The air is crisp, in the mornings at least, and the MTA is full of anime heroes, Disney villains, and every kind of fantasy critter imaginable. That can only mean one thing. It’s time for New York Comic-Con, the East Coast’s celebration of all things pop culture. Attending the convention and need some inspiration for what to do, see, and go? Please accept The Mary Sue’s guide to what to see at NYCC.
I’ll warn you up front: I’m a lurker by nature and a bit basic as far as convention-going goes. I prefer to admire cosplay rather than partake. The flimsiest free hat brings me more joy than standing on line for merchandise. This will be my tenth NYCC, but my favorite things to do are people watch and walk around the convention center at the end of the night with a beer in hand. (New York’s open container laws prohibit drinking in public, so the freedom to roam with an adult beverage is a rare treat.)
Thursday: Battle of the Tropes
The opening day of New York Comic-Con has some great panels for book lovers, including “Women in Fantasy” and “How About A Love Story” with book signings following each. “Battle of the Tropes” at 7:15pm EST on Thursday October 9, is an interactive debate with authors and fans where they discuss–you guessed it! Tropes! The ones we love and the ones we love to hate.
Stroll Artist’s Alley early and often!
It’s smart to get the lay of the land when you get to any convention center. Artist’s Alley, which is of course dedicated to independent artists and craftsmen, can get overwhelming and crowded quickly, so it’s smart to take a peek ASAP and plan on multiple trips in case pushing through people is too much. Plus, you might run into creators like Chris Claremont, Zeb Wells, Kami Garcia, and Jeph Loeb doing signings!
There’s a friggin’ treasure hunt with CANDY?!
Connect your badge to the official app–which is also a good idea for easy to access maps, floor hours, and making a little schedule for yourself–and apparently you can search for candy trophies and win a prize.
Friday: spend your evening with AMC Networks
The Walking Dead panels at NYCC used to be legendary, and the stars and folks behind The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon will be making an appearance on Friday night. But before that, AMC is taking over the Main Stage with Anne Rice adaptations Talamasca: The Secret Order and The Vampire Lestat – which is the official title of Interview with the Vampire Season 3. The franchise together, if you’re trying to find it on the app or the official website, is called Anne Rice‘s Immortal Universe. The latter will be debuting a new teaser. Plus, all four of the show’s charismatic leads–Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, Eric Bogosian, and Assad Zaman–are going to be on stage together. You’re not going to want to miss this.
Escape to the waterfront & surrounding area.
Need to get away from the crowds, but anxious about navigating Manhattan? The quickest escape would be to cross 34th street and visit the High Line, an elevated greenway, where if you’re lucky you can find a bench and some calming views of the river. If you want to walk a little further and geek out about something that has nothing to do with pop culture, you could check out the Intrepid Museum on the Hudson Riverbank. And if you want to escape to an area nearby that gives major mall vibes, because it’s literally a mall, Hudson Yards shopping center is also within walking distance.
Saturday: watch “George Lucas” host a talk show.
Not to pit two beautiful queens against each other but instead of going to the big Star Trek Universe panel on the Empire Stage why not watch comedian/actor/podcaster Connor Ratliff play Star Wars creator George Lucas as a late night host with his sidekick Watto, played by comedian/actor/podcaster Griffin Newman, and interview a full panel of guests including Severance star Zach Cherry, The Last of Us‘ Troy Baker, and comic book writer Tini Howard? (You could probably squeeze both in if you believe in yourself, but I want to instigate some drama!) What used to be one of the best kept secrets of UCB’s downtown, and then briefly midtown, New York comedy scene became of livestream sensation in 2020. This year’s GLTS will be at 1pm on Saturday, October 11. The NYCC live shows always promise to be a good and chaotic time.
Check in with Marvel and other major booths.
The biggest activation this year is sponsored by Wal Mart, which is a little too corporate even for me, but plenty of the bigger booths are worth the long lines. Not to immediately back down from my Trek slander, but Paramount has a gorgeous set-up dedicated to Star Trek Academy. The Marvel booth is keeping it 2D this year, showing off Marvel Zombies and the comics themselves. Remember those?? Crunchyroll’s booth is always good for a freebie. On Thursday morning they passed out deodorant which… bless them for that.
Check out the official merch.
It’s a basic idea, sure. I warned you I was basic! But don’t skimp on NYCC’s official merchandise booth. The designs are typically worth browsing at the very least. If shirts screen-printed on site aren’t your jam, there’s a “mystery window” deal where you, for $35.00, purchase a token that you take to a window on the side of the booth and receive a mystery bag of teeshirts, posters, pins and/or other goodies. Did I end up with three different Her Universe shirts representing three different Hogwarts houses in 2024? I absolutely did. It’s a fun gamble that will, at least, give you fodder for regifting at a White Elephant.
Sunday: get a first look at The Lost Boys on Broadway.
Yes, it’s a musical about vampires. Yes, the panel will be moderated by Zachary Quinto. Yes, producer and both horror and musical theatre actor Patrick Wilson will be there. Some of the cast will be there as well. Attendees will get to hear a new song. If you’re a theatre kid/adult/enthusiast/WHATEVER this is an absolute must!
Stream panels from home.
If you made it this far and you’re not actually attending NYCC, or something happened and you don’t make it to the big panel you were most excited about, I do have good news. Popverse is livestreaming the NYCC 2025 panels on the Main Stage and Javits North’s Empire Stage. That includes the Immortal Universe Q&As mentioned above, as well as showings from A Knight of the Seven Kingdom, Hazbin Hotel, Star Trek, The Running Man, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and X-Men: Days of Future Past cast reunions, and even the closing night cosplay showcase. Even better news: those panels will also be available on demand via Popverse in about a month.
(featured image: EuropaNewswire/Gado/Getty Images)
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