Cap and Cap...

Yeah, there'll be a bunch of photos like that here!

He's just a guy in a suit...

Flynn & Cap

This guy on the left here, David March Fleming (@ddprogram on Instagram,) does an awesome job recreating the Flynn character from the original "Tron" movie.

Cap and Cap!

Captain America The First Avenger (on the left) and The Avengers Captain America (on the right.)

Interesting bit with this photo, the guy who took this image was a personal trainer up in LA and he got the gig to be one of Chris Evans' personal trainers as Chris bulked up to first portray Steve Rogers - a.k.a. Captain America.

He had a picture of him and Chris on his phone and Chris looked positively scrawny!

What a helluva deal Chris Evans scored there! Not only did he land the role of a lifetime that has paid him millions - and will continue to do as long as people pay to watch anything with his character in it - but he also got paid to get big.

That meant he got paid to hire several personal trainers. And no doubt a nutritionist to work up and prep his protein rich meals. And a physical therapist to work out the knots all that training created. So, a personal health entourage dedicated to getting Chris Evans in Steve Roger's shape - and all on the studio's dime.

Yeah, a helluva deal!

Cap and Momaw Nadon

Momaw Nadon is one of the aliens in the Mos Eisley cantina from the "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" movie. Paul Wee (@paul_wee_artworks on Instagram) did an excellent job working this costume up.

Here I'm trying to make sure I don't wind up bonking my helmet into his costume!

Cap and Momaw Nadon

Cap and Indy

Of course Cap would cross paths with the good Dr. Jones. Indy was also a true patriot and did his part in the war against the Nazis!

Cap and Black Widow

Cap and Maleficent

This lovely lady was fully in character, radiant and further proof that having some cos-play fun isn't just for the kids!

Cap and Thor!

Cap and Electra the Assassin

That's Rachel Michelle (@beautyandbrainswithatwist) doing her excellent Electra cosplay.

Cap and Cap! Doin' it old school!

This was great! Joey Landers (@crazybadgerboi on Instagram) was the only other First Avenger Cap I saw at the Con. All home made and excellent! I'm glad we got the chance to get an image together.

A bit of Futurama cos-play with an alien from "The Visitors" thrown in. Yeah, there was lots of crossing of the streams at Comic-Con

Cap and Muriel Bagge

This fine lady worked up that entire costume herself. She's portraying Muriel Bagge from "Courage the Cowardly Dog" animated TV series. She even stitched up Courage there as well!

Cap and Tony

I knew this guy's dad!

He was nicely workin' it here and had the "Epic Awesome Beard" down to a "T!"

Cap and Ruby Rod!

It was "Hot! Hot! Hot" and "Super Green!" there at Comic-Con with Ruby doing his broadcast. I first caught up with LeQuan Bennett (@windstriker007 on Insta) at a Wondercon a couple of years back and he is still rockin' it as Ruby!

Cap and Voldy

Meh. Red Skull was more of threat and Cap knew how to handle him. So...

Cap and Admiral Ann, and Wonder Woman Ironman!

This was great! It was late in the afternoon and Ann had finally made it down to the Convention Center - no thanks to a cowardly Uber driver who canceled on her even as he pulled up to her and saw her in costume. Then she waded through the Covid certification process and then - finally - got into the Convention Center itself.

She's in an awesome latex Starfleet uniform and is, of course, wearing the four collar pips of a Starfleet Admiral!

The lady there on the left created her own costume out of duct tape and plastics and a whole lot of creativity! She's a cross of Wonder Woman and Ironman! Nicely done!

Still though, I got this great image of the "What If..." versions of Cap and Dr. Strange

Cap and Hawkman

More crossing of the streams! DC and Marvel streams, that is. This guy did an awesome job with his Hawkman costume. I don't think his bird much liked Cap though. Looks like it was trying to peck at his helmet...

Cap and Star-Lord

That's the dad of the @baxfamcosplay family there rendering Peter Quill - a.k.a. Star-Lord from the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie. His wife is also into cosplay and she was at Comic-con playing Gamora. They've made fully a family affair with their kids getting into cos-play as well.

