The Big Apple, the glitz and glamour, the bright lights, throngs of people, brilliantly illuminated skyscrapers… the city is truly a sight to behold, foreign tourists notwithstanding. I still profess that most of them are incredibly rude and uncouth. Before coming to this country, there should be a mandatory “Manners 101” course that teaches foreign tourists how and when to say, “Excuse Me, Please, Thank you, Sorry” and “I beg your pardon.”
At any rate, Comic conventions are steadily growing in popularity every year, and the New York ComicCon (“NYCC”) is no exception. With the sour feeling of the San Diego ComicCon (“SDCC”) in stuck in my craw, I ventured from California to the New York Island to "bring back that lovin’ feeling,” and I was feeling righteous, brother.
This time around, I made it a point to avoid all of the time-consuming incidents that made my last comic convention experience a drag; no more waiting in lines for exclusives or celebrity signings, and no more SWAG hunting... and there wasn't much SWAG being given away. Aside from a few pins, this was the extent of it.
Lanyards. That was it.
For this convention, I decided to make it about the things that make these conventions fun, at least for me, which are Art, Comics and Cosplay. If I happen to get quick signings, great. If not, no sweat. As I’ve stated in my SDCC blog, your convention experience is what you make it to an extent, and that is achieved through meticulous research and preparation down to the hour. In addition, I would suggest creating a checklist to help prioritize all of your convention goals. If you go randomly running around the convention floor, chances are, you won't get much accomplished. Research and preparation are your friends.
Before you arrive at the Javits Center for the NYCC, there’s something you MUST be wary of: In Times Square, the mecca of the US, which is a hop, skip and a jump away from Javits, it’s like one big party, and there are a plethora of cosplayers, some of whom attend NYCC, but be warned, these guys and gals will trick you into giving them tips AFTER you take photos of or with them… and there were some downright, well, eccentric characters wandering about.
There were TONS of Elmo's walking around.
It was kind of like a strip club- If you didn't make eye contact, they left you alone.
These guys got me. I took their photo because they were superheroes, and afterwards, they pulled out a card saying, "We work for tips." Really? It would have been nice to know that ahead of time.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off this one, for obvious reasons.
This guy was looking around and contemplating if he should jump in this photo.
Yes sir, it's definitely a head-scratcher.
In case you're wondering, you can click on any of the photos at any point in order to enlarge them.
Yes, I <3 New York too!
My wife literally had to pull me away from taking photos, but hey. Women were doing it too! The exhibitionist tried calling me over to get me to take a photo with her, but… nah, I’m good. If the costumed critters were charging a few dollars, these babes were probably charging lap dance rates.
They were everywhere!
There were some very attractive girls from Australia, I think, that tried to get me to take a photo with them, but I told them, “I don’t think my wife would approve.”
…and there was some eye-candy for the ladies as well.
This naked Cowboy is apparently quite famous in these parts.
Once you pass through the madness, navigate the treacherous sea of humanity and arrive at the Javits Center, there were “tap in” and “tap out” stations.
This year, the NYCC badges were scannable key cards.
There were people at these stations that had card readers that scanned your badge when you entered and left the convention. It seemed like a bit of a hassle and caused a bottleneck as it was INSANELY crowded, but it’s a more effective way of preventing counterfeit, I suppose. Honestly, it seemed like this system was more trouble than it was worth.
They even had a Weapons and Bag check, like a major sporting event.
One facet of Javits that needs to be improved upon is entry onto the main floor. There are two extremely narrow escalators that lead to and from the main floor of the convention center, so it’s a bottleneck trying to get in and out.
The Javits Center seems a bit on the small side to host such a large-scale show, but because of NYCC's growth, it outgrew the venue.
Inside, all of the power players of toys, comics and the gaming world were in attendance.
Yes, we all love big cans.
Guess what day it is? Anybody? Geico in the house!
Graphitti Designs was in the house, and you could purchase their exclusives without obtaining a wristband or ticket... and they had PLENTY left over, so those that want an exclusive need only wait a week or two when they will be available on the website.
I noticed that this show was mostly geared towards video games and anime, so it had a bit of an Anime Expo feel to it. The main difference between this convention and SDCC is the large media presence, or lack thereof. There were no major networks on hand, at least that I noticed.
One thing that I found odd was the DC Booth was off the beaten path, and in the lobby, at the very end of the convention center. In addition, there was nobody there, just the Superman suits that were displayed at SDCC. It was a weak showing by DC.
My main objectives were to get a few books signed, check out some prints, and if there’s time, get a sketch or two from some of my favorite artists. Since I did all of my planning, I was fortunate enough to achieve practically everything on my agenda, but even so, the Artist Alley was crowded beyond belief. See for yourself:
Through the raging sea of humanity, I was able to get a few books signed by artist extraordinaires Shane Davis, Ivan Reis and Ed McGuiness. I even got a few prints by Greg Horn, who recognized me from a few other conventions.
Ivan Reis was very busy all throughout the weekend. I hit his booth to get a sketch before doing anything else, but there were two people in front of me. The first guy wanted Aquaman and the next guy wanted a Batman sketch.
When it was finally my turn, I chose Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.
