Bam! Pow! Fighting spirit alive at annual San Diego convention
While boxing is my main passion, once a year I get my “geek” on while traveling down to San Diego for the annual Comic-Con International show. This was my fifth straight year attending this huge event, and the fortieth since its inception.
For those of you curious about the Con, it is as crazy and crowded as you would imagine, as you’ll see in these fun snapshots taken during the four-day extravaganza that celebrates all things pop culture. The sheer volume of people is unbelievable; “I survived Comic-Con” was the mantra of the day.
This is the place where the vampire “Twilight” franchise squares off against HBO’s “True Blood,” where Batman takes on Iron Man, where “Harry Potter” has to work his magic against “Aliens and Predators,” and where “Star Wars” vs. “Star Trek” go toe to toe in a Battle Royale for fan supremacy.
Held in the San Diego Convention Center, a reported 140,000 enthusiastic fans all converged this past weekend in the city’s downtown area right across from the historic Gaslamp Quarter and Hard Rock Hotel (where live boxing shows are held).
Traveling with a group from the Burbank Boxing Club, we were stopped throughout the day by attendees intrigued by the pugilistic sport. Everyone from Playboy Playmates, Mutant Ninja Turtles, Catwoman and even The Incredible Hulk had fun practicing their fight poses for the camera when they saw me in my new MyBoxingFans T-shirt. Hey, I had to represent the real fight game while strolling the aisles, right? And on the site’s Mezzanine level, special fighting demos took place between Medieval and Renaissance combatants, so there was some fistic action taking place at the show.
A big draw at Comic-Con is that everyone gets the chance to dress up as their favorite superheroes, anime characters, film icons, and more. Anything and everything goes. It’s a feast for the eyes; I like to describe it as “Halloween on steroids.” It’s a sight to behold, and I’m always shocked by the amazing costumes the attendees fashion together which perfectly mimic their idols.
For you gentlemen, the revealing costumes of many of the females would rival any sexy ring card girl. Seeing is believing, so be sure to check out these pics. You can thank me later!
For us women, our “eye candy” somehow involves hardware, weaponry, masks, and shields. If there were any hot hunks under the men’s get-ups and stilts, they were hidden under thick robes, latex outfits, wigs, and green make-up. Doesn’t seem fair, huh, ladies?
Anyway, for all the guys, it was their chance to be surrounded by a bevy of beauties while walking around the Exhibit Hall.
It was every boy’s dream of seeing and meeting a Playmate up close, just inches away was a centerfold come to life. My boyfriend and I said hello to Playboy’s Miss February 2009, Jessica Burciaga, and noting our boxing affiliation, she proudly held up her magazine spread with a photo of the petite beauty wearing boxing gloves. The Playmate of the Month said she had fun posing as a knockout boxer. And just in case any fanboy tried to get too cozy with the model, San Diego Chargers’ Kassim Osgood was right next to her with his own booth of photos and football jerseys available for pigskin fans.
The venerable Playboy enterprise was well-represented at the show with many pinups in attendance, as well as the magazine’s veteran cartoonist, Doug Sneyd, who was also holding court in the hall. The talented illustrator has published a book of his saucy drawings and I even had the privilege of posing for one of his cartoons. The finished drawing captured my likeness and spirit (complete with the famous bunny ears), but as gifted as Sneyd is, even he couldn’t draw me tall, blonde and buxom like many of the women in the magazine. Oh well, I tried!
And where it may have once just been a “freaks and geeks” show, Comic-Con has definitely gone mainstream.
The fan-friendly event is a chance for movie studios, TV networks, video game powerhouses, and every smaller company in between to unveil their upcoming projects and products in hopes of drumming up a worldwide buzz in creating the next blockbuster, the next hot thing.
Many films have been launched at Comic-Con and have gone on to wreak havoc at the box office, thanks to the advance Internet push by the conventioneers. The most talked about sneak previews at this year’s show was “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” and “Alice in Wonderland.” The new “Alice” is the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp warped version, and both the director and the superstar were in attendance, as well as a trio of actors from the “Twilight” sequel (yes, girls, Robert Pattinson was there in the flesh). There were countless star sightings during the show, but by far I think the “Twilight” kids have to be declared the champions of the convention with the longest wait times for their appearance as the frenzied devotees waited hours and hours for the panel discussion to begin.