Loki and Moon Knight

Mom and son (I think?) were having a blast at Comic-Con

Cap, Admiral Ann, and Aang

Yeah, there's a bit of gender bending going on with @sunflow3rsamurai and her rendering of Aang from the "Last Airbender" anime series. But, she was rockin' it!

Though it doesn't come out as readily as it should, the gold tones of her makeup were both quite flattering and matched her cellphone case!

We caught up with her as we were calling it a day done at the Con. So we were outside at this point and there was still plenty to see!

Professor X and his crew of X-Men: Wolverine, Gambit, and Cyclops.

This is a great example of what you can find outside of such conventions. Folks turn up and are well turned out and just park it right outside. The constant flow of attendees going past 'em thereby gets one gorgeous eyeful after another.

These lads here were havin' a blast just standing 'round getting gawked at. Professor Xavier there had it the easiest as he got to remain comfortably seated throughout.

Storm and Admiral Ann

Cap and Storm

This woman was fully in the moment. Her costume was spot on and minimal and quite comfortable to be wearing for the event. She'd parked herself outside with an excellent backdrop and was constantly mobbed for photos.

Her physique was perfect for rendering the X-Men character of Storm and she was having a blast with it.

Cap and the Queen of the Amazons!

After dinner - and a LOT of water - Ann and I came back for the Masquerade. The line to get in wrapped entirely around the whole of the convention center! We had to stop however, to get this image of an excellently rendered Queen of the Amazons!

The 2022 Comic-Con Masquerade!

This was THE costume contest. It was the first Masquerade at Comic-Con I'd attended. Ann wanted to get in line for it was fast as we could so we'd be able to actually sit close enough to actually see the goings on going on on stage.

Despite hustling back to the Convention Center after we'd taken our much need dinner break, we still had to tromp all the way 'round the entire length of the Convention Center's upper level. The line went all the way down one side, across the eastern end of the building then all the way back up the other side - and then even went outside to flow along there as well! And we WERE there early!

Thus, we scored some seats about twelve or so rows back. The folks who'd gotten there earlier than us hadn't packed themselves in so Ann eyeballed a pair of seats open and we jumped at 'em.

I've images of some of the entries but my cellphone is not particularly good at capturing low light stuff so I won't bother posting 'em here. Suffice to say there was a lot of creativity up on stage in glorious display.

Sunday morning saw me at The Crust getting fueled up for the day. I highly recommend this breakfast place in Hotel Circle - on the south side of the 8 and just west of the 163 - as they serve some excellent grub! Also, if you ask nicely they'll turn down the rock music they play and thus making it easier to become human once again after a tiring day as you start self-fueling!

Cap Finally Finds Bucky - and Boy, Have Things Changed!

I was hoping to find a Bucky at Comic-Con as the pairing would've been perfect. Lo and behold! There was Bucky... um... There was Bucky... herself!

Yeah, Hydra can really change a person if it gets its clutches on you!

This was a great costume and she really did justice to Bucky from "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

Cap and Loki

Loki here did this one all himself. Colored duct tape, plastic sheet, foam core and paint! He looked great!

Cap and Leeloo

This woman did an excellent job recreating Leeloo's costume from the "5th Element" movie - replete with her "Multi-Pass" and all.

Lots of Lees

Alas, renderings such as these are the only new appearances Stan The Man Lee will be making now.

Cap and Maui

This is a great example of "playing to your strengths. This lad here on the left is a nicely muscled young Pacific Islander. So, doing cosplay as some tall skinny old Nordic character probably wouldn't be as ready a fit.

But portraying Maui from the 2016 "Moana" animated feature? Oh yeah, that's a shoe-in. Just do some foam core carving to replicate Maui's magical fish hook, work up some Pacific Islander appliques tattoos and a palm frond "loin cloth" and you're good to go! 

Cap and Kylo - a really young Kylo...

This kid was having a blast. His dad took a series of images of us and Wee Young Kylo here was having such fun doing his light saber moves that this was the only where it was visible in the shot as he was twirlin' it 'round so much!

