Booked Your Flight Yet?

Coming to NYCC from Atlanta, San Fran, or Shanghai? Have you booked your flight yet? If not, we recommend booking on American Airlines, as thanks to our friends at American, if you book with them, we’re proud to offer you a 7% discount.

This special discount is available on flights on American Airlines, American Eagle, and American Connection between October 10th and 19th, 2011. To book travel with this discount, simply visit www.aa.com/group and enter code 17H1BL. Don’t want to book online? Call 1-800-433-1790 from anywhere in the US with the code handy. And, if you’re traveling internationally, contact your local reservation number and mention our discount code.

Vroom!

NYCC St. Jude's Charity Auction

New York Comic Con. A lot of awesome stuff. A lot of exclusives. A lot of premieres.  And, sometimes, hidden in plain sight, are some pretty, really important things.  We're going to be launching a panel highlight each day starting tomorrow, but before we do, I wanted to take today to make sure you're aware of one of the most important events going on at this year's NYCC.  On Friday, October 14th, NYCC is hosting its 1st Annual Charity Art Auction to benefit the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

St. Jude Children's Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering research and treatment of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Included in that vision is that no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.

Over 50 creators attending this year's show will be generously donating original art for the auction, including Adam Hughes, Mike Mignola, Ivan Reis, Leinil Francis Yu, David Mack, Francis Manapul, Frank Quietly, Joe Prado, Michael Golden, Greg Horn, Paolo Rivera, Scott Kolins, Whilce Portacio and Tony Moore. And, the NYCC Charity Auction will welcome former CGC president Steve Borock as its auctioneer. Steve now works with Heritage Auctions helping to bring comics and original art to auction.

It all happens starting at 7:45 PM in Room 1B03 on Friday night.  Take a bit of your Friday evening to come down, win art, and help save lives.

Saturday NYCC Tickets are Sold Out!

Since the start of the New York Comic Con 2011 show cycle, we've been saying over and over again that we're going to have a sell out show.  Last year, we didn't sell Weekends or Saturday Passes at the con, selling out just before it.  Today, two weeks from NYCC 2011, we've sold out of Saturday tickets.  There are no more Saturday Passes online. Three-Day and Four-Day tickets remain, but if you haven't bought yours yet, I sincerely recommend you not wait much longer.

If you already brought your ticket to NYCC, you're set.  Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the next 13 days until NYCC begins.  If you haven't bought your NYCC ticket, here are your options...

1) Go to NewYorkComicCon.com and order either a Three-Day or Four-Day ticket.  Either of these will get you into the show.  Especially if you want to get in on Saturday to see Avengers, Walking Dead, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Red Tails, and more, grab these tickets now.

2) Only want to go to NYCC on Saturday? You've got one chance left.  We've still got a few Saturday tickets out in the wild at comic shops selling tickets to New York Comic Con.  Head out to one of these stores, as these are the last unclaimed Saturday Passes. Period. Once these disappear, they are no more.

That's it.  Go, buy tickets, and then start buying snacks and/or tissues for this weekend's Doctor Who finale.

Maqqie Q and Nikita Return to NYCC

This just in: We're OK to announce (which we're doing now) the return of Nikita to New York Comic Con!  Stars Maggie Q, Shane West, and Lyndsy Fonseca along with producer Albert Kim will appear at NYCC on Saturday, October 14th from 2:45-3:45 PM in the IGN Theater.  They'll be screening a special highlight reel, discussing upcoming episodes from the show’s second season, and be answering questions from fans.

The cast of Nikita will then be signing in the DC Comics booth at 5:30 PM on Saturday.

Fingers crossed we can make another IGN announcement tomorrow.

Bruce Timm and Green Lantern: The Animated Series at NYCC

Pssst... Bruce Timm and Warner Bros. Animation will present the world premiere of the first episode of Green Lantern: The Animated Series at New York Comic Con! Timm will present the screening on Saturday at 10:30 AM in the MTV Theater (Room 1A10).

Timm will then be signing at the DC Comics Booth at 1:30 PM on Saturday.

Read This Or Be Locked Out Of NYCC

Alrighty folks, here is an important post, so put your listening caps on or your drinking shoes or you comprehension skinny jeans – whatever article of clothing that will make you best pay attention and understand this, please slip into that wardrobe now (for me it’s a cat blazer – a jacket made of live cats).

If any of you can recall, last year NYCC was what I like to call vibrant. Perhaps a bit too vibrant. I’m doing my best to put a positive spin on the fact that it was an insanely busy show. So to try and bring better order to this vibrancy, we are organizing every entrance to the Javits Center by what you are trying to do. So if you have your badge and want to queue up? There’s a door for that. Need to buy a badge? There’s a door for that. Just want to register a complaint that when I blog here its unintelligent blather? There’s no door for that, sorry, keep it to yourself, my ego is too fragile.

I’ve even included a map above for you to reference. Too small? Here’s a link to a larger version of the map. Learn it. Live it. Know it.

Read carefully: If you are not at the right door, you will not be let into the Javits Center. You’ll be rebuffed. Sent back. Held back a grade in school. Be given a do over. Told to attend a remedial con entering class. So save yourself the minor yet very real public scolding and follow these instructions:

Did you get your ticket/badge in the mail or from a retailer? Use the green entrances; these are on the lower level off of 37th or 38th street. For Friday though, remember there is no indoor queuing, everyone will be lined up outside, so please dress accordingly. For Saturday and Sunday if you have your badge already, this is where you will enter to access to queue hall (Hall 1C) to wait for the show to open)

Want to purchase a ticket? Use the blue entrances; these are upstairs off of 35th street. Make sure and check the web site first though as we are selling out of tickets!

