Over the Weekend: Comic-Con '09, Cosplay, Ninjas and Sexy '60s Spies

If city traffic felt a bit lighter over the weekend there was a reason why -- a majority of Angelenos hightailed it to San Diego for the annual Comic-Con to indulge their inner geek, strap on that Storm Trooper costume, spend their savings on first editions, preview new video games and attend panels for upcoming films like Iron Man 2 and Twilight: New Moon. From slideshows to blogs, L.A. Weekly had Comic-Con '09 covered. We partied with The Mighty Boosh and Topless Robot, tricked a Ninja, peeped some new Steampunk dolls, celebrated Star Wars day, considered getting a Wonder Woman tattoo, and more. Read on for what we did and who we saw, and for gaming news from the Con check out blog coverage in Joystick Division.

Timothy Norris

For those who opted to stay in L.A. over the weekend, the Girlie Girl Catfight on Saturday at the El Rey was a night of brawlin' Bond girls, Spy vs. Spy smackdowns, comedy and sexpionage. View more photos in Timothy Norris' slideshow.

Nicole Campos

Scenes from the Comic-Con floor on Thursday, including Starfleet cadets, Battlestar Galactica actors, Wolverine, zombie babes, lightsaber chopsticks, steampunk sightings and Nerd Prom 2099. View more photos in Nicole Campos' "Comic-Con: Day 1" slideshow.

Nicole Campos

Scenes from the Comic-Con floor on Friday's Star Wars day, including tons of costumes, Wolverine threatening to kill Chewbacca, appearances by Mark Hamill and The Mighty Boosh, plus Bear McCreary and the Battlestar Galactica Orchestra. View more photos in Nicole Campos' "Comic-Con: Day 2" slideshow.

Nicole Campos

Iron Man 2 panel

Scenes from the Comic-Con floor on Saturday, including big Hall H, fans in costume for the masquerade, a Spider-Man yarmulke, Robert Downey Jr. and John Favreau at the Iron Man 2 panel, the cast of Lost, Ninjas who need love and a Pimpin' Boba Fett. View more photos in Nicole Campos' "Comic-Con: Day 3" slideshow.

Shannon Cottrell

Topless Robot party at The Field.

Friday night at Comic-Con '09 was all about the parties. View photos from the Topless Robot party at The Field, The Mighty Boosh party at 4th & B, and Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! in Shannon Cottrell's "Comic-Con Parties" slideshow. Also, read Liz Ohanesian's party blog and read all of Topless Robot's Comic-Con coverage here.

Liz Ohanesian

Just because you're nerdy enough to spend the bulk of Comic-Con in line to get the goods on the upcoming Avatar film or blew your dinner money on a Darth Luke USB flash drive doesn't mean you don't know how to party. And so the folks at L.A.'s mecca of comic book art, Meltdown, threw Nerd Prom 2099 -- a party where the geeks aren't necessarily the wallflowers. Read more in Liz Ohanesian's "Nerd Prom 2099" blog.

Shannon Cottrell

L.A. Weekly's Liz Ohanesian and Shannon Cottrell have a not-so-secret fascination with dolls and steampunk. So imagine their surprise when they stumbled upon the Comic-Con Exhibitor booth for Jun Planning, makers of the popular Pullip doll series, and saw a group of posable, adorable steampunks staring straight at them. Read more in Liz Ohanesian's "Toys That Made Us Geek Out" blog.

Shannon Cottrell

Anyone who thinks that cosplaying is just about posing in costume is wrong. Much like characters at Disneyland, it's about illusion and interaction. So when Liz Ohanesian and Shannon Cottrell caught faux "Ask a Ninja" dude in line for the Masquerade Saturday afternoon at Comic-Con shouting for passers-by to ask him one question, "just one question," they couldn't help but oblige. Check out the video for what happened next.

Alexia Tsotsis

Olivia Munn is a hostess on Attack of the Show and also in Playboy.

L.A. Weekly's Alexia Tsotsis made the entertainment rounds at Comic-Con, from co-hosting the rollicking Topless Robot tweet-up at The Field, to crashing an Attack of the Show panel where the filthy, dirty hashtag #redhotpooper was tossed around all too lightly, to interviewing Mike Judge and starring in the trailer for his new movie Extract courtesy of booth 3913 and @miramaxfilms, to working the red carpet and attending the party for the star-studded Entertainment Weekly/Syfy gala (all the while not getting laid).

Shannon Cottrell

Geek ink was ever-present at Comic-Con 2009. View the slideshow for a selection of tattooed Con attendees sporting everything from Wonder Woman ink to a BFF cupcake, Thundercats, demons and more.