The New York Comic Con of 2008 was bigger and better then ever. This was the third time around and I think they finally got it right. I’m not saying that the past two years had been bad at all, but it was clearly evident that the people at the top who make this all happen have learned from the mistakes of the past.
This year it was primarily on one floor, except for the panels, sneak peaks, and screenings. Which was an easy trade off for a very spacey and open show floor. I was impressed with the overall layout of the main floor. With everything grouped and organized in a way that made sense, wider isles, and tons of seating it was fun to make pass after pass of the entire floor.
But what wasn't fun was when Batman
took offense to my cod piece joke and
sucker punched me.
Next to the stage was another new addition, the Pod Cast Arena. I liked this idea and was glad to see that there were some useful and well thought new ideas. Especially like the lounge for Professionals and Creators. This place was like a little slice of heaven amidst the chaos. Behind those blue curtain partitions it was quiet calm and even had a multi-flavored oxygen bar. Oh that’s right not one of those Woody Harrelson, West Coast single flavor O2 bars either. In the back of this special oasis you could take a relaxing, nasal tickling inhalation of flavors that range from peppermint to jasmine of ninety eight percent oxygen.
The lounge was relaxing and calm enough for me to have Rich Emms and Brendan Deneen of Ardden Entertainment and the hot new book, Flash Gordon sit down and tell us all about the show exclusive Flash Gordon #0. This book is going to be big! Make sure you are on the look out for issue #1 that is out in August.
This show had it all and I mean everything. First off, let’s go to the variant stage. This spectacle was a great way to take a quick rest and catch some entertainment. During our numerous passing of the stage we saw Vampire Cowboys, Spartans recalling the heroics of their beloved King Leonidas, an almost perfect reenactment of the Epic battle between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker on the molten surface of Mustafar, and even a very heated tournament of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The Seating was ample and even included a gigantic area of very popular bean bag chairs. They were a big time hit.
After the panel, Avengers: The Initiative writer, supreme ladies man, and definitely not a skrull, Dan Slott sat down with GPR and told us "Who we can trust!” No lie. Can you say, “Skrull Kill Crew?” Or better yet, Skrull Burgers! It all comes down and we were there to hear it. Dan knows his s**t and was easily one of the coolest creators at the whole show.
Another big, and big is an understatement like “Galactus sure is hungry!” king of big is Secret Invasion. Skrulls were everywhere. It was easy to tell that Marvel was putting it all down on the green chins and were were buying the hype. I have to admit it was cool to see a room full of skrulls as the atendees of the Secret Invasion panel all put on their masks at the same time. We were at the Marvel Secret Invasion panel on Friday and heard the plans for the future, some spoilers and fan questions. We have the discussion in its entirety and are bringing it straight from NYC to you.
MARVEL: SECRET INVASION PANEL
NYC CC 4/18/08
Photo taken in April 2006 by Reid Harris Cooper http://popculturespectrum.com
DAN SLOTT INTERVIEW
NYC CC 04/19/08
Now even though it may have seemed that "The Big Two" were trying to steal the show with their "Secrets" and "Crisis" the Indies in the small press came to the show ready to impress. As always the eager eyes of the "as yet to be discovered" artists and writers were in full flutter. There were books from, a white heir to the Zulu Nation in, White Shaka Boy to The Blood Rider who "Riding only at night, and drinking from blood filled canteens, the journey begins . ." to one that particularly stood out. . Rapid City!
Rapid City is the story of one hero, Viper, returning home to search for a friend who has mysteriously vanished. To do this, he must team up with old friends, face terrible new threats, and rediscover everything that Rapid City taught him about being a superhero.
It really is a kick ass original Indie book. Check out a sample HERE and try something new. The issues That creators, Josh Dahl, Jason and Matt Bowers, were the Rapid City B-Sides. And it exactly that a collection of side episodes or "songs" that flow with the overall musical underlying theme.
Now, I know that what you are thinking, "Where are all the costumes? Where are all those people who put the fanatic in fan. . . . . . Well here they are. Let's face it. We both know one of best reasons to go to the comic con is all the character and would be heroes.
