October 7, 2015
It’s that time of year again Comic and Pop Culture fans. New York Comic Con starts tomorrow (10/8) and lasts through Sunday (10/11) and is sure to be even bigger and more outrageous than ever before. Every year the attendance increases over the previous year and I doubt that trend will ebb anytime soon. But before you head out to The Jacob Javits Center, here are a few survival tips I’ve learned from my 4 times at NYC Comic Con.
First, if you’ve never been to Comic Con before check out the FIRST TIME FAN page where you’ll see a comprehensive list of what to do and what not to do. Here are my Top 5 things to remember.
1. Man plans, Comic Con laughs.
There’s an old saying, “Man plans and God laughs”. So it is with Comic Con. I recommend sitting down with the huge list of presenters and panel discussions and finding the absolute MUST SEE events and people, but don’t stick to rigidly to this plan. Once you get into the Javits Center, it can be so overwhelming that all the meticulously thought out plans tend to vaporize in a mass of overstimulation. If you stay too rigid with what you plan, it can just lead to frustration. The main thing is to have fun!! If you missed that special panel on “Breaking Into Comics the Marvel Way” don’t sweat it. Just let it all happen and be open to running into some pretty awesome people along the way.
You can also download the Official Mobile App, which helps you plan your experience and set up reminders. You can also easily connect to all your favorite social platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
2. Make it a Comfy Con.
The Jacob Javits Center is huge. As in from 34th Street to 38th Street and pretty much every inch of the place is used. And once you get in, there are many different levels for panels, autograph sessions, and Artists Alley, etc., so not only will you be walking back and forth in a 4 block by 2 block area, you’ll be going up and down too. On my last trip here I clocked in over 25,000 steps in just one day! So make sure you have comfortable shoes.
3. Get off your ass and ACTIVATE YOUR PASS!!!!
Comic Con passes are probably more high-tech than your credit card these days. They are equipped with an RFID card that has to be activated online BEFORE you get to the Comic Con. Yes, grab your pass and ACTIVATE IT HERE! That way if it gets lost or stolen, you won’t miss the show. You can also connect to all your social networks at the same time.
4. Cash Money is King
Go to your local ATM now. There are many things at Comic Con that can’t be purchased with a credit card, like autograph pictures and commissioned works which require cash. The ATMs at The Javits Center will rob you blind with their service fee, so just go to the ATM now and you won’t regret it. But keep it safe!
5. Get into it!
Just have fun, that’s the main thing. If you miss a certain panel discussion or screening, don’t sweat it. You are at Comic Con!!! Just watching all the people and experiencing all the chaos is an event in itself. I made the mistake last year of thinking I could be the Breaking News Blogger of Comic Con and write about all the Exciting announcements and Star Sightings as they happened. Well, everything from technical problems to sheer exhaustion kept me from writing much of anything while I was there, and I found out that all the breaking news was handled by people who weren’t even at the Convention, they were just rehashing what was announced online.
So check back here often for more stuff from Comic Con 2015!
AND HAVE FUN!!
