Art Department Weekly | Issue 110 Vol. 13

ADW ART DEPARTMENT WEEKLY ISSUE 110 VOL. 13

THAT’S ONE

Way to Go

IF IT’S THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER, IT MUST BE

Comic Con NOW WITH

MORE SPACE

MAJOR PUBLISHERS ARE OUT, BUT

WRESTLERS & A NEW BUILDING ARE IN

+ 50

PAGES OF COSTUMES AND PHOTOGRAPHERS

YOU ARE HERE ARTIST ALLEY

CIRCUS ACT

COVER

ED LETTER

3

2

BACK TO THE CON

I SAW THE SIGN

...

6

11

A QUIET PLACE

12

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

...

19

MINI BOARD

MINI BOARD

5

4

BIDDING ON A GOOD TIME

20

STATUES

...

25

HOT TOYS COLLECTIBLES

26 CALL TO ACTION

MUST HAVE

...

GAMING

GAMING

45

44

COSTUMES

54

31

COSTUMES

...

91

ARTISTS WE LOVE

32

...

FORBIDDEN PLANET

46

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Art Department Weekly • New York Comic Con 2021

AS SEEN ON TV

37

FORBIDDEN PLANET

...

FIND LUIS NOW

HARD TO MISS

2

ARTISTS WE LOVE

...

49

AS SEEN ON TV

...

38

STAR WARS

50

99

STAR WARS

...

5 THINGS

WHERE’S WALDO?

100

FOREVER YOURS

43

53

IN THIS ISSUE 3 Editor’s Letter 4 Mini Board 6 Come Together

A convention for comics

8 Approval Matrix

Chart to preview and recap

10 I Saw the Sign

How to get around the Show

12 A Quiet Place

Thursday looked like a pre-show

16 A Whole New World

With construction complete on the addition, we felt fancy

20 Bidding on a Good Time EBay and other long lines

24 Tell Me Everything

Statue booth spills the tea

26 Collectibles

What Luis was hunting

30 Must Have Kitty

Not alone in our tentacle love

32 Artists We Love

Everyone in Artist Alley

38 As Seen on TV Or not...

44 Fun and Games

Plus “A Word on 2K22”

46 Forbidden Planet

Wrestlers takeover the con

50 Star Wars Lovers

What started as a photo op ended with engaged couple

54 Get a Load of Me!

Costumes and photographers

92 Find Luis Now

So much floor space

98 Where’s Waldo?

There! There! Everywhere

100 Five Things

We did after Betty dressed a little bit like Sharpay from High School Musical 2

ART DEPARTMENT WEEKLY LUIS VEGA CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER MADELINE STRUM MANAGING EDITOR CREDITS MADELINE STRUM PHOTOGRAPHY

FILLING A NEED The previous issue featured Madeline talking to a Hasbro employee about all the empty pegs in the Target and Walmart toy aisles. She was sure that issue would be the last for a few months, but here we are again already. My brother offered us passes to New York Comic Con and we knew there would be toys on the Show Floor even if there wouldn’t be any of my favorite creators or publishers.

Ever since the start of pandemic, I haven’t gone many places—especially not big box stores with big crowds. I’ve relied on Madeline FaceTiming me when she hits the toy aisles. I’m almost always met with disappointment as the store shelves have been empty for almost a year.

Last month, a guy who keeps track of toy inventories jumped into the FaceTime. He said his problem is how easily everything can be stolen, but Madeline has been listening to reports of how backed up ports are in Los Angeles for months. Before the super sized cargo ships and pandemic, the number of ships waiting to unload in Los Angeles was zero or one. There are dozens of ships off the coast and not enough workers to unload them. The port’s executive director told MSNBC that they are staring down the barrel of an unprecedented surge in shipping. The

global supply chain was already more fragile than people realized with climate change creating storms that send containers overboard—wiping out the entire inventory for some businesses— and then COVID blew it apart.

The toy stores that need their inventory for the Christmas season are desperate. CBS radio reported one toy store considering hiring helicopters to get their container off a boat. If they don’t get their bikes soon, it will ruin their company. Madeline talked to Tentacle Kitty about their shipping issues (Pg. 30).

I was enthused to FaceTime Madeline and actually be able to see figures at NYCC. It was great to be able to see toy aisles with actual toys. You can catch more about which specific toys I was looking for starting on Page 26.

With safety precautions in play, Madeline picked up toys but not COVID, and now we happily present a 2021 NYCC issue.

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MINI BOARD

THAT HAIR Boom tends to wake up with wild hair, but on this one morning he was rocking so much volume it looked like he was wearing a wig.

I mean, Kal has always loved Luis in the Dubbs household...

I’m surprised there aren’t more pictures of the compact EMS bus online The way I photograph isn’t normal? (@robblokkit)

Tell me this handbag isn’t a scunchy

The woman who helped develop cutting edge messenger RNA techniques for stopping flu viruses as a Barbie is a great way to memorialize the Pandemic.

According to BBC.com, “She had never meant to be a vaccine specialist. Yet by the mid-1990s, she was in an academic job at the University of Oxford, looking at the genetics of malaria. And that led to work on malaria vaccines.” WHO endorsed the first ever malaria vaccine for broad use this year. @ben_j_davis proving what we already knew

Art Department Weekly is published by Dinosaur Girly Productions, 184 Bay 26th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11214. The entire contents of ADW are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without expressed written consent of the publisher. ADW accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. ADW reserves the right to edit, rewrite, refuse or reuse material, is not responsible for errors or omissions, and may feature same in other mediums for any and all purposes.

D

AR E H R

T R NA

OVE

I

“Why have we stopped writing down quotes?”

-Boom

“She’s so young you can’t even find her on Facebook’” -Laura

TIL “Awesome” is such a white word

REWARDING CHART Years ago I bought this chore chart, posted it next to the pantry, and maybe used it as a reminder that things ought to get done. Mostly it just added to the clutter. Starting in pandemic, though, it has been there to remind me not only what day of the week it is but also to stop and celebrate that I did do dishes.

Deciding to start using the delayed brew feature on the coffee maker was good, but having a chart that helped keep me sane was a highlight.

