New York Comic Con Wrap-Up
Takeaways from the biggest comic con in the US
Editor’s Note: It’s Wednesday Friday, so that means it’s a late edition of Amazing Journey!
The Amazing Journey column will touch on a comics-related topic, such as writing the first issue of a series, what it’s like to run a comic book store, working with artists, and how writing comics is different from writing prose.
Amazing Journey back issues
True believers unite (#1) | My comics origin story (#2) | Comic event series (#3) | The comics of Kickstarter (#4) | Single issues or trades? (#5) | From prose to comics (#6) | Adapting a celebrated fantasy series into a comic (#7) | Charting a career in comics (#8) | Comic book spoilers (#9) | Lessons from Kieron Gillen’s masterclass (#10) | Comics marketing 101 (#11) Designing memorable characters (#12) | The importance of comic book shops (#13)
Two weeks ago, I attended New York Comic. It was probably my 10th time going (I’ve lost count), and every year, the event evolves into something different.
Two years ago, in the first NYCC post-COVID, everything was a bit more muted, the big-time creators in Artist Alley who normally attend were somewhat absent, which gave room for more up-and-coming creators to table. Last year, the show was a bit louder and the crowds larger, but everyone was still wearing masks.
This year, NYCC was bigger than ever, and in Artist Alley, it was a full-on Who’s Who’s in comics. If you have a favorite writer or artist, chances are they were there.
My first stop of the con on opening day was David Harper’s SKTCHD’d takeover of Declan Shalvey’s table, where he was selling a cool zine featuring new articles and interviews. I’ve been listening to David’s Off Panel podcast for the last 3 years, so it was awesome to finally speak to him in person.
Later, I met up with Fran Delgado, who drew an awesome five-page story for my Kickstarter last year. As part of that campaign, I had created a digital process edition showing the progression from the script, sketches, inks, and the final colored pages. Before the con I ordered a physical batch of the process edition and surprised Fran with a copy. I also brought my own copy for her to sign, and she was so excited that she asked me to sign her copy.
The rest of the day was spent efficiently getting comics signed and dropping off sketch covers for some commissions I had lined up. In between, I snuck up to the show floor, where I was greeted with this giant Gear Five Luffy:
I then braved my longest line of the day to meet Daredevil and Batman writer Chip Zdarsky, who signed and remarqued his variant cover for the final issue of Daredevil!
On my way out, I ran into Justin and Alicia from the X-Wife Podcast, whose X-Men commentary has been entertaining me for the past several months.
With most of my to-do’s accomplished the first day, the weekend centered around my two daughters’ interests.
My 10-year old daughter loves Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels, having read each of them probably a dozen times, so our one goal of the day was attending Raina’s panel, and as we frantically searched the Javits Center in vain for the location, I feared we would be greeted by a hundred-person line waiting to get in.
Which we were.
Except that upon further inquiry, the enormous line was for a Naruto panel.
We pressed onward, and thankfully, even though we showed up five minutes before, we were still able to get seats. For the next hour, we listened as Raina recounted her career from the beginning to the present, of how she used to sell her mini comics at my local comic shop when she lived in New York, and how she came up with each of the ideas for her books.
In parallel with my daughter getting to meet her favorite cartoonist, I got to meet indie author legend Hugh Howey, whose books and career I’ve long admired from afar.
The next day, it was my 6-year old daughter’s turn. It was her first time attending and after patiently waited as I picked up some completed sketch covers in Artist Alley, she asked if there was anything else at the show.
So it was a big shock and surprise for her to find the gigantic show floor with all its displays, booths, and activations. She loved posing with the Spider-Man cosplayers and someone dressed in a giant Kirby suit, and we went on our own hunt, trying to find her a Spider-Man t-shirt.
I left the convention on the last day feeling energized and excited. Excited about getting to meet some awesome folks and getting some amazing art and comics. And energized to break through to the other side of the Artist Alley table.
Had I gotten any closer to becoming a comics writer since last year’s NYCC?
Yes and no.
Yes, because I finished my first script and am working toward putting that issue into production.
No, because the issue is not in your hands yet. And as much as I want to one day see my last name on the cover of an issue from Marvel Comics, it’s not going to happen just by me talking about it every month.
So here’s hoping that by this time next year, I will be several steps closer to that goal!
That brings me to the Question of the Week: What’s your favorite Comic Con memory?
What I’m reading this week
It’s an enormous last week of the month, highlighted by 6 X-Men books, but I wanted to highlight a new series that should be on your radar.
Edenwood #1: From Nocterra artist Tony S. Daniel comes a centuries-long battle between witches and demons, with the American Midwest as its focal point. Rion, a young demon hunter, must assemble an elite team of history’s greatest hunters for a strike mission behind enemy lines.
What are you picking up this week?
Edenwood- cool! I’ll check it out. Sounds like NyCC was a grand success too.