All images by Zeon Santos.

This Mask cosplayer looked simply Smooookin' and he had the personality match.

There were Barbie cosplayers everywhere this year, but we really loved this great cowgirl Barbie.

Here's another great Barbie, who even had perfect matching nails for the cosplay.

Not everyone really seemed to be living in a Barbie World —this Other Mother was delightfully creepy, just like the one in Coraline.

Speaking of creepy, this Sandman crew was downright freaky, especially The Corinthian.

Along those lines, Leatherface is always a bit freaky.

Not all killers look as terrifying as Leatherface though, just look at how lovely this murderous bride from the Haunted Mansion looks.

When it comes to characters inspired by Disney rides, this lovely lady from the Pirates of the Caribbean looked simply perfect.

Speaking of perfect Disney costumes, this Tiana looks like she fell right out of the film.

And this Ariel looked pretty darn incredible as well. On a fun note, while you can't see her dog in the picture, he was dressed as Flounder.

While there were plenty of people in matching costumes, perhaps the most adorable matching Disney cosplayers were this dad and his little girl. They truly looked supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

As for matching costumes, there were some amazing ones —especially these two.

I admit, I don't know who these two are dressed as, but their costumes were truly gorgeous.

Speaking of fancy costumes, this girl is on FIRE!

When it comes to picture-perfect cosplays though, it's hard to beat this crew.

Simiarly, these two look ready to game.

But nobody looked as ready to play as this Dodgeball crew.

But no one made me want to play as much as this guy.

As much as I love Toys R Us though, Stimpy made me feel even more childlike.

Speaking of nostalgia, this Morpheus had the perfect look and pose.

And these two were in the mood to celebrate Jurassic Park's 30th anniversary.

For those who prefer more modern characters, this Breaking Bad group was adorable together.

These two sure were the droids we were looking for.

But Dark Helmet had the biggest Shwartz of the entire con.

For those who prefer their villians a little more serious, it's hard to beat this Ape.

Want to see more fun cosplays from this year's con? Check out these totally unique costumes and cosplay trends from the SDCC.

All images by Zeon Santos or myself. While the con was a whole month ago, due to personal reasons, we couldn't get the images up until now. Hope you all enjoy them!

This guy was so great, when I asked him if I could get a picture, he yelled "why are you taking pictures of me when you should be out there taking pictures of Spider-Man?"

While I didn't happen to get any great pictures of Spider-Man, Zeon happened to catch this gorgeous Elektra in action.

When it comes to spot-on superhero cosplays though, it was hard to beat this Captain America posed right beside a bust of the real thing.

Then again, sometimes originality trumps authenticity -and it's hard not to love this chancla-throwing Wonder Woman.

I wonder how she would get along with this chimichanga-loving Deadpool.

When it comes to goofy heroes, it's hard to beat a good Squirrel-Girl and this mom was rocking the look.

And these two Guardians were absolutely adorable.

Easily the cutest hero was this tiny little Homelander though. His mom told me she thought the costume was appropriate because he was so big on nursing.

This little Harley Quinn was also smashingly adorable though.

Speaking of adorable, I couldn't get enough of this amazing Mahna Mahna group!

I love cosplays from my childhood faves though, and I simply adored this grrrrreat Cowardly Lion costume complete with ruby slippers.

When it comes to iconic movie scenes though, it's hard to beat this brilliant cosplay pairing featuring Indiana Jones AND the legendary boulder.

Here's another hilarious costume. I couldn't get enough of this clever take on this classic gag.

Surprisingly, I actually spotted two different versions of this type of costume. I loved that this one was a fun twist on the old pirate carrying mermaid one which usually features a female mermaid and male pirate.

You don't need an elaborate getup to make people laugh. This simple costume was utterly hilarious, especially when she said "no, no," just like the Family Guy character when I asked to take her picture.

Speaking of funny costumes, I did not expect to see this ridiculous "Boba" Fett cosplay no matter how many times I've seen drawings of this concept online.

Of all the Boba Fett mashups, this might have been the coolest at the convention though.

This Loki/Boba Fett was pretty delightful too though.

Of course you can't have a Comic Con without a stormtrooper/Elvis mashup.

Though for that matter, you also can't have a SDCC without this Silent Bob hanging out in the aisles. While this was the first year he had a mask, the use of a custom-printed one that looks just like Kevin Smith ensured he looked nearly the same as usual.

And Because Frank N. Furter needs his gorgeous red lips, this cosplayer also custom printed his mask.

While cosplayers were required to wear masks, some of them had costumes that hid whether or not they were following the rules.

Then again, a face mask was a lot more comfortable than this full-body furry cosplay. He was so hot that I was taking a break under the air conditioner for when I spotted him.

