New York Comic Con 2012
X-Men cosplayers at NYCC.
Location: The Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan
Dates Attended: October 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th, 2012
One, two, three! This year, Jessica Jolt and I rounded up some friends for a third go at New York Comic Con which this year seemed to nix the "/Anime Festival" from its title. There was a lot of change at this year’s convention that began long before the doors of the Javits actually opened. This year NYCC seems to have started towards a more “pro” path, leaving behind the more fan driven Anime Festival aspects such as the fan Artist’s Alley and the cosplay Masquerade; both unfortunate losses since I know my friends and I always enjoyed them (even if the Masquerade line was out of control and needed better management last year). The change was also evidenced in the fact that the Jolt Photography team was denied press this year. The application process was incredibly different and shut out a lot of people who might have received press by last year’s standards. Fortunately we had badges; in witnessing others who put off getting their badges, however, we learned a valuable lesson: buying your badge in advance is a good idea. If it turns out you don’t need that badge you bought? Someone will buy it. Badges go on sale more than six months in advance. Do yourself a favor and don’t wait until six weeks before the convention. Trust us.
We tried something different this year and stayed in a New York City hotel, rather than commuting daily. We chose the Marriott Times Square, and I think I can safely say that though the hotel is pricey it was excellent. We were able to check in early upon arrival, the elevators were awesome, the rooms were wonderfully spacious for four people and could have easily slept a fifth on the couch, and there were plenty of nearby options for food. We were also able to get cabs to the convention center very easily, and take the NYCC provided shuttle buses back if we didn’t want to make the walk. On the last day, we checked our luggage at the hotel while we were at the convention, then picked it up before heading home. The room was also proofed against the sounds of the city beyond the windows and walls which is basically a godsend. I really have nothing negative to say at all! I loved our hotel.
On Thursday, we arrived at the convention around 3:00 pm. By this time, there weren’t any lines to pick up badges, so those in our party who needed to pick up got theirs right away. Again, there were big bins full of Showtime themed lanyards, so we grabbed some, hooked our badges, and headed to the show floor. I said last year that it is worth it to buy a Thursday badge, just so you can see the show floor without a massive crowd and I stand by this statement wholeheartedly. We spent about six hours in the Exhibition Hall, just taking everything in. It was excellent. I only wish we had gone to the Artist’s Alley as well; the crowds there were so thick all the rest of the weekend that we never did see the whole thing.
On Friday morning we headed straight to the Oni Press booth for the Bryan Lee O’Malley signing that was meant to start at 11:00 am. The booth was not allowed to start lining people up until 10:30 am for safety reasons, so we milled about the area for a while until people started to line up. I actually do appreciate that the convention did not let people start lining up too early—it keeps the already congested Exhibition Hall from becoming a giant mess of queues blocking walkways. The signing started a little late, and the line was constantly being shuffled one way and another by a staff member who apologized to us for the constant shifting, saying they were just trying to figure out the best place to not block the aisle. This staff member was incredibly nice to the people on line, and her attitude went a long way; people seemed happy to help her do her job. When Bryan Lee O’Malley arrived people were allowed to have two items signed, and he was posing for pictures with people when they asked. Because the signing was only supposed to be forty-five minutes, they cut it down to one item per person a few people behind us in line. I’m not sure if they stopped allowing pictures.
After the signing, Jessica and I went to meet up with cosplayers for photo shoots we had scheduled. I have to say, we really missed the Cartoon Network Lounge that has been a central point of the convention for the past two years. It was a great place to meet, easy to find, and it was a place to sit down. Instead of the Cartoon Network lounge, this year there was some kind of Sega set-up to get photos with a monster (or something—I never got a very close look). This wasn’t so great a meeting spot as it wasn’t exactly prominent. I know this isn’t the fault of ReedPop, but that lounge area was an excellent use of the space and if they could find other companies willing to do a similar set-up, I know convention guests would appreciate it.
With photoshoots behind us, we headed to the professional Artist’s Alley to check things out. The space that held the Alley this year held celebrity autographs last year. It is a huge hangar, very well lit with a good amount of space so they could fit lots of artists. The disadvantage of the space is that it is far removed from the rest of the convention space. The Javits Center has been under construction for several years and this has been to the disadvantage of the convention which has had to shuffle things around every year. This constant shifting makes it hard to find things from year to year without a map. In 2013 the construction will be done, and I wonder how that will affect the con going into the future. I hope the extra space will help with the crowds, forever the most difficult and sometimes overwhelming part of this convention.