Trolling through the vendor booths and exhibit tables, it was freebie heaven for badge holders in attendance. Major Hollywood studios handed out humongous premium swag bags and more to carry all of the smaller bags collected and filled with giveaways galore. T-shirts, DVDs, CDs, masks, collectible posters, keychains, buttons, toys and capes were available to the thousands of outstretched hands.
The Main Event of the always sold-out affair is the vaunted Masquerade competition held on Saturday night. On stage, the costumed competitors are judged and awarded prizes for their efforts, with the all-important bragging rights being the top honor.
Walking around the packed venue’s main hall and the Sails Pavilion was a plethora of booths hawking everything from TV and film, sci-fi, animation, video games, books, art, toys and of course, comic books and more. You get a chance to revisit your childhood as you view displays like Hot Wheels, Spiderman, Snoopy, and the Green Hornet. Contemporary favorites like “Sponge Bob” and Bart Simpson also mark their territory. And where else but Comic-Con can you meet legends of previous decades like Margot Kidder (“Lois Lane” from “Superman”), Peter Mayhew (“Chewbacca” from “Star Wars”), and various James Bond villains and vixens all in person.
While exploring the Exhibit Hall filled with wall-to-wall fans, we ran into comedian and popular “Saturday Night Live” alum Dennis Miller checking out the wares and enjoying the show. He told us he was there with his wife and two sons who love attending the yearly event. He was hanging out across from the original “Hulk’s” booth, Lou Ferrigno. The former bodybuilder was offering his fitness books and DVDs at his table and looks like he’s still in fighting form.
Making our way through the throngs of masked men and caped crusaders, we had the chance to meet a few other actors from some popular films of the past.
Anyone a fan of the “Warriors” (“Warriors, come out to plaaay?”) film and video game based on the cult film about brawling gangs in New York City (dressed as baseball players, Indians, and roller skaters!). David Harris played “Cochise” in the movie, wearing a Native American-style choker, leather pants and boots. Chatting with the amiable actor, he asks about our ties to boxing and then wants to pose as he calls it “Rocky-style” and puts up his dukes for some playful mugging. Next to Harris was the lead “Warriors” actress, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, who was also signing autographs for the fans.
There was also a long line to meet Adrian Paul of “Highlander” fame. The handsome actor had all the women swooning in the aisles as he cheerfully signed memorabilia for his loyal fans.
And for comedy buffs, Cindy Morgan (“Lacey Underall”) from “Caddyshack” was there in person. The actress was super friendly and a fan favorite. She told me that filming the Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and Rodney Dangerfield movie was a hoot and rumors of the hijinks that took place in Boca Raton were “150% true”! The pretty actor mentioned that it is the thirtieth anniversary of the classic golf comedy. Morgan was also a cast member of the hit ’80s film “Tron.”
Regarding the 2009 show highlights, I asked some members in our group what they thought about this year’s Con now that it is officially over. I turned to teen experts Katherine, Diana and Sarah Henzler (perfect demographics of the show), who always seem to have the inside track on what’s “cool” before it hits the public.
Sarah, a budding animator and art student, said this afternoon, “The hottest commodity that everyone was clamoring to get was the “Watchmen” and “Harry Potter” bags from Warner Bros.” The “Twilight” posters were a close second. She relayed, “The two “Avatars”–the James Cameron film and the Nickelodeon series/M. Night Shyamalan’s version “The Last Airbender”–were very popular at the show.” But Henzlers favorite program of the event was with Hayao Miyazaki and Disney-Pixar panel who screened special 3-D previews of their upcoming films. The 19-year-old is part of the cosplay community and has even attended the smaller New York Comic-Con.
Beginning in 1970, Comic-Con’s inaugural show boasted just 100 attendees. Since then, I’ve watched the attendance numbers and massive popularity of the show balloon in the last five years alone, and the size and scope of it is now beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. It has now outgrown the venue by leaps and bounds; San Diego will host the event through 2012; word on the street is that the largest fan festival in the universe will then relocate to Las Vegas.
Until then, San Diego is the place to be every July (at least for the next three years).
After walking around for miles at the cavernous convention, we, along with thousands of others, spilled out into the streets of the Gaslamp district of shops and restaurants. It was an outdoor party as the festive mood continued well past the show’s closing hours.
Meeting more fight fans who wanted to give us their best fight poses, we reluctantly then had to head back to L.A. and leave the fantasy world that Comic-Con creates.
Back to reality, and back to my #1 passion of boxing!
Click pictures to enlarge
Photos by Michele Chong and Steve Harpst