They were both having a blast! 

Cap and Crusader

Fighting for truth and justice in our own special ways!

Another nicely done bit of costuming there at Comic-Con 

Cap and the Riddler

David Delgado (@drdelgado2) found me as I was recovering from being in costume for a good sweaty long length of time. He was really happy to see a "Classic Cap" as he was portraying a "Classic Riddler." I simply had to get an image of us as his costume and portrayal was really well done. 

Cap and the Riddler (part 2)

So, I got all slung back up and then we hunted 'round for a suitable background for the images. Finding an unoccupied bit of wall out in the lobby wasn't working so we "cut in" to one of the event lines to get this background. I turned on my Captain America's "command presence" and "volun-told" a passerby that he was going to be kind enough to take our picture.

Really though, I was a whole lot more respectful of his time than that.

And the guy did a great job as the Riddler even broke out his signature purple gloves. Great stuff all 'round! 

Ah to be an "Influencer"

I was back out in the lobby and heard this noise off to one side of me. I turned and saw this well costumed lad talking rapidly to his phone as he strode forward boldly.

Then he stopped, walked back to where he started and did another take. And then another take. And another - by this time I'd my phone out got the image mid-stride - take.

He was definitely "making content" for his online presence there at Comic-con. 

The Family That Jedis Together stays Together!

This was a great bunch. Dad there on the left called out to me for a photo and we got the family together for this group shot. The mom declined but did do the photography. More great stuff! 

Cap, Mister Fantastic and Dr. Doom

Quite the trio! The man portraying Reed Richards absolutely nailed his current rendering as seen in the "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" movie - beard and all. The Dr. Doom costuming was excellent and wonderfully detailed. The man doing that one was having a fine time playing up just how grandiose Dr. Doom could be! 

Cap and Ant Man and The Wasp

Well, it was bound to happen - what with Dr. Henry Pym and his Pym Particles! Sooner or later both Ant Man and The Wasp would use the power of the Pym Particles to zip back in time and cross paths with Cap back during the fight against Hydra!

These two were great! Self-made costumes replete with light-up effects. Ant Man - a.k.a Scott Lang - stayed in character relating to Cap and that was awesome! We all commiserated the cost involved of being so fully suited up. It had gotten so bad their eye pieces in their helmets would fog up almost instantly after they'd had them on for a while.

But damn! They looked awesome! 

Cap and Claire

Ann was absolutely gorgeous in this costume! And it was no small effort on her part in achieving that.

Ann is a big fan of the "Outlander" TV series and the book from whence is sprang. She's especially fond of the lead character, Claire Fraser. One of the sequences in the "Outlander" tale is of Claire's traveling to Paris with her love, Jamie. Of course, the times being what they were, and Paris being Paris, that meant a sumptuous "high court" dress. And that's exactly what Ann achieved. Achieved, that is, eventually...

She found a vendor on Etsy who seemed every bit the part to re-create that dress. Alas, that vendor lived down to almost every negative stereotype of the flakes that infest Etsy. After much vexation she got a "dress" from that vendor. And I'm being overly generous in call it a "dress." It certainly bore no resemblance to what Claire wore on screen nor even to the photos of previously rendered "Claire's Red Dress" on that vendor's Etsy store page. Ann actually had to take that woman to small claims court to recoup even a portion of the money she'd expended in contracting her to produce one.

Yet, Ann persisted and found a new vendor to help her recreate her vision of Claire and the Red Dress. This one turned out to be everything she'd hoped for and the dress is both beautiful and spot on accurate to what was up on screen.

Ann even created her own pair of shoes to match what Caitr�ona Balfe - the actress who portrays Claire in the series - wore on screen as well.

This was a major coup for Ann to count in having finally brought her vision of this alive and in time for Comic-con. The bunches of folks wanting photos of "Claire from Outlander" were proof of how well her efforts paid off. 

