New York Comic Con 2017 Was Wonderfully Overwhelming! Here's Why!

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New York Comic Con 2017 was a massive celebration of science fiction, comics, movies, television, gaming, collectibles, and fan culture inside Manhattan’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. From the packed show floor to celebrity photo ops with Mark Hamill and William Shatner, the event delivered an unforgettable New York experience powered by the fans who turned the convention into a living, breathing spectacle.

It is almost as overwhelming to write an article about New York Comic Con 2017 as it is to experience it. On Sunday, October 8, 2017, my son and I bought two tickets to attend what is often called the ultimate fan experience. Perhaps that is an understatement. New York’s Comic Con is easily the most overwhelming and enjoyable experience that all types of science fiction fans will ever encounter. New York’s Comic Con is huge in every facet. The crowds, the presenters, the displays, the posters, the seminars, the previews, the stars, and even the building itself are all part of a grand spectacle of entertainment.

New York’s Comic Con 2017 was held from Thursday, October 5, through Sunday, October 8, at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Javits Center is New York’s crown jewel, one of the largest convention centers in the world. It is located at 655 West 34th Street in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen. It’s about a twenty-minute walk from Penn Station and New York’s famous arena, Madison Square Garden, where some events connected to New York Comic Con were also held.

Most people attending the show walked from Penn Station to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. New York City is one of those places where it takes a lot to get noticed on the streets, but the sight of fans dressed up in some mighty outrageous costumes while walking from Penn to Javits did turn many heads.

My son and I arrived at the Javits Center at 8:45 a.m. Sunday morning. Even though the convention did not begin until 10:00 a.m., I had heard that it was a good idea to arrive early. The Javits Center address is listed as 34th Street and 11th Avenue, but the fan entrance for those who had already purchased tickets was at 39th Street and 11th Avenue. The convention center is so huge it spans about seven or eight New York City blocks. The first thing one will notice about New York’s Comic Con is that it is run very well. Right from the start, we were led through a scanning and security process that was quick and much friendlier than what one typically experiences at most sporting events and arenas. We were then led into the building and directed downstairs into the so-called famous “queue lines.”

New York Comic Con 2017: The Queue Line

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If you’re going to New York Comic Con and intend to arrive early or wait for photo ops or autographs, you will undoubtedly end up waiting in one of the queue lines. The queue lines run about as deep as an oversized NFL football field. There are about 11 lanes, all divided by metal rails. The rails are a little shaky and tend to fall onto the floor. Whenever a rail fell onto the floor, the entire crowd would go wild, screaming. I don’t know why; they just did.

If you’re a friendly person, or at least not shy, then the queue lines are an opportunity to meet some very happy and interesting people. Comic Con attendees all have great stories to share. I actually enjoyed waiting in line, although after a while, my legs gave out and I just sat on the floor. The most difficult challenge to attending a Comic Con is the amount of time you will spend on your feet. The crowds are so huge, and finding a place to sit or rest is like Indiana Jones trying to find the Lost Ark. Over time, most people just hit the floor. Building floor poles are the most sought-after destination as they provide a backrest. The poles are shown in the picture above. Yes, this may all seem trivial to read, but believe me, once you are there for seven or eight hours, you will understand.

New York Comic Con 2017: The Show Floor

After waiting in the queue line for about 70 minutes, we were finally let loose to explore the convention. The first area of the convention center we hit was the show floor. The show floor is the heart of what New York’s Comic Con is all about for many people. It is also the most crowded area of the convention. However, the best time to hit the show floor is as soon as the convention opens. For at least a half hour, you will be able to cruise around freely and see anything you want without being pushed forward from behind. Don’t get me wrong, throughout the entire day you are able to stop at any booth and browse or buy, but it’s at the start of the convention when it is easiest to do so.

NYCC Comic Con 2017

NYCC Comic Con show floor

The show floor presented fans with hundreds and hundreds of tables and exhibits presented by some of the largest companies in the business. Amazon, Hulu, Marvel, and Chevrolet all displayed exhibits. Marvel’s stage in the middle of the showroom was a great addition to the floor because it offered panels and presentations to everyone without forcing fans to sign up for a panel or wait in line to enter a separate room. Hulu’s exhibit offered fans a chance to shoot a three-minute video in front of a screen that was promoting their new original show Freedom. Hulu would then offer to email you the video or share it on social media. The streaming service was also offering fans a chance to win prizes if they participated in taking a photo in front of a display that was promoting another new show called Runaways. The social media platform has become such an overwhelming force in society that all media companies now try to utilize fans’ own personal followings on social media to spread the news. Life has changed so much since the days of no computers and only broadcast television.

The show floor also featured many opportunities to play new video games and participate in virtual reality experiences. The Planet of the Apes virtual reality experience was mind-blowing but also very time-consuming, as there were a great deal of instructions presented to the gamers.

Just about every comic book company, from the small indies to the dinosaurs like Marvel and DC, showcased their materials in booths on the floor. Toy companies and every other type of dealer immersed in the science fiction collector world also showcased their goods and works on the showroom floor. There were at least one thousand booths and exhibits in the main showroom. It was completely overwhelming, and I had never seen anything like it before. I spoke with a few photographers, and they were gasping for air because in every direction, in every blink you took, there was a spectacular photographic opportunity. Posters, prints, figurines, costumes, toys, gadgets, books, magazines, and of course comics will drain the wallet and steal your rent check very easily. It’s all very addicting.