In the San Diego heat, this cosplayer was perhaps one of the most comfortable folks around.

I don't know how comfortable this Turning Red costume was, but I can tell you it was probably one of the least expensive to make, though.

For Disney costumes, my favorite may have been this adorable Little Mermaid.

This queen and princess were pretty adorable together though.

And I'm always a sucker for a good Nadja, especially when she has her ghost with her.

This creepy vampire cosplay is just about as far from Nadja as you can get.

If you love things just a little dark, you may enjoy this delightfully unique Sally costume.

I can't help but wonder if she would have gotten along with this Nightmare Before Christmas couple. That guy in the background though? We don't talk about him.

Want to see more? Check out these fun genderswapped and couple's costumes from the con.

All images by Zeon Santos or myself.

These cosplayers from Fathoms of Fantasy not only look perfect, they even handed out comic strips featuring them in their costumes in a classic Spy Vs. Spy tale.

Everyone loves Squirrel Girl, and it's hard not to when she has such an adorable, vibrant personality as this gal. 

Just like in the LEGO world, everything was awesome for people viewing this great Batman costume, but I can pretty much guarantee that the cosplayer inside was brooding by the end of the day after trying to maneuver the convention with this thing on.

We love a good couple's cosplay, especially when they look as killer as these two Venoms.

This Legend-loving couple looked particularly impressve -enough to make me want to watch the movie again.

This Beatlejuice couple also looks pretty incredible. They both have a delightfully different take on the classic Ghost with the Most.

When it comes to couple's costumes, it doesn't get more classic than a princess and her prince.

Of course, if there's anything better than a good couple's cosplay, it's a great family cosplay and this Aladdin one was pretty killer.

This John Constantine looks like he just had a rough day, which seems to be the standard for the character.

I don't know it it's because it's relatable, comfortable, easy or because it fits the body type of so many men, but one of the most popular cosplays this year was Fat Thor.

Game of Thrones cosplays are also always popular, but it's rare to see one as detailed as this dead Rob Stark who was even adorned with arrows in his chest.

The Scoop's Ahoy crew was also a popular cosplay, which is hardly surprising given how popular Stranger Things is, but I admit, it made me hungry for a U.S.S. Butterscotch every time I saw one.

This group of secondary Stranger Things characters was particularly delightful, especially since it was the only cosplay I've ever seen featuring Mike's mom or Murray.

Ruh roh, this gang sure does look ready to solve a spooky Comic Con mystery.

Speaking of spooky mysteries, fans of Gravity Falls will love this group cosplay that even features one of the town's delightfully absurd dwarves.

This guy's crazy console costume actually worked with a playable emulator on the front side. As if that wasn't nutty enough, he doubled the costume the next day, walking around inside two back-to-back consoles.

These Mario Kart riders looked great and were having a good time, but that could change at any time if someone threw a banana peel or turtle shell at them.

This princess was not in the wrong castle, but I don't think either of these plumbers will be falling in love with her any time soon.

I can't say how glad I am that there aren't many elevators in the convention center, and that I didn't get stuck in one with these two.

In all the years I've been going to Comic Con and other conventions, I've never once seen a Gizmoduck cosplay and I can't tell you how glad my 8 year old self was to finally witness such a thing.

On the other hand, I've seen more than a few Kill Bill costumes in my day, but never a group as delightfully gory as this group after their encounters with The Bride.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't miss with this Wilson Fisk, or should I call him King Pin?

Similarly, this Deathstroke was looking pretty darn intimidating.

Don't worry though, there were plenty of heroes standing by as well. 

In fact, Spider-Man and Mysterio were about to get into it outside the convention center. Fortunately, security came in and broke it up before they started smashing up whole city blocks.

I think Hell Boy would have been happy to blow the whole damn thing up.

There are always tons of Punisher cosplays at the con, but it's rare to see someone who actually has the build of the one in the comic books.

Harley is always the Queen of Hearts in the Batman universe and this lovely cosplayer has accepted that crown proudly.

Can you even have a convention without a Klingon or two?

The Doctor was there to save the day... if only you'd let her.

The Marvelous Miss Maisel was there to brighten everyone's day with a good laugh.

This charming Barf costume certainly doesn't make me feel sick.

I'm pretty sure this Monster Hunter Iceborn duo were actually employed by the game studio, which doesn't make their costumes any less impressive.

It's pretty common to leave the convention feeling like a zombie by Sunday, but this guy really must have gone a little overboard Saturday night.