Are you a professional or VIP? Use the blue entrances; these are upstairs off of 35th street. Pros will either go down to their registration on the south concourse to pick up tickets or they will go down towards 1E hall and then be directed to 1A hall to Queue. VIP's will be directed down to the VIP lounge in 1E hall.

Have you purchased a ticket online need to pick it up? Use the yellow entrances; these are on the lower level off of 37th and 38th street. For Friday though, remember there is no indoor queuing, everyone will be lined up outside, so please dress accordingly.

Super important thing #1 – Remember to only use these entrances. In fact, better yet, use the streets that lead to these entrances before you even get to 11th Ave.

Super important thing #2 – There will be no indoor queuing on Friday so please dress for the weather.

Thank you for listening so intently to this NYCC Public Service announcement, you can now go back to your regular routines.

-Lance

Can You See This?

Can you see this? Actually, it's probably better if it's a blur. We're approving sign orders for NYCC right now, a little project that's upped Richie's daily Red Bull intake from his typical 12 to 17. We worry about him. Anywho, here's an insider glimpse at the sign revision process, namely notes between Kim and myself.

Yes, Kim did sign her note with a cat face.

Yes, I write all of my notes in Sharpie.

Trust us. We're professionals.

Win Murakami's 1Q84: GeekChic Pick of The Week

Each week, we're proud to showcase one NYC happening-- as selected by our friends at GeekChicNYC. This week? A giveaway in celebration of the English release of one of Japan's biggest novels...

Drop "1984" in a game of word association and you might get back "the birth of the Mac," "crack" or "proton packs." George Orwell's ghost would say "oligarchical dictatorship" or "boo." But millions of Japanese people would likely think of 1Q84. The series of three Haruki Murakami novels addicted the nation like smokeable cocaine when it was first published. GCNYC and the Kinokuniya Bookstore are giving away two copies of the highly anticipated English translation coming out October 25th. The new edition combines all three books in a single volume. Each chapter alternates between stories of Aomame, an assassin who finds herself in an alternate reality, and Tengo, a writer whose poised lifestyle is unraveled by a 17-year-old's mysterious tale about a tribe of Little People. Check out our contest page by October 2, 2011 to win a copy. Leaf through our Facebook and Twitter pages for extra chances. Then head down to the Kinokuniya Bookstore (1073 Sixth Ave at 41st St.) on Saturday from 11AM to 4PM and drop by the GCNYC table to preorder the book for 25% off. Not only will you get an automatic entry into a raffle to take home your copy for 100% off, but we'll have other manga goodies up for grabs!

Want to get more news about nerdy events in NYC? Sign up to get them delivered daily into your inbox by GeekChicNYC.

Marykate's Cube

This is Marykate's cube. She's awesome. She's also constructed this darling little boxhenge in front of her desk. (It's like stonehenge, but with boxes.) Marykate claims it's to keep people out of her cube, but it's instead attracting attention. I honestly think Mike actually built it, wanting to wall Marykate in before getting distracted, abandoning it and instead talking to me about Parks and Recreation.

Neal Adams Portfolio Review Breakfast

Yesterday, NYCC offered up ten seats to have dinner with Marvel at wd~50. They went in 10 minutes. Today, we’re excited to reveal a special portfolio review and breakfast being offering by NYCC Guest Neal Adams.

On Saturday, October 15th at 7:00 AM, three hours before doors open at New York Comic Con, Neal Adams is inviting artists to come to the historic Continuity Studios for a pre-convention breakfast and one-on-one professional portfolio review and lecture. Adams, who won’t be doing portfolio reviews during NYCC, is offering limited spots for the price $300 per spot in an effort to gather a more focused group of aspiring artists from all levels while also creating a good atmosphere and unique experience in his own famed Continuity Studios.

For years, Continuity had been the starting place that many of the comic industry’s most renowned talents. Now hopeful comic creators looking to make their break in the comic industry get to follow the path that many of the greats did before them. Spots for the event are limited but if the demand is high enough a second day will be scheduled for Sunday.

To reserve your spot please contact Erica at Continuity (212) 869-4170 or email Kris at Kris@nealadams.com.

I hope there'll be pancakes.

Some Thouhgts on The ICv2 Conference Absence This Year

Since the very first NYCC, Milton Griepp and ICv2 have been there. Actually since before the first NYCC Milton was there, lending advice and helping get the show off the ground. Once it was off the ground, the ICv2 Conference has been a mainstay at NYCC, helping us to deliver on our promise to not “just” be a fan event, but also help grow the industry through B2B information and education serving publishers, retailers, booksellers, librarians, licensing professionals, etc.

That’s why it’s such a bummer that for the first time we won’t have an ICv2 Conference at NYCC. There is no one reason for it, just a bunch of little reasons that made it hard for us and Milton to pull it off. The change to the 4 day format for the show is probably the biggest reason, but finding the right slot, the right room, getting partners lined up all just proved really hard this year. And when I say the right room, we are really struggling with meeting rooms this year due to a one year quirk with the Javits.

What’s most important is that this is just a one year break and the ICv2 Conference will be back next year in a triumphant return. In fact, Milton and I have already started discussing 2012 and we are hell bent on making the conference even better than it ever has been.

Nonetheless, a tradition is being broken this year and I know you will miss the content ICv2 delivered as much as I…..

Here is a link to the piece ICv2 wrote about the non conference.

-Lance

Introducing White Space @ New York Comic Con

Maybe you read it, maybe you didn’t. maybe you don’t care but I’m telling you anyway because I think it’s pretty cool……For the first time ever at NYCC, we’ll be holding a high-level B2B gathering for the makers of popular entertainment and the individuals driving the content, technology, marketing, delivery and cool that our fans crave – It’s called White Space @ New York Comic Con. This year it’ll be an exclusive, intimate gather of just 100 movers and shakers, by invitation only but next year, it’ll open up and get much, much bigger, including a full day of dialogue and a technology hub where everyone can take a look at the devices we’ll be using in the years to come to consume pop culture content.

