Hollywood characters come to life

LAPD officers arrest a man in a Spider-Man outfit after he allegedly assaulted a man on Hollywood Boulevard in 2009. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

March 18, 2014 11:26 PM PT

The best photos of fictional characters come to life, from performers on the streets of Hollywood to cosplayers at San Diego’s Comic-Con. Featuring staff photos and reader submissions.

Pedestrians, including Chewbacca, walk beside barricades along Hollywood Boulevard during the Academy Awards. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Actors dressed as Cleopatra, Tinker Bell and Batman hang out in front of the Hollywood & Highland shopping complex. There is said to be growing tension between characters and music vendors in the area. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)