EVENTS: Three days on the floor of NY ComicCon 2009

(Credit: Ryan Muir)

Our writer, Lincoln Chinnery, spent three days on the floor of the Javits Center, taking in all that ComicCon had to offer. Here's his quick-hit account. For photos of the event, like the one above, check out our NY ComicCon 2009 gallery.

Day one
It's the first day of the NYCC09 and it is packed, almost filled to the rim with geeks, nerds, Trekkies and Dr. Who fans. If there are a few hold outs that still dismiss the raw power of this industry they need to this. The line of first day ticket holders...it's overwhelming in sheer numbers. Only aerial photography can properly describe it. I need Annie Leibowitz and a hot air balloon, stat!

The floor of the Con is no different- venders from the tri-state and the transatlantic areas are in full force. If you want a vintage Space 1999 lunch box they have it. Looking for Yatterman toys? They got 'em. Need that last issue of The Micronauts? Check Booth# 2427. Everything is here for sale.

Every closet (and not so closet geek is out to get glimpse of their personal favorite, to see 10 minute clips the new Wonder Woman and Black Panther cartoons. It's ‘toonapoloza with the preview of the new "Futurama" DVD.

 
Day Two
It's Day two of the Con I'm with two of my fellow geeks, Black Panther & Black Bolt (sorry, using code names to protect the guilty.) And for some reason it feels like Comic Con Lite. Yeah, there are over a million, million comic books and gaming fans in the house that Javits built but the awe, the wonder is missing. We need more hot girls in Star Wars slave girl outfits, we need more dealers selling stuff we can't find on Ebay. Call us greedy if want, but shouldn't we be able to get and see everything here? I want to see the previews for G.I. Joe, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li and Star Trek.

It's panel time. "Cup o' Joe," a panel of Marvel Comics best and brightest lead by Marvel EIC Joe Quesada. We're on line at noon and wait 30 minutes. It's Dullsville as we watch the line grow to monstrous proportions. The only excitement we can muster is our love of the old stuff, early Jack Kirby work and just how bad Todd McFarlane's artwork was on Infinity Inc. (which is DC...whatever). 

Finally, somebody brought the Funny! It's the Q&A session at the Cup of Joe panel- Joe Q makes fun of a kid wearing a suit and tie. The kid shoots back, "There are people here wearing wings and I have to take crap for wearing a suit?' The crowd roared. I've never witness a room of 300 people simultaneously ROTFL but this kid, who suited up for the occasion, made it happen. Finally, I feel like I'm Comic Con. Snappy comebacks and witty banter are reasons why we all read Spider-Man. It's was good to see it in real life.

After the giggle high from the Joe Q. panel we hit the floor. I'm actually eager to buy, more so than ever. Black Bolt heads over to the Oni Press to check out their Whiteout trades and Black Panther is off the shoot the girls at Grimm Fairy from Zenescope Entertainment. It's crowed again. I hate using my size to move people but there is no other way.

I meet my crew for another panel. This time it's DC Universe panel. We use the lesson learned from the last panel and show up 40 minutes early. We get in a seated- BACK ROW! This panel is different than the Marvel one. It's not fun, it feel like one of those Florida time share seminars. DC is pitching why we should be reading their books rather than telling us what's going on. Every answer during the Q & A session is filled with stats and reasons to read the tie-in book, no real answers, no inside stuff, just marketing and a poorly done PowerPoint presentation on how and why Batman is not dead. We are not amused!

Back to the floor for pics and an hour long discussion on why Marvel is better than DC. Note to DC guys- Stop with the tie-ins and over convoluted plots. If we want crappy drama, we'll buy Falcon Crest on DVD!


Day Three
I'm at the Con late, 10AM! The line for the Dollhouse screening is longer than any crazy metaphor I can come up with. I don't know when #1 guy in line got here but they must have slept here- sleeping bag & all. But that goes to the level of loyalty for Joss. I enjoyed Buffy, loved Angel and cursed Fox for messing with Firefly. That's the other reason why I'm here, I'm here to find out why a talented force like Joss would go back to the company that abused him in the first place. From where I am in line I don't think I'll get a seat, let alone get to ask my questions.

I'm back on the floor buying trade paperbacks with little regard for the current economy and my budget. It's frenzy at every booth to buy the most for the least amount of money. Some guys offer 50% off, others have hand made signs buy 1 get 2 free. The buy 1 get 2 free is a bust for me- It's all Image books that I've bought and sold years ago. I'm off to the anime booth for some Cowboy Bebop & Full Metal Alchemist DVD; spending more money I don't have. I don't feel bad about it because I'm feeling the joy of the Con again. It's a Christmas morning tingle, a feeling of joy knowing that the best presents are at your fingertips.

I bought 15 trades and a set of DVD that will take me a month to watch but I don't care. I got what I wanted for prices that I couldn't get elsewhere. Off to the Disney screening for Aaron Stone. No, I'm a Disney fan but I promised a friend I would look at it.

Sweet Mother Earth! What is the drek? This Aaron Stone looks like a bad cross between The Last Starfighter, Power Rangers and what ever plotholes they left out of Spiderman 3. If this is Disney's big shot at males 8 to 15 years old, they need to go back to the drawing board. I'm nowhere near 15 years old but I know crap when I see it. I am outta here!

The crapness that is Aaron Stone has got me in a bad mood. I'm thinking about what's wrong with the comic/sci-fi industry and why I need to stop buying comic books and just focus on other things...that's when it hits me. Actually, bumps into me. A cute as can be 7-year-old boy wearing a Wolverine suit. The suit is a throwback to the old yellow and black costume. He's adorable in the way he says, "Sorry, sir." His mother scoops him up, she apologies as well. The encounter leaves me thinking about the next generation and how the good stuff, the best-written stories and the truly great artwork rises to the top. I forget about Aaron Stone. I go to the ATM and then back to the floor for more trades.