Riddler with members of the Justice League. Fortunately, Batman stood nearby keeping an eye on these two supposedly reformed supervillains.

Batman! The Penguin is coming after me with one of his sinister umbrellas! Help!
Batman! The Penguin is coming after me with one of his sinister umbrellas! Help!

I escaped unscathed. Now it's time for the heroic Justice League to begin their patrol of Balboa Park.
I was subjected to a Burgess Meredith-style quack-laugh from Penguin, but escaped otherwise unscathed. Now it’s time for the heroic Justice League to begin their patrol of Balboa Park.

DC superheroes (and villains) in full costume begin down El Prado, looking for some action.
DC superheroes (and villains) in full costume begin down El Prado, looking for some action.

Batwoman has a young fan. Yes, another photo.
Batwoman has a young fan. Yes, another photo.

More small fans show up and the JLA gladly poses for even more photos. Watch out! Penguin is lurking nearby again.
More small fans show up and the JLA gladly poses for even more photos. Watch out! Penguin is lurking nearby again.

Batman is tailing that fowl Penguin to make sure there is no evildoing today.
Batman is tailing that fowl Penguin to make sure there is no more evildoing today.

Super powered folk amble casually into Plaza de Panama. The Justice League patrol of Balboa Park has been a resounding success.
Another typical San Diego afternoon. Super powered folk amble casually into Plaza de Panama. The Justice League patrol of Balboa Park has been a resounding success.

Penguin, Clark Kent, Riddler, Wonder Woman and Mera are tired out and rest on a bench awaiting their trip home.
Penguin, Clark Kent, Riddler, Wonder Woman and Mera are tired out from all the superhero action and rest on a bench awaiting their trip home.

The JLA poses in Balboa Park. Members of San Diego's Science Fiction Coalition enjoy cosplay as Mera, Batwoman, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Clark Kent, another Wonder Woman, Penguin, Riddler and Superboy!
DC comic book characters gather in Balboa Park. Members of San Diego’s Science Fiction Coalition enjoy cosplay as Mera, Batwoman, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Clark Kent, another Wonder Woman, Penguin, Riddler and Superboy!

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 comic book and superhero street art!

Cool comic book superheroes, villains and other characters are spray painted on a long wall in Logan Heights!
Cool comic book superheroes, villains and other characters are spray painted on a long wall in Logan Heights!

Check out this awesome spray paint street art on a wall south of the intersection of 31st Street and Commercial Street in Logan Heights! It’s loaded with comic book superheroes, villains and other cool characters!

The mural is a work currently in progress. Today I was fortunate to meet the primary artist, who goes by the name Fizix. I learned that most of the characters in the large, colorful mural are his artwork. I also learned that additional work on this very cool mural is by the artist ABSO.

Does the name Fizix ring a bell? Perhaps you’ve seen his work here and here. Because I photograph so much street art all around San Diego, it’s possible his work appears elsewhere on Cool San Diego Sights and I simply don’t realize it.

Fizix is actually Alex Julian, a talented artist in San Diego who can be found @alexfizix. His blog, which features some really good graphic novel art and his bio, can be enjoyed here.

His expertise is illustration, book covers, digital art, murals, horror caricatures and comic book coloring. His artwork has a distinctive style that I really like.

Check out the following photos!

Judge Dredd street art by Fizix.
Judge Dredd street art by Fizix.

Fizix at work on a new commissioned mural featuring superheroes, supervillains and a few other characters.
Fizix at work on a commissioned mural featuring superheroes, supervillains and a few other characters.

A neighbor in Logan Heights loves old school Jazz, so Fizix included this cool musician in the large mural.
A neighbor in Logan Heights loves old school Jazz, so Fizix included this cool musician in the large mural.

Another neighbor in Logan Heights has a dog that resembles this cool spray paint artwork by Fizix!
Another neighbor in Logan Heights has a dog that resembles this cool spray paint artwork by Fizix!

This very awesome sunset portion of the mural is by the artist ABSO. It looks like street art one might find in Ocean Beach.
This very awesome sunset portion of the mural is by the artist ABSO. It looks like the sort of street art one might find in Ocean Beach.

Carnage street art by Fizix.
Carnage street art by Fizix.

I don't recognize this character. Leave a comment if you do!
Rose of Black Dog and Rebel Rose street art by Fizix.

Spawn street art by Fizix.
Spawn street art by Fizix.

Leave a comment if you know this character. I'm clueless.
The Maxx street art by Fizix.

Hela street art by Fizix.
Hela street art by Fizix.

Ghost Rider street art by Fizix.
Ghost Rider street art by Fizix.

Iron Man street art by Fizix.
Iron Man street art by Fizix.

Wonder Woman street art by Fizix.
Wonder Woman street art by Fizix.

Miles Morales street art by Fizix.
Miles Morales version of Spiderman street art by Fizix.

Hellboy street art by Fizix.
Hellboy street art by Fizix.

Rocket Raccoon street art by Fizix.
Rocket Raccoon street art by the artist ABSO.

Cool characters from pop culture can be enjoyed by anyone who drives down Commercial Street in San Diego!
Cool characters from pop culture can be enjoyed by anyone who drives down Commercial Street in San Diego!

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!

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