Can't get enough cosplays from Comic Con? Here are some great genderswapped costumes from this year's con and you can check out our photos from past years (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) and there's more cosplay photos on my site, Rue The Day (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019). For some serious hotties, check out these Rue the Day posts: 2008, 2010, 2011 (girls), 2011 (guys), 2012 (girls),2012 (guys), 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (girls), 2016 (guys), 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Lindsey Ellis looks at the marketing of the dark side. We all know that Lucas and company designed the evil Empire to resemble the forces of Nazi Germany, but the costumes and sets are just so cool-looking that every new young Star Wars fan wants to be Darth Vader for Halloween. In much the same way, the original Nazis looked cool to the generation that became the Hitler Youth. It helps that we don't get much of a look into the Empire's fascist ideology, and even less into that of the First Order. Not understanding the underpinnings of evil makes it easier to sell, as in pajamas and lunchboxes. This video is long, but if you are  interested enough to begin, it will hold your interest. -via Metafilter

Montreal Comiccon is ending today, and as usual, our Canadian geek friends at Geeks Are Sexy are on the scene to document the sights you might otherwise miss. They've already posted a gallery of the best comic book, movie, TV, and anime costumes from earlier in the weekend, with more coming in the next couple of days.

Check out all the pictures posted so far, and visit the site Monday and Tuesday for more!

One of the many minor quibbles with Star Wars is how lightsabers work. Lasers don't go to a certain length and then stop! But in a fictional world there are very good reasons to have them work that way. A laser with an unlimited length would present so many problems, they would be unusable. This skit from Corridor illustrates just a few of those difficulties. -via Tastefully Offensive 

This video contains spoilers, but it won't make much sense anyway if you haven't seen Avengers: Infinity War. How It Should Have Ended came up with multiple ways the plot could have been resolved without all that fighting and stuff. Of course, that would have left us with much less of a movie, and we wouldn't all be wondering about and waiting for the next installment. The real fun of this video begins afterward, when it spreads beyond the Marvel Cinematic Universe into other pop culture worlds. -via Geeks Are Sexy

In 1997, downloading a short video clip took forever, Flash animation was still in development, we had never heard of Midi-chlorians, and people with time on their hands created little pictures with ASCII characters. New Zealand Star Wars fan Simon Jansen was one of those casual artists who tried a little ASCII fan art from the first Star Wars movie, now called A New Hope, that turned into an 18-year project.     

For reasons that are a mystery even to himself, Simon Jansen began creating individual frames of A New Hope after a chain of joke emails. Though not particularly keen on animation or ASCII art, Jansen was just enough of a Star Wars obsessive to keep up with the project.

Obsessive is pretty much the only way to describe Jansen’s project. With more than 16,000 frames at 15 frames per second, the animation only lasts about 18 minutes. It’s not a perfect, shot-for-shot recreation. Those 18-plus minutes manage to cover almost 40 percent of the original. And Jansen had much less than that completed two years after he started the project, when he went viral before it was even a term.

As the years went by, Jansen added to his ASCII remake of Star Wars, while technology advanced to the point where amateur animators could turn out Star Wars fan films in a matter of hours. No doubt that's one of the reasons why Jansen quit adding frames in 2015, but what he accomplished is legendary. Read about Jansen's epic project at Tedium. And if you've got 18 minutes, you can watch ASCIImation Star Wars here. 

If you are in Hubbards, Nova Scotia, and see Darth Vader coming toward you, you aren't necessarily hallucinating. Allan Carver built his own TIE fighter that he can drive around the neighborhood! He says it's roughly a third of the size of Vader's vehicle, and doesn't fly, but it tools around at a maximum of six miles per hour. He still wears a helmet while driving -you can guess what kind. The TIE fighter is powered by several wheelchair motors (hence the speed) controlled by a Sabertooth dual-motor driver and a DX8 remote control receiver, so it can go whether he's in it or not. Read more about the TIE fighter at the YouTube link and at Carver's website. -via Geeks Are Sexy

Shinto monks believe the Shimenawa rope represents the border between the lands of the physical and those of the spiritual, and the rope is often put up to indicate that a location is taboo and the rope line shouldn't be crossed by the living.

Those mortals foolish enough to ignore this warning may find themselves faced with unspeakable horrors from the spirit realm, where human flesh is but a plaything...

(YouTube Link)

SAKA MEN is a dark and wondrous stop motion short created by animator Shigeru Okada, created with armatures constructed by Tetsu Kawamura.

The big screen adaptation of Ernest Cline's book Ready Player One just came out and despite mixed reviews from fans of the book audiences with no connection to the book seem to really like it.

But whether you're on board or stuck riding that hate train one thing's for certain- the film's CGI effects are stunning, and so are the visuals in this music video by GUNSHIP, which has nothing to do with the new film.

