Deleted Scenes From Comic-Con

San Diego Comic-Con has quickly become my favorite annual event to attend, a vast collection of nerd delights–You’ll see Data and Deanna Troi in person! Thousands upon thousands of toys, comic books and video games surround you! You’re never the biggest nerd in the room!

While most of what I did at Comic-Con 2010 was video game related and required sitting in panel after panel for games like Dead Space 2, Twisted Metal and Super Street Fighter IV, there were plenty of other diversions. Here’s a quick sampling of SDCC’s people, places and things.

I’ve always had a thing for Starro the Conqueror, the giant evil alien starfish of the DC universe. Not that big a fan of the DC universe itself, where a thing like Starro exists, but the character design (cyclops, tentacles) combined with its weirdness (giant evil alien starfish) almost made me stand in line for a plastic Starro mask. Almost.

On Thursday at the Con, Capcom had a rooftop party featuring Big Boi. Liking Big Boi less than Starro, I decided to mingle. Ran into Street Fighter IV producer and friend of Meat Bun Yoshinori Ono, Blanka and David Crislip of Capcom. Ono’s always thrilled to take a picture.

Also ran into Adrienne Curry, America’s Next Top Marvel vs. Capcom 3 player. She’s a geek. That’s a World of Warcraft t-shirt she’s wearing. That’s Barndi on the left, who was too shy to ask Adrienne for a picture. I was drunk enough to be That Guy.

Earlier in the evening, watching Geoff Keighley interview Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski. I have a lovely shot of Cliff getting his make-up done, if I ever need it.

One of the things I wish I’d played at Comic-Con was I-Mockery‘s Abobo’s Big Adventure. It’s a weird Legend of Zelda-clone that sees Abobo–you know, from Double Dragon?–wander through mazes shaped like a penis. The marquee and side art on this thing was top shelf stuff.

If I had a trillion dollars (OK a billion will suffice) I would invest in things like Sideshow Collectibles. Like ultra-detailed Guile sculptures and sexy Psylockes and that Tyrannosaurus Rex that was infested with a Venom symbiote. I’d have the most amazing room full of nerd shit that no one would ever see.

That same room would have a perfect recreation of Skeletor’s army invading Castle Grayskull.

Oh, if you ever go to Comic-Con, stop by the Mega 64 booth and spin the Wheel of Mystery. Rocco may sing karaoke at you–Alice DeeJay’s “Better Off Alone” for example–or you may share an Awkward Moment.

Not included in the Nerd Lair would be tons of Ron English vinyl toys. This and the entire Gargamel line would be prominently featured somewhere near the entryway to my home. Trolling the vinyl toy zone at Comic-Con–the cooler side of nerdy toy collection–is where I spend about 10% of my entire time during the show.