For almost 2 years I’ve been working on adding a business component to NYCC and with our partners at MIP in France and GeekChicDaily/Nerdist Industries, it finally came together this year.
The basic idea of White Space is to take the big show floor of NYCC with all its fans, brands, games, comics, TV shows, - content in all forms – and flip it upside down and look at everything that goes into the making of the content we all crave. It’s about exploring the business of pop culture across platforms and industries. So we’ll have an interesting mix of folks from gaming, TV, film, publishing, technology, advertising and venture capital to engage a big dialogue about the crazy business of pop culture.

More a summit and definitely not a conference (that term makes me shudder a bit) White Space will be a loosely structured debate and networking event designed to foster open, transparent discussions between peers, kicked off by new media and entertainment keynote speakers. Think of it as a gathering of the Free Masons of pop culture. OK, no it’s not quite that mysterious as we plan to stream portions of the summit after NYCC.

Here at ReedPop we’ve always made it part of mission to help grow the industries in which we operate and we see White Space as a chance to do just that. There are a lot of conferences out there about technology or TV or mobile or digital or publishing, but there is not any one place where there is an exploration of the business of pop culture IP from all different angles and including the uber critical consumer’s viewpoint. We believe White Space will do just that and in the process help our industry, improve people’s businesses and perhaps help spur some cool mash up’s between mediums and content we never imagined…..

This should be a fun adventure and one more way, NYCC is different from any other gathering out there…..

Here's a link to the web site which includes the initial press release.

-Lance

Caturday

Short and melancholy, like the last, fleeting days until NYCC.

A pretty profound Caturday. 

NYCC Tips with Lance - Part 2 Updated - Links Fixed

Hey guys, here are a few links that should be helpful to enhance your NYCC con going experience. If you haven't noticed, NYCC, like Leon from the movie Airplane, just keeps getting larger. So how do you find your way around to all the cool stuff you want to find? Well you better know where you are going.

This is a building overview of the entire Javits Center, so you've got the big picture so you know where everything is located. Keep in mind, we are using the Galleria all the way upstairs and the new Javits North, which is a pavilion on the uptown side of the building. Here is a link to the building overview.. Be patient, it's a really big file.

And what about the actual show floor? Well this year, the exhibits at NYCC will be about 30% bigger than last year. Yeah, 30%. Sure, Marvel and DC are there in huge booths, but so is Hasbro, Microsoft, Star Wars Celebration 6 all for the first time, just to name a few. So here is a handy link to an overview of the show floor to give you a sense of what you'll have 4 days to navigate. Here is the link.

Here's hoping this gives you the knowledge you need to make some serious fun at NYCC.

- Lance

Speed Dating Reality TV at NYCC!

Lightning Fast Speed Dating is back at NYCC again this year.  We've brought them to Star Wars Celebration, C2E2, and last year's New York Comic Con.  They're fun, and they get the particular little world we live in.  We've had applications to be part of this year's event online for a while now, and we've today got an exciting update.

Speed Dating at New York Comic Con – brought to you by Lightning Fast Speed Dating – will be the subject for a pilot for a new unscripted, reality television series. A camera crew from a major cable network will be on-site at NYCC filming the sessions to produce a show about pop culture fans looking for love. If you've signed up for a Speed Dating session (or will be signing up for a session) and are interested in finding out more about the series and possibly being interviewed and featured on the show, please contact speeddatetv@gmail.com with your name, city, state, and age.

Have additional questions? Please post them on Facebook to Lightning Fast Speed Dating.

Want to sign up?  Visit NewYorkComicCon.com.

Gundam Unicorn with Michael Sinterniklaas and Stephanie Sheh at NYCC!

We’re very excited to announce the New York Anime Festival at New York Comic Con will play host to a special screening of Gundam Unicorn 3: The Ghost of Laplace! Dubbing Director Michael Sinterniklaas and voice actress Stephanie Sheh will both be appearing at the convention in connection to Gundam Unicorn and will be speaking following the screening event. It all happens on Saturday at 2:45 PM in Room 1A18. Oh, what’s it about? Well...

In order to recapture Banagher and the Unicorn Gundam, the Federation Forces launch an assault on Palau, the stronghold of the Sleeves. During a fierce battle with the Cyber-Newtype Marida, the Uncorn Gundam’s NT-D system activates finally releasing its hidden power!

Marvel Dinner at WD~50

Just a reminder we've got a nine course meal with wine pairing at Wylie Dufresne's wd~50 with C.B. Cebulski, Joe Quesada and Axel Alonso reserved with your name on it.  Well, maybe. Kinda. We've got ten seats open to fans up for grabs starting on September 26th.

This is your chance to be wined and dined with some of the most important people in comics, and it all takes place at 8:00 PM on Friday, October 14. The cost for the meal and entire evening is $550, but the opportunity is priceless.

For all the details, click right here.

Fairy Tail on Facebook

Hiro Mashima is coming to the New York Anime Festival at New York Comic Con to meet fans, sign autographs, and present a special Fairy Tail screening. Want all the information first? It'll be coming to you on Facebook. Fairy Tail's officially now on Facebook, and you should like it now.

All the info -- and exclusive info -- about Mashima's time at NYAF at NYCC and very cool, limited-edition giveaways will be posted up on Fairy Tail's official Facebook page from Kodansha Comics!

Chris Hardwick On A Bike

This is Chris Hardwick. 

He's awesome. 

He's interviewed Matt Smith like 500 times. 

He's also got an amazing blog and podcast, Nerdist. 

