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New York Comic Con & New York Anime Festival

MattMatt
edited May 2010 in Conventions
Just thought I'd give everyone a heads up on this. NYCC and NYAF are running October 8-10 this coming fall, and are single admission for both. It looks like they will take over the entire Jacob Javitz Center. I've been to that place for a few other events recently (Toy Fair, NY Auto Show, Fangoria Weekend), and it is huuuuuuuuuuge.

The reason I bring this up 5 months ahead of time is that early bird pricing ends on May 15th. Yeah it only saves you $5-10 but money saved is more money for other things.

In other news, it looks as though Wizard is running their Wizard World convention the same exact weekend. I noticed this a few months ago and did some research into the topic, but I feel as though I don't have the full story. From what I can gather, Wizard (a company based around dying print media) is trying to get make conventions a bigger part of their business. They have always had Wizard World comic shows here and there, but now they have taken to buying out local convention planners all over the country, re-branding their cons, and then adjusting the dates wherever necessary to go head-to-head with other major established conventions. The NY Wizard World is what used to be the Big Apple Comic Con, taken over by Wizard (they ran it in 2009 as well). It looks like they are keeping the Big Apple Comic Con name too.

All of this seems to be a do-or-die effort to snuff out the competition, and leave Wizard with a monopoly on the comic convention scene. Taking a quick peek it looks like they have 12 Wizard Worlds now as part of a national tour, with mostly the same guests. They are trying to give it a broader appeal by bringing in movie stars and athletes wherever possible. Rather than dealing with the hassle of bouncing across town between two cons, I am going to just give NYCC my support and stay there all weekend.

So anyways, grab your tickets while they are cheaper!
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Comments

  • CremlianCremlian
    I always hate when conventions do dick things like this. Why have both conventions the same weekend.. ugh.
  • RymRym
    I always hate when conventions do dick things like this. Why have both conventions the same weekend.. ugh.
    The conventions that try to dick like that invariably are the bad ones in the first place. NYCC/NYAF is an an entirely different league from Wizard World, and has nothing to fear.
  • AprecheApreche
    Wizard World sucks, and they basically can't get people to show up. Their new strategy is to purposefully be on the same weekend as the bigger con. They figure that if they are on their own weekend, then X people will show up. However, their con won't bring in a pile of out of state people and such, but a bigger con will. They're basically hoping that they can get some percentage of the people at the big con to also come to their con, for at least a few hours, and actually get more attendance this way. Imagine if NYCC had a second exhibition hall just down the street, and it had a separate smaller admission fee. Some number of comic nerds would go.
  • CremlianCremlian
    Is it right down the street though?
  • AprecheApreche
    Is it right down the street though?
    Not sure exactly.
  • RymRym
    edited May 2010
    It's here. Unless you take a cab, it's pretty damn well inaccessible from the Javits (comic nerds with their little rolly carts certainly aren't going to walk 10+ blocks up and down the West Side.

    Anime people won't care, and won't go up there. Casual fans also won't care. I imagine only "I'm here to buy Silver Age Spiderman" people will attend both. Wizard Worlds are fairly full of teh suck.

    Of course, if they were smart, they'd hire a free shuttle and run it back and forth between the two. They'd also get a dealer table at NYCC/NYAF and publicize said shuttle's existence.
    Post edited by Rym on
  • AprecheApreche
    It'shere. Unless you take a cab, it's pretty damn well inaccessible from the Javits (comic nerds with their little rolly carts certainly aren't going to walk 10+ blocks up and down the West Side.
    That's actually impressively close, considering.
  • RymRym
    That's actually impressively close, considering.
    Yes. But distance on the West Side is magnified by the lack of transportation.

    I was very surprised to see it there. I expected a hotel somewhere around midtown.
  • MattMatt
    Another funny note on the whole situation is that Wizard is debuting the New Jersey Comic Con exactly 1 week after the whole NYCC vs Big Apple Comic Con event. The NJCC is in Edison, which is very close to NYC (50 minute train ride), so I can only imagine this move is to prey on the laziness of people who do not want to take a short train ride into Manhattan to attend a superior con.

    It's too far out to expect announcements for guests and events at October cons, but it is funny to take a look at the NJCC website and see that they will have Johnny Fairplay of Survivor, Jesse the bodybuilder from Big Brother, or some chick from Twilight. Fans of bad TV and movies, rejoice!
  • MattMatt
    Floorplan is out: http://www.mapyourshow.com/shows/index.cfm?show_id=NYCC_NYAF10
  • AprecheApreche
    Floorplan is out:http://www.mapyourshow.com/shows/index.cfm?show_id=NYCC_NYAF10
    That's a lot of unsold booth space. It's looking like a bunch of it is selling to non-geek things. I even saw a booth for that 5-hour energy crap. I would hope it's been sold, and it's just not updated yet, but that's probably not the case.
  • RymRym
    I would hope it's been sold, and it's just not updated yet, but that's probably not the case.
    I'm working on getting a space for certain friends of ours. The lack of sellout is heartening. ^_~
  • MattMatt
    Floorplan is out:http://www.mapyourshow.com/shows/index.cfm?show_id=NYCC_NYAF10
    That's a lot of unsold booth space. It's looking like a bunch of it is selling to non-geek things. I even saw a booth for that 5-hour energy crap. I would hope it's been sold, and it's just not updated yet, but that's probably not the case.
    The gigantic unsold booth (#726) is at least twice the size of the next largest booth (Marvel or DC). Wonder what is up with that. Is it really an unsold booth or are they just not planning on selling that area so they made it one giant unsold blob. Can't imagine anyone that large jumping in this late in the game, especially with most of the big names already there.
  • AprecheApreche
    edited August 2010
    The gigantic unsold booth (#726) is at least twice the size of the next largest booth (Marvel or DC). Wonder what is up with that. Is it really an unsold booth or are they just not planning on selling that area so they made it one giant unsold blob. Can't imagine anyone that large jumping in this late in the game, especially with most of the big names already there.
    Maybe someone bought it and backed out, and now they are f'ed.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • MattMatt
    Good news update: looks like most of the booths have been sold since we last talked in this thread. Did a quick scan and could only find 12 unsold booths, which is a very tiny number considering it's an entire floor of the Javitz, and there is still 3 weeks to go.

