8 minute read
Entrance
The line to get in started with a view of the Javits Center, but headed under the High Line before looping back.
Madeline Strum Photography
After coming out from under the High Line, the line wound back up 34th Street toward 11th Ave.
Madeline Vega
Almost there...
Madeline Strum Photography
Madeline played nicely—staying behind the same people from the time she crossed 11th Ave., walked down to 33rd Street, over to 12th Ave., back up to 34th Street, and along the building back to 34th— until she saw other people creating their own express lane. Security came by and told everyone to get off the sidewalk. None of the pictures here capture how many attendees filled the access road.
Waiting for security check at the tents
Madeline Vega
THINGS WE WON'T MISS WHEN CONS GO DIGITAL
• Standing for long periods of time • Figuring out how to carry everything • Paying convention rates for food and drinks • No place to sit
A view from inside the courtyard past security
Madeline Vega
MY FIRST COMIC CON EXPERIENCE
by Marc Luna
New York Comic Con 2019 was the fi rst con that I ever attended, and I would say that it was one of the best experiences of my life. I observed people who are interested in DC and Marvel and took pictures with cosplayers and of props from Star Wars, such as a mini R2-D2 and a stormtrooper costume. I came across the TeeTurtle booth and bought myself two fox T-shirts with two matching Star Wars Rebel ships shirts which have the Millennium Falcon, an X-wing, and an A-wing fl ying to form the Rebel insignia for me and Megan. After constant rounds of walking around the con, I was able to fi nd a booth of the actor Michael Copon who was the Blue Time Force Power Ranger. Later on, I was able to get a Supergirl sketch for Megan and a Green Arrow sketch for myself from the DC booth. Since this was my fi rst comic con experience, I look forward to going back in the future with friends and family members.
Boom talks to his sister on Marc's phone
Luis Vega
FAMILIAR FACES continued
M: Did they get rid of all the 8 a.m. lines to get wristbands?
L: Yeah. M: Is that also why it was like stupid crowded at—
L: They do everything online now. Everything is online. All the raffl es for wristbands online, pre-order stuff online. You do all of that online. It’s very rare the amount of things that are fi rst come, fi rst served.
M: It was just stupid to see the pictures of how Boom and I waited around [inside the gates but outside the convention center in 2018] because we needed to get there as soon as the doors opened to get his name on the list for Padawan Training, and then to have the next year stuck in a [4-block long] line for it felt like an hour! To look at the time stamps it wasn’t that long but I was being an a**hole and cutting the line— and at the same time I don’t think I was being that much of an a**hole because I knew I was only there for two hours [and I didn’t take away anyone else’s spot in other lines inside] so excuse me if I don’t want to spend an hour of that time patiently standing in f*cking line [for security]. (Continued in
I'm sure the automatic doors were not designed for people adjusting their cameras as they walk out to catch potential subjects or even to stop toddlers from banging their heads on glass doors, but it was fun to use some of the improvements Javits has been advertising for years.
Madeline Vega
People's Choice Awards on E! promoted with skeeball
Madeline Vega
The game's caller was entertaining
Madeline Vega
Too early for lines at the food trucks
Madeline Vega
More food trucks were parked in the underpass
Madeline Vega
Luis is quick to recount that Kal specifically ordered a shrimp empanada for lunch.
Madeline Vega
Full trailers and exclusive content could be seen all day at some installations at the con while other production companies held screenings with limited seats offsite. With such a limited amount of time, Madeline did not head into 1917 or experience the magic @markar_app had set up to showcase how everyone can become a virtual graffiti artist in the real world.
Madeline Vega
Some really groundbreaking work, such as 1917 and Watchmen, were promoted within view of people who couldn't get into the show
Madeline Vega
Madeline Vega
The north end of the entrance
Madeline Vega
Madeline Vega
Not every promotion for TV shows included watching trailers and behind the scenes content. Comedy Central brought four walls of phones for attendees to interact with Crank Yankers and Sponge Bob Square Pants served up Krabby Patties. The line for Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access was long starting on Thursday. Sir Patrick Stewart introduced the premiere date and a new trailer on Saturday night.
Madeline Vega
Madeline Vega
L: It was the first time I’ve been to Comic Con all four days.
M: Did it reinforce all those times you said you didn’t want to be there on a Sunday?
L: Um… Yeah.
[Madeline laughs]
L: I barely want to be there on a Saturday. Sunday is unbelievable.
M: So it made up for you not getting to be there at all in 2018?
L: It was a lot. It was some might say too much. I say that, but I got the most amount of sketches I’ve ever gotten. I got Tom King and Mitch Gerard and Clay Mann to sign Mister Miracle and Heroes in Crisis. I got a sketch in my Mister Miracle book from both Tom King and Mitch Gerard. I didn’t even enter any of the raffl es because I don’t even know where to go to do that if I’m being completely honest. For me, it was the only way I was gonna get a Tom King and Mitch Gerard signature, and Mister Miracle is legitimately my favorite comic since Watchmen and V for Vendetta. That means I’m ranking it ahead of Dark Knight and Man of Steel and all these other books that hold a special place for me. Mister Miracle is that important for me, it’s like so fl ipping good. Like everything Tom King does. He’s gonna make me go back into a comic store in October, and I haven’t been in a comic store in two years, but when Rorschach comes out, I’m there because it’s him.
M: Yeah, but you’ll have it shipped. You’re not actually gonna be in a comic store.
L: Yeah, that’s true.
M: You’re ranking them, and I’m thinking you’re not somebody who needs to sit in a line and impress people with how much you know. So is the Dubbs your favorite way to tell people what you think of comics because then you don’t actually have to talk to people?
L: It is. But you have to think about…
M: You’re also talking to other people who don’t know how to talk to people.
L: Right. But, I’ve interviewed Todd McFarlane for the Dubbs. Todd F*cking McFarlane. You were able to cut in line and then take a picture of Stan Lee.
M: Yeah, but I had a press pass.
L: It’s my favorite time of the year because it completely reaffi rms my love of the art and printed word together in the comic form, and it’s the medium that has spoken the most to me in my life…
M: What do you mean it "reaffirms"?
L: Every time I feel like, Ugh, I don’t buy comics anymore. Am I such a poser for still going? It’s like, no, because I still love talking to artists, I love hearing their stories, I love hearing about their inspiration, I love talking to them about their processes. All of that. So it reignites this passion in me every year of, God I love comic art. I love comics. All of it. That passion gets reignited every year when I go to Comic Con.
M: So the virtual version is already working for you because you saw the [Todd McFarlane] documentary and it’s Oh my god I need to go write down that quote from McFarlane?
L: Yeah, totally. Yeah, I might not be interacting person to person with the creators, but they’re still inspiring me. I’m very excited for FanDome—
M: That’s actually really funny—the virtual experience isn't just on the DC and Marvel apps. SYFY takes over the fan lounge every year, but that just seemed like signage. Hosting part of the virtual...
L: Um… watching that documentary, listening to Robservations—it’s all been so great. Oh, you know DC Visionaries when they did that special episode about Jorge Jimenez and seeing everything with him was just like, if there’s anyway I can get feedback back to DC, that’s something they should be doing more. They shouldn’t be afraid to create stars.
M: We need a new Stan Lee.
L: We need a new Jim Lee. We need a new John Byrne. We need all these guys. Oh my god. That was another thing in the Todd McFarlane special. He was talking about growing up in Calgary and how he would never make it because he's Canadian—until he saw John Byrne lived in Calgary. It was one of those things that gave him that kick in the ass that I can do this.
M: So, you’re not there for the fans? L: I’m not there for the fans.
(Continued in "Cute Overload")