Anywho, he's coming to NYCC and will be hosting a few panels during the con.  We'll talk about those in a bit.  Right now, though, here's a picture of him on a bike.

GeekChic Pick of The Week: Reni-Chan Maid Show

Each week, we're proud to showcase one NYC event -- as selected by our friends at GeekChicNYC. This week? A Maid in Manhattan...

For otaku boys and girls in Asia, the maid cafe is as much a cultural staple as sticky rice. J-pop singer and cosplay superstar Reni Mimura is dressing up the West Village's Amber to expose average New Yorkers to this phenomenon on September 25th from noon to 3:30. The heart of the cafe is Moe style, or an affection for the cute look of anime and Japanese pop culture. Entry is ten bucks if you're in cosplay or fifteen if you're more of a cosplay voyeur. Keep in mind, that fee doesn't cover the meal which will no doubt be almost too cute to consume. You will get to witness Reni sing her hits live and then cover them, or any other song you bring, in a karaoke contest. Follow @geekchicnyc on Twitter and you and four friends could be going for free.

Want to get more news about nerdy events in NYC? Sign up to get them delivered daily into your inbox by GeekChicNYC.

NYCC Tips From Lance - Part 1

Greetings earthlings, the time of NYCC is afoot! At 22 days to the show, things are starting to get hectic. Insane in fact. I saw Peter screaming at a small dog on the sidewalk the other day simply to blow off some steam. So as we fret, plan, stress and work all hours of the night on a pizza and beer fueled push to October 13th here at ReedPop Global Command Center, I thought I'd share a few tips on how you can make your NYCC experience more fun, productive, easy and won't leave you wanting to scream at a small dog.

First, here's a quick ticket update. Right now, single day Saturday tickets online are 90% sold out. For the moment, 3 day, 4 day and single day Saturday tickets at retailers are looking OK, but moving fast. Currently, we've sold 34% more tickets this year than the same date last year, meaning they are selling much faster. Some single days and maybe several will sell out. Here is a link to all of the retailers selling tickets.

This post is one of a few I'll push out in the coming week or two. Also, follow me on Twitter for more updates - www.twitter.com/lfensterman

NYCC Tips

The mobile app is amazing. Has tons of news, details, guests, panels, etc your con experience will be much better with it. Go to www.nyccmobile.com

If you need to pick up your ticket a great tip to skip some lines is to do it early in the day or early in the week. Here when registration is open: Wednesday 10/12, 1pm-7pm. Thursday 10/13, 8am-8pm. Friday & Saturday, 7am-7pm. Stop by any time to pick up your ticket or buy one.

On the mobile ap and the web site, you can create a customized schedule to make your time at the con efficient and enjoyable. Here’s the link for the online version.

We’ll be adding more and more autographing announcements by the end of September. Some of the autographing guests are live now, but more are coming.

Parking is crazy expensive around the Javits. Take the train to Penn and walk. Or, go to one of our hotels and hop on the shuttle. Here’s a link to the shuttle details.

Yes, there is a bag and a coat check at the Javits Center. There is a fee (usually like 10 bucks)

Stan Lee info, including signings and such can be found in his bio on the NYCC guest page. He’s attending as a guest of 1821 Comics.

If you are wondering about exclusives, portfolio reviews or in booth signings, whenever exhibitors tell us, we put it on our web site. If they don’t tell us, its at the whim of the individual exhibitor.

Due to some tricky space issues we have this year, on Friday, there will be no indoor queuing, so please, please come prepared for the weather, ok?

More tips to come!

-Lance

IT'S ALIVE!

New York Comic Con and the New York Anime Festival’s panels are live! We’ve got over 300 panels and screening from Marvel, DC, Capcom, Square-Enix, FUNimation, Bandai, Sony, Warner Bros., Lucasfilm, and more. It’s awesome. It’s great. And it’s almost complete. We’ve got a few more IGN additions to be including over the coming days, but right now, dig in and start planning out your schedule. This message is brief. It could be longer. We could talk about everything we’re excited about, but then we’d have 300 panel descriptions below. Instead, go and explore. We’ve got the cast of AMC’s Walking Dead coming to the convention. We’ve got a very special panel with cast from Marvel Studios’ Avengers. We’ve got a lot of big things and a lot of little things, too. Take notes on all the things you know you’re going to love, but also circle some things that may surprise you, like Red Tails and the world premiere of Guilty Crown!

Enough talk. Get clicking...

Thursday Schedule
Friday Schedule
Saturday Schedule
Sunday Schedule

Oh, we'll be talking more -- much more -- about that Avengers panel very soon.

Adult Swim and Cartoon Network NYCC Schedule

We're debuting about 98.3% of NYCC's panels today at noon. How about a little appetiser? Hmmm? A taste at what's to come? Ladies and gents, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network's line-up for New York Comic Con.  Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer, Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, Janeane Garofalo, Patton Oswalt, and Chris Elliot are just the start of their monster schedule at this year's NYCC.
 
Click here for all the details!

Read more »

Quite Possibly The Best Thing You'll See All Week

The Men Who Made Miku

The New York Anime Festival at New York Comic Con -- thanks to our friends at Japan Foundation and American Airlines -- are proud to announce three men at the heart of digital idol Hatsune Miku's creation and success will be coming to the con! Hiroyuki Itoh, Toshihiro Fukuoka, and Masataka P will be speaking about Miku's past, present, and future on panels on October 15th and 16th. Hiroyuki Itoh is CEO of Crypton Future Media, the company which created Hatsune Miku, Toshihiro Fukuoka is an esteemed writer and the Executive Producer of this summer's MIKUNOPOLIS LA concert, and Masataka P is one of the most popular creators of Hatsune Miku dance videos on the internet.

