Comic-Con 2009

I think it is common knowledge that San Diego has been known to be one of the best cities in the world for great weather. Unfortunately, that is one of the only major things that does stand out about San Diego. And although San Diego is also known for being the beach bum town, the city with no sports championships and the shadow or stepchild of LA, I can't help but retort that it still is the 7Th largest city in the country.

STOP! Its July in San Diego which means, the season opening of the Del Mar Horse Race Track and The International Comic-Con. You're laughing about the comic-con aren't you? I don't think you understand influence of The International Comic Convention has on US culture or San Diego for that matter. After covering this event exclusively for http://www.mavrixphoto.com/, I can honestly say if San Diego had 6 or 7 events like this a year instead of 1 or 2, I think San Diego would be the hottest city in the US. Literally and figuratively.

Now, being a website completely dedicated to erasing the hype and uncovering the real deal lets break down the true insanity of comic-con. Of course when it was founded 40 years ago, Comic-Con was a convention dedicated to comic book writers and lovers alike to get their material seen, virtually like an underworld for "geeks and freaks". That is hardly the case now. Now it is a popular culture phenomenon and freaks, geeks, cool kids and hot chicks all go to the comic-con. Each persons reason for going is completely different from just trying to see the latest issue of jughead and Archie comic.

I have learned that comic-con holds the key to San Diego's step towards getting out of the shadow of LA. With panels of discussion from cast members for such hit shows as True Blood, Lost and Chuck as well as premiering UNRELEASED NEW scenes of Twilight: New Moon, Avatar and Iron Man 2 clips, if you were in San Diego this was indeed the place over the weekend.

I must admit, the hype came late as usual and the first comic-con in 2007 I covered for 944 Magazine pretty much launched my celebrity photography career and the MADNESS that we all know today as Pop Cultures Promotional tool OUTSIDE of Hollywood.

If you could have seen the how people camped outside to wait in a 2 mile long line for certain panel discussions in the now infamous HALL H, the outlandish heavily decorated costumes and just overall quirky lifestyle, I think you would ask, "what's all the hype about and where can I sign up?"

All I can say is, keep up the good work Comic-Con and hopefully, 4 or 5 more events of this caliber will get the beach town out of LA's shadow.

Check out the exclusive photos from my

2009 Comic-Con Coverage Here.