Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents...   San Diego Comic-Con International 1991 - 2015: Through My Camera's Lens... 25 Years At The San Diego Convention Center!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4030 -    Okay... This is the start of Comic-Con International: San Diego week!

You may ask why so soon?   Well... Some pre-Comic-Con parties start Tuesday night this year.  I have invites to two of them.  Then Preview Night is this upcoming Wednesday night.  Plus people get into town starting today. 

So I thought I'd make this special blog post as this year is the 25th Anniversary of Comic-Con moving to the San Diego Convention Center!   That was in 1991!   Whew has time flown by!

So I have already uploaded photos from my different cameras to my Facebook Fan Page over the past few years.  I'm going to post the links to each one of the different years of the Comic-Con, as shot through my different cameras.   There are more photos in recent years as I switched to digital and took more shots of course.

Here are the links:

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009  2009-40th Anniv of SDCC

2010-general

2011-CHUCK Panel  2011-general  2011-Shel Dorf Collection     2011-50thAnnivComicFandom

2012-Part1  2012-RicardAlfMemorial  2012-Part2   2012-Part3   2012-Part4    2012-TinaPics  2012-OthersPics

2013-Wed  2013-Thur  2013-Fri  2013-Sat  2013-Sun   2013-Wed-Thur-Tina  2013-Fri-Tina  2013-Sat-Tina  2013-Sunday-Tina

2013-TwoMorrows20th   2013-ComicConMini-to-Mega

2014-Pre Con Party   2014-Preview Day  2014-Thursday   2014-Offsite Events-Friday  2014-Sunday

2015

Whew!   And I have more years to upload.  But this blog is just on the Comic-Con since it moved to the San Diego Convention Center.  I go back to 1972 when I first sold as a comic book dealer at the El Cortez Hotel.

I am looking forward to this year's convention... It is getting harder and harder to make it through the lottery to get tickets.  I don't have a press pass, which only gets you in for free.  No special privileges in getting into programs, panels etc.  This may be the last Comic-Con I attend, as last year I was only able to obtain Thursday & Sunday tickets.  This year I have all four days, but missed out on getting Preview Night...

So if you can't go to this year's con, be sure to check back and see the photos I upload for the 2015 con.  If you missed earlier cons, take a look at the links above for the year(s) you missed.

(Addendum:  When inserting the links I noticed that a few of the photo albums don't have the photos I previously uploaded.  When I get a chance, I'll see about re-uploading them. Plus I have more photos that have to be scanned & uploaded as they were not shot with a digital camera.  So this is an ongoing proccess for me to do.)

 ~Michael D Hamersky

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 4,000 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to my blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to me for possible review, just contact me. 

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Posts His Take On...   The Art of San Diego Comic-Con International Exhibit!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4029 -    This past Saturday I drove down to the San Diego Public Library to check out the special exhibit on the 9th floor.

That exhibit is titled:  'The Art of San Diego Comic-Con International'.  It is running from June 20th to August 30th, so there should be enough time for you to check it out also.

The exhibit has banner art,  cover art illustrations, and interior pages artwork. The art covers the 45 year history of the San Diego Comic Con.

The whole exhibit should take you about an hour to check it all out, as this is an exhibit, and does not go in depth (in my opinion) on what the Comic-Con International should have in its own archives.   What is shown at the exhibit is just a very small sample of the 45 years of artwork.

As a preview before going... You can check out the 13 minute video I shot at my YouTube Channel, or if you can't make it, the video does cover almost the full exhibited items presented.

You can also check out the photos taken at my Facebook Fan Page special album, which you can see at a more leisurely pace than the video.

For those of you attending the Comic-Con next week, there are a few programs that are being presented at the San Diego Public Library, also on the 9th floor, next to this exhibit hall.

For those of you that haven't been to Comic-Con before, this would be a good introduction to the history of the convention, as presented in an artwork format.

Again, figure about an hour to see the whole exhibit.  For those of you driving there, the Library gives the first two hours of parking for free.  Just remember to validate your ticket on the first floor of the Library!

Oh... Here is the hours / schedule for the exhibit: 

Regular gallery hours (June 20–July 7, July 13–August 30): Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 12:00–5:00; Thursday: 2:00–7:00; Saturday and Sunday: 12:00–4:00.

Extended hours during Comic-Con: Wednesday & Thursday (July 8 & 9): 10:00–7:00; Friday, Saturday and Sunday (July 10–12): 12:00–6:00

Admission is free. The Gallery is located on the 9th floor of the Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101.

