February 09, 2009
The Javits Center, with its onyx plate-glass facade and the air of an evil Fortress Of Solitude, is the perfect place for a villian to lure unsuspecting superheroes. The trick works better with bait, obviously, so the Jedis and Wonderwomen were reeled in with the promise of untold amounts of comic books, exclusive previews of upcoming video game releases, and a packed schedule of star-studded panels, screenings, and signings. Like moths to the proverbial flame.
As if the cachet of New York's largest comic book convention wasn't enough, local heroes Midtown Comics were the big-name sponsors of the event, and their megalithic stature in the retail comic realm put a definitive and authoritative stamp on the entire event. Other retails were there in full force, as well, with tables upon tables of rare and pedestrian issues stretching out over much of the convention center's main exhibitor hall. Collectible artwork, variant covers, maquettes, action figures, author and artist signature editions, and, yes, even a full-blown Stormtrooper outfit from the original Star Wars trilogy for the paltry sum of a thousand dollars. That's not to say that all of the offerings were obsession-level expensive or even without practical use: in the event of a zombie uprising, New York would be one of the worst places to be, and having a razor-sharp Klingon bat'leth or a Hattori Hanzo katana from Kill Bill would, ahem... cut down on your undead problem. Local shops like Kid Robot even made appearances, showing off their designer toys, as well as the likewise odd Ugly Dolls.
Not everyone was selling something, though; at least not outright. Rock Star Games presented a fully-decorated van to promote their upcoming Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS, while the new Red Faction Guerilla had a complete, hydrolic-powered game set up, along with the more staid and simplistic displays that were also set up for the new Tony Hawk game HawX, Tekken, and a host of others. Video game companies know their demographic, and the attendees at Comic Con are squarely in that group. There were plenty of comic-related video games, as well, including DC Universe Online, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Marvel's Ultimate Alliance 2. That's not so say that the more lo-fi games weren't represented; Wizards Of The Coast—masters of all table-top gaming, from Dungeons & Dragons to Magic: The Gathering and a handful of branded, high-profile properties—had a massive presence at the convention, with an impressive amount of square footage devoted to tables where people could trade or play their favorite decks.
Comic Con also provides movie studios and television networks a unique chance to grab the attention of a pretty easily-pegged demographic. Shows like Fringe, Life On Mars, and geek-lord Joss Whedon's Dollhouse have no trouble finding an audience for their panels, and so the stars of the show will attend en-masse—the entire cast of Fringe showed up, in fact—to electrify their already existing or potential fanbase. In fact, the convention is such a lightning rod of targeted advertising that infamous Japanese director Takashi Miike (director of films like Ichi The Killer and Full Metal Yakuza) chose to hold the world premiere of his live-action anime adaptation Yatterman during the convention, at the Directors Guild Theater. Even Pixar made an appearance, screening preview for its upcoming animated film UP alongside Touchstone's graphic novel adaptation Surrogates. TV's original Hulk (and, coincidentally, the voice of the hero in the recent Incredible Hulk movie), Lou Ferrigno, even appeared for a seemingly non-stop, three-day signing session.
Much like Star Trek conventions, comic book conventions have been much maligned in popular culture over the years, but with each year, the rising number of advertising dollars, increasing attendance, and mainstream acceptance of comic books and related media has lead to a swift legitimization of the formerly scoffed-at events. Even MTV's online new site had a presence at the convention, alongside the other, more specialized gaming and comic-related news outlets like Newsarama. It might seem like kids' stuff, these conventions, but the attention they attract and the buying power of the attendees is undeniably adult.
Of course, Sunday was the final day of the convention, and the Galeria of the Javits Center was turned into a kid-centric funhouse, with readings, specially targeted comic book and cartoon presentations, costume contest, drawing lessons, comic-writing workshops, and—best of all—"youngling training," where full-costumed Jedis and Sith sparred with excited, light saber-weilding kids. The best part about the convention, for kids and adults, is the people dressed in full regalia as Stormtroopers, characters from Dragonball Z or Tekken, manga characters, and so on. For kids, it really is like coming to a superhero enclave, and that's worth the relatively cheaper price of admission.
All told, there's really something for everyone at the New York Comic Con, from the young to the old to the businessman with a fond memory of his childhood heroes to the guy who needs an excuse to wear that Wookie outfit he bought on eBay. The cynical and the no-fun, though, need not apply.
Tags:
anime, autograph, collectible, comic books, comic con, comics, convention, disney, dollhouse, fringe, galeria, hulk, ichi the killer, javits center, jedi, joss whedon, life on mars, manga, new york, pixar, preview, readings, replica, signing, sith, star wars, stormtroopers, takashi miike, touchstone, video games, wookies
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Posted on 2/9/2009
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