Lessons I Learned from New York Comic Con

NYCC

 

I’ve been going to New York Comic Con for about three years now. NYCC holds a special place in my heart because it’s the first and only comic convention I’ve ever been to. I’ve been attending the event with three day passes for two years, but 2014 marks a special occasion since I’m attending as press for the first time. After attending for three years, I would like to believe that I’ve accumulated enough wisdom that’ll make me a pro at going to conventions. I found out that I still had much to learn after my last day of NYCC.

I’ve picked up a few things from friends and firsthand experience. Some of it is practical advice, but I’ll also dish out some of the meaningful things I’ve realized. Read on for more:

Prepare Like it’s the Apocalypse

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I’m sure a lot of players value preparation when it comes to post-apocalyptic video games. You have to plot where you’re going to go at the exact time. Proper amount of food and water is neatly stacked within backpacks. This is how you should be acting when you’re attending NYCC. I was so surprised when three-day passes sold out an hour they started selling them. I remember how I was still able to buy passes months after they started selling in previous years. It’s a dog eat dog world out there, so you have to be prepared while supplies or tickets rather are still available. At the same time, it’s quite stupid to show up to a convention without at least picking panels you’re interested in. Good planning means that you can go to all events that interest you. No one wants to be a headless chicken, right?

Bringing your own pack of food and water is really important as well unless you’re obscenely rich. I’m not saying that there’s nowhere to get food. On the contrary, there are TONS of places to get something to eat. The problem is that it’s dam expensive and even the organizers communicate this fact through e-mails. Bottled water costs $3.85 and I remember tearfully ordering a salad for $9.85. I vowed to myself that I’ll always come prepared, but I always end up being lazy. You could go outside Javits Center and buy food, but it’s still New York City prices and that’s still a bit pricey for most people.

Cosplay is More Than Dressing Up

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I’ve always wanted to do a full blown cosplay, but I’m not really interested in the craft. I compromised by donning a simple outfit from Hotline Miami. All it took was a varsity jacket and a monkey mask for Willem. It wasn’t much, but it definitely made an impact on my experience. People were stopping me for pictures and smiles would crop up from their faces in amusement. I realized that the heart of the conventions are the people who attend. It’s like we are entertaining each other with the cool outfits we wear. The best experience for me would have to be when a kid came up to me and was genuinely amused by my monkey outfit. I played along and mimicked a monkey’s mannerisms to keep the little boy smiling.

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3 Comments

  1. *waits patiently for said picture of monkey mask outfit…

    I missed Comic Con this year in Indy. I’ve got to make a better effort to go next year. I love watching the interaction with the fans and cosplayers. It’s a lot of the heart behind the convention I think a lot of people might take for granted.

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