I’m going to be real with you; I started planning hard the moment I decided I would be going to New York Comic Con 2018. I wanted my first big con, this experience, to be perfect. I wrote down all the writers and artists that I wanted to meet. I read as many of their comics as I could. I even bought a few special ones to get signed. I made a list and I was checking it more than twice!
Fast forward to Thursday morning (first day), saw me me hitting those convention doors like a kid getting out of school for summer. To say the least, I WAS EXCITED! I made my way to the main show floor. This is where the exhibitors (a mix of vendors selling all kinds of goodies, signing booths, and interactive activities) are located.
I learned from reading several Reddit posts that you have a few choices to make right off the bat depending on what your main goal is for the day. Because I am a big comic book reader and collector, I decided to go to Image Comics booth to see if I could get tickets/wristbands for some famous creator signings. To my utter shock and glee, I was able to snag a wristband for signings with Robert Kirkman (creator of The Walking Dead, Oblivion Song, Die! Die! Die!) and Todd McFarlane (The Amazing Spider-Man, Spawn). Was this real life? It indeed was, and I’ve got the pictures to prove it!
**Walking Dead Season 8 SPOILER Ahead**
Myself and Robert Kirkman (creator of The Walking Dead, Oblivion Song, Die! Die! Die!)
While I was talking to Robert about something I really enjoyed about Die! Die! Die!, a couple of guys walking by shouted (in what my untrained ears perceived as a New York accent), “Hey! Bobby! Why’d you have to kill Carl!?” To which he replied, “Oh come on! You know he was annoying!” The crowd erupted with laughter. I went on with my day knowing exactly why Carl had to die, and I have to say I am satisfied with that explanation.
As the Todd McFarlane signing wasn’t until the evening, I took the time in between to explore the showroom floor. And boy did I encounter an eclectic mix of art, merchandise, and cosplayers:
I found a few awesome exhibitors like Puglie, a store with adorable merchandise centered on a pug.
I played a sneak preview of the game Kingdom Hearts III.
I watched as an artist used Bertie Bots Every Flavored Beans to create a sweater for a painting of Harry Potter.
And, of course, I met cosplayers galore!
Steve Cohen / Dr. Evil
Paul D’Amore / Swamp Thing; Winner of FXs Gold Medal in NYCC Champions of Cosplay Contest
Once it came time for me to get in line for Todd McFarlane, I had explored a good portion of the showroom floor. As I reached the line, I happened to see a friend I had made while waiting for Robert Kirkman. I got in line with him and we chatted about comics, artists, and life in general. In all honesty, my favorite part of New York Comic Con wasn’t meeting all of my favorite comic book creators; it was actually making new buddies while in line or through discussing cosplay and comics.
Still, I am happy I was able to meet Todd McFarlane. I have a distinct memory of my Dad taking me to go see the first Spawn movie. And the funny thing was that my dad seemed to get even more into Spawn than me. He became a huge fan collecting Spawn figurines that he still has in their boxes to this day. I told Todd this as he signed a Spawn #1 that I planned to gift to my Dad. Todd laughed and said “so you’re giving this to your dear old dad, huh? Good kid!” I asked if we could take a picture together, and a security guard at his side said no pictures allowed, but Todd interrupted and said sure let’s do it! And that is how I was lucky enough to get this, although blurry, picture of Todd and me:
My NYCC’18 experience in a nutshell: I met tons of people, some dedicated fans, others famous creators, but all of them passionate and interesting people. All of this made for a truly memorable and amazing experience!
And that’s just Part 1 of my NYC 2018 experience. Check ou at the Planet Skkaw to hear part 2 of what it’s like to meet and greet your favorite artists at NYCC’s Artist Alley!
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