Genesi

Jul 23, 2023

One of the biggest days at Comic-Con International in San Diego is Saturday. A walk through downtown during the afternoon is a sight to behold. You’ll see cosplayers eating hamburgers or taking photos, spectators crowding around to see the best costumes and lines wrapping around the block for activation. Advertisement Our reporters and editors were out taking it all in, and are sharing some of it with you. Here’s a list of some of the best things we saw. El Chapulín Colorado (Alexandra Mendoza / The San Diego Union-Tribune) No contaban con mi astucia. Spring Valley resident Jose Sanchez dressed up for the third year as the classic Mexican character El Chapulin Colorado. “It reminds me of the good old times, when I used to watch him as a kid,” he said. — Alexandra Mendoza Jim and Pam Mooty dressed as characters from “X-Men,” Apocalypse and Mystique. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Jim and Pam Mooty traveled from North Carolina to attend this year’s Comic-Con. And they didn’t skimp on their costumes. On Saturday, they were dressed as characters from “X-Men,” Apocalypse and Mystique, with Apocalypse towering high above convention-goers. On Friday, they dressed as Belle and Beast from “Beauty and the Beast,” and on Sunday they said they’ll be going as Luisa and Abuela from “Encanto.” Talk about dedication. — Maura Fox From left: Kandi Krush, Jeanie Buss and Genesi at the Headlocked Comics booth. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Women of Wrestling owner Jeanie Buss, along with fighters Kandi Krush and Genesi, signed autographs for fans at the Headlocked Comics booth in the Exhibit Hall on Saturday. The show Women of Wrestling (or WOW) is streaming on Pluto TV’s Fight Channel and VICE TV. — Maura Fox (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Orange County resident Marcel Lee showed up Saturday with his Side Chick Lola — who he described as kind of “clingy.” That’s quite the understatement. Lola is attached to Lee’s side, as her name implies, and from a remote control device, he can make the doll speak and move. For example, when he asked her if she was hungry, she replied in a ghoulish voice that she wanted to eat brains. It’s a delightfully frightening experience for all passersby. — Maura Fox An activation for “Only Murders in the Building,” outside Comic-Con. (Natallie Rocha / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Fans of the Hulu show “Only Murders in the Building” can visit the activation in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel. In a touch-screen game inspired by the first two seasons of the show that stars Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short, players have 25 seconds to find clues in one of the character’s apartments. The best part: every player gets a secret prize from the vending machine, win-or-lose. The activation is free and while there is a line, it moves pretty fast. — Natallie Rocha (Abby Hamblin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Hasbro set up a vault experience to display (and sell) some historic toys from the company as well some new exclusive ones. Inside the store, fans are allowed to play with light sabers and other toys. Only badge holders can make a purchase. The shop can be found at 530 Sixth Ave. — Abby Hamblin Name that audiobook! Inside the Neil Morgan Auditorium at the San Diego Central Library, fans play an interactive game show. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Four audience members competed in the Book Nerd Challenge: An Audiobook Game Show at the Central Library, alongside Penguin Random House authors Wesley Chu (The Art of Prophecy, The Art of Destiny), Erin A. Craig (House of Salt and Sorrows, House of Roots and Ruin), Genevieve Gornichec (The Witch’s Heart, The Weaver and the Witch Queen) and Margaret Owen (The Merciful Crow, The Grimoire of Grave Fates). The game was structured like audiobook trivia: contestants heard clips from audiobooks — with genres ranging from classics to young adult — and had to guess which book they were from. A short panel discussion about the authors’ writing process followed the game. — Maura Fox (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Scaredy-cat’s beware. In the “Haunted Mansion” experience — located at Luce Loft on J Street — visitors got to explore a modified version of the ghostly house, complete with moving paintings, a jump scare and the head of Madame Leota, the bodiless ghost of a psychic medium, sitting on the dining table. There were plenty of photo opportunities throughout the experience, which takes inspiration from the classic Disneyland ride that opened in 1969. Franki Chan, founder and chief creative officer of IHEARTCOMIX, and his team spent about three and a half weeks designing and building the scene. “Haunted Mansion” premieres in theaters on July 28. — Maura Fox A group of “The Addams Family” cosplayers. (Emily Alvarenga / The San Diego Union-Tribune) — Emily Alvarenga