As we have so often opined Art in America, art anywhere, can take on many forms and be presented through many a media. Though we render, shape, create (‘fashion’ if you will) latex outfits, we are as much interested and champion film and comics, cooking to flower planting, needlepoint and sand castle making as examples of art (just naming a few). Hell, we figure if those who create the thing create the thing with passion then who are we to say that thing created isn’t art? But less to wax philosophical here on what is and what isn’t art, once again the medium of film and T.V. art-as-fantasy is being represented once again at Comic-Con International: San Diego. Happening across the weekend of 7/24-7/27, as it has for over four decades now the San Diego Comic-Con truly is the granddaddy of these kind of conventions (for sure, there is a Comic-Con, NYC-occurring 10/10-10/13) San Diego setting the true gold standard.)
On hand this year will be authors like Raymond Fiest, cartoon creators like Neal Adams and super celebs like BBC’s Sherlock/Khan/Smaug Benedict Cumberbatch to make fans crazy, Cosplay kids sweat, the regularly festooned (maybe someone wearing a Dragon Fin Collar from yours truly) shake and major news outlets knock one another over for stories. Along the way there will be e panels and talks, previews and a film/T.V. schedule (including sneaks and premier footage) so secretive one won’t know exactly what is being shown until one grabs a program at the convention itself.
The massive exhibit floor is really where all the action is, everyone from Adult Swim to AMC, Last Gap to LEGO, ThinkGeek to Twentieth Century Fox man a booth. Though comics are the main medium here and what they have ‘Spawn’–ed (pardon the pun) Comic-Con International: San Diego is certainly a Hollywood marketer’s dream and ever more non-comic, even non-scifi movies slip in for consideration as has been proved that a rabid influential fanbase attends this get together year in and year out.
Comic-Con International is the place to be caught in retro/vintage/fantasy of Steampunk wear, like our Ringleader Pantaloons, even a Fur Edged Capelet Jacket would not go unappreciated here. But there are always lots of homemade Chewbacca’s walking the convention floor and lots of men and women both taking advantage of the festivities to show skin just to show skin (and who can really be against that?)
An artful appreciation of all that is fantasy, imagination and most of all comic-book influenced is what Comic-Con International: San Diego is all about. Might you be there this year?
