COMICS PORTAL: Here Comes NYCC 2023!

This weekend brings the “last big comic con” of 2023, New York Comic Con (NYCC)!

SO, JUST WHAT IS NYCC?

Here’s the description of NYCC from their website:

“Welcome home, hero. This is your event. Where you can feel unafraid to geek out. Where you’re accepted and embraced for being yourself, regardless of your cultural background, physical ability, personal identity, or self-expression. Where you can experience the best in pop culture because no matter what fandom you’re passionate about, we have it waiting here for you. Be inspired by award-winning comic artists and Japanese anime creators. Get star struck over your favorite TV and film idols. Treat yourself to exclusive fandom gear and unique artwork. But most importantly, create all of those memories with the people you care about the most. Because this event is for you. To embrace your inner hero or root for the villain. To geek out as a family. To celebrate a weekend together you’ll never forget.”

It’s held yearly in the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, and it’s my favorite con of the year! This time, it takes place from Thursday, October 12^th, through Sunday, the 15^th, and it offers some of the most unique collectibles, a great collection of stars and other media people, a place to get some face-to-face time with your favorite comics creators, amazing discussion panels and presentations, and much, much more!

Yes, there will be other cons after this weekend, but they will not be quite the size or scope of this one, which doesn’t mean they won’t be great! This one is just on the San Diego Comic Con-level, and it is an amazing experience!

ARTIST ALLEY

For those who haven’t been to an Artist Alley before, NYCC’s version if often filled with “name” creators on one side of the table and with attending fans on the other side of the table who are ready and willing to part with their hard-earned shekels to buy comics and other merchandise! I can speak from experience that the times my group has been in Artist Alley, we just about sold out of everything we brought with us! People even wanted to pick up “reader’s copies” that had been rifled through! That’s just astounding!

I’ve seen many creators already letting people know they’ll be in Artist Alley, which is often row after row of tables with creators ready and willing to talk with you (and hopefully sell their wares)! I’d list them here, but real life sometimes gets in the way of comics, so all this could change even hours before the con begins!

As an “experienced” NYCC attender, I strongly encourage people to tackle the Artist Alley by starting on one end, then methodically working their way to the other end. One time, I didn’t do that, and I missed several folks I really wanted to interact with! So, slow and steady wins the game. I tend to start with the “A” aisle, then move to the other side of the huge room! I would normally expect that to be the “Z” aisle, but with NYCC, there could even be a “ZZ” aisle!

Also, strategically placed in Artist Alley will be alphabetic lists of the creators. In the past they have been by first name rather than last name, which I sometimes find very helpful. I’m not sure how they will do it this time, but if you want to get to a specific table, this can be a life-saver!

GET READY FOR LINES!

From the moment the door opens, fans are racing across the main floor to get in line to purchase those unique items only NYCC offers, like Hallmark Batmobiles or Pops (loads and loads of Pops)!

If I can make a recommendation, please be patient and kind when you are in lines or even walking on the main floor. This isn’t Wal-Mart on Black Friday morning, but it can sure feel like it sometimes! A little consideration for others can go a long way from turning things into a free-for-all!

There will be booths for everyone from Marvel to DC to anime companies to videogame producers to makers of figures even to TV networks and such!

All this can be overwhelming if you let it be, but again I recommend you approach things methodically. Map out where you want to be sure to get to, then follow your plan. Don’t go scatter-shot across the main con floor and its various areas or you will be sure to miss something you will regret not making it to later!

STARS GALORE!

As usual at a big con like this, there will be a huge gathering of stars from the films, TV, and other mediums.

For example, the con’s website boasts Ewan McGregor, Chris Evans, Paul Pope, and Jenny Frison. And those are likely just the tip of the iceberg! Often, vendors will pay for and present stars from the big or little screen, but those will take some effort to be sure you find and fit into your schedule.

Again, their website is a tremendous source of information! You can find the 2023 Exhibitor List as well as the 2023 Panel Schedule. Always plan to get to panels and such early because it’s safe to say that literally hundreds if not thousands of other fans may want to attend as well!

It’ll be another great one, I’m sure, and make sure you check this Majorspoilers.com website for the latest news and information when it is released there! Head Honcho Stephen Schleicher and his team always do the best job when it comes to keeping all of us informed on what is happening!

What do you think? Are you attending NYCC this year? If you go, do you want to go for the comics creators of the TV/movie stars? What would you like to see happen at NYCC? Whatever your opinions, be sure to share them in the space below!

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