Wednesday Comments – Special Edition: NYC

Columns, Top Story

This weekend something kind of cool is happening in New York. Ok, I’m sure that every weekend there’s something cool happening in New York. But this is something comic related, that’s kind of a big deal.

Basically New York City is getting a comic book convention, Special Edition: NYC.

I’m sure you’re wondering “but Mathan, I’m pretty sure that New York already has a comic book convention. Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s called NYCC.”

That’s very true. Not only have I heard of it, but I also attended last year (more on that later). But Special Edition: NYC is a convention for comic books and the graphic arts. It’s a refreshing change from how many comic book conventions have become co-opted by other forms of media.

Not that I’m complaining. I mean having panels and booths devoted to movies, tv shows, video games and books have allowed for growth of conventions across the nation. It’s also given fans of those movies, shows, games and books a chance to meet creators and bond with fellow of those things.

But having attended a couple conventions that cater solely to comic books and their fans, I have to say that I certainly favor the strictly comic book approach. For the record the Baltimore Comic Con and the Tucson Comic Con are the two comic conventions I’ve attended in the past.

The first con I attended was in the early aughts and it was the Baltimore Comic Con. It’s been pretty awesome to watch the con grow in size over the years. Witnessing how the con has expanded on the convention room floor makes me proud that I’ve been able to say “I remember when…”.

While I’ve only been to the Tucson Comic Convention once, back in 2010, I’m equally thrilled at how it’s grown in size. It my hometown, so I’ll always wish that con well. When I attended, it was quite a quaint affair, but it had a ton of spirit.

NYCC was a different experience all together.

Honestly, NYCC is almost overwhelming. Right off the bat, comics make up a fraction of the booths and vendors in attendance and there are a ton of booths and vendors at NYCC. Saying that it’s sprawling doesn’t do it justice.

There are also a ton of people attending NYCC and a lot of them are in costumes. It’s pretty visually overwhelming. So many costumes. So many people. Thankfully, because I was attending for Comics Nexus, I was able to find some breathing room in the media lounge.

Naturally because I was attending for Comics Nexus, I was all about attending panels. Unfortunately because it was NYCC panels would be packed and lines were so long that, many times, I had to attend the panel before the panel I was interested in attending just to make sure I could get a seat so I could file my story.

I imagine that there will still be competition for panel seats at Special Edition: NYC, but at least this time around I’ll be battling with fellow comic fans.

I think the thing I’m looking forward to the most about Special Edition: NYC is the potential to pick up back issues. I’ve written in the past about how much I enjoy collecting comics and looking for back issues, so I’m really hoping the opportunity to dig for some gems presents itself.

If you’re NYC this weekend and you find yourself with some free time, you should definitely swing by the Special Edition: NYC at the Javits Center.

Well, that does it for another week. But it’s Wednesday so go out and support your friendly neighborhood comic book store and by some fresh new comics.