This was Ann's second go 'round as Claire that day. She'd gotten into the dress early that morning with the help of Tina - again, thank you Tina! - as the dress requires a dresser to get you into it. And then she made her way over to the Con. She was wearing those screen accurate heels that she'd made. And while they were accurate and while they are wearable, they also started wearing holes in her feet. That was getting painful so she retired to do some changes. She switched to flats and redid her wig and came out again. That's when we caught up.

By this time it was early afternoon and also by this time her wig, secured as it was, was starting to get painful as well. That's not conducive to being amongst a crowd clamoring for your attention. Plus we were both getting hungry.

Cap and Deadpool Bot

Deadpool as a Bot would fit perfectly with that character! "nickthepropguy's" costume creation here is excellent (@nicks_prop_and_cosplay on Instagram.) Nick is fully encased and walking around quite nimbly on stilts inside that rig. Nicely done! 

Cap and Deadpool Bot

Deadpool Bot punching Cap's shield - action shot by Ann! 

At last we got back to Ann's hotel room and got unslung. This, was not a simple nor quick process.

First we peeled off her wig. Spirit gum and clips and all. It was truly getting painful and it would also have been catching on the rest of the outfit as that came off. So, off came the wig. We kept the hair cap on however, as that kept her hair from getting in the way.

And then it was getting busy getting her disrobed. Layer after layer. Unlacing followed by more unlacing followed by pulling this piece straight up and off and then unlacing the next piece and so on and so on.

This is what was left of it all and it's in reverse order stacked up on the chair there.

Ann was overjoyed to be able to have it all assembled and so well received at the Con and she was also quite happy to be able to finally take it all off too! I was happy to help with that. 

Greco Cap!

Some major streams crossing here! And very nicely rendered too! Excellent detailing and an inspirational thing of just how you can creatively stretch the Captain America iconography. 

Sarah Connor at Comic-Con.

I saw this woman and the first thing I could think of was the actress, Linda Hamilton. So when I asked her if that was who she was portraying it took us both a second to realize we were talking about the same thing: Sarah Conner from "Terminator 2: Judgment Day."

That was a truly buffed out Sarah / Linda and this lady here has obviously been working to that end and was quite happy to be recognized for it. She very much nailed down the look. 

Back Home With My Bag of Tricks

I am a planner by trade so it's no surprise that I planned how I was to schlep my costume around and now have to wear it all while doing so. Hence my Bag of Tricks. Actually it's my Bags of Tricks... 

Bag of Tricks Revealed!

Years back, before I'd purchased my own washer and drier, I had to use local laundromats. One particular one near where I was living at the time also sold some pretty mega laundry bag bags. I picked up a couple as it was a lot more convenient stuff my clothes into those than anything else I had.

Ever since I acquired my own washer and drier however, the Corner Wash laundry bags haven't seen much need of use.

Well, those days are at an end!

To move my costume gear from where I parked at Hazard Center, onto the Trolley and then on to the Con, I used both of the bags! 

Bags of Tricks Unveiled

Into the first bag I put the shield and all the web gear - along with the boot knife the gloves and the jacket. Into the second bag I put the helmet with its attached goggles. I figured that'd help prevent the lenses from getting scratched.

With my gear all bagged up I just wore my Captain America shirt and my paratrooper pants with my jump boots and the leggings attached. It was MUCH easier moving 'round that way as I rode the Trolley and then hiked 'round downtown and into the Convention Center.

Then, once in, I removed the goods, got slung up, and then stuffed the two bags into one of the cargo pockets in the pants. On screen, all of Cap's pockets - both of the cargo pockets on his paratrooper pants and all the cartridge belt pockets and both of the compass pouch pockets - are all quite obviously full. Thus, this was both a "screen accurate" and a practical thing. 

And That Was San Diego Comic-Con 2022

Everything from my original one day only pass for Sunday to the lucky score of a second day pass for Saturday (thanks again Tina!) to my negative Covid test result, to my Trolley fare pass to the Masquerade ticket. It all came together nicely!

It meant a lot of prep work and some crafting on my part. I had lots of great help from my friends to make it possible as well.

And it all worked. This was definitely worth it and I'll be doing this again and doing more like it as well!