—MV

“I didn’t need anybody’s hands on my butt except yours” -Luis

“Dusty Crotchhopper” -Ryne

“Your crew is gonna have a blast with that story” -Luis

“I need to put my sack on the squad” -Luis

“I’ve felt his fuzzy bits” -Madeline

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COME TOGETHER s c i om c r fo

I’ve never been to San Diego Comic Con or C2E2, but once I started attending New York Comic Con I heard from con-attending fans that NYCC was the convention for real comic fans. While SDCC had more of an entertainment and gaming focus and Chicago focused on creators, NYCC focused on comics. The fans are passionate and come out in droves to purchase classic books and support the major publishers.

Or at least that used to be the case. NYCC21 suffered the absence of all of the major publishers. Comixology had a large presence to celebrate Scottober, but traditional print comic publishers were definitely missed. Hopefully 2022 sees an end to the pandemic and a return to large activations from the major comic distributors. —LV

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ght u o th e w o or s As we are still in the throes of a pandemic, I was pretty resolute that NYCC21 wasn’t happening for me. The closer we got to the event, I definitely started to feel FOMO. I began thinking, Maybe I’ll go if Jose can get me tickets.

In the weeks leading up to the event a rash of cancellations—Tom King, Mitch Gerads, Doc Shaner (my three favorite current creators) and all the major publishers (DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse)—made my decision much easier. I skipped NYCC for the first time in more than a decade. Luckily when Jose came through with the a free ticket, Madeline was able to go and cover the show for ADW. —LV

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APPROVAL MATRIX Inspired by New York magazine, Madeline breaks down her three days at the con

High Brow

•

•

•

SAFETY FIRST

BLENDING IN

Kal received his second dose of Pfizer but only two days, not two weeks, before the con

Staff shirts varied depending on the job. Bright blue was “Crew” and Madeline’s choice of color for Saturday

CATCH ’EM ALL

This photographer was spotting costumes between the green bracelet tents and the actual entrance line MORE THAN MASKS AND AN HONOR SYSTEM

POCKET SIZE

•

•

•

BLOCKING

LOCAL TOURIST

Trash cans and pillars directed traffic away from my long exposures

COME RIGHT IN DOPIO IS TWO

The only deal worse than an unwanted CD is ordering a double espresso and receiving obviously less than two shots

•

The sun was setting over the Hive in a way so mesmerizing I had to get closer—and found a whole bunch of shoots happening

•

• All the phone tags

Lines to get in have stretched for blocks in the past. This year W 35th was wide open

YOU ARE HERE

were quickly gone

THIS DOG

M. SMOOTH

•

NO DRINK MINIMUM

People used to hand out flyers everywhere, but this guy signed a CD to me and then wanted a donation

•

Lines outside the women’s restroom are always the longest, so I tried not to drink anything at all

Low Brow

8

•

Why carry a whole roll of tape when I can wrap just enough for a mini roll?

Art Department Weekly • New York Comic Con 2021

What a good boy

•

Brilliant

Despicable

EXCHANGE RATE

ADW had flyers this year but only received two business cards.

Post cards could be found, but it’s like self promotion was out

•

Clear app checked vaccination status (and then I accidentally made the green bracelet too tight)

Last fixes before entering the show

Bathroom lines were shorter with fewer attendees

Shoots at the Vessel

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I SAW THE SIGN There’s a lot to see at New York Comic Con. To help all the attendees figure out what they are doing, signs explain policies (like that your pass is your agreement to be photographed by strangers) and how to figure out where you are (the “download our app” sign is in two locations below). I remember when it used to just be banners that proclaimed these the happiest four days of the year. The new “Health & Safety Acknowledgement” and “Full Bar” signs sound like a sign of the pandemic.

—MV

THE APP AT A GLIMPSE The amount of wifi now available inside the Javits Center made it easier to use on site. Setting a schedule and searching for vendors or people seemed easier. I received alerts but never could see what was under “Show Features.” The Metaverse was the digital version of panels, but I didn’t check if my pass gave me access because Sidekicks already couldn’t make in-person reservations.

—MV

The first change I noticed to this version was McDonald’s sponsorship because I don’t remember McDonald’s being tied to the Show at all before.

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FILLING THE GAP Thursday was always the day I skipped because in the past Pros & Press day started late and was more tame, but I didn’t expect this Thursday to be so quiet when I arrived late. Fewer people talking about fewer installations left me a lot of time to consider the signs. The biggest surprise was looking at the blank wall that used to lead to the North Building.

On Thursday, there was no sign telling people to head outside—just a giant rolling steel door on top of more rolling steel I didn’t remember. Even seeing tables starting Friday in what used to be the thoroughfare was trippy. Scrolling through past convention issues, this wall used to be glass and full of sunlight. —MV

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A QUIET PLACE Finding a place to sit is usually so hard that Madeline wrote a whole story about how her ideal New York Comic Con situation would be having a hotel room nearby on top of purchasing a booth where people could hang out on a couch in exchange for contributing to the recap issue. This year there were so many places to sit, attendees kind of couldn’t stop talking about it. They added tables Friday but people sat on the staircases anyway without being told to move. Usually it’s impossible to find a nice place to catch a break from all the time on your feet.

Without a million big busy installations, the space felt very quiet. While a full bar on display caught Madeline’s attention, it’s sad that space wasn’t devoted to Wonder Woman’s 80th.

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Or as Luis says,

“Not My Con”

There were virtually no lines for the indoor bathrooms compared to previous years, but portable toilets lined the courtyard this year.

The automatic doors were roped off, but later in the day the manual door was propped open so we didn’t all have to touch the one door handle.

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SAFE SPACES For a few years there has been a Quiet Room and Family Head Quarters, but this year Reed Pop seemed to open more dividers to make the rooms bigger. The 501st had been located on and off site at different times in the past, but seemed to only be in the building this year. Seeing that daily costume contests were happening only inside the Javits Center was a change I appreciated even more after I had to get in a “I was here early today” re-entry line on Friday. In the past, we saw those contests at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

I decided not photograph inside the safe spaces because I didn’t have a subject I was following and wanted to maintain their status as safe spaces.

Cosplay Central (with the robotic greeter) and Pride Lounge (with the rainbow draping) seemed to have multiple events, but I didn’t make it to any to warrant inside pictures.

