NY Comic Con & Memories

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Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Wednesday, 07 October 2015 15:33

Written by Eric Lurio

The New York Comic Con (October 8 - 11, 2015 at the Jacob Javits Center), the most successful attempt yet to steal the thunder from the San Diego Comic Con, is once again upon us. While there’s lots of guests, panels, and activites related to the sequential arts, it’s mostly dedicated to television, movies and toys and cosplay.

What is cosplay? It’s competitive trick or treating, without going from house to house as part of a Snickers fueled protection racket.  It’s already October, so why not? However, if you’re not doing cosplay in eight inch stilettos, wear comfortable shoes.

The show has been hot for years, which is why people selling autographs are a much higher caliber than they used to. Back in the day it was all washed up people from a decade before who can’t really get work anymore. They were a red shirt on the original Star Trek ages ago in one episode, or played an Indian on F Troop.  You never heard of F Troop? That means you probably have no idea who Jerry Ford was.

This year, they have all the actors from the current hits. Real life movie stars who are getting work NOW. Which, if you collect autographs, might be worth a wait on line. And waiting in lines is what you will be doing a lot of at the NY Comic Con.

The main hall is mostly comics, albeit, tinged by movies and TV. Marvel has a huge booth and various companies are giving out promos related to TV shows. The smaller companies are there trying to sell their wares and scrambling just to be noticed amongst the non-stop din and shuffling crowds. It’s the same as last year, only different. Same as it ever was.

Back in the day one of the things I liked to do was gatecrash the parties, the ones with the actual stars in them. People like Wally Wood or Garry Trudeau, people who were persecuted by US Congress for being subversive and forced to do porn (Trudeau was too young for that, but Wally Wood wasn’t).  The people who INVENTED Mad magazine. While there are lots of talented people out there, few nowadays had been there when the medium was brand new. Not me, people who were old guys when I was a kid. People you could actually go up to and talk with for a real conversation.

The NY Comic Con people are doing really well.  You just know there’s going to be overcrowding. I remember the first few cons when you could actually hang out with your heroes. It was even possible to have an easy going conversation in San Diego back in the day. That’s gone forever.

To learn more, go to: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/

The New York Comic Con
October 8 - 11, 2015

Jacob Javits Center
655 W 34th St.
New York, NY 10001

NY NOW 2015 Showcases Home, Lifestyle & Gift Retail Trends

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Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Sunday, 16 August 2015 14:25

Written by Donna Cheng

The largest trade show in New York City -- the bi-annual NY Now -- showcases over 100,000 products from 2,600 domestic and international vendors at the Jacob Javits Convention Center from August 15th to 19th, 2015.

So if you are looking for merchandise to stock your entertainment industry related store or are  searching for premium gifts or swag as incentives, this is the show to attend. Need to product source efficiently and network face-to-face as humans did before social media? Then attend this convention, tagged as The Market for Home, Lifestyle + Gift.

The NY Now exhibitors are categorized into the Home, Lifestyle, and Handmade Collections. In addition, there are growing markets that are grouped into separate pavilions:

• Accent on Design is part of the Home Collection, and it is a curated selection of 150 of the most innovative brands
• New! A+ Pavilion showcases emerging young product designers
• The Handmade Global Design and the Artisan Resource features handcrafted trade imports from foreign artisan regions
• The Handmade Designer Maker booths are filled with designer-makers present to talk about their craft

The NY Now programming offers trade seminars to retail buyers to improve their business, forecast color and design trends, legal and commerce issues, and social media and branding.

A subset of seminars organized by the Museum Store Association,is a Sustainability Showcase and a Pop-Up Retailing seminar on Sunday, August 16, at 10:30 am.

Celebrity events are highly anticipated at NY Now. This year, former New York Times food critic Mimi Sheraton helms the Retailer Breakfast on Monday, August 17, at 9:00 am sharp to promote her new book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover’s Life List.

Also, there are tickets for Hamilton -- the much-acclaimed Broadway show -- at a special price for the NY Now Night on Broadway attendees. 

Put on your most comfortable shoes as you walk the overwhelming aisles of designer booths at NY Now.

More information about NY Now and registration online at www.nynow.com

NY Now The Market For Home, Lifestyle + Gift
August 15th to 19th, 2015

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
New York 

Comic Legends come to Connecticut Comic Conn

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Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Tuesday, 04 August 2015 15:42

Written by Anont Chinskul

To any comic book fans who lives in Connecticut or the tri-state -- or, if you're around  in the month of August -- come to Connecticut Comic Conn (with two N's). The Conn runs from August 14 - 16, 2015, at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center (1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville, CT) ); while this is not their first show entirely, it is, however, a new location from their previous year. So, expect a larger venue for the guests and show floor booths as well.

Like other conventions, Connecticut Comic Conn features comic books artists and writers as their guests as well as famous television and movie actors who you will have the opportunity to meet. The convention will also have the usual sales booths where you can track favorite comic book titles, or that memorabilia  you may have sought for a long time.

This year, Connecticut Comic Conn will also feature these celebrity guests (and more):

• Kevin Conroy, known for lending his distinctive smouldering voice to Batman in Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League Unlimited, the Arkham video games, and an inspired appearance on The Venture Bros
• Legendary Marvel husband-and-wife duo, Walter and Louise Simonson
• Former Marvel EIC and Valiant founder, Jim Shooter
• John Wesley Shipp (Barry Allen/The Flash from the 1990's CBS Flash TV series)
• Jonathan Ke Huy Quan (Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom)

Of course it wouldn't be a comic con without comic book guests. This year con-goers will have the opportunity to meet these comic book creators; some will be making their first con appearance at the Connecticut Comic Conn.

Look forward to meeting the following sample of names -- and of course there are still more to look forward to than just what listed below:

• Neal Adams (Batman)

• Fred Perry (Gold Digger)

• Roy Thomas (Conan the Barbarian, Avengers)

• Steve McNiven (Old Man Logan)

• Mike Zeck (Kraven’s Last Hunt, Secret Wars)

Panels and events also include:

• Learning how to cosplay on a budget
• The history of DC Comics in animation
• The rich history of Will Eisner’s masked vigilante, The Spirit

Also expect the usual cavalcade of longboxes, comics, toys, model kits, and more from the dealer’s room, costume contests, and more!

So if you're interested in the comic book culture scene, and happen to be in Connecticut this month, check out Connecticut Comic Conn.

To learn more, go to: http://www.ctcomicon.com/

Connecticut Comic Conn
August 14 - 16, 2015

Mohegan Sun Convention Center
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd.
Uncasville, CT 06382