A Whole New World

My first time to New York Comic Con, a photographer showed me the pictures he’d taken with cosplayers in a space that was locked down for construction. It was so surreal. It was also 2013. This might be the first NYCC where I didn’t see signs about the new addition. In fact, I’m kind of confused seeing “South Javits” on the wall in the above photo when I thought the new building was built on top of the North Building, what was kind of a giant permanent tent. There’s nothing “South” about the location or style of the new building. It looks like it was designed by people trying to be sure that it will still look modern in 20 years with lights and sound panels built into the textured white walls. The font for the room numbers will still be in style. The spaces seemed accessible. It felt modern in the sense that it was so friendly and inclusive. —MV

With the new building opening to views of the 6.5 acre green space on the Javits Center’s roof, the Nature Conservancy had quite the in for dressing volunteers in green capes and asking passersby to help fund more green roofs in the city. I was all on board when I thought they wanted me to sign a petition. Then I could swear the guy asked me for $6 a day, and I was out. That’s not even close to a “For less than the cost of a cup of coffee” pitch. Learn more at nature.org and then tell people with money.

GLAMOROUS Entering the new building is different from the rest of the Javits Center and all its glass when a giant solid wall, opaque ceiling, and escalators rather than so many stairs greet you. The escalators are so tall I’m sure my kids would need to wait for an elevator to get to the meeting rooms. Coat Check didn’t open until after the sun started to set.

The landing around the top of the first escalator provided a great place to take pictures and catch a break from the action. One Spider-Man offered to remove his mask to show a security guard his COVID mask under his costume mask. I heard the guard say, “That’s not how it’s supposed to work.” I worried for him and his friend.

ROYAL FLUSH King George was so fast and I wasn’t about to break into a run to catch him, so I took this picture to use as an opportunity to say that there were seven Broadway themed panels in the new building. One featured stars playing a Dungeons & Dragons-style one-shot. Another had Playbill bringing half a dozen actors to talk about how fantasy, comic books, and science fiction inspire their performances.

PIKA PIKA When I added the Pokémon meet up to my schedule, I thought it would be fans gathering for a group photo. Instead I hung around the Fan Lounge long enough to see fewer than a dozen people start a game on their phones and cheer when someone dressed as Eevee jokingly said “Gotta catch ’em all” on the microphone (top). I stayed off my phone in case they thought I was playing and then snuck out again. SUBDIVISIONS Room 406 isn’t on the schedule because that door opens to three rooms. Blue shirts was the color for Crew, so the two people sitting there are probably tasked with controlling the crowds that would have formed in previous years. I’m not sure which is weirder to me: how empty the space looks or a panel starting at 8:15 p.m. for “medicine book club.”