If you didn't get tickets to Comic-Con this year, there are a lot of areas in Downtown San Diego that have Comic-Con related activities that you don't need a Comic-Con badge to enter.  Be sure to add the San Diego Central Library's exhibit to that list to see without having to buy a Comic-Con ticket, which are already sold out. 

~Michael D Hamersky.

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 4,000 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to my blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to me for possible review, just contact me. 

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Comments On What He Is Watching On TV...   The I Love Lucy Superstar Special!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4028 -    Yesterday late in the afternoon, I posted a link on my Facebook Fan Page, (Michael D Hamersky On Comics), that on Sunday evening, a special would be on TV on the CBS network.

That special was titled:  The I Love Lucy Superstar Special.  Well, from the lettering you could tell it would be big.  And it was!

The superstar of the second half of the Special was none other than Superman, as portrayed by George Reeves back in 1957 when the episode of I Love Lucy was first presented.

That was the reason I posted about the Special being aired on my Facebook Fan Page.

Plus this was the first ever showing of the 'colorized' format of the I Love Lucy episode, which was a real treat!

Yes, the episode was somewhat 'chopped up', but the storyline was great and the colorization was pretty darn good!

The story started with little Ricky Ricardo watching an episode of 'The Adventures of Superman' with his dad, Ricky.  Then Lucy comes into the living room, shutting off the TV, saying that it was time for little Ricky to go to bed.  Little Ricky had been wearing his Superman costume while watching the TV show.

Big Ricky and Lucy then talked about Little Ricky's upcoming birthday, and that his best friend was also having a birthday the same week.  When Lucy calls the friend's mother, she finds out that both mothers had planned on the birthday party being held on Saturday.   Ooops!   Well... 

... Both mothers keep Saturday as their son's party date, and the race is on as to which kids will show up at the other birthday boy's party.

Lucy finds out that the friend has a clown, puppets, etc., and only when she hears her husband Ricky mention that Superman was at his studio that she asks him to have Superman come to Little Ricky's party.

Not waiting for confirmation, she immediately calls up the friend's mother and tells her that Superman is attending Little Ricky's party.  Well, that put an end to the friend's party!

Then Lucy finds out from Ricky that Superman would not be coming to the birthday party.  Oops!   Well, Lucy get a Superman costume and a helmet to hid her red hair from the kids.

The story continues to Saturday, when Lucy goes to the next door apartment, (which is empty and available for rent), and goes outside the window ledge to come through her own living room.

Long story short... Lucy ends up outside the living room window, and sees that Superman had arrived after finding out that Ricky had invited him to a child's birthday party.  

Lucy then attempts to go back to the other apartment's window, along with the dozens of pigeons that had kept her from reaching her apartment's living room window earlier, to find that there was a couple looking at the apartment.  She didn't get in, and it started raining.  The visiting man shuts and locks the window, and they leave.

Meanwhile, Ricky asks where Lucy was?  Ethel gasps and says that she was outside on the ledge.  Her Superman cape was stuck on the post, and Ricky attempts to move the piano that is in front of the window.  He couldn't, and then Superman moves it and walks out on the ledge to save Lucy.  Great scene!

Then the best line of the episode is said, by George Reeves as Superman...

This was really a 'Superstar Special' in my estimation!  The colorization of all the characters, including Superman was spot on!

When this Superstar Special is re-run, you have to check it out!

Oh, and here are a few links you should check out:

The photo album of photos I took of the episode, (seen at my Facebook Fan Page)

Adventures of Superman Wikipedia Page

 I Love Lucy Wikipedia Page

Desilu Productions Wikipedia Page

~Michael D Hamersky.

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 4,000 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to my blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to me for possible review, just contact me. 

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Comments On What He Is Watching On TV...   Zorro with Annette Funicello!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4027 -    Okay... It is the time of year that the major TV networks are showing the season or series finales of their TV shows.  I have already blogged about My Top Five Comic Book Based TV Shows for the 2014 / 2015 Season, as well as other TV shows I've been watching the past twelve months. 

Today I'm blogging about a TV series that I wasn't able to watch all of the episodes when I was a kid, even though there were only two seasons of the TV show.

The TV show I'm currently watching is the 1957 Zorro show. Just recently the TV station, COZI, ran the three episodes where Annette Funicello guest starred.  I had missed it when it was first shown, and never saw the three episodes back to back, so it was a real treat for me!   You see, I had a crush on Annette when I was younger

Anyways, the three episodes were run in the second season of the show.  Here is the link to all of the Zorro episodes. The Annette episodes were number 60, 61 & 62, starting with 'The Missing Father'.

