New York Comic Con Returns: Bigger Than Ever (For Better or Worse)!

Details

Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Friday, 07 September 2012 17:07

Written by Renzo Adler

I remember when the New York Comic Con was an upstart con that had to share space with the NY Times Travel Show. Now the convention has grown exponentially to the point where it may not be quite as huge as San Diego Comic Con, but it’s definitely gunning to be the east coast equivalent.

This rapid growth and increased attention does raise a few questions. Lately it seems that SDCC has become less and less about actual comic books, and more about movies, video games, and all forms of media and pop culture BUT comics. Will NYCC share the same fate?

This year's edition of NYCC happens October 11 – 14, 2012 at the Jacob Javits Center (655 W 34th St), as per usual, unless Bloomberg decides to raise some last minute ruckus about a new convention center in Queens.

California being, well, California, it’s not terribly surprising that the film and television world has looked for ways to sink it’s claws into SDCC. New York on the other hand has been home to comics ever since a wisecracker named Stanley Lieber started working at Timely Comics (you might know them better as Stan Lee and Marvel Comics today, Ed.).

While last year’s NYCC was not exactly devoid of a media presence (the Avengers movie had a massive display, so did numerous video game companies), it still hosted a varied and vibrant collection of comic greats like Chris Claremont and Geof Darrow, along with a younger group of comic authors from internet like Magnolia Porter, KC Green, and Yuko Ota. Hopefully, the 2012 NYCC can continue to bring fresh faces to their artist alley along with the pros.

This year’s NYCC has also made a most unusual announcement for a new guest. Late 90’s rockers Ben Folds Five  will be performing during the opening night of the convention on Thursday, October 11 (yes, really) and will be promoting their new album in 13 years, The Sound of The Life Of The Mind.  90’s throwback bands aside, NYCC guests include

Fiona Staples (Saga)
Bill Willingham (Fables)
Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man)
Neal Adams (Batman)
Mike Mignola (Hellboy)
Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead)
Adam and Andy Kubert
Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans)
Chris Claremont (X-Men)
Walt Simonson (The Mighty Thor)
Anne Rice (The Vampire Chronicles)

Now that Doctor Who is bizarrely in vogue in the states (remember having to watch it on PBS?), Peter Davison (the Fifth Doctor) will be making an appearance to the delight of phalanxes of fangirls, along with the usual comic convention staples like Lou Ferrigno, Adam West, and Christopher Lloyd.

Legendary illustrator Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy series, Vampire Hunter D) has been announced as a special spotlight  guest along with Dark Horse Comics to promote their new artbook The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy. Anmano had previously appeared at the (now defunct) New York Anime Fest, which has since been absorbed by the NYCC.

Year after year NYCC has made changes to the convention ranging from minor readjustment to radical alterations. Hopefully, with all the growth, they won’t lose sight of the importance of the comic book community.

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

New York Comic Con
October 11 - 14, 2012

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

• < Prev
• Next >