Goodbye Costumes, Hello Boob Jobs

Another year of San Diego overload has come and gone. For the most part, I survived, and was able to eke out a few conversations here and there, but things tend to come in sound bites, the indigenous tongue of the pop culture festival.

Still, say what you will about the desperation, the collections, the capitalizing on the misguided dreams of youths long past: there were some bad ass, hilarious, and outlandish costumes, often all three simultaneously. And for every costume, no matter the genre or quality, there were six sweaty fans to document it (and, as often as possible, me documenting the documentarians... if I didn't already have my camera aimed at some too-bizarre-for-words costume team ups like the (above) Ugly Doll that was accosted by DVD promoting Vikings).


When not letting my jaw go slack from costume absorption, I was fortunate enough to sign with Tony Millionaire, Los Bros Hernandez, Josh Simmons, and Ben Catmull. Good people all around. And at The Tick booth I signed with that inimitable man from Massachusetts, Bob Polio, longtime art director for The Tick. Bob is a barker's barker, and could sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo, in a cold snap, when the Eskimo is dead... and there's no refrigerator. To say he is animated is to say the grand canyon's a ditch. But, again, good people! Thanks to Juliane for taking a picture of me (with Mr. Polio to my left) doing my best stab at the blue clad lunkhead.


But enough of fantasy and escapism... it's on to Los Angeles, the home of... well, more fantasy and escapism. Oh, well. More on the land of fake breasts and leathery facades shortly.