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This morning, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a $1 Billion expansion of the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Construction will start soon, and will require the demolition of the North Hall, built in 2008. That space is best known to comics fans as the site of New York Comic Con’s artist […]

Forbes reports on New York Comic Con’s record attendance: If you spent any time at all at New York Comic Con last weekend, you know there were lots and lots and LOTS of people crowding the Javits Center on the west edge of Manhattan. Official attendance numbers now confirm that observation. ReedPop just confirmed to […]

This past weekend, we noticed an unusual number of superheroes, cosplayers, and characters from our favorite TV shows flooding thesubways, buses, and streets of New York City. Did we unknowingly fall into an alternate universe?

Turns out that it was just New York Comic Con, the annual pop culture phenomenon dedicated to comics, graphic novels, anime, video games, movies, and television. The first convention was held in 2006 and it has continued to grow steadily over the past several years, bringing an ever-growing number of comics and pop-culture fans to New York City. And not only has Comic Con continued to grow, but so has programming dedicated to issues of diversity and diverse creators. We were lucky enough to get a pass for LEE & LOW staff. Below, three staff members share their highlights from the show:

Keilin, Marketing and Publicity Associate

Oh Comic Con. What a crazy event to go to, but definitely worth every minute!

I went to a Geeks of Color Meetup, hosted by Diana Pho (editor, Tor Books), and featuring Shelley Diaz (editor, School Library Journal), and author Melissa Grey (The Girl At Midnight). It was great to mingle with other “geeks” and to get to know Diana and Shelley.

The greatest thing about the Meetup was seeing the diversity in the room. There was one group of people that I joined that was talking about the new Star Wars movie coming out, and it didn’t matter that we were all from different backgrounds because we all could geek out about something we were all collectively excited for. Diana often hosts these types of meetups for people of color, and if anyone is interested, you can contact her on her website, Beyond Victoriana.

After the Geeks of Color Meetup, I booked it over to the Asian American Comics and Creators panel, which unfortunately was full. On the positive side, that just meant that there was a full house to participate in a discussion on Asian Americans in the comic book industry. While the depictions of Asian Americans in comic books has improved, there is more that can still be done.

The thing I like most about conventions like these is that it shows you the wide spectrum of people within fandoms, whether it’s seeing a black Wonder Woman or an Asian Peggy Carter. Nerding out is for everyone!

Rebecca, Marketing and Publicity Assistant

Thanks to things like the We Need Diverse Books campaign, diversity has been on people’s minds more than ever before. Last year, we saw one of the most diverse television seasons we’ve gotten in a while. It’s no surprise that diversity in comics and geek culture was on a lot of people’s minds at New York Comic Con! I attended 4 panels focused on various aspects of diversity at the show this year.

At the Pushing Boundaries panel, there was a discussion about representation. Author Marjorie Liu spoke about the burden that authors of color often face when they are the only ones representing entire cultures. They have to make sure that their characters are “perfect” and not stereotypical; however, trying to tell a “perfect” story gets in the way of an authentic narrative. This is the danger of a single story: one person from a marginalized or underrepresented group can’t represent everyone from that group.

Some of the other panelists, like Jeremy Whitley, the creator of Princeless, spoke about using their work to fill a need. Jeremy Whitley’s daughter is a person of color, so he wanted to write a comic where a young black girl would see herself as a princess that went on adventures. Geek Out was started as a space for LGBT+ fans of comics. At one point in the discussion, the panelists spoke about bad representation. Is bad representation better than no representation? There was no clear answer, as one panelist said he preferred bad representation to none at all. But author Marjorie Liu said, “As a woman of color, I’m allergic to bad representation.”

The pervading feeling at the “Geeks of Color: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” panel was that while people are paying more attention to diversity and things with diverse content, we still have a long way to go. Industries need to diversify from within as well as to seek out diverse creators. Diversity naturally happens when there are a variety of people creating things.

Authors Melissa Gray, Daniel Jose Older, Sara Raasch, and Kim Harrison discussed what made the protagonists of their novels “kick ass.” Melissa Grey (The Girl at Midnight) discussed how female characters are never allowed to be unlikable, like male characters often are. They’re usually expected to be “nice.” Daniel José Older wants his books to show the diversity in Brooklyn, because a book should be like a friend and tell you the truth.

At the Women in Geek Media panel, the panelists encouraged the room full of people to create their own works. Everyone, they told us, has a unique story to tell. Many of the women talked about having to create their own spaces and writing with a unique voice, which is what made them stand out. They also encouraged everyone there who was fed up with the lack of representation of women, people of color, and other marginalized groups in media to channel their anger thoughtfully and to hold content creators accountable.

All the panels I attended were full almost to capacity. It was great to see how much people are clamoring for more diverse representation. But the real highlight of Comic Con was meeting Amandla Stenberg!

Stacy, Publisher of TU BOOKS

On Thursday night of Comic Con, I went to the #BlackComicsMonth panel moderated by Dean MizCaramelVixen. It was an all-star lineup, including Chad L. Coleman (who played Tyreese on The Walking Dead), who is producing a new comic that stars his likeness, and comics artists and writers Scott Snyder, David Walker, Mikki Kendall, Shawn Pryor, Steve Orlando, Christine Dinh, Mildred Louis, Jeremy Whitley, and Afua Richardson. If you want to see the whole panel, you can view it on YouTube.

The panel started out by talking to a standing-room-only crowd of at least 300 people about what “diversity” meant to them. Christine Dinh spoke about how there are more young women reading comics—that kids are more diverse than ever. Another panelist talked about how what it means to be black could mean so many different things, and that all those representations were important—that there is no one way to be black.

Everyone on the panel emphasized how important the voices of people of color are in comic books. Kendall said, “If you don’t see yourself out there, put your stuff out there.”

Later that night was a fangirl panel (“She Made Me Do It: FanGirls Lead the Way”) discussing how important women are not only in the creation of art but also in the appreciation of it. On the panel were Jamie Broadnax, who created Black Girl Nerds; Rose Del Vecchio and Jenny Cheng from myfanmail.com, a site that sends fandom products to subscribers; and Sam Maggs, author of The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy and writer for The Mary Sue.

One of the main topics of the panel was discussing how women and girls get challenged to show their “credentials” as geeks. “I’m so over the cred thing. You don’t have to prove anything to show your passion for fandom,” Broadnax said. Maggs agreed and went on to discuss how those fans should also be reflected in the stories they consume, saying, “A range, diversity of stories can only mean better content for everyone. Why can’t white dudes look up to a black girl protagonist and have her be their role model?”

On Sunday, the We Need Diverse Books panel focused on the hashtag #IAmNotYourSidekick, discussing the importance of narratives that center the experiences of characters of color. On a personal note, the panelists discussed the first time they’d ever seen a “mirror” of themselves in a book. Some never did, at least until adulthood. Dhonielle Clayton, a Harlem Academy librarian and WNDB VP of librarian services, mentioned that she had mirrors, but only about slavery and civil rights, not fun books. Variety in representations of marginalized people is so important, she said.

The panel also discussed the importance of opening doors for writers of color, talking about the quotas of some houses (“we already have our ‘black book,’” even if the topics are completely different), and how writing cross-culturally is possible to do well, but how it must be done responsibly. Daniel José Older pointed out that too often white writers want to jump on the bandwagon of “diversity” as if it were a trend, but, he asked, “We talk about writing the other, but can you write about yourself? Can we write about whiteness?” (Older wrote an excellent article on this topic last year at BuzzFeed.)

Everyone on the panel agreed that the way to fix the problem was to talk up diverse books. “Buy diverse books!” YA author Robin Talley said. “The more you do, the more there will be.” Older also noted not to assume that a traditionally published book that stars a diverse character will have a million-dollar marketing campaign. “It likely won’t!” he said. Panelists agreed that word of mouth is one of the most important marketing tools for diverse books—sharing them with friends, talking about them on social media, and requesting them from libraries and bookstores were all mentioned as important methods of helping diverse books grow in the market.

To see pictures from Comic Con, check out the TU BOOKS Facebook page and the LEE & LOW Facebook page.

Saturday, I spent time on the show floor, visiting the sides (3-A, 3-D, 3-E) which aren’t as crowded as the middle mega booths (which I perused Thursday). The Block  

NYCC ’15 has come and gone, but the photos The Stately Beat Manor took are here to stay.  We had a number of fantastic journalists on the scene, taking pictures of the events happening at the Javits Center as well as the great cosplays attendees wore.  Here are a few favorites:

A con tradition, ReedPOP schedules a final panel at New York Comic Con where the main staff gathers to listen to concerns from attendees. This year, the panel consisted of Lance Fensterman (Senior Global Vice President), Mike Armstrong (Event Director), MK Goodwin (Content Manager), Jackie  Williams (Marketing Director), and Kristina Rogers (Event Manager). (Shown, right to left, above.) […]

Sideshow Collectibles Insight Editions Funko (again) Jelly Belly Artist Alley

In case you missed it, the floor planner for New York Comic Con is active! I reported on the biggest surprise earlier, but now, let’s take a leisurely stroll, virtually, through the exhibit hall and Artist Alley! The overview: Almost all of the space is rented. Next to Marriott [sic], there is Booth 755, a […]

Here’s the map of the area: If you’re on the subway, take the 7 train to Hudson Yards/34th Street. If you want to beat the crowds out of that station, stand in the front two cars of the train. If you need an elevator, then you’ll have to walk along the mezzanine to the far […]

Troy Little is an Eisner-nominated artist who took on the monumental task of adapting the American counterculture classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, written by world renowned Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, into a graphic novel. Teaming with Top Shelf and IDW, Little has crafted a comic that sticks to the storyline of the book […]

  In a press release today, ReedPOP revealed the cover to the 2015 New York Comic Con program guide.  Illustrated by superstar artist Andy Kubert, the cover celebrates the 10th anniversary of NYCC and the 30th anniversary of the Frank Miller classic The Dark Knight Returns.  This collaboration between DC Comics and ReedPOP also seeks to […]

A few weeks ago, I posted the preliminary schedule for the big panels at New York Comic Con, to be held in rooms 1-D (“Main Stage”) and 1-E (“Empire Stage”). I noted that there were some empty time slots, and now, it looks like a few have been filled, by Warner Brothers Entertainment! You should […]

In a new plan to expand an already sprawling convention, New York Comic Con is expanding its panel roster to an off-campus site.  No longer constricted to the behemoth that is the Jacob Javits Center, NYCC will now be hosting a series of Television-centric panels at the somewhat nearby Hammerstein Ballroom. Ironically, this new panel venue […]

The panel schedule for New York Comic Con is live! Of note this year, some panels will be held at the Hammerstein Ballroom up the street on 34th Street. The entire program isn’t live yet but you can check out what’s been lsited here.   281 sessions! It starts at 11 AM on Thursday, October […]

New York Comic Con has released the show floor map for their October show, seven weeks before opening day! (49 days, according to the widget on their website.) Although some kids are already back to school, summer doesn’t end for another two weeks for most of us. I had hoped to avoid thinking about my […]

GAH!  We’re heading deep into “comic con summer” (TCAF, BookCon, BookExpo…) and ReedPOP has announced that tickets for New York Comic Con, scheduled for October 8 – 11, 2015, will go on sale next Wednesday!  (Last year, it was Thursday, June 26.)

As stated on their website, it’s not as crazy as San Diego, as you will have THREE opportunities to purchase tickets:

1. Tickets for NYCC 2015 will go on sale on May 13 at 12:00 PM EDT.
2. A limited supply of New York Comic Con Tickets will be available for purchase at Special Edition: NYC 2015 on June 6-7. All details can be found here.
3. An event at Midtown Comics later this summer. All of the info for this event will be announced at a later date. Note that Midtown Comics is the ONLY Retail partner selling NYCC 2015 Tickets. Don’t miss NYCC 2015, October 8-11, 2015 in the Javits Center in New York City.

Note their italics in #3.  Midtown Comics is the EXCLUSIVE retailer for NYCC tickets.

What’s the cost, you might wonder?

Not pictured: VIP ticket packages, which run from $215 to $525.  These usually sell out instantly.

Last year’s advance sales were on a scale with San Diego, including web SNAFUs and fast sales for 3- and 4-day tickets.  (The show did not sell out until October 2.) It’s hoped that the SENYC supply will mitigate some anger, and also boost attendance to that smaller show, scheduled June 6&7 at Pier 94.

Last year, attendance was 151,000.  Much of that growth was due to an expansion of Thursday’s hours to a full day. Is there any more room for expansion?  Unlikely.  In 1997, the New York Auto Show set an Easter Sunday record of 158,908.  Granted, the dynamics are different…  there is a lot of open space on the exhibits floor, as cars are the main attraction, and it’s easier for attendees to meander.  Also, 1A-C is an exhibits hall, along with 3A-E and the North Hall.  Most importantly, the average time spent at the Auto Show?  3 hours, 27 minutes. (Some comic con attendees spend that much time in line.)

If not next year, then before 2020, I expect the show to expand to Columbus Day Monday. That might require extra costs due to union contracts, but I’m sure money can be found.

Do you plan to attend? Is the show getting too big? Too expensive? Sound off below!

Real-Life Peter Griffin (aka Robert Franzese) explains why he does what he does.

At New York Comic Con earlier this month, Disney-owned Marvel unveiled test footage from its "Guardians of the Galaxy" animated series, which will premiere in 2015 on Disney XD's Marvel Universe programming block.

Margaret Stohl will write a young adult novel starring the Black Widow.

The announcement was made during the “Woman of Marvel” panel at New York Comic Con. The book is slated for release in 2015.

According to ComicsBeat.com, Stohl feels that this project “is the badassiest thing I’ve ever been asked to work on in my life. Black Widow is the very best hot mess I know. She kicks ass, she’s more of a Wolverine than a Captain America.”

(more…)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Rumors have been circulating that Marvel plans to end the Fantastic Four comic series. During a New York Comic Con panel, editor-in-chief Axel Alonso and Fantastic Four writer James Robinson revealed that this will take place next year.

According to Entertainment Weekly, “the final issue is scheduled to release in June of 2015, which will close the book temporarily on the group, only a few months before the Fantastic Four film reboot is set to debut on Aug. 7.” Fans can look forward to the triple-sized issue, #645, which will feature a story arc entitled “The End is Fourever.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Over the weekend, Bryan Lee O’Malley appeared at New York Comic Con panel for a conversation with Cory Doctorow about his latest book, Seconds.

Following the great success he achieved with the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series, he wanted to “do something super arty and weird.” For Seconds, O’Malley set out to write “a very external character…characters who just barge through life.” The star protagonist of this story, Katie, was partially inspired “by an obnoxious rock star.”

Regardless of the project, two parts of O’Malley’s creative process remain constant. First, he has to create the perfect mix tape because he will likely listen to it “thousands of times.” Second, he takes this approach: “every new book idea, I’m just going to tackle a problem and fix it.” What’s the initial step you take when you start a new project?

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

IDW Publishing announced at New York Comic Con that it has formed a partnership with Ideate Media to publish “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.” This comic series is based on Douglas Adams’ 1987 humor novel.

Publication has been scheduled for 2015. Chris Ryall, the chief creative officer and editor-in-chief at IDW, will serve as the writer. Fables artist Tony Akins and Chew co-creator Rob Guillory will collaborate on the artwork.

Ryall gave this statement in the press release: “I know that an American writing Dirk comics is going to get a certain segment of British Adams fans a bit brassed off but, much like in the case of the oft-referenced Schrödinger’s cat in the Dirk novels, we can all agree that until the world opens these comics, they are both good and not good, right? And certainly Adams’ writing transcends all borders and has rightfully earned him a worldwide following. I can’t wait to bring Dirk into the world of comics.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Last weekend at New York Comic Con, Cartoon Network screened the following six-minute preview of their new show "Over the Garden Wall" created by former "Adventure Time" creative director Pat McHale.

Kabam, an interactive entertainment company, has unveiled a new trailer for the mobile game “Marvel Contest of Champions” at New York Comic Con. Players will be able to create teams with super heroes and villains including Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Thor.

The video embedded above offers fans glimpses of gameplay featuring Wolverine, The Hulk, and The Punisher—what do you think? A release date has been scheduled for December 2014.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.