MANHATTAN, NY—The annual New York Comic Con continues to be a source of joy for comic book, movie, and general geeks everywhere. It also requires a fair amount of planning to navigate its densely packed vendor aisles, popular panels, and the general human traffic jam it generates every October. But that’s part of the experience, knowing that you’re among a throng of equally passionate fans that are there to test out the latest video games, get the lowdown on forthcoming movies and shows, and plumb the depths of vintage and new comics and toys.
Then there’s the cosplay. Fans of all ages paraded through the Jacob Javits Convention Center dressed as everyone from Adam West-era Batman and Catwoman to Kylo Ren to Daft Punk. My favorite: the guy who dressed as Rockso the Rock & Roll Clown from Cartoon Network’s awesome Metalocalypse. He even got the high-pitched voice down.
The many movie and TV panels at NYCC 2015 did not disappoint. Naturally the Game Of Thrones panel was a big hit. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell made Evil Dead disciples go crazy with their appearance to debut the Starz series Ash Vs. Evil Dead. DC Comics were elated by teasers of Flash and Arrow and the full pilot for Supergirl. And the Marvel Comics presentations of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Agent Carter were also a big success. And Jurassic World got a big promo when a mechanical raptor entertained fans at the convention entrance early one day.
My personal highlight: Meeting Haruo Nakajima, the original man in the Godzilla suit. He’s 87 years old now and did not speak English, but I didn’t care. The man was a big man part of my childhood, and he was very sweet. I never pay for autographs, but I did for him.
I have to confess that being a lifelong comics, movie, and kaiju buff that the shrieking fandom of many still surprises me. I guess I’m just not that overtly vocal, but I also find it heartwarming to know that there are people out there who feel so passionately about characters and stories that they love. Without their devotion, events like NYCC would not exist. And that would be a shame.