—MV

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#SEEHER DC, Marvel, Image, IDW, and Dark Horse all skipped the convention, but DC had a major anniversary to celebrate: Wonder Woman turned 80. A “super spectacular” 100-page issue was released Oct. 5—two days before the con. Why wasn’t there at least a banner? Did Reed Pop object to them posting giant QR codes asking people to come to FanDome to celebrate her (and the new Batman movie)?

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A WHOLE NEW WORLD For years they advertised that the change was coming, and boy did they deliver

My first time to New York Comic Con, a photographer showed me the pictures he’d taken with cosplayers in a space that was locked down for construction. It was so surreal. It was also 2013. This might be the first NYCC where I didn’t see signs about the new addition. In fact, I’m kind of confused seeing “South Javits” on the wall in the above photo when I thought the new building was built on top of the North Building, what was kind of a giant permanent tent.

There’s nothing “South” about the location or style of the new building. It looks like it was designed by people trying to be sure that it will still look modern in 20 years with lights and sound panels built into the textured white walls. The font for the room numbers will still be in style. The spaces seemed accessible. It felt modern in the sense that it was so friendly and inclusive.

—MV

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A POTENTIAL SUPERPOWER With the new building opening to views of the 6.5 acre green space on the Javits Center’s roof, the Nature Conservancy had quite the in for dressing volunteers in green capes and asking passersby to help fund more green roofs in the city. I was all on board when I thought they wanted me to sign a petition. Then I could swear the guy asked me for $6 a day, and I was out.

That’s not even close to a “For less than the cost of a cup of coffee” pitch.

Learn more at nature.org and then tell people with money.

GLAMOROUS Entering the new building is different from the rest of the Javits Center and all its glass when a giant solid wall, opaque ceiling, and escalators rather than so many stairs greet you. The escalators are so tall I’m sure my kids would need to wait for an elevator to get to the meeting rooms. Coat Check didn’t open until after the sun started to set.

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The landing around the top of the first escalator provided a great place to take pictures and catch a break from the action.

One Spider-Man offered to remove his mask to show a security guard his COVID mask under his costume mask. I heard the guard say, “That’s not how it’s supposed to work.” I worried for him and his friend.

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ROYAL FLUSH King George was so fast and I wasn’t about to break into a run to catch him, so I took this picture to use as an opportunity to say that there were seven Broadway themed panels in the new building. One featured stars playing a Dungeons & Dragons-style one-shot. Another had Playbill bringing half a dozen actors to talk about how fantasy, comic books, and science fiction inspire their performances.

SUBDIVISIONS Room 406 isn’t on the schedule because that door opens to three rooms. Blue shirts was the color for Crew, so the two people sitting there are probably tasked with controlling the crowds that would have formed in previous years. I’m not sure which is weirder to me: how empty the space looks or a panel starting at 8:15 p.m. for “medicine book club.”

PIKA PIKA When I added the Pokémon meet up to my schedule, I thought it would be fans gathering for a group photo. Instead I hung around the Fan Lounge long enough to see fewer than a dozen people start a game on their phones and cheer when someone dressed as Eevee jokingly said “Gotta catch ’em all” on the microphone (top). I stayed off my phone in case they thought I was playing and then snuck out again.

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BIDDING ON A GOOD TIME

One of the first things to greet you on the Show Floor depending how you entered was the eBay installation. Rare items were rotating inside protected cases. If you wanted, screens allowed you to place bids. The more exciting part of the day seemed to be when you could scan your badge and snag a sealed box of lord knows what.

Early Friday, the team members handing out boxes were telling people they had no idea what was in the boxes— they just knew they needed to get rid of them. There seemed to be no line at the actual counter, but that’s because of the delay in scanning badges. So I took a picture of a guy stuffing a box into his bag (right) and skipped getting in line myself.

At one point Saturday, a line wrapped all around that end of the Show Floor.

20

Women in line for the bathroom had to reassure each other that their line was separate from that mystery line—which was an issue Friday when the Funko line blended too heavily with the Reed Pop show exclusives line.

The Doctor Strange posters on the back half of the eBay installation were the only hint they might be handing out something timely at various points during the weekend.

—MV

Art Department Weekly • New York Comic Con 2021

SOMETHING’S MISSING Tokidoki’s mega art wall called to everyone who might be interested in enamel pins of their criminally cute characters, but the way it was tucked into a corner calls out even more that there didn’t seem to be any art installations on the floor. Not even the usual JellyBelly portrait. Multiple large gallery spaces were on the Show Floor in the past. Deals for Alex Ross pieces were finalized inside glass offices passersby could see. This year there were no Ross or Bill Sienkiewicz galleries let alone booths pretending to be them. Moleskin displayed what attendees drew at their booth using their paper, but that was a rare sight among all the pins, plushes, and T-shirts.

—MV

On the map, the two Official Show Store locations seemed so much farther apart.

Neither had a line Saturday afternoon.

Hats and mugs were gone before I got to the register on Friday.

T-shirts were still available Saturday.

LINE FORMS HERE It’s possible to order online from the Official Show Store when purchasing passes so that you have a new shirt to wear the first day of the Show. When I asked a crew member on Thursday if I really needed to stand in the huge line in order to get a Tentacle Kitty or if I could go online, the answer was wait in line. I came back Friday instead to a slightly shorter line. The crew announced FiGPiN was sold out, and there was an audible groan from the line. Like Tentacle Kitty, the FiGPiN show exclusives were only at the show store. I spent almost 45 minutes in that line only to see no lines Saturday.

Stacks of Funko boxes that may or may not have contained the limited edition Punchline. The ring light is set for taking a picture of yourself on the Show Floor.

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WANNA PLAY? One of the crazier-looking installations was the ice cream truck SyFy crashed through someone’s front yard to promote their Chucky series. The line wrapped the truck making it difficult to see what kinds of treats were waiting. Compared to the times SyFy has sponsored a live stage, their footprint this year was small but it had to be the most intense booth.

LINES FORM FAST Between these two snaps, it looks like half a dozen people jumped on this line for a booth not even in the frame.