If you're unfamiliar with Hatsune Miku, she's a digital idol. She's a virtual singer. She's a character. She's a piece of software. And she's played sold out concerts in both Tokyo and Los Angeles, and this is just the start, as Itoh, Fukuoka, and Masataka will be speaking about where 2012 will take the computer-age diva.

On October 15, Toshihiro Fukuoka and Masataka P will present "Hatsune Miku: Beyond The Character" discussing Miku's character, songs, and music videos -- and the Miku Miku Dance software. Then, on October 16, Hiroyuki Itoh and Toshihiro Fukuoka will give a talk titled "Hatsune Miku: After MIKUNOPOLIS", exploring how Miku's LA concert was just the start. This panel will also present the world premiere of a special 30 minute MIKUNOPOLIS concert film.

Still don't understand all the fuss? Here you go...

Dai Sato! Katsuhiro Harada! And Tekken 3D! At NYCC!

NYCC and Namco Bandai are very excited to announce Dai Sato and Katsuhiro Harada will be coming to this year's New York Anime Festival at New York Comic Con! Dai Sato is one of the biggest names in the anime world and is the writer of Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Wolf’s Rain, Eureka Seven, Ergo Proxy, Eden of the East, and Tekken: Blood Vengeance (we'll get back to that last one). Harada is the godfather of Tekken. He's worked on Tekken games for the past 16 years, and, currently, he’s the leader of the Tekken Project and also the Chief Producer working on the Soul Calibur series and Tekken X Street Fighter.

Both gents will be at NYCC to introduce and present a special Q&A before and after a screening of Tekken: Blood Vengeance. A full-length 3D, CG Tekken slug fest, the film will be shown -- in glorious 3D -- as the capstone of our IGN Theater program at 1:30 PM on Sunday at NYCC!

Dances of Vice: Tokyo Blade Runner Party

The creation of Shien Lee, Dances of Vice is a New York nightlife sensation I've long been a fan of. Dances of Vice is a regular series of themed parties focused on different niches, kinks, and subcultures.  I'm very excited to say Dances of Vice will be presenting a special closing night party on Sunday, October 16th in honor of New York Comic Con.

Themed "Tokyo Blade Runner", Dances of Vice is inviting all retro-futurists, cyberpunks, renegade replicants, and starlight criminals to a night of glittering neo-Tokyo glamour at their tribute to the 1983 cult classic Blade Runner. 

The night will feature live bands, dancers, fashion shows, and DJs. The party's a whole new world where utopia and dystopia, man and machine, and East and West and become one. The party begins at 9 PM on October 16th at The Gallery at Le Poisson Rouge.  It's $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

Get all the details on NYCC's After Parties page.

My Feet Hurt

See this. This is a little square of white stone at the far end of Governors Island. We hid a VIP Ticket behind it. And you found it.

Huge, huge thanks to all the NYCC volunteers and staff who hid the prizes, all the players who dashed after us, and all the comic shops and guests who were in on it, too. Bravo, next, to Kristin Heise, the little fraggle who captained the #CONquest11 Scavenger Hunt.

It was a big day, a fun day, and a day we'll think back on to get us through the wretched hell that is the final month of planning NYCC. Right now, though, after a marathon of sticking tickets under mail boxes and slipping past foaming guard dogs, we sleep.

Or buy a quart of Asahi for $3 at Sunrise Mart and watch some new Doctor Who. Whatever floats your boat.

#TeamSquid

Here's an insider look at the #CONQuest11 playbook and the specific folks and teams making today possible.

Play along now by following @NY_Comic_Con on Twitter!

Must Be Fate

Here's another shot of the #CONQuest11 HQ. More specifically, the bar. Precisely, the plastic wrap on the bar.

That's the New York Comic Con font!

#CONQuest11 HQ

Here are the few, the proud, and the sleepy at New York Comic Con's #CONQuest11 Secret Headquarters in Times Square. We've got teams hiding tickets around New York with Kristin running the show from a bar stool - with a coffee, then a tea, then a milkshake, and then a Blue Moon in hand. She and Vice Captain Ed are equipped with two iPads and a just plain stupid number of iPhones and BlackBerries.

Follow @NY_Comic_Con for the #CONQuest11 clues now.

#ConQUEST11 Scavenger Hunt Today!

Today's the day.  We've got New York Comic Con staff, retailers, and guests pitching in for NYCC's #ConQUEST11 Twitter Scavenger Hunt.  We're covering all of NYC's boroughs and some select locations in neighboring states, planting NYCC passes all throughout the day. We'll be hiding both 4-Day tickets as well as a few Ultimate VIP Packages in unassuming locations.  Want to play? We're officially tweeting clues through @NY_Comic_Con with the #CONQuest11 hashtag.

For all the info, details, and rules, visit nycomiccon.com.

Oh, the image to the right? Maybe a hint.

Caturday

NYCC Ticket Mailing Deadline Is Today

Order your ticket by day's end to have your ticket mailed to you.

Order tomorrow, and you'll have to get in this line.

Seriously, buy your ticket now.

NYCC Twitter Scavenger Hunt

In August 2010, the NYCC team had a not-so-crazy idea to run a Twitter Scavenger Hunt, hiding tickets in various NYC neighborhoods and tweeting out clues to their whereabouts.  This year, we're doing it again. And we're doing it bigger -- covering all of NYC's boroughs and even a few neighboring states.  It all takes place Saturday, September 17.

We'll be hiding both 4-Day tickets as well as a few Ultimate VIP Packages in unassuming locations.  Want to play? We’ll begin officially tweeting clues through @NY_Comic_Con with the #CONQuest11 hashtag on Saturday morning.

For all the info, details, and rules, visit nycomiccon.com.  Have a hearty breakfast and be sure to put on a pair of good shoes, as Kristin's got some diabolical locations planned.

