COMIC CON 2019 IS HERE!!!

It's survival in the city...

When you live from day to day...

City streets don't have much pity...

When yer down that's where you staaaaaay...

Sorry CRAZIES, but this year's Comic Con splash just really put me in a Joe Walsh kind of mood!  The big day is upon us folks!  Well, it's actually on Wednesday, but given that the chaos of the Con will be kicking in sometime around 1pm that day, I figured it'd be wise to post early so folks will have a chance to relive and relearn.

But yes!  This week is in fact the kickoff of Comic Con 2019!  We've waited all year for the show of shows and now we can finally let our fan instincts off the leash!  As I post pics today, I'll offer handy tips as I have in the past whenever relevant.  To distinguish, a bold TIP: icon will appear in its own paragraph.  Well, now that that's been said, tighten the caps on those Code Red Mountain Dew bottles, polish up those vintage GI Joe action figures and hold on to your Batman Underoos because the CRAZY Comic Con Countdown 2019 is locked, loaded and heading back to Comic Con 2017!  Enjoy...

The Mattel booth!  2017 saw it get a major upgrade in terms of layout and appearance.  Although it's displays are now much bigger and very impressive, the original booth was much more open and easier to navigate.  Still, they had a great slate of toys ready for the coming fall and winter movies they were promoting.

TIP: Mattel and Hasbro are among Comic Con's most demoralizing lines after Hall H and Ballroom 20.  However, if you're patient and don't have hopes too high, there is one way to get in without getting one of those coveted raffle tickets.  By Friday evening, most of the really big ticket items sell out and because of that, the lines practically disappear.  In Mattel's case, I've even walked in on Thursday evening and had luck!  Point is, keep a close eye out every afternoon between 4pm-7pm.  You just might get in and you just might get the exclusive you want. 

 Where's the Dude and Walter when you need them?

Hello there children! South Park just hasn't been the same without Chef. 

After a down year in 2016, the Petco Park Interactive Zone returned with a purpose in 2017 and delivered big!  The Ice Cream Citadel was a pretty amazing experience.  Not only did they give us free ice cream, they even gave us a few minutes to stand inside the near-freezing citadel for a minutes and escape the blazing temperatures outside!

TIP: As I've said many times over the years, you don't need a pass to enjoy Comic Con.  There's PLENTY of free events going on outside that can easily lead into an entire week's worth of entertainment for anyone!  The Petco Park Interactive Zone is the biggest of these free events and is also a great spot to see some cosplay!

Hotels aren't the only ones that get in on the wraparound act.  The trolleys do too!  And this year, Conan took total control!

TIP: Parking is crap in Downtown San Diego even when there ISN'T a major show happening.  Easiest and cheapest way around this problem is the Trolley.  They pick up all over the county and drop off at two very convenient spots: 12th and Imperial and the Gaslamp Quarter.

TIP: Conan O'Brien is coming back this year!  While the tickets are free, it's a raffle system similar to how you get Comic Con badges, so, don't get your hopes up!

ROCKOOOOOOOO!!!  All-time favorite Nicktoon! 

The Alien Covenant booth.  I was setting up the Hasbro Booth while the Fox crew set this one up.  They left the doors open while testing things and scared the hell out of a few poor cleaning ladies that were walking by and didn't know the monitors were on!

TIP: Many booths offer walk-through experiences like the one above.  Some lines are longer than others, depending on how cool the experience actually is.  It should also be noted that not all these experiences are age appropriate!  Though the folks at Fox had no trouble letting six-year-olds into the trailer, their parents sure weren't too thrilled when they walked out with screaming kids afterwords.  Moral of the story?  Use common sense before getting in a line.  This isn't Disneyland, there aren't warning signs! 

The Kong: Skull Island offsite!  At least the Monsterverse had one decent movie in it! 

The infamous Amazon offsite.  Packed, poorly run and frustrating beyond belief.  Fans AND The Tick deserved better!

TIP: Offsites in recent years have seen a bit of a down turn in proper handling.  Lines have gotten longer so be aware that you could be waiting in a line for an entire day and still not get to experience what it was you were hoping to do. 

The Master would approve, Torgo! 