NO LINE THURSDAY The puffy white characters were cute enough to capture my attention, but not enough to get me to actually visit the booth. Summoners War is a fantasy RPG franchise expanding from mobile games to webtoons and comics. Everyone was invited to journey to Alea and take a picture inside their big stone ring.

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Art Department Weekly • New York Comic Con 2021

POPS FOR DAYS We’ve been on convention floors where there were walls of Funko Pop! Vinyls in every direction, so a row of booths selling them isn’t that crazy. When you’re looking for Lego mini figures, though, it feels like too many.

THE VIEW Reed Pop arranged a photo booth (Page 21) near one of the Official Show Stores that put FYE and Bait’s booth in the background of your selfie. FYE usually had such a line it was hard to see all the Funko Pop! Vinyls lined up around the booth. Bait’s wooden crate design was hard to miss from anywhere on that end of the floor.

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TELL ME EVERYTHING

SURROUNDED BY STATUES IT’S “A PRIVILEGE TO OWN,” EVENT STAFF SPILLS THE TEA The employee I talked to at the booth wasn’t an XM employee, so he couldn’t tell me for sure why the statues weren’t protected with acrylic cases, but he said they had done a show like that before and then decided it was better in the open. Everyone takes and shares better pictures without the glare and hardly anyone damages the floor models, he said.

One time, it might have been Denver, they did have a patron who drank enough to knock over a statue.

Mostly, he said, drinking at conventions leads people to decide that the statues are not too expensive. We joked about how no one could afford to get drunk at the NYCC bars and then still buy a statue. Maybe all the full bars on site were there to increase sales.

KING OF THE MONSTERS In addition to this Shin Godzilla, there was a big diorama of two Godzillas battling.

QUICK CHANGE At first The Joker Orochi had his hair tied back and a mask, but a staff member (different from the one who answered Madeline’s questions) offered to change his head. He has a right arm that switches out as well on gfxdistribution.com. Check out the Penguin Daimyo in that samurai series.

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STRATEGIC PLACEMENT Beautiful women, thrilling adventures, and dinosaurs might be what Frank Cho fans love, but it wasn’t until Dynamite published Jungle Girl that he could freely flip her loin cloth.

SIZE MATTERS The giant XM hanging from the ceiling was kind of the only hint they were there.

The Super Sons, meanwhile, are small but pack a punch with how well the design showcases the essence of these characters.

Smaller also makes them space-friendly and more affordable to ship.

BIG REVEAL The black tarp on one table begged the question are you hiding something or unveiling something?

“Both,” said the GFX staff. Wonder Woman Courage comes in marble (the far table) and full color, but only one could be displayed at a time because not all of her arms arrived. The shipper dropped a pallet.

The bigger consequence of that accident was having to scramble to find new legs for some of the display tables.

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TOYS AND MORE TOYS Luis might not want them, but he is happy to see them Want a $100 Amazing Spider-Man? Need a $200 Black Series Boba Fett mask?

You can find it at the Show. Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, and all kinds of Disney properties are represented. The toy aisles at our local stores are usually empty, so seeing this many Marvel Legends figures was huge. The Eternals will be peg warmers except for Angelina Jolie because her face is recognizable.

Their costumes are too generic. It looks like more Shang-Chi figures.

If you see a Riri Williams or Savage She-Hulk for less than $25, let Luis know.

Wolverine for $70 in the picture below seems like a reach.

TOYS EVERYWHERE Even though there is the shot on Page 23 of four booths in a row with walls of Pop! Vinyls, vendors who start their booth names with “toy” were legitimately spread all over the Show Floor. Toynk Toys had two booths on opposites sides of the Show.

37 exhibitors and three panels turned up for “ toy ” 26

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HE’S SO F*CKING COOL Of all the Legend figures that have come out recently, this is the cream of the crop. This Vader crosses so many years with three distinct looks from three different companies all in one figure. The mask already on him is from Japan, his bare face is for WWE, and then that goes under the red WCW mask.

The Elite figures have more articulation and accessories. They rarely ever do a basic Legend. The gold boxes are exclusive to Target.

I’ve been a big fan of Liv Morgan for a long time. I passed on getting her basic figure because I knew she’d get an Elite. She was the break out star of the Riot Squad. And she liked a picture I drew of her on Instagram and Twitter, so that helps. I passed on her at the Show because I was sure I could find her at Target, and then I did.

—LV

I’D BUY STOCK If I were investing in wrestlers, I would be all in on Liv Morgan.

She’s young and full of potential. She’s a future women’s champ.

THAT CAN’T BE RIGHT The $10 Kevin Owens must be mistagged. It’s basic but it’s his first figure.

It even says “first time in the lineup” on the box. He still wrestles for the WWE and everyone would still love him if he left.

TWO BOOTHS It used to be that you could find whatever Lego mini figures you were missing at one of many booths selling them on the Show Floor. This year, they didn’t seem to be available anywhere. They were also all individually bagged on pegs instead of standing on green boards, which surprised Luis.

ON THE HUNT Luis was looking for Sylvie who didn’t come in the 12-pack of 2021 Disney Store exclusive blind bags and Red She-Hulk from a set that came out four years ago. “If I was there in person, I would have tried to get Cara Dune because they’re never gone make her again,” Luis said.

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SHOP LOCAL Bulletproof Comics Inc. has been in the same Brooklyn location for almost 30 years, specializing in exclusive comic variants as well as collectible card games. Missing all the booths that used to be filled with local artists, it was satisfying to see a shop I know locally.

A BEACON If you visit toytokyo.com, you will find everything from modern cuteness to old school horror—which surprised me based on their glass cases. It looked like they only dealt in vintage, but the tokidoki logo is farther down the wall on their booth.

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SHORTCOMING The only sign near this booth of weapons said something like “moveable stickers.”

There were no business or postcards.

The app won’t let me see who was in this booth and the only result for “weapon” in the search is clearly not this booth. I have no idea who they are, but their stuff is cool.

A CONVENTION STAPLE No matter how much changes, there has to be at least one Tower of T-shirts. Stylin’ Online had seven booth numbers.

FREEBIES! So many alerts about what Kung Fu Tea was giving away at that moment kept coming over the NYCC app. The first alert about AirPods sounded good, then I started to wonder if they would ever give away bubble tea. Meanwhile, MetroPlus ran up to hand a bag of goodies to a family outside the convention and C4 Energy gave away cans of their new Starburst flavored drinks as they roved the space.

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MUST HAVE

For the sixth year in a row, Boom gets a new Tentacle Kitty

Convention embroidery on the back

Stackable ice cream exclusives

Little Ones Plush Nurse

New extra furry Little Ones

Just in case I thought I was the only person with a mission to collect multiple Tentacle Kittys on Friday, the girl behind me in line at the Official Show Store wanted the green dragon exclusive and then showed up at the Tentacle Kitty booth to purchase the Cat-o-lantern. Maybe that’s anecdotal evidence. So I checked out their Kickstarter: 5,195 backers pledged $512,474 to fund the Interdimensional Critter Series 2. Another 3,500 people supported “Thank You to our Heroes,” a line of Tentacle Kittys as first responders and essential workers.

“How’s it going?” The woman behind the table gave a sort of shrug like it’s a convention. Then she opened up about how if Walmart needs 20 containers on a ship, their one container gets bumped. Then inventory spends time in Customs. So her blindbags didn’t arrive. Their Kickstarter is delayed. I wished them well. Tentacles crossed! —MV EYES IN THE BACK OF ITS HEAD The original kitty peeks over the top of the booth to be seen from other sections of the Show Floor. So many more sizes, colors, and styles are cropped out from the booth photo.

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NOT A MYSTERY Cuteness abounds on the Show Floor. From a Pusheen Box to a new mask, vendors aim to meet all sorts of needs. Pins seemed to be everywhere. “Disney Pins” made me laugh because that’s everything from Mickey and Tigger to the Mandalorian and Loki.

For good measure, the booth is advertising Pokémon and anime as well.

Keychains and tags are still a thing for backpacks, but they weren’t as obvious as all the pins. I also wasn’t sure what my kids would want on their backpacks.

When Luis asked if I’d been to the Topps booth, I was like, No, not yet, but I’ll totally stop there... Seeing it in the background of this wall of mystery boxes, I’ve decided that despite looking bigger than previous years the Topps booth was lost to be behind towers of T-shirts and walls of mystery boxes. Somehow I missed walking directly in front of it three days in a row. —MV

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ARTISTS WE LOVE Our usual spotlight is on hold this issue to talk about the heart of Comic Con A byproduct of the major publishers not being there was you had to be in Artist Alley if you wanted to see creators Rob Liefeld told his podcast listeners. Every day, Artist Alley looked more and more full. As much as Luis enjoys Comic Con, it looked like the last place he would want to be—so many people, so close together, and more than one person without a mask in the picture above.

Without the major publishers providing spaces where fans could talk to creators for free, Artist Alley brings the pressure of selling new and completed work. I’m not ordering a commissioned piece? I’m not buying one of your books on the table? I’ll just keep my distance and not take up your time.

A bunch of the artists Luis wanted me to try to find did not have tables, but Artist Alley seemed twice as big as previous years. There were 15 aisles, some with 31 tables. The walkways were all wider which required even more space. Fans lined up for signatures and browsed merchandise in every aisle.

Being surrounded by so much work on display is completely inspiring. To share the moment with thousands of fans brings a lot of hope that COVID has not killed everything.

—MV

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SCOTTOBER Comixology has sponsored NYCC in the past, but the entrance to Artist Alley this year was designed to promote Scott Snyder’s 8-title deal. After he merged his Amazon account with Comixology, Luis read the horror and techno-noir titles.

“It’s tremendous.”

“I HAVE TO GO TO COMIC CON,” Betty announced when she saw the picture of Hornet (center).

Cully Hammer (left) was one of the artists Luis requested, but Tony S. Daniel (below) sounded familiar, so I took pictures of both.

TIMING I waited for a group of people to talk to Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez (La Boriqueña) before taking the picture.

Meanwhile, I wasn’t going to wait to see if anyone ordered sushi.

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END TO END To try to show how much of the basement level Artist Alley took up, string these five shots together in your mind.

SELF PROMO In addition to posting what was for sale, some artists changed their names on Twitter to make it easier for fans to find their tables.

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SOCIAL GOOD Inside Artist Alley, the directory lists hundreds of artists.

If you haven’t eaten or drank anything in hours and there are a million distractions, it seems super helpful when MBartist has a map for artists to share with fans and user names changed to included table numbers.

NOW I KNOW There used to be so many tables wrapped in purple for EssentialSequential.com. Now there are so many more black tables to show ComicSketchArt.com membership. Are they exclusive? No, creators show up on both lists. They serve different functions. Essential Sequential offers Page 10 of Heroes in Crisis #4 by Clay Mann while Comic Sketch Art guarantees his signature on books for set prices (first two are free at a convention, but he wasn’t there). Comic Sketch Art’s creator list ranges from Frank Miller to Tom King, but then Agnes Garbowska didn’t use the wrap on her table (Page 36). While James Tynion does not appear on either site, the rates listed on his table (Page 37) are comparable, like $20 for a graded book.

Whatever the table looks like, support the artists you enjoy. —MV

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THE VIEW Thursday was a quieter day, so taking a walk around Artist Alley at noon meant a lot of empty tables. We’ve talked to Peter J. Tomasi at past conventions, so I would have said hello again to ask if he’d seen the Super Sons statue proto type (Page 25). Rob Liefeld kept telling his fans he’d get to everyone who was able to get in line for his signings that started at 2 p.m. His notice says signings end at 4 p.m., but the line on Page 32 seemed to stretch half the length of the floor at 3:50 p.m.

#NYCC21 Instagram posts by Agnes Garbowska

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HELPFUL Looking to see what Chad Hardin was creating at his table uncovered how artists and companies like MBartist flagged their table locations on social media.

PINS! James Tynion IV (left) not only signed books but also had pins available.

@AMSES_ANDU (the black hoodie above) offered me tape to prop up a mini Luis I was getting ready to shoot near his sidewalk shop across from the Javits Center. I said I was just waiting for a taxi to move. The idea had seemed sweet to him before I explained who Luis is. “How’s your weekend going?” He said business was great. He’d sold almost all of his maps in addition to a bunch of Pop! Vinyls. Fans are everywhere.

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AS SEEN ON TV OR MAYBE NOT...

When so many movies and TV shows are based on comic books, graphic novels, and manga, it makes sense to showcase coming attractions for this group of fans. This year I didn’t see a Walking Dead character on my badge and immediately wanted to know what was on everyone else’s badges. In fact, the first thing I said to Jose after, “It’s so quiet” was “There’s really no Walking Dead posters anywhere?”

Between Reed Pop planning to reduce attendance and interactions, it makes sense so many companies would skip the Show. But it still makes it feel a lot less like New York Comic Con when SyFy doesn’t create a fan lounge with their logo plastered everywhere. It’s strange to not see cars Chevy had artists decorate specifically for the Show. I miss seeing people take advantage of Geico’s mega photobooth. Walking from the Crystal Palace to the North Concourse shouldn’t be so easy.

H ave you seen me?

Some activations we missed

AMC Canon Cartoon Network Chevy Comedy Central Geico NBA NBC Netflix Nickelodeon Wacom

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OLD & NEW NBC Not only were vendors shouting out they had Golden Girls merchandise, but The Golden Gays had a booth. NBC can only hope La Brea is as popular one day.

SOLO MISSION Paramount+ has multiple Star Trek series coming, but Prodigy was the only one advertised along the fence, on a billboard, and with an activation.

A WHOLE NEW VOYAGE The banners clearly advertised CG-animated aliens which Paramount+ is hoping will be family fun.

Prodigy is about a motley crew of young outcasts who must figure out how to work together because they know nothing about the ship they have commandeered. While navigating a greater galaxy, they will be introduced to the Starfleet and the ideals it represents. There was a panel to preview the series and hear a conversation with voice cast members and producers.

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ENTER THE WU At first I thought the 34th Street station was decorated for Batman, but that’s a promotion for Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga. More yellow on black logos kept popping up at the Javits Center, like everyone was in on it.

LOW-KEY FUN Audible was back at the Show with an activation to preview Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman: Act II and offer pictures on two backgrounds (“Barbie’s Dreamworld” and “Hell”). This set up was nothing compared to the pensieve they installed one year to promote Harry Potter on Audible, but who needs to be that fancy? Being here is special enough.

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LOUD AND COLORFUL The tent and ambulance served as a centerpiece for Green North. If you’ve never heard of Doom Patrol, there’s a lot to catch up on. The original comic series was supposed to be an absurdist take on X-Men, introducing characters like Flex Mentallo (below center), a metahuman with powers to manipulate reality, Danny Street (below), a sentient piece of urban geography, and Negative Man (below), who wears special bandages to protect bystanders from his radioactivity. Luis read the original volume and later runs

by Grant Morrison and John Byrne. He describes Doom Patrol as a little family of outcasts doing good.

—MV

WHAT ABOUT...?

Hearing Luis explain why it makes sense for drag queens to be at the Doom Patrol activation, I was suddenly disappointed Umbrella Academy was missing from the Show. Luis, however, wondered why HBO Max wasn’t promoting more of their line up, like the new Aquaman: King of Atlantis.

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INDOOR OUTDOOR Funimation, a site with 15,000 hours of ad-free anime ready to stream, had multiple stations plus staff who roamed the Show to hand out freebies. The indoor garden looked so relaxed while the outdoor tent usually had a thumping beat. The purple straps look like lanyards but actually grip the tops of water bottles. When I saw a woman loading up an armful of free straps, I wondered if she’s in charge of a kids sports team or something.

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Big Gay Ice Cream The size small T-shirts sold out quickly and there was always a line at the truck.

Two halves One side of the inner roadway is devoted to food trucks, the other to photographers.

View from the n ew b uildin g

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FUN AND GAMES Perhaps as a safety measure, all the card game events seemed to have disappeared from this year’s Show. (QR codes flagged the chance to try mobile games on your own phone.) Bandaii still had a huge footprint with multiple booths. A huge line wrapped around Tamashaii Nations (below) on Thursday when they released exclusives for Dragon Ball Z, Cowboy Bebop, Voltron, and more.

The Gaming section seemed to be more devoted to toys and books related to Bandaii games than getting excited about upcoming versions, which is probably what everyone needed when we’ve all been at home playing games but unable to get any imported toys.

NOT BANDAII Demon Slayer (right) displayed statues and sword replicas related to the Sega game inside a beautiful courtyard set up.

The red skull and crossbones (far right) was on the floor in a completely different section of the Show, but I liked it here.

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ALL A BLUR With a sea of people only standing in line or looking at displays, it felt like nothing was happening. In the past I could photograph my kids and other fans reactions to new video games. Now I have slow shutter speed.

HISTORY Founded in the ’40s, Toei Animation is the studio that has produced the likes of Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, and Transformers.

ACTION PUZZLE While it looks a bit like a museum behind great ape Vegeta, he is there to signify the stat of a new mobile event, Dokkan Battle.

Vegeta should have been there in March to ask New Yorkers to be patient while they waited for their turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and tout the new air filters.

AND NOW A WORD ABOUT 2K22 I was not anticipating NBA2K22. I was so unbelievably disappointed in 2K21, that I had decided 22 was a stay away for me. The closer we got to launch, I started reading more and more about gameplay and AI improvements. After finally seeing the game in action, I decided I would take the plunge. I am so happy I did. Gameplay is so much smoother than last year. Gone is the shot stick (thank god) and there have been vast improvements to offensive logic and defensive AI. All of that makes for a vastly improved and enjoyable experience. Hopefully they don’t ruin this experience by patching it or releasing super-powered cards too quickly. I’ve enjoyed the first month of the game tremendously. I think I’ve already played 2K22 more than I ever did with 21.

—LV

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Forbidden Planet Worlds collide (or seamlessly cross promote) when wrestlers show up Luis asked me to stop by the “Butts in Seats” booth because that could be cool to talk to Tony Schiavone (left) like he didn’t have a crowd looking for him at all times.

Getting a late start out of the house on Saturday, I had to hustle to the Main Stage when I saw “All Elite Wrestling Invades New York Comic Con!” started at 12:45 p.m. A woman in a purple event shirt was shouting, “AEW—down to the left!”

“I don’t have a reservation,” I said to her, waving my phone open to the app. She said, “It’s fine. Down to the left.”

It was fine. Everyone walked right in. I’d never been in the Main Stage before. The floor is flat and there is popcorn for sale.

I didn’t have a telephoto lens and instantly wondered if I’d fucked up. I sat in the back and assumed I’d be able to get up and take pictures of the whole room. Instead I tried to time out pictures of the panelists on the big screens.

It was easy to see why fans would be clamoring to talk to Schiavone. He introduced the panel saying he launched his AEW show on a Friday the 13th because he “didn’t give a damn about bad luck.” While the panel was supposed to promote an upcoming pay-per-view event and title tournament, the hour was mostly spent saying how much they appreciated their fans for making AEW a success. Without fans, they wouldn’t have more than a million viewers in 140 countries.

A Q&A allowed fans to be even more animated. The audience booed a guy who said he was from Staten Island almost as hard as they booed someone from Jersey. One guy said he missed TNA at San Diego Comic Con, but he knew there was a ring upstairs, so maybe they could arrange an exhibition?

Mostly they wanted to know about dream tag team partners or matches. Thunder Rosa (top) was super grateful while Orange Cassidy (denim jacket) was super laid back and a straight man to Adam Cole. My favorite story might have been Darby Allin saying nothing hurts after skateboarding. “I respect concrete.”

There was no point where I wondered why I was taking notes—they were so fun taking jabs at each other.

—MV

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AWARENESS No matter how many lenses, Jerry “The King” Lawler (left) knew where to look.

His eyes are direct to camera a different day when I’m much farther back.

MEET AND GREET The line at the All Elite Wrestling booth (left) was much longer than the one I tried to capture at Headlocked (above). Scooting down the aisle for the Headlocked booth, I saw dozens of people with phones and cameras out. Then I heard, “Let ’em breathe!” and knew these were the Major Wrestling Figure podcast guys. (More on them on Page 49.) The attendant asked me to get in line. This is why there are signs asking for no candid photos in Autograph & Photo Ops. Meanwhile, the Butts in Seats half of the AEW booth (far left) did not have lines.

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Rest in Peace

THEY LIVE Everyone looked like a wrestler to me after I started the day with AEW, so I can’t really be sure this is a Nikolai Volkoff variant (right) but that’s why I waited for his phone call to end so I could get the picture.

SAME LOOK Yellow and black flags must mean more wrestling.

They were even close to the Headlock booth.

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MAJOR PLAYERS Why those guys had a huge line

by Luis

Brian Myers, Matt Cardona, and Smart Mark Sterling have been quickly building one of my favorite podcasts to listen to over the last 200+ episodes of Major Wrestling Figure. I never thought I’d be into a podcast about wrestling figures, but the infectious and passionate nature with which these guys talk about figures will have you longing for the days of LJNs, Remcos, Hasbros, Bend’ems and Jakks bone crunchers. The stories of their early days collecting and becoming friends, to the tales of their indie travels post-WWE release are inspiring from a duo that bet on themselves and are succeeding mightily.

With their appearance at NYCC they made announcements for FWF Live II (their fictitious recasting of the late ’90s-early 2000s era of wrestling told through the wrestling figures of that era which has since spawned a live action wrestling PPV) as well as the announcements of new signings to their Major Bendies line. RVD, Danhuasen, Jeff Jarrett, and the Podfather himself Conrad Thompson all were announced with renderings of their already in production figures. Long lines and Let ‘Em Breath chants announced to everyone in attendance that these former Major Brothers are now Major Players, not only in the podcast space, but as toy producers.

BIG FLIP “We’re asking buyers and sellers, our community, to adhere to the following simple guidelines: be nice and be honest.” Whatnot advertises on the Major Wrestling Figure podcast, and the guys recently recapped NYCC. They saw fans buy figures, get them signed by the actual wrestler, and then start a live auction and flip the figure on whatnot.

COMMUNITY BUILDER The only costume that didn’t look like a wrestler to me was Finn Bálor Demon (top). A group shot for Spider-Man (Page 87) had me in the frame of mind he was a sad Venom. It all made sense later when I saw my pictures of the whatnot booth (middle). He’s even with Twisted Bliss (top). Besides taking a spin on the prize wheel (bottom), fans could pose with props and cheer contestants in whatnot Mania. With a huge space near gaming, DJs in the ring set a party atmosphere for their block.

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STAR WARS LOVERS What started as a photo op ended with a newly engaged couple Exiting the Main Stage after the AEW takeover, I spotted a pair of Twi’leks. Before I could ask them to pose, a Padme walked by and they asked her if she knew what was going on with the meet up. We took a walk to where group photos have met in the past before looping back to the Main Stage exit. More and more people with lightsabers and helmets gathered. One guy dressed as a Jedi with a gray cloak seemed to be in charge, getting the group of maybe 50 people to form up in a half circle in multiple rows (opposite page). When fans with phones out swarmed the group, he shouted at the crowd to take a step back. No one really backed up. The photo op seemed to be over when suddenly people gasped. Jedi Luke had proposed to Mara Jade. There was a new round of pictures before fans moved on. I hung around to see what they would do next. The group reorganized on the steps. Saturday was shaping up to be everything we’d missing about New York Comic Con. —MV

THE HAPPY COUPLE Jedi Luke surprised Mara Jade and delighted all the onlookers

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GROGU MAKES THREE Jedi Luke (with the baby) had not yet proposed to Mara Jade, so at this point Ahsoka had all my attention

FULLY ARMED Ultra Sabers (left) attracted shoppers Thursday, but so many more attendees crowded around the booth Saturday to talk shop. Mandalorians and clones were armed as well. The “hologram” on armband of the Rocketeer variation behind the little Metroid waiting for his dad to attach his arm canon might be my favorite.

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BELIEVABLE This Ahsoka’s makeup and headtails had me asking for a close up.

The shoes

DETAILS Star Wars fans are making some exact choices about fabric textures and footwear when putting together their costumes. All the belts, packs, knee pads, and holsters really sell the impression these fans wandered in from a galaxy far, far away.

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IN THE GALLERY While I was watching a Mandalorian pass out stickers and admiring a rocketlaunching backpack, I noticed a fan up high in a gold gown. She reminded me of a Marie Antoinette meme.

SO MANY MANDALORIANS Bo Katan (far left) is from TV, but the Captain America and San Diego chicken are new.

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Wait ’til they get a load of me!

COSTUMES

The best excuse to start a conversation with strangers

By Madeline Strum Photography

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Deadpool Bob Ross’s wig fell off without him noticing.

After I made sure he didn’t lose it, I asked him to pose.

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Both adult Harleys, @HarleyNoxCosplay and @WoahBeautyyy, were the only two business cards I picked up

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Miss Minutes stood out from like a mile away

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S maony variations Loki had to be the most popular Marvel costume after Spider-Man

She said her friend created the tattoo for her with eyeliner

This Mobius announced he was in retirement

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Great pictures were taken right where you’re standing with natural light

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WHY THERE? On Thursday it felt like, Wow, the balls on that guy. Claiming a whole lane of the inner roadway for your pop-up studio with three flashes? But then looking at it again after some weeks have passed, it seems extremely not cool to monopolize the roadway when anyone else could pose subjects right where you’re standing without any flashes. At least have a sign to identify yourself so we can find your work.

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Take your shot

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SURVEY South Park fans were asking if other attendees preferred Giant Douche or Turd Sandwich.

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ACT NATURAL When I saw the giant panda head on the sidewalk next to the guy having a drink, I asked him if I could take a picture like that. Then over the next two days I saw him in the new building, on his way between buildings, and posing at a pop-up studio. Or maybe it was a different panda?

MAGIC NUMBER Here is a set up with four flashes. Maybe this gets more volunteers, but does it get better pictures?

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Thank you, Mario! r princess Bu istinou another castle

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USEFUL The Cobra commando’s job was to throw the cape in the air for the photographer. The flashes went off. I like how it looks like Daenarys (Game of Thrones) and Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn) are waiting their turns.

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ThisGuy I waited around way too long to get a picture of this girl (Page 40), so at some point I must have interrupted them looking at his phone.

Dude: I didn’t know anyone still used cameras.

I tried to be funny and cute because it’s a con and we’re all friends here. “Last time I tried to get a smaller camera, they told me to get a better phone.”

He scoffed at me. I’m sorry, is this your first con?

Are you together? Do you not know that strangers are going to ask her for pictures all day?

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SHARING IS CARING While there are so many professional cameras and video teams on the floor, the real goal (as AEW wrestlers told their fans on Page 46) is to tell all your friends. Tell everyone you know. If no one knows that this mega gathering was worth it, no one will buy passes for the next convention or keep the artists in business.

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let it produce joy

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CLOSER LOOK The feathers were all real and wings really flapped. The Tazmanian Devil was posing while I was in line at Starbucks. I had to stop Dr. Doom. That silver suit!

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ON THE MOVE All of these characters—Ghostrider, inflatable Pikachu, and the super tall color changing robot—called attention to themselves but didn’t stop to pose. The robotic wings was trying to get some place, but did show off for all the phones and cameras.

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EVERYWHERE Cameras and microphones near and far from Cosplay Central

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WHO STARTED IT Maybe the Spider-Man asked Maleficent to crush him, maybe it was a photographer, but I was more than happy to take advantage of the situation.

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It sure felt like Spider-Man was the most popular costume

SCORPION MacDonald “Mac” Garland has been in Spider-Man’s world since 1964—way before he showed up in Michael Keaton’s cell block in Homecoming’s end credits.

FRIENDLY This Spider-Man kept obliging parents who asked for pictures with their kids.

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ZOOM IN All I noticed before was a photographer and Spidey looking at a phone. OMG the lens. And he has an AEW bag. What’s on his shirt? He’s using the Funimation strap! I’m not redoing this layout.

Zoom in.

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OOPS Getting lazy at the end of my third day, so I didn’t make sure he gave me good eye contact. How is he not the cover?

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Soldierof Fortune After what appears to be a two-year break according to his social media posts, @ColoradoCaptain is back in action, raising money to battle pediatric cancer. He has been from Sturgis to Dragon Con, Shine Prom to New York Comic Con. Donations benefit Cap for Kids 501c3 according to his Instagram. There is supposed to be a monthly podcast which might be part of his mission to draw attention to causes like the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Tour of Honor, National Coalition for the Homeless, and others, but some of the links on his main site seem outdated.

If nothing else, he says he hopes he brings you a smile. Posing for pictures before revving the engine on his Harley Davidson and surging down 11th Avenue definitely brought some thrills. Check him out on Instagram to see Carol, his Jeep outfitted for SHIELD.

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FIND LUIS NOW

The other day I came across pics Luis wanted for a Kohl’s comp like ten years ago. Who knew those pictures would be the only way he’d set foot at a convention during a pandemic?

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UPSTANDING Friday I brought three straws to rig as a long stick, but Saturday I propped him on craft sticks. It was so windy, though, I couldn’t do a lot outside.

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SWEET This is the picture I reference when I say @Amses_Andu offered me tape and loved the idea on Page 37.

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WHERE’S WALDO? EVERYWHERE A go-to costume choice for attendees has always been a red and white striped shirt with jeans. It’s iconic but also low key. Madeline never asks the Waldos to pose because she’s sure they should be lost in whatever scene she spots them as soon as she spots them (or really anyone wearing red and white stripes) like, “There! I found one.” Maybe next time I’ll have a child ready to point at them.

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FIVE THINGS WE DID AFTER BETTY CHOSE TO WEAR GOLD PANTS AND A RED SHIRT FOR COLLEGE SPIRIT DAY

1. We watched the “All in This Together” number from High School Musical because Madeline thought that was when Sharpay wore a red shirt and gold pants 2. Luis fired up High School Musical 2 because Sharpay wore that outfit in that movie’s opening number 3. Madeline found and dressed three of the HSM2 dolls 4. Betty took pictures and Madeline made an Instagram story 5. After school, Madeline added to her story as Kal reacted to the rest of HSM2: Troy’s angry dance, Sharpay’s remix, and the surprise ending

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