Costumes, games, toys and more: Comic-Con brings out the kid in everyone

SAN DIEGO (KABC) -- Every year, tens of thousands of fans make their way to San Diego for the spectacle that is Comic-Con. It's been a tradition now for more than 50 years.

Baby Wolverine got our attention as we roamed the aisles at the San Diego Convention Center.

We saw some other Wolverines and a few Deadpools too! And some things we just can't quite describe.

But how does anyone compete with The Dark Crystal? The woman inside this masterpiece has been coming here for a decade.

"I kind of consider this two-fold. So this is for everybody else but for me to come here and spend all the money, it has to be for me, too," said Andrea Seale.

Fun seems to be the name of the game here, where you're just enjoying the costumed characters. Spending big bucks on merchandise also seems to be a common theme.

Lego has a space full of creativity, featuring a life-size astronaut for people to enjoy, along with several other works of Lego art. Cassidy Najarian, who works with Lego, has her own theory on why people love Lego so much.

"There's no wrong way to play, and I think there's something inherently amazing about coming back to play as a form of expression," said Najarian. "With just a couple bricks you can unlock a whole new world."

Some fans are going all out for this convention. Others are happy to walk around being noticed. And how do you not notice Jennifer Stringer as Sharknado?

"I am getting stepped on and it's OK, though. I am grabbing things like a tornado, cleaning things with my skirt," laughed Stringer.

There is plenty to see outdoors as well. ABC created A Very Abbott Festival, or AVA Fest, a carnival-themed experience for fans of "Abbott Elementary." Hulu is offering up "Animayhem," a place to celebrate the streamers' animated series. And FX hopes to transport you into the world of its popular shows.

"We are engaging fans around one of our fan favorite shows, 'The Bear.' Fans can step inside the restaurant and be served up some great exclusive merchandise," said Kenya Hardaway, senior vice president with FX Networks.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of Marvel Studios, Hulu, FX and this ABC station.