NYCC Travel Discount Reminder

NYCC's ticket mailing deadline is tomorrow. Buy your ticket after September 16th and get ready to stand in line for a wee bit.  When you buy your ticket, grab your airline ticket, too, if you're coming from out of state. And, thanks to our friends at American, if you book on American Airlines, we’re proud to offer you a 7% discount.

This special discount is available on flights on American Airlines, American Eagle, and American Connection between October 10th and 19th, 2011. To book travel with this discount, simply visit www.aa.com/group and enter code 17H1BL. Don’t want to book online? Call 1-800-433-1790 from anywhere in the US with the code handy. And, if you’re traveling internationally, contact your local reservation number and mention our discount code.

American's discount doesn't expire on our ticket mailing deadline, but if you're flying in, you really should get your travel plans in place soon.

NYCC Ticket Mailing Deadline Is Tomorrow

Order your ticket by tomorrow to have your ticket mailed to you.

Order after that, and you'll have to get in this line.

Seriously, buy your ticket now.

David Cross, H. Jon Benjamin, Fred Armisen and More at NYCC from IFC!

Ah, we're a month from New York Comic Con. Panels will be going live soon, and the networks and studios will start making noise.  We've got a series of cool announcements coming up over the coming days and weeks -- including the BIGGEST THING EVER ANNOUNCED AT NYCC -- and we're starting it all off today with news from our friends at IFC.  IFC's Portlandia and The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret will be at NYCC.

Portlandia's creators, writers and stars, Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live), Carrie Brownstein (Wild Flag, Sleater-Kinney) and Jonathan Krisel (Saturday Night Live, Tim and Eric Awesome Show) will appear to discuss the show for a panel hosted by actor and comedian Seth Meyers (Saturday Night Live).

Creator, writer and star of The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, David Cross (Arrested Development, Mr. Show) will then be at New York Comic Con to tell fans about the second season of his IFC misadventure. The conversation will be moderated by actor and comedian H. Jon Benjamin (Archer, Jon Benjamin Has a Van).

Both panels will be held back-to-back on Sunday, October 16th.  For all the details as we get closer to the con, be sure to follow @IFCtv on Twitter.

Masayuki Ozaki at NYAF

We're very pleased to today reveal Masayuki Ozaki will be attending this year's New York Anime Festival at New York Comic Con.  Ozaki-san is one of the biggest names at SUNRISE studio in Japan, right now Executive Producing Tiger & Bunny.  Ozaki will be speaking on a SUNRISE panel at the show as well as a specific Tiger & Bunny event.  At SUNRISE since 2004, he was originally a Planning Manager for Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. 2005 saw Ozaki launching anime projects including Sergent Keroro. His credits include Dinosaur King, Inuyasha: The Final Act, and Gintama: The Movie. 

He's now Executive Producing Tiger & Bunny, one of the biggest hits of the year.

Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark at NYCC

It's always exciting when we can shine a spotlight on something that's part of New York at New York Comic Con.  We love featuring guests from around the world, but there's something warm and fuzzy about working with our neighbors and presenting something that's located just down the block or across the street.  We've got a handful of very cool, very local activities and events at this year's con, with the biggest being a little event around Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.

Turn Off The Dark writers Roberto Aguire-Sacasa and Glen Berger will be coming to NYCC to discuss the long, long road that was bringing Spider-Man to Broadway. Joining them will be the production's set designers, who'll speak about the show's technology and special effects -- many elements invented for the show.  The panel will be moderated by Marvel's Agent M, aka Marvel.com Editorial Director Ryan Penagos.

Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark comes to NYCC on Sunday, October 16th. Our full schedule and panel listing is going live on September 20th.

GeekChic Pick Of The Week: Win A Pair Of Tickets To The Maker Faire

Each week, we're proud to showcase one NYC event -- as selected by our friends at GeekChicNYC. This week? The largest DIY Festival on the planet!

To hang out with robots you usually have to be part of either some prestigious research firm or the LeBeouf clan. Bodacious bots don't wander the cold city streets too often. Until that day when Skynet enslaves humanity, your best bet to meet mind-blowing machinery is to attend NYC's Maker Faire, running both days this weekend at the New York Hall of Science. We're giving away three pairs of tickets to attend either day. You must enter by 11:59PM tonight, September 14, 2011. Build extra chances on our Facebook and Twitter.

The festival takes over Flushing Meadows with 500+ hands-on exhibits, science demos and art-technology pieces. Fly remote-control planes (and learn how to build your own). Watch pictures appear in a glowing waterfall. Learn secret agent lock picking techniques. Wreck stuff. Build stuff. The cutting edge of environmentally-friendly design, transportation and clothing will also be featured. That means a poop-eating boat that's greener than The Hulk's dreamy eyes.

Grab your Transformers and roll out to our giveaway page. Then power up bonus chances on Facebook and Twitter. The contest starts now and goes until you see, sigh, the dark of the moon. Johnny 5 will be happy you entered.

Want to get more news about nerdy events in NYC? Sign up to get them delivered daily into your inbox by GeekChicNYC.

NYCC Ticket Mailing Deadline Is 2 Days Away

Order your ticket by September 16 to have your ticket mailed to you.

Order after that, and you'll have to get in this line.

Seriously, buy your ticket now.

Two Of Aniplex’s Biggest Names In NYC!

The fine folks at Aniplex will be hosting a number of screenings and events at NYAF at NYCC this year. If you’ve been around the block, you’ve met Hiroe-san, who runs most of the Aniplex panels in the US. Well, for NYAF at NYCC, Hiroe will be joined by two of Aniplex’s biggest guns -- Koichiro Natsume and Hideo Katsumata.

