As an avid gamer and lover of all things sci-fi, I've always considered myself a pretty serious nerd. I could tell you that Wookies are from Kashyyyk and quote Jean Luc Picard, but going to photograph Comic-Con made me seriously rethink my place on the pyramid of geekdom. Suddenly, all those hours I spent on Minecraft seemed unimpressive. I was, in a word, normal.

The convention floor was intimidating, but all apprehension was driven away by the maelstrom of costumes on display. Cosplay is a quintessential part of what makes Comic-Con so lively and surreal (along with the occasional smell of Band-Aids and abandoned pizza crusts), and these fans don't just dress the part—they fully commit to the role. From first glance it's obvious that these people have spent months preparing for the occasion, obsessively planning every detail of their outfits with thoughtful veneration. Not unlike the mascots at Disneyland, the best costumes can barely walk three feet without a request for photos, and they're more than happy to oblige.

Here, then, are my favorite shots from four days of wandering Comic-Con. See you next year, San Diego—I'll be the guy dressed as a mild-mannered photographer.