COMIC CON 2019 IS HERE... NEXT WEEK!!!

Welcome back my CRAZIES!!!  Sorry for the title fake-out, but those do need to be eye-catching after all.  Next week is the big event, though for me, it'll likely be starting this weekend when I start putting it together.  A stagehand's work is never done!  Until then though, we must keep ourselves in check.  And you know what'll help us with that?  Even MORE pics from a past Comic Con!

We have set the Wayback Machine to the relatively recent 2016 and are now ready to go back and party in America's Finest City with the World's best Comic Con!  Enjoy...

Practically Perfect People Cosplay Properly! 

I think Sony and BBC seriously need to consider a Ghostbusters/Doctor Who crossover.  Think of the supernatural possibilities! 

THEY HAVE THE POWER!!! 

Long had I waited for a more accurate Shockmaster figure and thankfully Mattel delivered!  I'm fortunate enough to own this gem and it's proudly displayed on my shelf.  And yes, the figure is in fact packaged upside down to simulate his "Groundbreaking" debut!

70's Superman and 60's Batman loves them some You-Gi-Oh! 

This is why it's not a good idea to drop acid at Comic Con.  There's weird enough stuff going on without added hallucinogens! 

The famed (And FREE!) FXhibition Zone at the Hilton Park!  Every year's a little something different there! 

The short-lived ConX offsite.  Despite some great swag, photo ops, stages and music, not to mention a really impressive list of celebrity interviews happening there, it was a great distance away from the Convention Center.  Although the nighttime events had pretty good turnouts, it just wasn't bringing in enough people during the day to justify bringing it back.  Is it gone for good?  Probably, but ya know?  Anything's possible in the future!

Until I went to the ConX offsite that year, I had never realized just how much those giant hotel wraparounds standout from great distances.  Certainly weird to think that The Strain is now a Disney property!

For the second year in a row, a ride from the recently finished San Diego County Fair made its way to the Petco Park Interactive Zone, in this case, the smaller Ferris wheel from the Kiddy Zone.  That was cool.  What wasn't cool was that they were charging for rides, while the drop tower the previous year let everyone ride for free!  The nerve!   

Glad you made it to Comic Con little buddy! 

It sucked that the ride wasn't free, but it really looked cool lit up at night.  Was nice to have a piece of the Fair jump over to Comic Con again.

The most badass character in all the TMMNT Universe, the one and only Casey Jones!

And we close out things with possibly the funniest cosplay of all time: Tyrone!!!  This poor guy went all out, wearing numerous layers of clothing during one of San Diego's hottest weeks!  He took it all in stride though and never broke character!

And that was Comic Con 2016!  I certainly got around that year.  My nephew and niece wanted to see everything.  So we did!  I could barely walk by the time Monday came around!  That year would also mark the end of the awesome NerdHQ offsite that delivered so many wonderful memories for those who went.  It also marked the last time Nerdist did their offsite at Petco Park itself.  The Nerdist offsite still happens, but it's definitely not as much fun as it used to be.  Fingers crossed it'll be back at its old home this year.  Overall though, it was still a good show.  Great year for swag and exclusives!

That's all she wrote for this week!  Because the madness of Comic Con starts next Wednesday, I'll be posting a bit earlier next week so the fine CRAZIES that are going will have a chance to check things out!  In addition to old pics, I'll also be including helpful tips whenever relevant, so be sure to come back and give the CRAZY Comic Con Countdown a look on Monday!  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

JULY IS HERE!!! AND SO IS MORE COMIC CON FUN!!!

Welcome to July CRAZIES!!!  Before I go any further, Happy Birthday America!  After we get done blowing stuff up tomorrow, I pledge to worker harder for a better future for all!  Okay, back to what you're all really here to see: More of the CRAZY Comic Con Countdown 2019!!!  Yup, no better way to kick off the month than with a look back at July's biggest event!

This week, we travel back to 2015, a year where MANY big things that happened at the show!  So strap in, hold on to your Code Red Mountain Dew and take off because all systems are go!  Enjoy...

Mighty Morphin Mariachi Rangers?  I could get behind this variant! 

Years after the Xbox Lounge was crashed by some not-so-wholesome folks, the Hard Rock Hotel is slowly getting back into the offsite game, even if it's usually just a simple display.  Given the damage that was caused, can't say I blame them for not wanting to take part anymore.

Steve and Blue look for clues at the Petco Park Interactive Zone! 

To the exhibit hall, and beyond! 

One of last hurrahs of the Wii U was the popular Mario Maker game.  Nintendo went all-out promoting the game, and it certainly paid off.  A funny story came about on the Friday of the Con.  As my nephew, niece and I demoed a Skylanders game in Hall A, word begin to spread of a guy at the Marriott's Nintendo Lounge who was making a bunch of 12-year-olds cry as he was totally crushing their custom Mario Maker levels.  Having heard a description of the culprit, I got curious and called my pal Riki (aka popular YouTube gamer Max Sterling) to see if it was him.  He answered while in the middle actually doing the deed!  Sometimes, the truths of Comic Con are far stranger than any fiction!

