Comic Con Comes to New York!

Superman, giant robots, the Predator and Michael Jackson seem like an unlikely list of characters you might see gathered in one room, but for those in attendance at the New York Comic Con, it was just another (awesome) day. This past weekend NYCC took place at the Javits Center, which was an amazing and festive celebration of all things nerdy! Not only was this the location of NYCC, but the event also went hand in hand with New York Anime Festival (NYAF. Both were, for lack of a better word – ‘nerd-gasmic’. lived up to the hype and excitement: the two proved to be perfect outlets for festival-goers to interact with varying appendages of geek culture.

Sadly, for those who attended the con from Brooklyn, especially in the Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Bushwick areas, a obstacle was tossed in our paths: the L train was out of service from 8th Ave in Manhattan to the Myrtle-Wyckoff stop in Brooklyn. Nonetheless, thousands of Brooklynites crowded into the con as they do each year come hell, high water or screwy subway service.

Despite the brilliant weather, thousands chose instead to spend the day indoors, indulging in a wide array of activities, attending panels and meeting some of the most popular icons of the Sci Fi universe. The center was divided into several zones. The first was designated for small press, artists’ alley and new video game demonstrations. The second was the main floor, where big-name companies strutted their stuff with exclusive news, demonstrations, sneak peaks and signings as eager souls, often dressed in extravagant costumes or nerd cloth, flooded the isles trying to get a piece of the action. And downstairs, along with the expensive food court, were the panel rooms. Sticking to my own advice, I had scheduled my day around two panels then planned to spend the remainder of the afternoon walking the two exhibiting floors meeting up with old, and visiting new, friends at their booths.

While Friday was the kick-off, Saturday proved to be the real money-maker, as the major companies like DC and Marvel comics made many anxiously-awaited announcements regarding the future related film titles for the next year. As other companies revealed the release dates and demonstrations of new video games like the Michael Jackson Wii dance challenge or the Red Dead Redemption zombie expansion, all had fans waiting in long and motionless lines. Personally, the longest and most feared line I found at NYCC was the ATM line, where it took me forty-five minutes to withdraw the remaining money in my bank account to purchase original artwork from a friend’s comic.

With the constant inundation of ocular wonders ranging from large and detailed costumes or expensive booth displays to fan-made replicas—the best of which was a functioning life-size R2-D2; my jaw actually dropped—one could have easily become overwhelmed and exhausted by the endless eye-pulling oddities that inhabited the main floor.

One of the more fantastical elements of larger conventions such as the New York Comic Con is the opportunities it affords fans to interact with contributors (artists, writers, editor and actors) of the various media featured. I elated as I hopped the floor meeting and interviewing industry stars, one of whom was writer Jeff Lemire who authored the famous comics Essex County, The Nobody and the forthcoming Sweet Tooth. Or artist Paul Duffield and inker Katie Brown who worked with writer Warren Ellis on the Avatar title FreakAngels. I find that these experiences strengthen the community by bringing the purveyors of the industries closer to the fans that keep them afloat. I also got to meet-up with Brooklyn’s very own Travis Nichols, the author/ illustrator of Punk Rock Etiquette and the forthcoming The Monster Doodle Book; Colleen AF Venable, the author of the Graphic Universe’s Guinea Pig graphic novel series for kids; and the art and design editor for First Second Books, to get their thoughts on the Con.

Greenpoint Gazette: You both go to cons all over the country every year. How is it different to have NYCC in your own backyard?

Colleen: When you’re out of town for a convention your whole world is the convention. When it’s at home, you have to balance the convention with your normal life: work, non-comics friends—I’m supposed to have those, right?

Travis: I forget to go to parties when cons are local. Instead of “I’m tired… but, yeah, let’s go to the hotel bar,” it’s “I’m tired. Let’s go home. We can see these jerks in the morning.”

GG: What are your thoughts on this year’s con, from the crowd and attendance to its overall execution?

C: The crowd smelled better than in 2006, and no fire marshals were needed. Woo-hoo! In all seriousness (though I’m quite serious about 2006—it was like 90 degrees in here!), the show is so well run this year. Programs are more packed than ever, books are selling great, and while Saturday’s crazy crowds meant I got smacked in the face by not one but TWO giant fake axes, the energy was hard to deny.

T: This is my first NYCC. I went to San Diego Comic Con in 2002, and it seemed about the same size. Madness. I mostly go to more indie-ish cons: SPX, MoCCA, APE, STAPLE! But both extremes are super fun.

GG: Highlight of the con for you?

T: Live action D&D was awesome! Yeah, we totally vanquished the Mad King! Rollin’ on 20’s.

C: It should have been when a Muppeteer told me that his niece is a fan of my books, but really, it was watching a person dressed as Gumby dance Badly (capital B intended) in that slightly-terrifying Michael Jackson dance game booth.

But even without the element of industry stars wowing the crowds, what I love about conventions is the camaraderie of the con-goers. At the end of the day, no matter what borough, city or state you are from, this is an event that allows all the nerds in the world to congregate, un-judged, with others and freely express who you are and what you love.

At the end of the day(s) my mind and body may feel a bit overwhelmed and exhausted, but it was such an exciting and fun event through every minute and will be missed dearly until next year.