SDCC 2015!

I know I have taken a while with this but San Diego Comic Con is the event of the year after all and I just have so so much to share! I'll make sure I stick to highlights and keep it concise!

Preview Night!
First stop - the Lego stand of course!

I spotted, loved, bought, and have been very smug ever since! What makes this TBBT set great is that it is made by LEGO Ideas Concept, so it was voted by public; created by LEGO fans.  I was a little bit disappointed with the window end of the living room and fact that the kitchen wasn't included. The potential is there though! I have gone off the series for a few seasons now. I think it has trailed pretty far off from what it used to be. This didn't seem to take away my excitement when I saw the set though haha! I'll be building it in the next few weeks so look out for a review post!

This was a SDCC pre-release; its official US release date is Aug 1st (not long now!) but I have no idea if UK will even have it? I've googled on multiple occasions but no joy - does anyone know?

Then I walked on until I came across her:

I was totally prepared to pay a limb to take her home! Until that tag reading "Available Spring 2016" told me to calm the bleep down...

I would go as far as saying this version of Wonderwoman (Dawn of Justice) is my favourite. So contemporary and even more empowering if that was even possible.

Is it too early to start a Christmas (Pre-order) Wishlist?

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DAY 1: 
Mai Shiranui from SNK
(For the gamer in me!)

Most people didn't know who Mai or SNK was, which was a little disappointing. Then there was one lady with her two daughters who got mega excited seeing me. She explained that she works for SNK and she absolutely loved the support as well as the interpretation - which was totally enough to make my day! 

Today was a lot about dashing for exclusives as the official day 1 of SDCC! Very lucky to have planned a costume with no heels involved!

This Batman vs Superman though!!! It was selling out like crazy and I literally focused all my energy of the day for this! I'm pretty sure I got the last one of the entire show! Phew!! I also managed to snatch the Ted 2 and Antman SD Exclusives on the way - woohoo!

I get a kick out of doing normal things while in cosplay. You'd be surprise how often I get photographed to "continue looking at the phone" etc., I draw the line when people just snap and run at my ugliest moments though (i.e. eating, fixing myself, split of a yawn). That is just rude. Well actually, New York was the worst; people at SD had been very nice and had always asked first :)

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DAY 2:

Angela of Asgard

(Comics)

This cosplay was the biggest & most complex worbla challenge of my life so far! It was so many late nights, so much sanding, and so much glue. It was probably only so much messier because it was all happening in my living room! My poor little puppy... I am the most proud of the ribbon, have even inserted wires in the ends to give it the dramatic swirls the comics had! Least proud is the belt, it's just that little bit too wide. I also wish I had more time to smooth the worbla surfaces more and more until it shines like metal armour! 

I'm happy with the result anyway and everyone who knew Angela spotted me instantly. Some people asked about who I was cosplaying as and for those of you reading now who isn't familiar with Angela yet: She is the sister of Thor, an Asgard Assassin, just entered Guardians of the Galaxy comics, and the newest Avenger!

Click here for more, straight from Marvel.com!

Siblings Hang!

For those who have yet to attend an SDCC, Hall H is the A-list of Halls. In fact, "A-list" would be an understatement. Us mortals would need to start queueing at least 24 hours before a panel takes place just for a chance to get in. Personally, I'd rather spend my precious 4.5 days enjoying as much of the convention as I possibly can, then stream the panel (generally is available 2mins after on YouTube) when convenient. Then on this day at the end of the Starwars: The Force Awakens Panel, J.J. Abraham announced that he had a surprise. An army of First Order stormtroopers appears and escorted the entire hall attendees straight out to an outdoors symphony concert, with lightsabers and fireworks. GG.

My character-doing-human-things-of-the-day:

I don't actually smoke, just lent it for the picture hah!

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DAY 3:
Psylocke!
(movies)

I timed this cosplay to the day the X-men: Apocolypse's panel took place in Hall H; where they released never seen footages of the movie and subsequently began the endless critiques & debates of the public. I know, I'm not thrilled about any of the character's styling either, I think most the problems were down to the costume designing! I have always been quite a fan of Olivia Munn, think she's such a cool girl so I'm very excited to see her in this role. Her costume though, so disappointing. Somehow all girly-fied and weak, like an overcomplicated hot mess. A huge part of Pyslocke's image to me is her slick; even with the million bands that only made her cooler. Sometimes when something doesn't need fixing......

Lets hope the movie is better than its costumes.

An ounce of me almost wanted to queue for a chance to Hall H for J.Law. Then it passed. But hey here's most of what happened during the panel and I can't believe how awkward most of it is!

On the cosplay front:

and my favourite - Mad Max x Frozen! How original!

I personally hate to be teased. Yet most the windows at SDCC aren't things you can just take home in exchange for money. Just look at their cute little selves!!! Argh!!

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DAY 4:

Junko Enoshima

(anime)

Last day of SDCC! Today was all about scavenging for last minute exclusives. Why I say "scavenge"? Only because by now all the hottest toys were long gone, bought by people who queued from the crack of dawn to get into any first queues. It was pretty amusing to see how mega efficient these buyers are as eBay sellers. I honestly applaud their drive especially at the FedEx office! It is a shame that SDCC is so hype & money driven but hey, guess that's life. Anyway, I still got some pretty sweet stuff in my eyes. I loved my cute little Batgirl by Mattel, Marvel Pops as souvenirs for my brothers, and omg the transformers by Hasbro!! <3

Then I went to roam around town. Have you heard about Heroes Reborn yet? I personally was thoroughly done with the series long before it was axed; much like Lost, it just completely lost the plot. With an almost complete new cast, I think their pilot will make or break the return of the series old fan base. Because the cast look so green though, they could be targeting new younger audience. We shall find out when it comes out!