Protestors are a common thing in the streets of Downtown during Comic Con.  But the staged ones are loads of laughs!

Buttercup and Wesley made it out of the Fire Swamps and into the upper level of the Convention Center! 

Well what d'ya know?  He found a shrubbery!  Next task: Cutting down the mightiest tree in the forest with... A herring! 

Nothing too special about this pic other than the fact that it's Lucasfilm's LED wall and I am the one who built it! 

Not even Jafar's sorcery could calm the crowds at Comic Con! 

*Sighs* 2015 was the year we said goodbye to the beloved Xbox Lounge.  It was a bit of a walk from the Convention Center, but well worth it.  Besides the games, they gave out some of the best swag and had some awesome things on display as well, like actual ET: The Video Game cartridges dug up from the dumpsite in New Mexico.  They also stayed open later than most other offsites, so the fun lasted longer!  Will it ever come back?  Who knows.  Doesn't seem likely this year, but anything's possible I suppose.  Guess we'll just need to keep our eyes open. 

Put your trust in Chicken Pony.  Love is Chicken Pony...  Chicken Pony IS love... 

Aw, the Scream Queens drop tower at the Petco Park Interactive Zone.  I don't even know if this show still comes on, but the ride was fun. And oddly enough, it had been set up at the San Diego (Del Mar) County Fair a mere week earlier!  Comic Con happened way earlier than usual that year, so I literally jumped from one event to the next!  Coincidentally, I won second place for my mask collection at that very same Fair that year! 

Bounty Hunters are certainly daredevils to a degree.

And that was Comic Con 2015.  A banner year with the real highlight being the big panel for Star Wars that gave the lucky Hall H attendees something extra as they were led to the Pops Site behind the Convention Center to watch an exclusive concert featuring the music of the films.  I wasn't part of the Hall H crowd, but I did clearly see the whole thing from back steps of the building!  Gotta love loopholes!  Sadly, other than the booth, Star Wars has barely had any kind of presence at Comic Con since, despite a having had four movie come out in that time!  Guess there's always next year.

And so we close up the first week of July.  More fun is coming next week as the CRAZY Comic Con Countdown inches closer!  In the meantime, have a fun, safe and wonderful 4th of July weekend.  Until next time, take and I'll catch y'all later!

JUNE IS DONE!!! BUT THE CRAZY COMIC CON COUNTDOWN 2019 ISN'T!!!

We've come to it at last...  The end of June!  But never fear!  That just means Comic Con is THAT much closer to happening!  I know we're all excited, so we may as well jump right to it!  Unless you enjoy this rambling?  No?  Then lets do this!

The year is 2014!  I'm formally in my 30's now but still feeling young as I make my way through the exhibit hall!  Strap in CRAZIES because once again, the CRAZY COMIC CON COUNTDOWN 2019 is on!  Enjoy...

One of the more fun booths at the con that year was the isolation booth for the then-new Alien game.  You sat in the giant egg and played the game while cameras filmed the various jump-scares, broadcasting them live to a screen outside for people to laugh at.  In my case, the laughing occurred at my inability to play the game properly, missing ALL the jump-scares in the process.  It wasn't the first time I suffered at the hands of a video game for swag, and it won't be the last!

The Pixels offsite was hidden within the lobby of the Hard Rock Hotel and was only open to badge holders.  It was a fun little retro arcade setup with great swag!  And for those that feel they missed out, the movie totally sucked, so there's that silver lining at least! 

No visit to SDCC between 2011 and 2015 wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Xbox Lounge.  This particular year, they had an odd rule that let kids into the lounge, but wouldn't allow anyone younger than 16 play games, despite having several titles that were clearly geared at a younger set!  Even the best screw up from time to time. 

Smaug kept guard over the Weta Booth.  Luckily, dragons are very heavy sleepers! 

Doctor Who cosplay has really tapered off in recent years.  Hard to say why, but for a few years, it reigned supreme over cons in Southern California. 

One of the least crowded areas of the convention center during Comic Con is Hall A, informally called Gamers Row.  The crowds are certainly there, but seemingly controlled better.  Now if only Hall H, Ballroom 20, Hasbro and Mattel could take a cue from the gaming companies!

One of the greatest heroes to many a child that grew up in San Diego and Tijuana: El Chapulin Colorado!  Gracias Chespirito! 

Batman always has time for a selfie! 

Always stoked to see some Captain Eo cosplay, but just once, I'd like to see someone dress up as the Geex, Hooter or Major Domo!  The Supreme Leader would also be a killer costume to do! 

