This past weekend I was lucky enough to attend the 2018 New York Comic Con. This was my first time attending the annual pop culture festival at the Javits Convention Center in the one and only, New York City. The event started Thursday, October October 4th and wrapped up on Sunday, October 7th.
For those of you who may not know what a comic con event is, it is basically a huge celebration of pop culture in our current day, along with throwbacks from the past. There are panel discussions, celebrity photo opportunities, autograph sessions, merchandise booths, and lots of cosplay. It is a lot of fun and can be overwhelming, as there is something going on every minute all day for four days straight. You most definitely have to plan out your day in advance as the photo opps are purchased separately from your ticket. It can be hard to pick and choose what you want to see most as a lot of activities end up overlapping. Luckily, on the New York Comic Con website it was easy to navigate when your favorite celebrities were appearing, along with a complete schedule of all the festivities. If you ever plan on attending a comic con in the future, the schedule will become your best friend. Trust me!
With a one day pass exclusively for Saturday, I was able to take part in all the happenings on Saturday. There were several panel discussions, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities. Autograph sessions and photo opportunities were available to purchase that day for many photo opportunities.There were also so many exhibitors showcasing exclusive NYCC 2018 merchandise. One special exhibitor, the popular Funko Pop, had a exhibit that was so exclusive that one had to have entered a online lottery back in September. People were walking around with huge bright blue Funko bags around their necks filled with New York Comic Con exclusive Funko Pop. T-shirts, posters, figurines, pins, and of course, comics were other big merchandise draws for the day. The celebrities of the day of included Aquaman, Jason Momoa, Boy Meets World cast members, Ben Savage, Danielle Fishel, and Will Friedle, Criminal Minds actress, Aisha Taylor, among others. The Boy Meets World cast had previously reunited the night before a panel on the show’s 25th anniversary. Jason Momoa was the main draw of the day with people lining up all day to take a picture that was over in a blink of the eye. I had the amazing opportunity to take a photo opp with cast of Boy Meets World, who were incredibly sweet and considerate of fans appreciation for the 90s show. The autograph sessions were a good time for fans who wanted to have a more in depth interaction with guests. Some fans even bought whole collections of merchandise for guests to sign, along with paying extra for selfies.
The food at New York Comic Con was also amazing! Food trucks lined the outside of the Javits Center from grilled cheese to mac and cheese to Korean offerings. Inside the Javits Center, there were plenty of food options offering pretzels, burgers, fries, pizza, etc. There was no shortage of food for hungry fans, but certainly a shortage of seats.
The cosplay at New York Comic Con was out on full force. There were Wonder Woman’s, Powerpuff Girls, Darth Vader’s, etc.. It was fun to walk into people and have them turn around in their full out costumes. Many people would stop cosplayers in the middle of the Javits Center just for a picture.
Overall, New York Comic Con was a fun time. It was crazy, but very well organized by all those involved to keep the lines and crowds to a minimum. If you have never been, I highly suggesting going some time. Remember, if you play your day or even weekend out, it will be a blast!