Odds, Ends, And Orion In A National Capital

 I have some odds and ends for you today. I start with these two shots taken one night this month at Lansdowne Park, where the crescent moon was rising in the east over the stadium. The next day or so would be the new moon.

I'm starting to develop a habit of buying novelty socks. This is the latest pair.

It's been a season for sunflowers. These are in Chinatown.

I came across this one day and picked it up. The Euro isn't terribly imaginative as money goes. Maybe I'm used to our Canadian bills. And yes, I could trade it in at a bank, but instead it ended up in a mug where I keep a few bits of foreign currency for absolutely no reason.

One evening I went off in search of groceries a few blocks away. There were some brooding skies, and soon after I got home, the storm broke.

And these are from a few nights back. I was back at Lansdowne, where the aftermath of a music festival was still to be found. Here on the east side of the property, I looked up at a familiar constellation- Orion. I wondered if my phone, on night settings, could capture it. And sure enough, it did. I was pleased. The constellation appears in northern skies in the fall and winter, and features some of the brightest stars in the night sky. 

Near where I took the above shot, the Aberdeen Pavilion, with stars visible in the sky.

Over on the west side of the stadium, another go at Orion came out well as it showed above the south stands.

The reason I was out here in the middle of the night? Nearby, where the Rideau Canal cuts through the city. On the far shore is the cupola of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Orion is above it. I came here for a reason we'll look at tomorrow for the theme day.

Cosplay, Bombshells, And Artistic Work

These masks caught my eye at Comiccon.

Cosplayers are all over the place, and this trio looked good- Psylocke and Wolverine of the X-Men, and Kylo Ren from Star Wars.

Michael Myers stopped when he saw me. I have that same mask at home. Should have bought blue overalls and worn the mask.

This dress caught my eye. This appears to be done based on the DC Bombshells concept, an alternate reality series with heroines set in the Second World War. This one is the Batwoman's look.

At right, the Wonder Woman of the Bombshells design. The dress at left is a show stopper of its own.

More from this vendor.

Two very different cosplayers. The woman on the left was my favourite of all the cosplayers I saw, with a plague mask and fanciful formal dress.

Kylo Ren and Spider-Man- an odd combination. I've always preferred the black costume Spider-Man.

I thoroughly enjoyed Comiccon, and came away from it with a good deal of merchandise. That included this Tribble, on my desk at home.

I added to my graphic novels collection, now at two and a half shelves. I'm going to need another book shelf at some point.

And I finish with three prints by the artist Geof Isherwood, who I chatted with. Galactus is at left, with Conan and some of his women in the middle. The black suited Spider-Man is at right. I do like chatting with the artists or creative talents at these things, such as buying a couple of graphic novels from Ed Brisson, a Marvel writer who's been doing some Predator books for the company. Buying prints is a given as well.

Until next year, when presumably I'll have another bookshelf.

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

 Continuing on where I left off yesterday. Near the Star Wars area was a Star Trek area, and this included the notion of adopting a Tribble- the furballs from the original series that were revisited in Deep Space Nine. Why not, I decided. I also got an adoption certificate from the Klingon Empire noting that I was responsible for this Tribble, and if it ever returned to the Empire, both it and I would be executed. 

More from this particular display.

I continued on. The green of that dress is eye catching.

Doctor Who was accounted for. I'm oblivious to the series.

I liked the variety of these masks.

Thor's Trinkets makes glassware with a comics, movie, and pop culture motif. I've bought a number of beer mugs and tumblers from the woman who runs the establishment before.

Another wider view.

A display case included horns decorated with motifs from Lord of the Rings.

A map of Middle Earth was etched on this bag. I was tempted.

Here we have coasters and cutting boards. Since Groot is a kind of tree, the I Was Groot one made me laugh. 

Popsquatch is a dealer who makes T-shirts with a silhouette motif. I've bought shirts from them before, including the Fellowship at lower left. This year I picked two- the One Ring at top left, and a Batman one.

Their selection ranges from movies, television, and video games. I was happy to see them, because the other place I would have gone to for t-shirts inexplicably was only selling them this year as mystery boxes of four. Oh well.

May The Force Be With You

Ottawa has Comiccon in early September, and of course I went. I go mostly for merchandise and the photo ops that such an event includes, but the event includes panel discussions, cosplay, celebrity guests, and much more. It was busy, and got more so as I was inside.

A most elusive fellow was, oddly enough, easily found. I did not see Carmen Electra, however.

Display cases included some rather dangerous looking items, some definitely from science fiction. I contemplated buying a steel reproduction of Thor's hammer. Maybe next year.

Close by, business cards for this establishment were in the head of this little Groot, from Guardians of the Galaxy. The Groot in the comics at present is planet sized and consuming entire planets. It's a long story.

The 501st Legion is a Star Wars cosplayer group, and of course they were here- with members in costume as well as a few droids running about. Including the most foul mouthed character in movie history, whose every word has been bleeped out.

Darth Vader having a rest before going on a walkabout to Force-choke an admiral who's failed him for the last time.

There was a moment with Artoo that I found hilarious. The droid rolled up to a baby in a stroller. As the parents looked on, the droid beeped and chirped. The baby just stared in total fascination.