Koichiro Natsume is President of Aniplex, Inc. and Chief Operation Officer of Visual Business Group at Sony Music Entertainment, Aniplex's parent company. Hideo Katsumata is President and Executive VP of the #1 Planning & Production Group of Aniplex, Inc. Together, these men have been responsible for works including Gurren Lagann, Black Butler, Fullmetal Alchemist, Blue Exorcist, and – most recently – Madoka Magica. That’s an impressive resume.

Natsume and Katsumata will be at NYAF at NYCC as part of the main Aniplex panel as well as a special Madoka Magica Friday Night preview screening. More details coming soon. How soon? Let’s say September 20th. Yeah, that sounds about right.

NYCC Ticket Mailing Deadline Is 3 Days Away

Order your ticket by September 16 to have your ticket mailed to you.

Order after that, and you'll have to get in this line.

Seriously, buy your ticket now.

Sailor Moon Back In Print! Special Poster From Kodansha And Kinokuniya!

This week saw the release of something very special in the manga world. Japan’s iconic, sparkly magical girl ambassador – Sailor Moon – is back in print in America. The fine folks at Kodansha Comics are republishing the genre-defining work in newly expanded, retranslated volumes, and the first editions of both Sailor Moon and Sailor V just hit book shops. And, if you’re in New York, we recommend you grab your copies of Sailor Moon and Sailor V at a specific book shop – Kinokuniya. Kodansha and Kinokuniya have teamed up to offer a special Sailor Moon poster for fans who purchase their books at Kino.

Fans who pick up Sailor Moon or Sailor V Vol. 1 and pre-order Vol. 2 of either book will get this special present from their friends in Japan. Hurry, though, as Kinokuniya only has 70 posters from Kodansha to giveaway!

Kinokuniya is at 1073 Avenue of the Americas, right across from Bryant Park.

NYCC: There's An App For That

You need the Official NYCC Mobile App - Presented by Sprint - as your digital guide to the NYCC Universe. Really.  After playing with apps at last year's NYCC as well as C2E2 and Celebration, we took all the fan feedback, and built something new, sexy, and awesome from the ground up.  Our new apps run on the iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android, and I should clearly point out they actually run on all these devices. (It's not mobile web. You download the thing, and it lives on your phone, which is a good thing in the Bermuda Triangle of cell service that is the Javits.)  Check out the latest news, guest announcements, exhibitor info, and more all for free, always at your side, in our mobile app.

And, if that ain't enough to tempt you, we're giving away some VIP, 4-Day, and Saturday tickets as part of our launch.  Get all the giveaway details here, and download the app at nyccmobile.com.

Can you find the hidden Larry wallpaper?

NYCC Ticket Mailing Deadline Is 4 Days Away

Order your ticket by September 16 to have your ticket mailed to you.

Order after that, and you'll have to get in this line.

Seriously, buy your ticket now.

Wanna Go On A Date With Marvel?

For the past two years, we've hosted a special comics dinner at C2E2, bringing fans together with some of the biggest names at Marvel.  This October, we're excited to be hosting our first dinner at New York Comic Con. On Friday night, we're hosting a little gathering with some of the biggest names at Marvel, and we want you to join us. We've set up a nine course meal with wine pairing at wd~50, owned by Wylie Dufresne, a Michelin star winner and molecular gastronomic auteur. If this award-winning restaurant doesn't entice you enough, wait until you hear who you'll be dining with...

C.B. Cebulski, writer and talent scout extraordinaire hosts this once-in-a-lifetime dinner with Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment, Joe Quesada and Marvel Editor-in-Chief, Axel Alonso.

This is your chance to be wined and dined with some of the most important people in comics. It all takes place at 8:00 PM on Friday, October 14 and includes a nine course meal and wine pairing. It is open to only ten fans. The cost is $550, but the opportunity is priceless!

Tickets will go on sale on September 26 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time right here.

NYCC Ticket Mailing Deadline Is 5 Days Away

Order your ticket by September 16 to have your ticket mailed to you.

Order after that, and you'll have to get in this line.

Seriously, buy your ticket now.

Caturday

A Cool Breeze and Crickets Chirping

See this. Actually, you probably don't. It's an unrecognizably blurry picture of the New York Comic Con poster up at the Westport Metro North Station. It's Jackie and Brian's work. We've got huge, gorgeous NYCC art all throughout the Metro North and LIRR lines.

Team NYCC is in Westport tonight to celebrate one more month until the madness. There's a cool breeze and crickets chirping, but 30 days from now we'll be in the final, desperate, stomach-churning sprint to the show. Now, though? Margaritas.

Lance, Jewel, Mandy, Maggie, Brian, Jackie, Jenny, Kim, Larry, Mark, Mike, Bill, and I are here. We're waiting on Heise and a few more. Most notable Marykate. ReedPOP's newest addition, we have the sneaking suspicion she's still at the office, but she shouldn't be. Really.

MK's not responded to emails or phone calls, so it's time for public scolding. Marykate, you really should be here, too. Not at the office. You better not be at the office. I'm excited and honored to have you on the team, but I don't want you burning out before you officially begin. Come here. Or go home and sleep.

Westport smells like the ocean and a Mexican restaurant. Maybe because that's where we're at.

The Conference Barnyard

Kim drew this. Spent the whole afternoon. It's the conference team, Kristin as a humming bird, Kim as a mad cat, and Khahil as a happy unicorn. I'm not featured as she's still figuring out what I am.

I think she and Heise are going back and forth between giraffe and koala.

I want to be a squid.

Official Star Wars Celebration VI Logo Revealed

When the Star Wars Celebration VI announcement went live in the spring over at StarWarsCelebration.com, it did so with a teaser logo.  The whole site, actually, is a teaser, with the full one coming this fall.  And we're in fall now.  With Labor Day just a few days ago, we're officially in the time of red and orange leaves, candy corn, and sweater weather.  We've got a lot of Celebration VI announcements coming soon -- the first of which being the show's official logo.