Marvel was hosting giveaways every day, and on Friday we attempted the mob. People are unfortunately not very conscious of the space around them at these kinds of events; I got mauled by bouncing backpacks on two sides. There are dangers to these scenarios too, as was highlighted when the giveaway had to end early due to someone fainting. We don’t know what happened really; if they were hit, too excited—any number of things could have occurred; but Marvel handled the situation fairly well, clearing the area as quickly and efficiently as possible. While I’m sure fans hoping to score free swag were disappointed, safety comes first and this person needed help. With things winding down, we decided to call it a day and headed out for our traditional Friday dinner at John’s Pizza.
Saturday is known to be the most crowded day at New York Comic Con and this year was no exception. There were droves of people everywhere, and for this reason I hope the people at ReedPop do not try to increase attendance next year when they have more space. There will be a greater benefit for guests if they are a bit more spread out. We tried to see the Artist’s Alley and the Exhibition Hall again, but the crowds made it difficult to get around and somewhat claustrophobic so we didn’t stay in either place long. We also checked out the food court area which has a wide selection of choices, but nothing cheap. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich cost $5.50 without a drink. Depending on the time of day, one also may require the reflexes of a hawk to get a table.
While Anime offerings were fewer than they have been in past years, on Saturday evening we attended the Tiger & Bunny Insider’s Panel, an excellent panel featuring Mr. Masakazu Katsura; the character designer for the series, and Mr. Yasuo Miyakawa; one of the producers. One of the American producers moderated the panel, and both Japanese guests had a translator. It was the first panel I have ever attended that used translators, and it was really interesting to see how they all worked together. On top of that, the guests were personable and a wealth of information, not to mention very funny! We had a blast. At the start of the panel, people collected questions from the audience, and at the end the cards with questions were used to raffle off t-shirts. The moral of that story is always ask questions! I sure wish I had!
Saturday night we attempted Dave and Buster’s in Times Square for dinner. This was a TERRIBLE IDEA. There was a cover charge after 10 pm, it was ridiculously crowded, and we had to wait an hour to be seated due to people watching a baseball game and not leaving. I know I ask you to trust me a lot, and I’m going to ask you to do it again. It may seem like a fun idea when you come up with it, but at 10 pm when you haven’t eaten all day and you just want to sit down and have some food you will regret it. There are other fun places to eat.
Sunday morning we got an early start to get checked out from the hotel and get to the convention early for the Tom Felton Q&A. The panel was the first of the day in its assigned room and we headed there as soon as we got through the doors. There were still lots of chairs when we arrived, but the room filled up quick and a good number of people filled the space along the walls, standing. The woman in charge of the room was not particularly nice and screamed a lot. While I understand she was just trying to get as many people as possible in seats, she was kind of terrifying. The panel was listed online as being an hour long, but when the moderator came he informed the room Tom could only stay for a half an hour. This was somewhat disappointing news, but it was a fun half hour. Tom Felton has a charming presence and is incredibly funny. Some of the questions, unfortunately, put Tom on the spot in uncomfortable ways that made me contemplate if screening questions before people step up to their microphones might be a good idea. Then again, someone could get to the mic and say something completely different than what they claimed they would. In any case, Tom handled everything with poise; it’s easy to see why people love him so much.
After the panel, we headed for the show floor. Sunday is Kid’s Day at NYCC and there were lots of children in costume. We noticed that instead of the Showtime lanyards featuring titles like “Dexter”, staff were handing out simple blue ones—definitely more kid friendly. Things were still pretty crowded, but not to the level of crowded that was Saturday. We were able to collect some final bits of swag before heading home and make some last minute purchases (like a bottle of amazing Black Widow perfume).
While I heard a lot of people complain about this year’s New York Comic Con, I honestly had a really good time. The crowds can be overwhelming, but they didn’t seem any worse than Saturday in the Marriott at Dragon*Con. From what I can tell, it just seems to be the nature of larger conventions. I just hope they use the full space of the Javits next year to a different advantage than “cram in more people”. There is so much to see and do at New York Comic Con, and I got to share it with excellent company. The truth is, I’m already excited and planning for next year.
Oh, and as a little side note—I brought a miniature poster tube with me this year to store the many posters I was handed in the exhibition hall. This was an excellent life choice. In the Artist’s Alley they even sell little poster tubes with straps; this is an excellent investment and will protect your swag and prints. Look into it!