I found that viewing the colorized versions of the TV show kept the episodes fresh, and it was really neat to see Annette at sixteen years of age starring in the episodes.  This was in February of 1959 when the episodes were first aired.  I would have been only six years old at the time.  

I've been watching the Zorro series for a while on COZI, it runs two episodes each day at 10 am & 10:30 am. The episodes appear to run in story arcs of about five episodes each, with an occasional single story episode in between at times. 

I find watching the TV show in color to be a fun experience, and suggest you catch the show while it is still being aired.  The TV show only ran for two seasons, even though it did well in the ratings.

Here's a few links you might want to check out:

Zorro (on Wikipedia)

Zorro (list of episodes on Wikipedia)

COZI TV web site

Photos I took of the episodes (shared at my Facebook Fan Page)

Zorro comic book covers

Preview of the Dell Four Color #1037 - Based on the three episodes

Again, I would recommend checking this series out, and for your younger kids, the TV series has been 'colorized' back in gthe early 1990s, for those that don't like viewing black & white TV.   

~Michael. .

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 4,000 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to my blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to me for possible review, just contact me. 

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents His Take ON...   Avengers: Age of Ultron!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4026 -    Yesterday, Sunday May 3rd was the day that I took in the latest Marvel film, Avengers: Age of Ultron.

I saw this on a regular screen, (Not 3D), during a late afternoon screening.

The theater was totally full, and I sat toward the back, where I could see and hear the audience reaction to the film.

There were 20 minutes of previews of coming films shown first.  Among them were the upcoming Fantastic Four film - with absolutely no crowd reaction, and Ant-Man - with several moments of crowd laughter and anticipation for more.  I saw no no interest for me in the FF film, as it was NOT 'my FF', so I'm not so keen in attending later this Summer.  Too many changes of the FF in what the preview showcased for my tastes.

So... After twenty minutes of previews... The Avengers film was screened.

First, I'm glad that I 'know' the Avengers, after reading their comics in the Silver Age of Comics, and attending all of the Marvel Comics Films released so far.  That's because the film took right off into action, with a capital 'A' for Action!

The person I took with me to the film knew of the Marvel superheroes, but hadn't seen all of the films released.  No introduction to the characters, and the film only slowed down a bit when the Avengers went to a farm / ranch.  The movie had a good plotline, and the action was basically almost nonstop.

The characters were used well, the storyline made sense, and all together the film was pretty good.  But something seemed missing to me.  Maybe I've become a littled 'jaded', but this sequel to the first Avengers film was missing that little 'something' that made other Marvel films stand out, like the first Captain America did for me.

Here's my thoughts on the actors / characters:

Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man - Great job in the role, as usual.  Robert is Tony Stark period. Nuff Said!.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor - The perfect actor for this role. So Be It!

Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk - I was more impressed with his role in this film.  The Banner / Hulk situation was better used in this film IMO.

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America - Chris has really taken over this role.  He fits my ideal Captain America character.  Actually I even liked him as Johnny Storm / Human Torch in the Fantastic Four films a few years back.  He also brings his character to life very well.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow - Better use of her character in this film. 

Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye -  I've liked him in this role in earlier films. But his secret life, revealed in this film, is one I can't get my head around to believing it...

Don Cheadle as Rhodey / War Machine - Minimal use of his character, but then again there quite a few characters in this film...

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver - Introduced in this film... Was okay in the role.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch -  I like the character in the Silver Age & Bronze Age of Comics, but this version on screen is just not the Scarlet Witch to me... 

Paul Bettany as J.A.R.V.I.S. and Vision - I like him as the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. and now especially as the Vision! Very good casting!

Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter - Good seeing her again.  Not enough screen time, but it was good seeing her.

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury - Not as much screen time, but his role was vital in the plotline. 

James Spader as Ultron - EXCELLENT choice in casting.  His voice is so damned spooky, it totally fits Ultron! This casting made the film far more interesting for me!

If you are a Marvel Fanatic as I am, you have to see this film, especially if you have seen the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Period.   Just be careful as to whom you take to the film, as there is no slowing down to explain who is whom, and the other background bits that are included in this feature.  The matinee price where I went to was $10.25 per person, which is pretty steep for a film for the general masses.

Here is a link to more on the film, (Spoiler Alert!), if you aren't put off by knowing too much before actually viewing the film.

Oh, and my comic book score for this film is a Very Fine (VF) 8.0 out of a possible 10.0 comic book grading scale.

~Michael. 

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 4,000 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to my blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to me for possible review, just contact me. 

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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