The Disney Infinity Lounge was another hidden offsite only this one was exclusive to D23 Members. My nephew Dante really loved that game so I took him to play for a little bit.  Not really sure why Disney discontinued the game.  By all accounts it was popular, but Skylanders had a pretty large share of the interactive toy/game market already and with Nintendo and Lego honing in too, I guess Disney felt they should put their focus elsewhere.  At least they left some pretty cool toys in its wake.

He's a mad man people.  A VERY mad man! 

Col. Sanders, Dark Helmet and Barf!  There will never be a time where Spaceballs isn't cool! 

The Headless Horsemen brought a lot of people in to check out the Sleepy Hollow walkthrough at the Petco Park Interactive Zone!  I know this was for a show on Fox, but I honestly don't even know if it still comes on!  Cool offsite though!

I know you're tired Simon, but relax!  The post is over now!

And that was SDCC 2014!  A bit of a mixed bag.  The show itself was pretty cool but my professional life wasn't so hot at the time.  But I still enjoyed myself and got lots of cool pics to show off for years to come!  Well, three years anyway!

And that's a wrap on June!  We'll be back next time with some more Comic Con Fun in the Sun and maybe even some 4th of July fun, so stay "Tooned!"  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

THE CRAZY COMIC CON COUNTDOWN 2019 REACHES 2013!!!

Alright!  We are halfway through June and roughly a month away from the glory that is San Diego Comic Con!  Excitement is hitting an all-time high here, so perhaps we should just dive right into the past?

The year is 2013.  Marvel has taken over the box office and five days of geeky bliss has descended upon the city of San Diego.  Hold on to your Code Red Mountain Dews CRAZIES.  The CRAZY COMIC CON COUNTDOWN 2019 is a go again!  Enjoy...

Finn!  Princess Bubblegum has told you MANY times!  You're just too young for her! 

The Yip Yaps continue to be a cosplay presence at SDCC! 

This was a pretty monumental moment for me.  It's not everyday you meet a character from the lone Gameboy game that you owned! 

Aw, the Gamespot Lounge that CNET hosted for a couple of years.  It only ran in 2012 and 2013, but it was a fun spot.  Most of us couldn't normally afford to eat at Lou & Micky's, so to be able to hang out in there and get drinks and appetizers for free was pretty sweet!  It was only open to badge holders, which helped with crowds, and they gave out some pretty cool swag!  My only guess as to why it doesn't run anymore is because the restaurant was probably not getting paid enough by CNET to justify closing for three days.

Damn!  The city's really getting chill on these support animals! 

I got this present for Jabba the Hutt for his big birthday part at Space Chuck E. Cheese!  It's a life-size chocolate man!  And when Jabba pushes a button,  it goes right in his mouth!  He's gonna eat it all by himself and not share with anybody! 

Onward and outward to the Nintendo Lounge! 

This was the first year the Xbox Lounge was held at the Hyatt Hotel.  It had previously been at the Hard Rock Hotel and had been open to all until a few bad eggs came in and caused trouble.  It doesn't take much to ruin it for all.  Still, the Xbox Lounge was loads of fun.  I really hope they'll return someday.

YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!  Seriously Gandolf, wait for the tossing symbol to flash! 

The Petco Park Interactive Zone.  A haven for all whether they have badges or not.  Most of the time, some of SDCC's most best things are happening there!

One of the best offsites ever: The Regular Show Experience at the New Children's Museum!  It was a bit of a walk, but totally worth it!  They had a retro arcade, a video chat with Mordecai and Rigby, and some exclusive swag!  I won two pairs of fuzzy dice AND a limited edition poster!  And best of all, Muscle Man was on hand to get the party started! 

Space Ghost took a break from zapping Zorak to come chill at SDCC!  Couldn't find Brak or Moltar anywhere though!

The Nickelodeon booth!  Long a staple of Hall E, I include it here because I built the LED wall on the top right side of the picture.  They haven't had a wall in a while, but I give major props to Nick for FINALLY honoring their past!  Well, their past from 1991-on at least.  Some progress is better than no progress! 

FX was kind enough to provide free pedicabs throughout the Gaslamp Quarter and East Village, where most of the offsites happen.  This particular year, they adorned the cabs with stuff for The League.

And that's that for 2013!  Another stellar year for me at SDCC and the last time until this year that I was on my own at the show!  For the last few years, I was being a pretty cool uncle and bringing my nephew and niece with me.  But now that I can't get them in anymore, I'm ready to go exploring again!  It's not that I didn't enjoy their company, it's just all they'd wanna do is play video games the whole time!  There's much more to do than that, but you just can't get explain that to pre-teens.

Well, we've reached the end of another week!  We'll be back time with more of the same to close June out properly:  With more of the CRAZY COMIC CON COUNTDOWN 2019!!!  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all later!