Dates Attended: October 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th, 2012
One, two, three! This year, Jessica Jolt and I rounded up some friends for a third go at New York Comic Con which this year seemed to nix the "/Anime Festival" from its title. There was a lot of change at this year’s convention that began long before the doors of the Javits actually opened. This year NYCC seems to have started towards a more “pro” path, leaving behind the more fan driven Anime Festival aspects such as the fan Artist’s Alley and the cosplay Masquerade; both unfortunate losses since I know my friends and I always enjoyed them (even if the Masquerade line was out of control and needed better management last year). The change was also evidenced in the fact that the Jolt Photography team was denied press this year. The application process was incredibly different and shut out a lot of people who might have received press by last year’s standards. Fortunately we had badges; in witnessing others who put off getting their badges, however, we learned a valuable lesson: buying your badge in advance is a good idea. If it turns out you don’t need that badge you bought? Someone will buy it. Badges go on sale more than six months in advance. Do yourself a favor and don’t wait until six weeks before the convention. Trust us.
We tried something different this year and stayed in a New York City hotel, rather than commuting daily. We chose the Marriott Times Square, and I think I can safely say that though the hotel is pricey it was excellent. We were able to check in early upon arrival, the elevators were awesome, the rooms were wonderfully spacious for four people and could have easily slept a fifth on the couch, and there were plenty of nearby options for food. We were also able to get cabs to the convention center very easily, and take the NYCC provided shuttle buses back if we didn’t want to make the walk. On the last day, we checked our luggage at the hotel while we were at the convention, then picked it up before heading home. The room was also proofed against the sounds of the city beyond the windows and walls which is basically a godsend. I really have nothing negative to say at all! I loved our hotel.
On Thursday, we arrived at the convention around 3:00 pm. By this time, there weren’t any lines to pick up badges, so those in our party who needed to pick up got theirs right away. Again, there were big bins full of Showtime themed lanyards, so we grabbed some, hooked our badges, and headed to the show floor. I said last year that it is worth it to buy a Thursday badge, just so you can see the show floor without a massive crowd and I stand by this statement wholeheartedly. We spent about six hours in the Exhibition Hall, just taking everything in. It was excellent. I only wish we had gone to the Artist’s Alley as well; the crowds there were so thick all the rest of the weekend that we never did see the whole thing.
On Friday morning we headed straight to the Oni Press booth for the Bryan Lee O’Malley signing that was meant to start at 11:00 am. The booth was not allowed to start lining people up until 10:30 am for safety reasons, so we milled about the area for a while until people started to line up. I actually do appreciate that the convention did not let people start lining up too early—it keeps the already congested Exhibition Hall from becoming a giant mess of queues blocking walkways. The signing started a little late, and the line was constantly being shuffled one way and another by a staff member who apologized to us for the constant shifting, saying they were just trying to figure out the best place to not block the aisle. This staff member was incredibly nice to the people on line, and her attitude went a long way; people seemed happy to help her do her job. When Bryan Lee O’Malley arrived people were allowed to have two items signed, and he was posing for pictures with people when they asked. Because the signing was only supposed to be forty-five minutes, they cut it down to one item per person a few people behind us in line. I’m not sure if they stopped allowing pictures.
After the signing, Jessica and I went to meet up with cosplayers for photo shoots we had scheduled. I have to say, we really missed the Cartoon Network Lounge that has been a central point of the convention for the past two years. It was a great place to meet, easy to find, and it was a place to sit down. Instead of the Cartoon Network lounge, this year there was some kind of Sega set-up to get photos with a monster (or something—I never got a very close look). This wasn’t so great a meeting spot as it wasn’t exactly prominent. I know this isn’t the fault of ReedPop, but that lounge area was an excellent use of the space and if they could find other companies willing to do a similar set-up, I know convention guests would appreciate it.
With photoshoots behind us, we headed to the professional Artist’s Alley to check things out. The space that held the Alley this year held celebrity autographs last year. It is a huge hangar, very well lit with a good amount of space so they could fit lots of artists. The disadvantage of the space is that it is far removed from the rest of the convention space. The Javits Center has been under construction for several years and this has been to the disadvantage of the convention which has had to shuffle things around every year. This constant shifting makes it hard to find things from year to year without a map. In 2013 the construction will be done, and I wonder how that will affect the con going into the future. I hope the extra space will help with the crowds, forever the most difficult and sometimes overwhelming part of this convention.
