New York Comic Con 2023 Recap
This past weekend saw the return of the annual New York Comic Con presented by Reedpop. I attend many conventions throughout the year, and this one by far offers the most for patrons to enjoy. If you are a fan of any pop culture property (Marvel, Star Wars, Horror, Anime, etc), then there’s something at New York Comic Con for you!
As soon as you enter the Javits Center, you’re hit with this rush of fandoms. Advertisements for upcoming TV/streaming shows, movies, and more are on display everywhere. There are multiple areas you can visit first after entering. Maybe you’ll first want to roam throughout the main show floor to shop for deals and exclusive items of the fandoms you love. Maybe you’ll instead want to check out Artist Alley and support independent writers and artists as well as your favorite creators from established publishers. There are separate sections for gaming, for panels, and to meet celebrities as well. You develop your own plan to enjoy New York Comic Con however you want. There’s never a dull moment the entire weekend.
This year had one of the best celebrity guest lists I have seen in recent years with the main attractions being Chris Evans, Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Tom Hiddleston. That alone is a triumphant list. Add other celebrities such as John Carpenter, Ron Pearlman, Karen Gillan, Zachary Levi, David Tennant, Kid Cudi, Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry, Katee Sackhoff and many more and the list becomes jaw dropping. I know someone who purchased 25 photo ops with celebrities throughout the 4-day event. This guest list was beyond enticing.
The sheer magnitude of the main show floor can be overwhelming to some. With around 600 vendors, it becomes extremely difficult to see everything. Some vendors have massive displays to showcase new products of theirs. Other vendors are smaller but can have a specific item that you have been hunting for. Finally finding it feels like a massive victory. I am a huge fan of the company NECA. I love their horror figures and have multiple series of them. One of my favorite things to do on the show floor is visit their booth and get a first look at figures being released in the future. The excitement begins, and it’s great to have something to look forward to. You also have some vendors with interactive elements. Nickelodeon had a booth to promote the sequel to their hit comedy Good Burger where attendees to play a game and walk away with a photo and free promotional items. There’s always something to do.
As a cosplayer, my primary reason for going to New York Comic Con is to show off my costumes and hang out with other cosplayer friends and maybe meet some new ones. The creativity some cosplayers have can be mesmerizing. And it’s always fun to see people you don’t know cosplaying within the same fandom as you and take a photo. I’ve met multiple lifelong friends that way.
The community aspect of New York Comic Con is a feeling like none other. This event often feels like a big reunion of friends where we can just forget about the world and enjoy each other’s company as well as enjoy hobbies that bring us all so much joy. That’s the whole point of conventions like these. It’s important to just enjoy what you love with others.