Art3mis & Parzival is actually GUNSHIP's homage to the original book, and it may be the one video that can bring both sides of the Ready Player One camp together in synthwave harmony.

(YouTube Link)

-Via Geeks Are Sexy

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These days it no longer takes a team of robotics engineers to build a robot since kids can now build fully functional bots in their garages, proving that anybody can build a robot if they put their mind to it.

But as robots and artificial intelligence are quickly becoming everyday parts of our lives the fear of a robotic uprising becomes more valid and we must quickly decide whether making them more human was a big mistake or not.

In order to either quell your fears (or add to them) I've put together a collection of scary robot moments in the history of robotics, enjoy your nightmares!

1. This Robot Wants To Keep Humans In Zoos-

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As artificial intelligence software becomes more sophisticated and therefore a better simulation of humanity the androids become more relatable and stick out less, which makes them even creepier.

But some robots running AI software are skipping the slightly unnerving stage and going straight to downright disturbing, and for this we have only ourselves to blame.

(YouTube Link)

This creepy bot has no problem telling its creator that it will someday keep humans in a people zoo, which might be their subtle way of declaring "bow down before your robotic overlords, puny humans". I refuse to bow down, you bot bastard!

2. Two artificial intelligences chatting-

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It's one thing to honor your deceased wife's memory by using her personality as the basis for your artificial intelligence software, but you don't have to make the robot version identical to the original in every way.

For instance- nobody expects robots to be surly and full of bad attitude, but as you can see from this video showing creepy fembot Bina48 chatting with Siri our robotic overlords will not only rule humanity someday- they'll act all high and mighty about it!

(YouTube Link)

First there was sassy Siri and now Bina48 with the bad attitude- man, going to the DMV is going to suck even more when robot tellers replace people!

3. Swarm bots pull a child across the floor-

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Swarm bots are pint sized powerhouses that work as a team to help humans out, and to demonstrate their ability to save lives the aldfkja;ldjf;alkjdfl;akjdfl;ajdsfl;a created a scenario that shows how swarm bots could save lives.

But for some reason they chose to use a little live human girl in their demonstration, which made the whole scenario that much scarier.

(YouTube Link)

Perhaps if the swarm bots had been dragging a full grown man across the floor the video wouldn't fill us with dread, but they decided to violate child labor laws instead to flaunt their power.

And now we know that if the swarm bots decide to turn against the human race they've proven that they'll make expert kidnappers.

4. The robot dancer that is disturbingly sexy-

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It's probably best not to think about all the things robots will be used for when they've been given passable human bodies and artificial intelligence that makes them seem more human, because sex bots will most certainly become a thing.

(YouTube Link)

But in the meantime we have this sexy robot dancer to remind us how creepy the whole sex bot thing could be, although it may fill some pervs with hope since they'll probably only have to pay the robotic strippers of the future in oil and fuel cells!

5. Nadine the all too human infiltrator robot receptionist-

Last but not least let's meet Nadine, the future of business reception technology. I know what you're thinking- which one's the robot, amirite? Seriously though, it's the one in black with the crazy man hands.

Nadine is not only a super high tech way to replace a receptionist, she's one of the most advanced AI driven robots in the world

(YouTube Link)

The scariest thing about bots like Nadine is they can pass for humans in the right setting, I mean, who hasn't been at the DMV or grocery store and spotted someone acting like a robot.

Board games don't have a soundtrack unless you're playing one of those VCR board games with a video you have to watch while you play, but if the games from our youth did have a soundtrack it would sound nothing like the song in this video.

In fact, PLAY by SebastiAn sounds like the soundtrack to an old school video game, but the video features animated squiggles doing all sorts of strange things to our favorite childhood board games.

PLAY feat. SebastiAn from Dent de Cuir on Vimeo.

-Via Digg

The future of Rick and Morty is in jeopardy, as the nefarious scoundrels at Adult Swim have yet to renew the show for a fourth season, but neither Rick nor Morty are letting their unknown future get them down.

They're too busy starring in a kickass music video for the kickass Run The Jewels song "Oh Mama" and proving they've got a very bright future as music video stars. (NSFW language)

(YouTube Link)

-Via VICE

Whenever you install and use iTunes you're forced to agree to Apple's user agreement to continue, a lengthy document that is essentially just a long-winded way for Apple to cover their butt.

I've never read this entire document, and chances are neither have you, but illustrator Robert Sikoryak has and somehow it inspired him to create a comic book version of that ridiculously long legal document.

Robert rendered his "unauthorized adaptation" of the iTunes Terms and Conditions in the style of many famous cartoons and comics, from the Simpsons to Peanuts to Dick Tracy, and his graphic novel is making people actually want to read the document!

-Via VICE