Marvel was hosting giveaways every day, and on Friday we attempted the mob. People are unfortunately not very conscious of the space around them at these kinds of events; I got mauled by bouncing backpacks on two sides. There are dangers to these scenarios too, as was highlighted when the giveaway had to end early due to someone fainting. We don’t know what happened really; if they were hit, too excited—any number of things could have occurred; but Marvel handled the situation fairly well, clearing the area as quickly and efficiently as possible. While I’m sure fans hoping to score free swag were disappointed, safety comes first and this person needed help. With things winding down, we decided to call it a day and headed out for our traditional Friday dinner at John’s Pizza.
Saturday is known to be the most crowded day at New York Comic Con and this year was no exception. There were droves of people everywhere, and for this reason I hope the people at ReedPop do not try to increase attendance next year when they have more space. There will be a greater benefit for guests if they are a bit more spread out. We tried to see the Artist’s Alley and the Exhibition Hall again, but the crowds made it difficult to get around and somewhat claustrophobic so we didn’t stay in either place long. We also checked out the food court area which has a wide selection of choices, but nothing cheap. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich cost $5.50 without a drink. Depending on the time of day, one also may require the reflexes of a hawk to get a table.
While Anime offerings were fewer than they have been in past years, on Saturday evening we attended the Tiger & Bunny Insider’s Panel, an excellent panel featuring Mr. Masakazu Katsura; the character designer for the series, and Mr. Yasuo Miyakawa; one of the producers. One of the American producers moderated the panel, and both Japanese guests had a translator. It was the first panel I have ever attended that used translators, and it was really interesting to see how they all worked together. On top of that, the guests were personable and a wealth of information, not to mention very funny! We had a blast. At the start of the panel, people collected questions from the audience, and at the end the cards with questions were used to raffle off t-shirts. The moral of that story is always ask questions! I sure wish I had!
Saturday night we attempted Dave and Buster’s in Times Square for dinner. This was a TERRIBLE IDEA. There was a cover charge after 10 pm, it was ridiculously crowded, and we had to wait an hour to be seated due to people watching a baseball game and not leaving. I know I ask you to trust me a lot, and I’m going to ask you to do it again. It may seem like a fun idea when you come up with it, but at 10 pm when you haven’t eaten all day and you just want to sit down and have some food you will regret it. There are other fun places to eat.
Sunday morning we got an early start to get checked out from the hotel and get to the convention early for the Tom Felton Q&A. The panel was the first of the day in its assigned room and we headed there as soon as we got through the doors. There were still lots of chairs when we arrived, but the room filled up quick and a good number of people filled the space along the walls, standing. The woman in charge of the room was not particularly nice and screamed a lot. While I understand she was just trying to get as many people as possible in seats, she was kind of terrifying. The panel was listed online as being an hour long, but when the moderator came he informed the room Tom could only stay for a half an hour. This was somewhat disappointing news, but it was a fun half hour. Tom Felton has a charming presence and is incredibly funny. Some of the questions, unfortunately, put Tom on the spot in uncomfortable ways that made me contemplate if screening questions before people step up to their microphones might be a good idea. Then again, someone could get to the mic and say something completely different than what they claimed they would. In any case, Tom handled everything with poise; it’s easy to see why people love him so much.
After the panel, we headed for the show floor. Sunday is Kid’s Day at NYCC and there were lots of children in costume. We noticed that instead of the Showtime lanyards featuring titles like “Dexter”, staff were handing out simple blue ones—definitely more kid friendly. Things were still pretty crowded, but not to the level of crowded that was Saturday. We were able to collect some final bits of swag before heading home and make some last minute purchases (like a bottle of amazing Black Widow perfume).
While I heard a lot of people complain about this year’s New York Comic Con, I honestly had a really good time. The crowds can be overwhelming, but they didn’t seem any worse than Saturday in the Marriott at Dragon*Con. From what I can tell, it just seems to be the nature of larger conventions. I just hope they use the full space of the Javits next year to a different advantage than “cram in more people”. There is so much to see and do at New York Comic Con, and I got to share it with excellent company. The truth is, I’m already excited and planning for next year.
Oh, and as a little side note—I brought a miniature poster tube with me this year to store the many posters I was handed in the exhibition hall. This was an excellent life choice. In the Artist’s Alley they even sell little poster tubes with straps; this is an excellent investment and will protect your swag and prints. Look into it!
This review was written for Jolt Photography. Do not repost without written permission.