A view from Comic Con: costumes, comics, crowds

[July 23, 2009]  SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Every summer, Comic Con brings together thousands of colorful and costumed fans for four days of pop-culture indulgence.

Not all of the action is confined to the San Diego Convention Center, where the 40th annual event opened Wednesday. Fans' comic-infused enthusiasm spills into the streets of downtown San Diego, where the hottest accessory in town is a pass to the sold-out event.

Here's a peek at the scene from two reporters in the thick of it:

• A woman wearing a furry bunny suit and flip-flops is followed by a man carrying the costume's oversized head.

• An armored alien-transport vehicle from the upcoming "District 9" film is parked outside the Marriott hotel.

• Seth Rogen is hardly noticed as he slips into the Hard Rock Hotel.

[Associated Press; By SANDY COHEN and RYAN PEARSON]

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