Long Beach Comic Con 2018 just happened. I was a bit surprised that this was the 10th annual Long Beach Comic Con. I could have sworn it was a still a relatively new con but honestly compared to some people on the convention scene I’m still a newb when it comes to cons.

Despite being 10 years old and with Nerd Conventions being as hot as they are right now Long Beach Comic Con is still one of the smaller cons that I’ve been attending. Recently I went to Frank and Son’s and I saw 1 of the vendors who I know pretty well because I’ve bought so much stuff from him over the years who I know also sells at conventions and my dad asked him why he wasn’t at Long Beach Comic Con and he said it’s because it wasn’t worth it to him because it’s a ‘dying con.’

Based on what they had planned it seemed like LBCC 2018 would be their biggest event ever or at least the biggest one I’ve attended. KnokX Pro Wrestling had a ring set up so they could do wrestling demonstrations. Space Expo was there once again with one of the biggest displays I’ve ever seen them bring out. Some of the special guests on site included several castmembers from Twin Peaks, Kristian Nairn AKA Hodor from Game of Thrones, and Ivy Doomkitty, one of the more famous cosplayers on the scene today.

Despite having all this at this year’s Convention LBCC 2018 actually seemed a bit smaller than last year’s Convention. Some people would look at this and agree with my toy vendor and say that LBCC is dying but I look at it and I just see a smaller convention that is still growing and trying to find their full potential.

My only gripe real gripe with Long Beach Comic Con is that they lack quite a bit in the vendor and exhibitor department LBCC is probably around like 60-75% artist alley and some of the artist aren’t all that happy when you try to take pictures of their work because they’re trying to sell stuff. Because of my lack of pictures of cool stuff I’m just going to throw everything at you in a few posts. Given the amount of photos I have I’ll still be piecing this out across 2 maybe 3 posts but I won’t be separating it by cosplayers and non cosplayers.

Enjoy!

Here’s the Aspen Comics booth. For those who don’t know much about Aspen Comics, it was founded by Michael Turner who aside from his own company is probably best known for his work at Top Cow where he created Fathom and co-created Witchblade. I was really bummed when he died from bone cancer complications in 2008 because I really loved his art style. It is nice to know that after his death his legacy still lives on in the company and characters he created.

Here’s a booth that belonged to a guy who I’m not sure why but he was really into Bob’s Burgers. I really liked how he modeled his booth after the food truck they drove around in in the episode ‘Food Truckin” where they spend the entire episode on the road operating a food truck because they’re trying to capitalize on the food truck fad. Note the Boob Police hat on the tale which is just like the hat Linda wore in the same episode.

Speaking of bob’s Burgers I found these two a few feet away from the Bob’s Burgers booth. I asked the Gene guy where he got his burger outfit and he said he made it himself. His megaphone was a good addition to the costume. I really wish he had a sasquatch mask so he could be Beefsquatch, that would have really made my day.

Here’s Marty McFly circa the first Back to the Future movie.

A BB-8 from the R2D2 Builder’s club. These things are pretty cool and I give props to the R2D2 Builders for being able to build them from scratch, but honestly after seeing them so many times over the years the magic of seeing them has run out. I’m not trying to sound mean or anything I just don’t find them that impressive anymore.

Here’s Whoanerdalert and Darthlexii as Spider-Gwen and Black Cat respectively. These two were just some of the professional cosplayers LBCC had set up in their cosplay corner.

This is SLC Green Arrow another professional cosplayer that was part of the cosplay corner. I really like how he had the brick wall backdrop with him for photos. I was never really a fan of DC Comics but from what I can tell it looks like he based his costume on the version from the DC Animated Universe.

Daenerys Targaryen with a gender swapped Khal Drogo.

Kinetic Chloe one of the professional cosplayers showing off her Winged Victory Mercy from Overwatch. Man, I am so out of the loop when it comes to videogames right now. Originally I thought she was a twist on Pit from Kid Icarus but after scouring Instagram I found out she’s a variation on Mercy.

A really good Princess Zelda from Breath of the Wild by a cosplayer named _psyrene.

Here’s an MCU Starlord.

I forgot who it was but 1 of the guys in artist alley brought his chihuahua with him.

Here’s a pretty good Walter White from Breaking Bad. My only complaint with his costume is he left his earrings.

Here’s a dude dressed as the Heath Ledger Joker from the beginning of Dark Knight when they rob the bank. This dude has the look down pretty well. Not just the look of the costume but his stance and posture. It really looks like that part in the Dark Knight where the Joker shoots William Fichtner after he tried stopping him from robbing the mob bank.

“I believe whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you stranger.”

Here’s Embrace the Weird, one of the only booths I got a picture. I think was pretty desperate for exposure which is why he was so eager to find somebody with a camera who would take a picture of his stuff.

Here’s a really good Dr. Strange. His costume looks homemade so I have to give him props for that. Also if his costume is homemade it reminds me when I was walking around a Jo-Ann and found patterns for costumes and they had a Dr. Strange one but while it did have the picture on it didn’t say anything about being Dr. Strange and I’m guessing like the costumes you’d buy at a Halloween store it’s because they couldn’t get the rights to call it a Dr. Strange costume.

