Tag Archives: NYCC

New York Comic Con: Day 1

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Day 1 of New York Comic Con is over and this year is already shaping up to be one crazy year. Preview day has been one of my favorites for the last few years because it gives you a chance to cover the entire floor show with fewer people and really get a good feel for what’s out there before the craziness that is Friday and Saturday. With the addition of Thursday Only passes this year, preview day was a bit more challenging due to the increased number of people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they did these passes because that’s how I got in (maybe next year I won’t procrastinate about buying a four day pass), but it did increase the difficulty in moving around.

The view from my spot in row seven. And there were several more rows after me.

The view from my spot in row seven. There were several more rows after me.

Despite the increased population, I managed to cover the entire convention, moving at a brisk pace. Its great to see both old and new faces. I’m certain that Harvey Yee’s Rare Comics has been at every convention I’ve ever been to. Rooster Teeth and Cyanide and Happiness are both here and already had noticeable lines forming at their booths. All the major comic publishers had sizable booths which of course were already becoming traffic nightmares. I’m very excited to see that an increase in the quality of the small press this year. I’ve already picked up two different small press comics. One is a science fiction piece and the other is set in feudal Korea. Two very different books, but both appearing to be of quality.

Artists Alley looks really good this year with many big name artists (I already bought an Humberto Ramos print) as well as some really good looking, though less well known artists. I’ve already got a mental list going of prints I want to get. I’m thinking this year might be a Star Wars year.

Ramos is one of my all time favorite artists.

Ramos is one of my all time favorite artists.

Looking ahead to Day 2, I’m planning to get started with some autographs and then the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s panel on the secret origin of censorship in comics. Day 2 will also be much more social as most of my friends will be showing up, so I’m anticipating some additional crazy thing to happen.

Stay tuned for more NYCC coverage and for those of you here with us, don’t forget to let us know how your con is going.

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Filed under Andrew Hales, Comics, Events, Geek Life

Editorial | My First Geek Convention

I’m smack in the middle of midterm week, which means super late nights and super early mornings.  Fortunately, this eighth level of hell (which Dante knew not of) will be interrupted by my very first geek convention!

I’ve been dreaming of my first convention since I was in middle school.  My ultimate dream adventure was (and still is) RingCon in Germany.  However, I was willing to settle for any gathering of geeks.  (RingCon is next week, by the way.  I am sooo jealous of any of our readers who is going!)

I’ve also been extremely interested in cosplay—of course, when I first looked at it, it was just called “dressing up.”

Now, for the first time, my dream is about to come true.  I’m actually headed to New York Comic Con!!  I’ve done my research, bought my day passes for Saturday and Sunday, and listened to many, many of Andrew’s crazy stories (he hasn’t even shared the half of them with y’all so far).

So as I head into this weekend, on the few moments that I’m able to look up from my computer screen, I’m excited about quite a few things:

I’m actually really pumped for the trip up to comic con.  For the past few years, I’ve driven to every place I’ve visited (often between 12-19 hours each way) and it is always exhausting.  By the time I get to the fun part, I’m too tired to enjoy it.  Instead, this time I am taking the train, so I will have time to relax and enjoy myself.

And somehow, this episode of Big Bang Theory is all I can think about…

I’m really stoked to hopefully meet (a few) of the entertainment guests.  Felicia Day, Kevin Smith, Patrick Stewart (<3 him so much!!), Seth Green, Judy Greer (please, please, please, let this one happen…  I will be so excited), Kevin Grevioux (We’re both Minnesota Vikings fans—and I love that we have multiple things in common.  Geeks should be well rounded, in my opinion), and Hulk Hogan!!  [Ok, I was JUST kidding about the last one.]  I was really looking forward to seeing James Cosmo, from Game of Thrones as well, as I do love Commander Mormont, but he unfortunately cancelled his appearance.

The comic guests who will be present are fantastic!!  David Finch, Max Brooks and OF COURSE Stan Lee will all be signing autographs.  Of course, I will be lucky to get to see one of these guys up close and personal, but a girl can dream!  Andrew has told me that Max Brooks is an especially cool dude, so it would be nice to get a chance to talk to him.  I also wouldn’t be upset if I got to meet David Lloyd, from V for Vendetta.

I’m a big fan of Gillykins’ cosplay. I know she’ll be at Con, and I would love to meet her.

I will be skipping the Ya-ya Han “celebrity cosplayer” autograph session. Honestly, if I didn’t already love cosplaying so very much before I first saw Heroes of Cosplay, the show would have really turned me off!  Geeks are often mocked and looked down on by outsiders because of what they look like or what they love—there is no need to do the same to each other /endrant.

Avatar Press has a panel on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. to talk about the news and big new projects.  Panelists are Caanan White, Kieron Gillen, Simon Spurrier, William Christensen, and Max Brooks.  This one is definitely on my hot list!

On Sunday I’m really looking forward to getting some discount geek gear as well.  Thank goodness I have a “Convention Guide” of my very own to show me where the best stuff is!

So yeah, I’m giddy and excited and almost dizzy with excitement for Comic Con in just a few days.  I know there is no way that I will be able to see all the things I want to see, but it’s awesome to at least try to plan for them!  Are you going to Comic Con?  If not, is there a panel or person you would like to see if you did?  Let us know in the comments!

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Filed under Comics, Editorial, Events, Geek Life, Tracy Gronewold

Fit 4 Con Update: Week 7

Feeling good! I’m down 5 lbs now and it’s starting to show. My pants fit a little better, which is always a plus. Weight lifting is going well too. I’ve been able to really push myself and start to make some progress. It’s not much, but considering where I started, I’m pretty pleased. I’m not going to break any records, but it’s a really great feeling to get in one more curl than last time or add ten lbs to the leg press. I’d like to get to the gym a bit more often than I have been (only 2-3 days a week) but life has been getting in the way a little bit. Come Monday however, I’m off of night shift and my house is back in order, I can go back to 3-4 days a week, which is where I’d like to be. Fifty four days to NYCC and I can’t wait!

Oh Yeah!

Oh Yeah!

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Filed under Fit 4 Con, Geek Life

The Fit 4 Con Challenge

Recently I was catching up on podcasts while returning from my employment-imposed exile in Georgia.  One of my favorites, The Rooster Teeth Podcast, was discussing a fitness challenge they were involved in during the lead up to RTX (Rooster Teeth Expo).  This got me thinking (something I should never be allowed to do in a car).   As a result, I will be starting my own personal, fitness challenge in the lead up to NY Comic Con.  I have written briefly about how there is a physical stereotype of geeks, and I am no exception.  In order to remedy this, I will be working out regularly, eating better, and posting periodic updates so you can both keep me honest, and amuse yourselves by my treadmill based suffering. There are 102 days till NYCC, so lets see what transformation I can pull off!

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Filed under Fit 4 Con, Geek Life