    Good news for Rym: The Kilted Nation will be in attendance
  • RymRym
    Good news update: looks like most of the booths have been sold since we last talked in this thread. Did a quick scan and could only find 12 unsold booths, which is a very tiny number considering it's an entire floor of the Javitz, and there is still 3 weeks to go.
    There are no unsold booths.
  • MattMatt
    Good news update: looks like most of the booths have been sold since we last talked in this thread. Did a quick scan and could only find 12 unsold booths, which is a very tiny number considering it's an entire floor of the Javitz, and there is still 3 weeks to go.
    There are no unsold booths.
    This is good news. Sounds like the online floorplan is a bit out of date.
  • MattMatt
    I know there's been some bitching about the new ticket sale structure with all of these special high-priced packages, but I hadn't really looked into it until now. You know what pissed me off? The expensive VIP badge allows you to walk the floor during the professional & media hours. (4PM-7PM Thursday). That's kinda lame. I work for real outlets now so it won't effect me as much, but I've been there as the little guy and it was hard enough to get taken seriously w/o a crowd of attendees mixed in.
  • AprecheApreche
    Makoto Shinkai is going to be there. Guess it wasn't so bad missing Otakon.
  • gomidoggomidog
    Aww yay! NYC FTW.
  • MattMatt
    Makoto Shinkai is going to be there. Guess it wasn't so bad missing Otakon.
    They're taking applications on the NYCC website to interview Shinkai and the other anime guests. GeekNights Wednesday Celebrity Special?
  • gomidoggomidog
    Oh please oh please! You have NYC Press Credentials! Please do this!
  • MattMatt
    I suppose I could try to get on his schedule myself. MTV's anime person is up in Boston so I'll have to see if she is coming down (she damn well should be!). If she's not I'd gladly proxy for her.
  • AprecheApreche
    I suppose I could try to get on his schedule myself. MTV's anime person is up in Boston so I'll have to see if she is coming down (she damn well should be!). If she's not I'd gladly proxy for her.
    Make sure you've seen his works and also research him as a person if you are going to do this.
  • MattMatt
    I suppose I could try to get on his schedule myself. MTV's anime person is up in Boston so I'll have to see if she is coming down (she damn well should be!). If she's not I'd gladly proxy for her.
    Make sure you've seen his works and also research him as a person if you are going to do this.
    Oh of course that would be the plan. I've only ever seen The Place Promise In Our Early Days and 5cm Per Second. She got back to me already though and will be at NYCC, so she's gonna handle it. If I do decide to bone up on his works anyway and she's accepted, maybe I'll ask to tag along just b/c it'd be cool. Don't want to go makin' no fool of myself.
  • AprecheApreche
    I suppose I could try to get on his schedule myself. MTV's anime person is up in Boston so I'll have to see if she is coming down (she damn well should be!). If she's not I'd gladly proxy for her.
    Make sure you've seen his works and also research him as a person if you are going to do this.
    Oh of course that would be the plan. I've only ever seen The Place Promise In Our Early Days and 5cm Per Second. She got back to me already though and will be at NYCC, so she's gonna handle it. If I do decide to bone up on his works anyway and she's accepted, maybe I'll ask to tag along just b/c it'd be cool. Don't want to go makin' no fool of myself.
    You need to wash Hoshi no Koe that he made in his basement.
  • GundampilotspazGundampilotspaz
    I've already been approved as Press. Why are they making me fill out another form to prove I'm qualified to conduct an interview? Yes, yes, I know there are time constants but they already have my information! If I didn't come to the forums today I wouldn't have even KNOWN the form for interviews was available.
  • MattMatt
    I've already been approved as Press. Why are they making me fill out another form to prove I'm qualified to conduct an interview? Yes, yes, I know there are time constants but they already have my information! If I didn't come to the forums today I wouldn't have even KNOWN the form for interviews was available.
    Because the press registration is barely vetted, and if so, in a laughable manner. But speak of the devil, they just sent out a mass email advertising the fact that the form exists. I honestly don't think it's worth complaining about, though. The form is eight short fields, and is a small price to pay for the opportunity, especially given that they are providing you with a translator.
  • GundampilotspazGundampilotspaz
    I've already been approved as Press. Why are they making me fill out another form to prove I'm qualified to conduct an interview? Yes, yes, I know there are time constants but they already have my information! If I didn't come to the forums today I wouldn't have even KNOWN the form for interviews was available.
    Because the press registration is barely vetted, and if so, in a laughable manner. But speak of the devil, they just sent out a mass email advertising the fact that the form exists. I honestly don't think it's worth complaining about, though. The form is eight short fields, and is a small price to pay for the opportunity, especially given that they are providing you with a translator.
    Well the biggest complaint is I didn't know, so as long as they sent a mass email...
  • MattMatt
    Oddly enough when I get press emails from NYCC they come from an AOL email address. The only other person I know still doing that is my mother.
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