Check it out in all its glory above -- the VI ignited by Yoda's saber.

This new logo is now on the Celebration site and will shortly be live elsewhere, like in the bottom right of this very blog.

DJ Z-Trip NYCC Kick-Off Concert

New York Comic Con is expanding for the first time to four days.  Touching Thursday for the very first time, we'll this year be presenting an afternoon of professional panels followed by unlocking the show floor from 4 to 7 PM for 4-Day Pass Holders, VIPs, Press, and Pros.  But what about after the show floor wraps up?  To celebrate NYCC's expansion into the country formerly occupied by Seinfeld and Friends, NYCC and Sprint are throwing a party.  From drawing crowds of 10,000 at Coachella, to albums selling 500,000 copies, to guest starring in DJ Hero, DJ Z-Trip is a thunderous name in a bold, new section of pop culture. He's considered by many to be one of the best live DJs in history, and we're very proud to welcome him for a special one-night-only free concert in the Javits Center thanks to our friends at Sprint.

 Z-Trip's NYCC concert is free to all VIPs and 4-Day ticket holders, but seating is first come, first served and will be extremely limited. Ultimate Access, Special Access and Anime Access VIP ticket holders will be guaranteed to get into the show, with 4-Day ticket holders let in until the auditorium is full.

For all the information and all the excitement, get the full story at newyorkcomiccon.com.

8333% Of Your Daily Vitamin B12 Needs

Khahil White, fresh from PAX, just unboxed a case of 5-Hour Energy. And, like idiots, he, Heise, and I just chugged them. While I’m no stranger to Red Bull, Monster, or paste, I’ve never done a 5-Hour Energy until now. Its got a fizzy, fruity flavor with a chalky finish, and all of five seconds after it’s down, the magic capet ride begin. I spent five minutes unable to stop grinning like an idiot, the next five wanting to punch walls and windows, the next five sending a flurry of emails to Lucasfilm, and now I’m staring into a bottomless well of sorrow. New York Comic Con is just over a month away.

There's no real message, meaning, or moral to this post, but we've got some big news coming news. Thursday night concert. Marvel dinner. The most spectacular guest announcement in NYCC history.

Takeuchi, Mashima, and Shinkai Interviews Now Available

Interested in sitting down with NYAF's Japanese guests? Limited interview slots are now available for members of the press. If you'd like to apply to interview Junko Takeuchi, Hiro Mashima, or Makoto Shinkai, submit your credentials online here by September 20th...

http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Press-And-Pros/AnimeManga-Guests-Interview/

The Sport Of Wizards Comes To NYCC!

ReedPOP was just plain giddy when we invited the International Quidditch Association to C2E2 earlier this year.  It was an experiment.  Would a game from the Harry Potter books, brought to life by college kids, and grown into a sport played on over 300 university campuses find an audience at a con?  Yup.  We're proud, now, to reveal the IQA will be coming to this year's New York Comic Con! The International Quidditch Association will be bringing local teams, including the NYU Hipster Horcruxes, to demonstrate the sport, host matches, and lead open games for NYCC participants to join in.

Real-life Quidditch, or “Muggle Quidditch” as it is often called, is played as such: The Snitch is a very fast person, Seekers must tear a sockball from the back of their shorts to earn an extra 30 points for their team and end the game, Beaters peg each other with dodgeballs, Chasers dunk volleyballs through the opposing team's hoops, and every player darts across the field holding a broom between their legs.

Demo games and open matches will take place on Saturday and Sunday in Hall 1B from 1 PM - 3 PM, and they are open to participants and spectators of all ages. 

The IQA is also getting ready for their fifth annual Quidditch World Cup in NYC, and they will be selling and giving away tickets to the world Quidditch finals at NYCC.
For more information, visit internationalquidditch.org.

Dai Sato at Japan Society! Part of the Films For Hope Festival

Exactly six months since the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well as the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US, New York City’s Japan Society will present a day of reflection and hope – a day-long animation series called Films for Hope. Curated by Justin Leach, a 12 year veteran of the animation industry, Films for Hope is a special showcase of animated short films from all around the world. This one-day event from 1-7 PM on Sunday, September 11th brings together animations that display the creativity of artists inspired by Japanese motion graphic techniques and storytelling. Guests at Films for Hope include Pixar’s Enrico Casarosa, who’ll be presenting the New York Premiere of Pixar’s La Luna, and Japanese screenwriter Dai Sato (Eureka Seven, Cowboy Bebop), who’ll present his new short, Five Numbers.

Further, Sato-san will have with him a limited supply of Eureka Seven shirts created in the aftermath of the Tohoku Earthquake. Part of the Hand in Hand project, sales of these shirts will benefit the earthquake’s survivors.

Fifty percent of all proceeds from Films For Hope go to Japan Society’s Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. For a schedule, further information, and tickets, please visit www.japansociety.org/film.

GeekChic Pick of The Week: Street Wars Watergun Tournament

Each week, we're proud to showcase one NYC event -- as selected by our friends at GeekChicNYC. This week? A real life game of cat and mouse... and watergun...

We're sure your cats are extremely impressed with what a hot sh*t marksman you are in Sniper: Ghost Warrior. How do you think you'd fare with actual rebels scouting your position as you make your way home from work? Find out starting September 19th with New York's three week long water gun assassination tournament, Street Wars. The super soaked skirmish normally costs 45 bones to register, but GCNYC can get you in on the action for 33% off. Begin your mission on our deal page to become an agent for only $30. Enter the fray by September 8th, 2011 before this awesome discount gets rubbed out.Want to get more news about nerdy events in NYC? Sign up to get them delivered daily into your inbox by GeekChicNYC.