New York Comic Con - We Survived!

One of Gabriel's Con Commissions

And... We're back! NYCC was a whirlwind, as always. The crowds were possibly even more insane than last year, but this time Artist Alley was in a sort of backwater pod area away from the main floor. That turned out to be okay because there was (gasp!) actual natural light. The traffic flow was better too, since we didn't have to fight for air and space with the major booths. The only downside was that the crowds were so crazy that I didn't make it to the main floor at any point during the entire show. New Doctor Who figures? None for me this year.

The fact that the crowds were a little easier to handle in Artist Alley was a big advantage though, since it meant that the folks who made it to our neck of the woods had the space to hang out and chat for a bit. I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to say hi, purchase books and art, and say encouraging things about our work. That goes double for the podcasters who made the trek all the way from the complete opposite side of the con, often carrying equipment. You guys rock!

Me, