Well, it seems unbelievable, but the 2015 New York Comic Con is now over. It was crazy, frantic, fun, exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time. I am proud to say that my wife and I have been to every one of them to date, and we have watched this show evolve into one of the great comic cons in the world.

In looking back over the four days of the show, it seems hard to believe that it has been 10 years since the first New York Comic Con. But, this year marks the 10th anniversary of what has given Comic-Con International: San Diego a run for its money for the title of the biggest comic con in the world.

The show ran on October 8-11 at the Javits Center in Manhattan, NY, having settled into the Center’s Columbus Day weekend slot, after moving around in dates during earlier years. Tickets sold out within a matter of hours of going on sale. It is not a stretch to suggest that attendance matched last year’s total, which exceeded some 151,000, and made NYCC the most attended con for the year.

With a show this size, attendees must consider the crowds and plan ahead, by deciding what panels to attend, what dealer booths to check out, what exhibits to see, which bathrooms are the least crowded, what are the best choices on the food court, and how to avoid being crushed in the aisles. It takes work for someone attending to make a show this size a successful, fun experience. One thing I noticed right away was the goodly number of people checking the convention book, consulting with their friends and their watches to make sure they did not miss a particular event they wanted to see. They had done their homework. On the other hand, it was also easy to spot the people who did not have a clue as to how to navigate the show.

One thing we love about NYCC is running into people we know. Whether it is artist Jim Salicrup of Papercutz fame, Frank Giella the son of the legendary Joe Giella, Gary Sohmers of Antiques Roadshow, and artist Thom Sciacca or a former student of mine from (gulp) 23 years ago – who introduced me to his lovely fiancée. For us, NYCC has always been a place for catching up despite the crowds and hustle and bustle.

Seasoned convention goers know there are certain elements that make up any successful con and NYCC has all of them. First up, of course, are the comic dealers since this is the New York Comic Con and many of the top ones in the country were in attendance, including Filter Comics, Rick Whitelock of New Force Comics, Gregg Reese Comics, Harley Yee, Metropolis Collectibles, Gregg White Comics, Superworld Comics, Dale Roberts Comics, Dan Gallo, Midtown Comics, High Grade Comics, Mike Carbo’s Comic Box, and Zap Comics, among many others. The range of comics for sale was impressive from Action Comics #1 and Detective Comics #27 to the latest releases. Dealers reported strong sales across the board with Golden and Bronze Age in particular showing impressive results.

Some spoke to Scoop about their perceptions of the show. Rick Whitelock commented that, from a retail perspective this has been a fantastic show, “Buyers have come here ready to buy and we have done very well.”

Dealer Danielle Smith of Filter Comics was very happy to say that, “This show reflects a renewed interest in Golden Age comics on the part of the younger generation.”

On the other hand Greg Reece made the point that, “This show continues the growing trend between the separation of the high end buyers and the fill in the runs collectors that I have been noticing for a while now.”

Art dealers were well represented too, with Anthony’s Comic Book Art, Eslinger Art Gallery, Nostalgic Investments, Romitaman Original Art, and Scott Eder.

Then there were the toys. And if toys were your passion, then you had a vast number of toy dealers selling both old and new with the likes of Jordan Hembrough of Toy Hunter, Steve Savino, Toy Tokyo, and too many others to mention. Suffice it to say, if you were looking for comics, toys, and comic art, both old and new you had a vast selection to choose from.

Beyond comics, art, and toys, there was a tremendous number of dealers selling clothing, statues, other types of books, and plenty more.

Panels have long been part of comic shows both large and small and the variety offered at NYCC was impressive. With some 327 different ones to choose from and too many to possibly hope to see all of them, planning was key. Among the many highlights was the “75 Spirited Years Will Eisner & the Spirit” panel with Gemstone’s Vice-President of Publishing Jeff Vaughn, hosting Denis Kitchen (curator of the exhibit, longtime Eisner friend and publisher), Karen Green (Columbia University Research Collections and Services Librarian), Paul Levitz (comic book writer, editor, executive), and Michael Solof (GEM Collections and Exhibits Manager). It featured a wide ranging discussion on Eisner and his career and the new exhibit at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum on Eisner. Mention was made of Eisner’s surprise that anyone was interested in comics in 1969 and his work on graphic novels.

Then there was the “DC All Access” panel which featured Jimmy Palmiotti, Stéphane Roux, Steve Orlando, Heath Corson, Gustavo Duarte, Brenden Fletcher, and Becky Cloonan, talking about their work and what to expect in 2016. The panel was led by Tiffany Smith, the host of the podcast, DC All Access.

Another excellent panel was “The Librarians” in which cast members of the TV show, Rebecca Romijn, Christian Kane, John Kim, Lindy Booth, and John Larroquette talked about the season 2 premiere and took questions and answers. There was much discussion about magic, the library needing to be cured, how there is a lot of adlibbing, and how the special effects are executed. 

Most major cons today offer professional workshops for teachers and librarians and these workshops can be used for professional credit at schools or libraries. NYCC offered a nice selection of them with free admittance for professionals on Thursday panels. It’s something to consider for professionals wishing to attend in 2016.

One example of this type of panel was “Be a Star on Stage: Theater Games and Improv.” Run by Bridgeport’s Downtown Cabaret Theater Company, it gave a workshop with audience interaction. Participants found it both entertaining and instructive. Teacher Alice Cloos commented that, “The games were appropriate for adults and children. Everyone had a great time. The instructors were helpful and experienced. The actors wore colorful makeup and steampunk costumes which aided in encouraging participation. The attendees were able to learn and practice several theater games and afterwards advice was freely given by the actors. I was impressed and would definitely go to that workshop again.”

Another educational work shop that stood out was “Bam! Pow! Create Your Own Superhero” run by IAmElemental, a company that promotes gender equality for kids. They design action figures that reflect different qualities that stand for honesty and bravery, and this time their muse was Joan of Arc. At the booth they also had a representative who said that, “The con is very organized and people are so nice to be willing to interact and take pictures of each other.”

Dressing up as favorite comic or pop culture characters has been a part of the comic convention experience for decades. Cosplay has exploded into a major pop cultural presence at conventions everywhere and NYCC was no exception with the likes of Rydia Q Vielehr, Saraphina Cosplay, and Carly Mink The Satyr. A huge number of cosplayers filled the halls and aisles showing off and having their pictures taken by admiring fellow attendees. Some came in groups such as Alex Zarnoski, Alex Zwiazek, Jenny Phillips, and Connor Loch who posed for pictures dressed as four different Flashes.

Some cosplayers such as Vishavjit Singh, who came dressed as Captain America, fresh out of the “We Need More Diverse Comics” panel used their cosplay to make a point. Vishavjit is an editorial cartoonist and has been a comic reader since he was a kid. He fought harassment for being a Sikh growing up in his neighborhood. When hearing on the news of the massacre in a Sikh Temple in 2012 in Milwaukee he explained how that affected him, “In response to that massacre I wrote an editorial in the Seattle Times making a case for diversified superheroes. This caused me to begin dressing up as Captain America at comic shows where I explain my views on the subject.”

One thing we noticed was that despite the crowded aisles and the exhaustion of long lines and long days – which let’s be honest are hallmarks of any big convention today – people were happy to be there, from vendors to buyers, professionals to regular attendees. For example, Steve Borock the founder of Comic Book Certification Services (CBCS) said, “This show is fantastic. It’s a place where art and comics all come together. Our booth has been jammed all weekend. I like this show better than SDCC.”

While college student Sean Persaud said, “This convention is such a great place for people who share common interests in comics and pop culture to come together.”

Art collector Keif Fromm said, “Even though much of the comic industry has scattered from New York, NYCC shows that comics are always going to be a big part of the fabric of New York cultural life.”

Danielle Smith summed up the feelings of many when she told Scoop, “I have had a ton of fun at this show.”

With this year’s show now history it’s not too soon to start thinking about next year. NYCC will return next on October 6-9, 2016, once again on Columbus Day weekend at the Javits Center in the heart of New York City’s midtown Manhattan. I know we intend to be there and hope to meet up with some of you then too.

Contributed by Collector and Overstreet Advisor Art Cloos
Photographs by Alice Cloos