I wish I had researched more thoroughly as I didn’t notice that Ultimate Spidey artist, David Marquez would be in attendance.
Ah well. You can’t win them all.
One thing that I was a bit disappointed in was vendors that had current books. Most of the comic vendors had storage units full of back issues, but there were very little in the way of current books, well, aside from a smattering of DC’s 3D covers.
I had planned on taking in a couple of panels, but I was shut out on one and didn’t have the time for the other. We tried attending the Beauty and the Beast panel which was held in the Main Stage hall, but the crowd was so thick, there was no way we were getting in… and we arrived there more than an hour before the panel was supposed to begin.
That was the scene. Because there were S.H.I.E.L.D. and Walking Dead panels after Beauty and the Beast, the hall was filled to capacity and nobody left the room. It was an hour wasted, but it gave us a chance to rest… and to play Candy Crush Saga.
At these conventions, cosplay is a major part of what make the shows successful. I’m fortunate enough to resemble Lawrence Fishburne, so over the years, I’ve dressed up as Morpheus, well-known character from the Matrix trilogy.
The great thing about my cosplay is I can sometimes slink around and not be noticed, which allows me to obtain great shots of other cosplayers. A good deal of the time, people don’t notice me until I’m taking their photos from behind a crowd. Every now and again, I'll take photos with other cosplayers, even if the combo makes little sense.
There is one downside to cosplay- peroidcally, people will screw with you. There are a myriad of people that have their own podcasts and videos that link to NYCC, so they venture out and perform interviews with some of the talent. One group approached me to do an interview, and they looked legit, so I agreed. The first question they asked was, "How do you feel about your daughter doing adult movies?" Please keep in mind that I'm paraphrasing. The language the interviewer used was less than flattering. At this point, I just gave one word answers and let them have their little chuckle so they could move on. For incidents like this, you just have to roll your eyes, smile and keep moving.
There were some well-known cosplayers on hand, some of whom are featured on various television shows.
I think what they do is fantastic, but I cannot in good conscience pay money for something that I do myself. Jessica Nigri and Monika Lee are cute and Vampy Bit Me is an incredibly beautiful woman that does outstanding cosplay, but I couldn’t live with myself if I paid to get a photo with her or anyone else that does what I do for fun.
For those that are intrigued and have never cosplayed, I highly recommend trying it at least once. Not only is it loads of fun, the response you receive is an exhilarating adrenaline rush. It's flattering when someone wants to take your photo, even more so when they want to pose with you. My most flattering moment was when a young lady chased me down and said while out of breath, "I saw you from across the hall and ran all the way over here, because I just had to get a photo with you." There's no greater feeling than that. In addition, I can't emphasize enough about being gracious with fans. Cosplay supposed to be fun for all, so I do my part in keeping it that way. You don't want to be the one jerk in costume that sighs, grunts and groans when people ask for photos. If you don't want the attention, don't cosplay. Simple as that.
This year, more cosplayers than ever before had ventured out from their corner of the world to join in the festivities. At one point, it seemed every other attendee was in costume, so it was extremely difficult to visually capture all the best outfits, especially since I was in costume myself. Periodically, I would see someone in a really cool outfit and try to chase them down, but someone would grab me for a photo, and by the time I looked up, the person I was looking for is long gone. It happens.
If you decide to cosplay, one thing to be aware of is Cosplay withdrawal, particularly if you decide to cosplay for one or two days. The attention you receive is such a rush that the come down, at least for me hits kind of hard; it’s like going from the hit of the party to being nobody. The funny thing about this is, when I didn’t cosplay, I wore a Green Lantern jersey that apparently nobody had ever seen, so I had people consistently stopping me to compliment me on it, and even a few wanting to take photos of it.
This Harley was off the chain! Look where she put her leg. In a photo with another guy, she picked him up and kissed him! Yes, fun times had by all.
As always, please enjoy this small cosplay gallery from NYCC.
^Best costume of the show! This Black Manta was all kinds of awesome!
One of my favorite costumes. "Bad Wobot!"
Ohhhhh Yeahhhh!
I could have literally stood in the lobby of the convention center and taken photos all day. I couldn't believe how many cosplayers turned out for this show.
Although the NYCC was crowded beyond belief, and I missed out on a few things, I still had a blast. This con had a good vibe about it, and seemed more relaxed and stress-free than SDCC. I picked up a few exclusives, got some books signed and got a sketch from one of my favorite artists, which made attending even sweeter.
Furthermore, I met up with a friend for lunch, had some laughs, and met some really cool people, which is the icing on the proverbial cake.
No matter what transpires at these large-scale conventions, you’re going to miss out on something. It's inevitable, so I’ve accepted that fact. All you can do is prioritize your agenda and knock out the most important items on your checklist to ensure the most enjoyable experience.
Last but not least, I have to give big props to my wife for once again enduring the trials of the comic convention scene, and allowing me to finagle this activity into our previously booked vacation plans.
Aside from taking in a panel or two, this isn’t her scene, and she had to overcome the stomach flu and the sight of women groping me while in costume so that I could provide this coverage. "Here’s lookin’ at you, kid."