Aaaaaaaaalrighty then!

TIP: Cosplay is a fun way to meet folks and break ice.  For those looking to try it for the first time, don't be afraid to give an obscure character a try!  Those tend to get a LOT of attention!  Also, always ask first before taking a picture.  Yes, it's a given that merely showing up to Comic Con pretty much means permission is granted, but it's still a polite thing to do. 

Given that no one is allowed on the top of the Entertainment Earth booth, there's a decent chance that might actually be Paul Stanley.

TIP: Plenty of celebrities roam the floor in street clothes and without security entourages.  If you come across one, don't call attention to them.  They're just fans like the rest of us trying to have fun and would probably still be happy to take a selfie with you, possibly even more so because you treated them normally! 

What're you lookin' at, butthead?!? 

Pepsi really sheered out a lot to make the Petco Park Interactive Zone THE event of the Con!  The one thing they didn't spend money on?  A permit to sell food!  They got busted on the fist day and could only give out sodas and ice cream for the rest of the weekend!

TIP: Despite Pepsi's folly, plenty of other food trucks in the Interactive Zone DO have their paperwork in order and can sell food!  The prices are fairly reasonable and there's a good variety of choices.  Some of them, like the Hello Kitty truck, even offer exclusives! 

Justice League had many pros and cons, but I do feel that Ezra Miller made a great Flash!

TIP: It gets insanely hot in San Diego during Comic Con.  If you're gonna dress up, really make an effort to use lightweight materials.  Some cosplayers even work in tubing systems that allow cold water to be poured in and control the temperature!

Doofus Rick! 

Amen brother! 

The Adult Swim Carnival!  Provided it's back this year, I hope to FINALLY get to check it out!

With NerdHQ gone, the SyFy Channel has really stepped up in bringing the fun to the streets for all to enjoy!  In addition to the Trivia Trolley, they also do a double decker Karaoke Bus!

TIP: With 5th Avenue shut down for several blocks, the streets are open for all sorts of activities.  If you're looking to score some great swag or get cosplay pics, hang around 5th Ave between Harbor and G Street and you won't be disappointed.  The SyFy crew is always on the prowl!

David the Gnome Cosplay!  Maybe this year we'll finally get some Pinwheel costumes!

And that was Comic Con 2017!  It was a pretty insane week!  So much went down, it really is hard to keep track of everything!  It was another one that was hard on the feet, but I pulled through and really had some great experiences.  Also a phenomenal year for cosplay too!  Just gets me even more excited for Wednesday!

Well, that's all for now, but before we go, here's a few final tips:

TIP: Drink LOTS of water and bring a refillable water bottle.  All the Convention Center and hotel meeting rooms have have water coolers and are constantly being refilled.  They are there for your benefit so take advantage!

TIP: Where sunblock and re-block every few hours, especially if you're doing the offsites.  It gets hot and sunburns aren't fun!

TIP: Wear REAL shoes with good arch support!  You're gonna be doing a LOT of walking and standing over the weekend!  There are also over 100,000 people coming to this event.  Feet are going to get stepped on, it can't be helped!  Sandals, high heels, slippers...  You may as well just let a car run over your foot in advance!

TIP: Bring cash!  Not all booths accept credit cards and even the ones that do don't often have very reliable internet due to the Convention Center's spotty WiFi.  And speaking of tech, bring a portable charger.  Your phone's gonna need it!

TIP: Be hygienic!  Shower ever day and use deodorant!  Seriously, it only takes a few moments and your fellow attendees will appreciate it!

TIP: Finally, be courteous to others.  It's hot, it's crowded, things we wanna do we likely won't get to.  It's easy for tempers to flair.  But if we all just keep calm, be understanding and let cooler heads prevail, there's no reason we can't all have a good time.  And if someone is causing trouble, just report them!  Believe me, security at Comic Con is VERY overzealous and itching for action!  No jerk is worth losing your badge over!

And with that, I'll see y'all there!  With any luck, I'll have phone service in the building, so keep an eye on my Twitter (@JonsCrazyTweets) for updates!  Until then, have a fun, happy and safe Comic Con and I'll catch y'all later!

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!