Fan of Ash vs Evil Dead anyone? I had been going back every day for a different item of free merch and voila I finally got the full collection! Thanks to a very very kind guy who was happy to swap with me that is - I would have otherwise had too many chainsaws & t-shirts with no hat (the most limited item)! The idiot that I am though, went through the efforts of putting the t-shirt on then blocked it entirely with the chainsaw...doh...!

Who knew Junko & Bebop made such a handsome couple? 

Then there's the absolute cutest cosplayer EVER as a Pink Clonetrooper! <3

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Con Village:

Outside the official convention, what I'd call the con village, hosts a lot of different events too. I hadn't managed to see everything out there but gaming was my priority!! With the given time frame I hit NerdHQ and tried out Star Wars Battlefront first hand!! I'm smiling as I'm typing even, just SO CITED!!

Then some real life Assassins action at the AC site - they were amazing!

Teams & teams of new TV series having a riot (good ones) with each other at who can chant the loudest! They were Colony, Sharknado 3, and Outlanders.

I realised after I had worn the hat like a cap when it was clearly a beret.
Other photos didn't have this awesome shark-guy's photobomb though so...easy choice really :D

Last bit before I sign off - this guy sums it up well:

"When else will I get to do this just because?" he says. Too right!

Phew, I'm exhausted! Even though it has been fun reliving the whole con through all my photos! Hope you felt the same!

K xoxo

Antman!

Finally caught a break to the cinema!

For those who had beat me to watching Ant-man, what did you all think! I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I had always been apprehensive but this surely echoes the Marvel movies from the beginning that got the whole party started, like Iron Man, Thor, the first Avengers. Trust Paul Rudd (who will always be Mike Hannigan to me) to deliver a natural sense of humour, especially his Mexican ex-cellmate who will never just get to the point.

I have never liked insects (cringing as I'm seeing the word "insect" materialise on my screen) and as a recent victim of cockroach-crawled-onto-my-leg (thanks seductive San Diego seaside restaurants)(and yes of course I yelped up and screamed then would have cut my said leg skin off if I had a sterile surgical knife at hand), I needed to look away shuddering through a lot of the scenes. I know they had already simplified a lot of their features but still, I tried! I'll avoid spoilers but when a flood of them (ants) comes at you via IMAX, I don't know how anyone can sit still!

As one can imagine a good portion of the film was CGI movements of an insect in our big world. A lot of these visuals are confusing and head spinning but there is amusement when they randomly pull it back out to human scale at the perfect moment in the finale fight scene. The story skeleton is predictable but what was disappointing though was how the villain was of course capable of everything the hero was at the end scene. Besides the typical ending, I enjoyed it enough to give it a positive thumbs up! 7/10 :)

P.S. The daughter is omg megawatts cute!!!

K xoxo

London Film & Comic Con

I was cosplaying as The Wasp from Antman for day 1 when then movie premiered - did anyone make it to the cinema for it yet? I can't wait!

This cosplay came out really well after all the hiccups; it was originally intended for San Diego but the assembly was surprisingly difficult with the latex so it never made it. The plates are moulded out of foam & worbla, then filled with car body filler - a regretful process to sand & smooth after in my own living room! I had luckily discovered glue instead as the sealing/smoothing agent for Angela and made the deadline (more about this & SDCC in next post!). The latex was bought as a catsuit then customised, who knew literally nothing glues to it, not even superglue or hot glue gun? In the end magnet was the only option and in quantities required, took a while! My absolute favourite bit of the outfit has got to be the wings, I think it totally makes it!

The rest of my weekend was dedicated to celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Back to the Future! It was the first public event Michael J Fox since he announced his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in 1998, 7 years after he was told by doctors he had only 10 years left to work. That was 24 years ago.

It was quite heartbreaking to witness his deterioration but inspiring to watch how determined he is to not let anything stop him from doing what he loves, especially through his cool sense of humour. By Sunday the hectic schedules were taking its toll on him, and it kinda sucks that the event did this to him. We were physically pushed into position next to him in his chair for a split second snap before the next person is shoved onto the cross. Even the lady behind me said to her boyfriend that it sucks not being able to say hello. Everybody paid a LOT for this photo op!

I was also very unluckily lucky. I had finally managed to squeeze myself into the Delorean set photo op with Christopher Lloyd (yes Doc Brown!!) by the last day of comic con (eek) and right at my turn the printer breaks! After the moment of panic washed past me, Mr Lloyd and I started chatting and omg in retrospect was crazy!! He currently lives in Santa Barbara, we spoke about SECC a little, and of course we needed a selfie INSIDE the delorean!

And another more official one...or two!

It really was like this odd time warp over the weekend, going back to when the movie came out in the 80's, where it travels to Oct 2015 and how that future compares to our 2015 now. Michael reckons we are very close to making the hover board a reality so there is hope yet! As with the legendary Nikes, ever wondered how it came about? MJF was asked what shoes he liked, he replies "what I'm wearing is pretty sweet", and hadn't had to pay for another pair ever again!

Catch up with everything else I got up to on Instagram and for tonight - we're driving where no roads are needed, back in time!!

xoxo