New York Comic Con 2016: A Merger of Comics And Multimedia
By Alex Widen
The New York Comic Con celebrates its tenth year at the Javits Center! How did this con compare to others?
Image by Alex Widen
The first full weekend of every October has been designated to the New York Comic Con every year since 2006. That was the year Fox Studios’ X-Men: the Last Stand had hit theaters. It is held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on 34th Street and 11th Avenue. It is a stone’s throw from the ocean, with a salty breeze ever present. It is produced and managed by ReedPOP and has gone on to rival the San Diego Comic Con in sheer presence. Over 170,000 attended last year!
Image by Alex Widen
Tickets can be very pricey, and seem to sell out almost immediately. Efforts to combat scalpers have led to an awkward registration process and a rise in prices. The effects of either seem to be murky. Scalpers can always be seen within a block of the convention center. It also seems that, like concerts and sporting events, tickets “sell out” immediately, bought in bulk by other companies. But for those able to shell out some $200 for all four days, is the con worth it?
Image by Alex Widen
Unlike the San Diego Comic Con, which has become more about TV and film than comics, the books themselves still have a place at NYCC. Literally, hundreds of comic book publishers have a presence at the con. The big names like Marvel, DC Comics, Image Comics, IDW, and Dark Horse are always there. But smaller publishing houses like ComixTribe, First Second, Scout Comics, Lion Force are as easy to find as statues or action figures. For every multimedia booth, there’s a creator booth to match.
Just Call It “Everything Con”!
Image by Alex Widen
One thing I often call the New York Comic Con is “Everything Con.” It doesn’t matter if your interests are in comics, video games, film, or anime, the con will represent it. Another thing to call it is “Line Con,” as there are lines everywhere. Lines for big panels can last for hours, and there is always some big contest or giveaway at a corporate booth. When the hordes of people are not moving, they seem idle in a line. Saturday is usually the busiest day of the convention by far.
Image by Alex Widen
Not everyone cosplays (dresses in costume), but the ratio seems to rise every year. Roughly half (or two thirds) seemed to be in cosplay this year. Favorites remained Deadpool, Spider-Man, Dragon Ball, and Batman themed characters. Harley Quinn is a consistent favorite, but the Suicide Squad film helped increase this dramatically. There were signs trying to discourage taking pictures in the aisles to increase foot traffic, but they were in vain. Anti-sexual harassment signs worked better.
Image by Alex Widen
Essential recommendations for any con are to dress comfortably and have a priority. The floor itself is nearly a mile of space. Waiting for panels can easily eat up hours of time in addition to the panels themselves. And it is possible to spend the entire weekend at “Artist Alley.” That’s the section of the center exclusively for comic book writers and artists. Signatures and sketches abound there. Deviant Art sponsored some web comic illustrators there for the first time.
Image by Alex Widen
Can New York Comic Con Be Summarized in 300 Words?
Image by Alex Widen
My priorities, after years of trial and error, are comics and t-shirts. I got a ton of terrific samplings from First Second, Double Cross, Action Lab, Scout Comics, ComixTribe, and Darby Pop Publishing! Arguably the highest profile work I got was Margaret Atwood’s first foray into graphic novels, Angel Catbird from Dark Horse. I also met with the creative team behind Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and the Big Trouble in Little China / Escape from NY crossover.
Image by Alex Widen
The crowds were massive, but manageable this year. No major scandals involving fans or creators seemed to break out. In fact the only awkward bit was seeing Harley Quinn presented to two contrasting audiences at once. The sweet and simple version from DC Super Hero Girls, and the vixen like version from Suicide Squad (complete with the words “Property of the Joker” on her jacket). Other companies like Geico and Chevrolet also had large presences there!
Every year you get a unique once in a lifetime experience to be exposed to everything geek. You can talk about the craft for hours with creators and friends, or creators who become friends. You can spend hundreds on anything geek-related, or save for a few specific items. Panels and events keep you abreast of the latest in film, video games, TV, and comic books. Covering everything, but never forgetting its roots, the New York Comic Con remains an exhausting blast of geek society!