Here’s a Spider-Man.I didn’t notice till now but his shoes and the bodysuit are all 1 piece.

Here’s an English Bulldog I saw whose owner dressed up as Chewbacca the Wookie.

1 of the vendors on site was Caulipower who was on site with this truck giving away free samples of their pizza with a cauliflower-based crust. I’m not going to lie it’s not very good. Also I’m a little disappointed in myself for not paying attention to my picture. I should have either A: Messed with my aperture setting or B: moved the focus point to get the girl in focus.

Here’s Irena Jackson as Power Girl who as you can see from my photo does not skip Leg Day.

At first I thought this chick was a crazy twisted version of Poison Ivy but after taking a closer look and seeing the purple on her costume as well as the aquatic elements like the barnacles and starfish I can see now that’s a twisted version of Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

A comicbook version of Elektra. I’m a bit surprised she was able to bring her sais in. Long Beach CC has a pretty strict prop weapon policy and those things while dull look like they can still do some damage.

Lisa Pinelli, another 1 of the professional cosplayers on site showing off X-Men: The Animated Series Rogue. Fun fact: this look was created by Wildstorm founder, Jim Lee who from what I heard created this whole trend of giving chicks leather jacks worn over skin tight costumes.

Here’s Lisa Pinelli’s boyfriend/keeper awayer dressed as Owen from Jurassic World.

Tara Azarian/Tara Cosplay showing off her Super Sonico/Snow White mashup.

A Ben Reilly Scarlet Spider from the very controversial ‘Clone Saga’ storyline in the Spider-Man comics. The hoody could use a little more fraying but other than that it’s pretty legit.

Petry Baelish/Littlefinger from Game of Thrones. I’m a bit surprised they killed him off in season 7. I was really convinced he would have survived till at least the last season of the show.

Here’s Baelish doing the ‘One Million Dollars’ pose made popular by Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movie. I’m really not sure why he did this. I didn’t ask him to and I’m pretty sure Baelish doesn’t do this anywhere in the Game of Thrones TV show or books.

Doug Funnie’s alter-ego Quailman complete with the red hightop Chuck Taylors and the tighty-whiteys worn over the khaki shorts.

Genevieve Marie showing off her take on the Black Widow from Avengers: Infinity War. I feel a little bad that at first I thought she was either Sonya Blade from Mortal Kombat or Sinon from Sword Art Online. I’m also a little surprised she was in her own separate area instead of with the other professional cosplayers.

A Nick Wilde from Disney’s Zootopia.

Warner Bros.’ Marvin the Martian. The 3 fingered hands are a really good touch as is the space pistol. Although I think he probably should have rethought either the glove size or the pistol size so he could hold it more naturally.

Andrew Elkins/Geek Regeneration as the 4th Doctor Who. Doctor Who is a series I’ve been meaning to get into but since it’s so massive I don’t know where or how I would begin. Although from what I’ve heard I can start with the David Tennant episodes and I should be fine with those.

Super Craig and Wonder Tweek from the South Park: Fractured But Whole videogame.

Finn the Human from Adventure Time.

Some Imperial Royal Guards from Star Wars. I’m not sure if these guys were with the 501st Legion or on their own.

The EI School of Professional Make Up was on site again doing a Black Panther-themed bodypainting demonstration. If you think the models and painting look familiar it should, it’s the same people they brought out to WonderCon.

Here’s another dog I saw, this one dressed as Robin. I’m wondering if he’s blind based on how cloudy his eyes are. I highly doubt they’re contacts because I’m pretty sure it’s not easy putting contact lenses on a dog.

Professor Sybill Trewlany from the Harry Potter movies.

Here’s my favorite costume of the day a Snorlax. I have to give it to this guy for making this and be willing to move around in it since I’m pretty sure it’s hot as hell inside of it and also visibility must be shit too.

Here’s a unique take on Vaporeon and Flareon.

A Negan from Walking Dead.

The R2D2 Builder’s club has this Johnny 5 from Short Circuit with them. Now this I think is cool because it’s the first time I saw it. Unfortunately, the entire time I was there they weren’t running it, instead they just had it standing in their booth.

Here’s Ben Livid cosplay from the Rebel Legion and 501st Legion as Lando Calrissian. Out of all the Star Wars cosplayers I’ve seen over the years I think this is the first time I met somebody cosplaying as Lando.

Here’s another professional cosplayer, Asta Young as a cave-woman version of Rogue from X-Men.

Angi Viper as Officer Judy Hopps from Zooptopia.

MissKatt Cosplay as Terra from the Teen Titans.

Here’s a 501st Legion Clone Trooper standing in front of this Star Wars backdrop that Retro Force Toy Store had set up. Like the R2D2 Builder’s Club I’m a little jaded seeing 501st Legion Troops because I’ve seen them so many times but this guy and the backdrop just made a great photo opportunity.

This is probably. a good place to stop. Check back soon though I still have another 50 or so photos to go through. Also LA Comic Con is coming up so I’ll have some cool shit from there too.