New York Comic Con 2017: Photo Ops and Autographs

The highlight for many fans at Comic Cons is the chance to meet the stars that have defined the science fiction genre of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. For some, it is the chance to meet their childhood heroes. For others, it’s a chance to meet their current heroes or favorites of film, TV, and comics. The opportunity to meet the celebrities comes at a cost. All celebrities charge different prices. Most charge the same price for a photo op that they do for an autograph. Photo ops and autographs are different sessions and take place behind closed curtains. You’re not just paying for the photo op or autograph, you’re paying for the chance to meet the person. When I attended the Long Island Comic Con, Eternal Con, in the spring at the Nassau Coliseum, the celebrity photo ops were out in the open, but they also were not as famous as the ones appearing at New York Comic Con 2017.

So how famous were the celebrities that appeared at New York Comic Con 2017? Well, they were about as famous as you can get in the science fiction world. Mark Hamill and William Shatner were both appearing for all four days for photo ops and autographs. It does not get any better than that. Captain Kirk of Star Trek and Luke Skywalker of Star Wars, the two most famous characters from the two most popular science fiction dramas of all time. There was no way I was going to pass on the opportunity for my young son to have a chance to meet Mark Hamill. Furthermore, there was no way I was missing the opportunity to meet William Shatner.

I had purchased my photo ops online a few months before the New York Comic Con 2017 convention. Many photo ops sell out quickly. Try getting a Negan photo op at Walker Stalker. The photo ops FAQ stated that if the fan signed up with their cellphone number, at the convention they would notify you when it was time to line up for a photo op session about five minutes before your appointment. They claimed that the entire photo experience between lining up, taking the photo, and receiving the print would only take about 10 minutes. This way, the fans were assured of not wasting too much time in another line when they could be experiencing all the convention had to offer. However, what the photo ops FAQ never takes into consideration is the possibility that the celebrities may not be on time. When they are late, it tends to undermine the entire process and once again, back in the queue line. But, so what? You’re getting the chance to meet Captain Kirk, Luke Skywalker, and all the other great greats that New York Comic Con 2017 featured.

We arrived about twenty minutes early for our Mark Hamill photo op. As we were heading toward the photo op section, I did indeed get the text to line up. While we were waiting in line, I met a fellow fan dressed up as Batman who had flown to New York from Australia to attend New York Comic Con 2017. The other fan next to me was from Philly. We had great conversations while we waited about forty minutes to meet Mark Hamill. When the line began moving, it did move fast.

As we waited outside the curtain, I saw my son’s face light up. He had caught a glance of Mark Hamill through an opening in the curtain. There is no better feeling than seeing your son experience meeting an iconic figure such as Mark Hamill. All kids love Star Wars, no matter what generation they may be from. It’s a series of films that has reached across generations like no other. This was a moment to treasure. We were guided quickly into the booth. Mark Hamill was as friendly as one could get. He put his arms around my son and pointed toward him as the photographer snapped the picture. It happens quickly, but it’s awe-inspiring. My son’s face as we walked out of the booth was priceless. It didn’t matter how expensive it was, it was worth every cent.

Meeting Mark Hamill at New York Comic Con 2017

After taking the picture, we went right back in line to meet William Shatner. Many of the fans in line were wearing the vintage Star Trek yellow Captain Kirk shirt. While there were some kids in line to meet Shatner, most fans seemed a little older. When we walked into the room and stood next to Shatner, my heart was racing. This was the man that I had watched on television, starring in the leading role in one of the greatest science fiction shows ever produced for television. It was the man who had taken his television character, Captain Kirk, and transformed him into an even more iconic figure during the show’s motion-picture run. Yes, of course, he played other great characters like T. J. Hooker and Denny Crane, and a host of other great roles on television and in the movies, but for so many of us, William Shatner will always shine brightest as Captain Kirk.

I said a few words to Shatner regarding how much I appreciated his work. He just smiled as we took the picture. As we were leaving, William Shatner stopped me and thanked me for what I said. I was completely taken aback by the way he said it. It was a genuine gesture of thanks to a fan who had expressed what his work had meant to him. It was a moment I will never forget, and it put me in a daze for a few minutes. My son kept asking me if I was all right. This is what Comic Cons are all about. I had that moment, it was incredible, it was out of this world!

William Shatner at New York Comic Con 2017

New York Comic Con 2017: The Fans

When it comes right down to it, there would be no Comic Cons without the fans. Of course, that’s an obvious point, but it’s how the fans participate that is so compelling. The fans who dress up in costume and cosplay become just as much of an attraction as the exhibits and the stars. Many of the fans who dress up linger outside the Javits Center, where the food trucks line up. The outside roadway, which is still within the confines of the Javits Center, gives the fans a chance to breathe away from the crowded show floor. Outside, the fans who come in costume wind up posing for thousands of pictures like the stars inside. It’s interesting to watch some of the interactions that occur between the fans who dress up. Battle lines are drawn between costumes and characters. They mingle, they fake fight, they dance, they perform, and they pose. One of the greatest moments was when a group of fans dressed up as the characters from HBO’s Game of Thrones began dancing to hip-hop songs. Everyone loved it!

There is so much to take in at NYCC Comic Con that one cannot possibly see everything in one day. The show floor is overwhelming with the amount of exhibits presented to fans. The panels, presentations, autographs, and photo ops run nonstop for four days. If you really want to soak in the experience, then you should buy a four-day ticket next year. And if you really want to have some fun and feel like a star, then put on a costume and let yourself go. You will be celebrated. In the end, that’s what Comic Con is all about, a celebration of life in many colors!