Cosplayers unite at Comic-Con: See the fun, inventive ways fans dressed up as their favorite characters
Cassie Morris
A cosplayer dressed as the Mask walks outside the convention center during San Diego Comic-Con. (Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images)
Fans in impressive costumes descended upon San Diego Comic-Con 2024 over the weekend, and their elaborate cosplay did not disappoint.
After years of cancellations and virtual gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, fans were excited to once again attend the massive pop-culture expo in full force.
What began in 1970 as a small gathering of comic book fans in the basement of San Diego’s U.S. Grant Hotel has become a sprawling four-day experience with more than 130,000 attendees, multiple satellite venues and hundreds of scheduled events and panels. The event is estimated to generate roughly $160 million for the local economy.
The event offers what organizers describe as the “complete convention experience” — special guest speakers, hands-on workshops, film screenings, games, an awards show, costume competitions, a cosplay repair station and exclusive announcements.
One of those announcements came as a major shock to Marvel fans. During a panel with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, it was revealed that Joe and Anthony Russo would be returning to the MCU to direct two new movies — Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
As fans cheered, a group of green hooded figures took to the stage; one of them stepped forward to reveal himself as Robert Downey Jr. and announced that he too will be returning to the MCU — not as Ironman, but as Doctor Doom.
“New mask, same task,” Downey said. “What can I tell you? I like playing complicated characters.”
But San Diego Comic-Con hosts more than just Marvel fans. I Dream of Jeannie, The Magic School Bus and Monty Python and the Holy Grail were all represented by fans who showed up to celebrate their favorite pop-culture characters. Take a look at some of the ways they honored their favorites below:
The Flintstones cosplayers: Shelly Grace as Wilma, Ed Gonzalez as Fred, Miguel Capuchino as Barney, and Lucy Capuchino as Betty. (Daniel Knighton/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Barbie cosplayers Shawn Richter as Ken and Lisa Lower-Richter as Weird Barbie. (Daniel Knighton/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Haunted Mansion cosplayers Andrea Seale, Jason Baxter and Kat Baxter as the Hitchhiking Ghosts. (Daniel Knighton/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Star Wars cosplayer Christopher G. Garnett as "Boba Fab." (Daniel Knighton/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
The Magic School Bus cosplayer Stephanie Garcia dressed as Miss Frizzle. (Daniel Knighton/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
A cosplayer dressed as Spider-Man Bob Ross. (Araya Doheny/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
A cosplayer dressed as a member of Team Rocket from the anime Pokemon, complete with a Dark Magneton. (Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images)
Cosplayers dressed as Tony Nelson and Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images) (Variety via Getty Images)
Cosplayer dressed as the 2013 horror film Sharknado. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
A cosplayer dressed as a Star Trek character being attacked by a facehugger from Alien. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images) (Variety via Getty Images)
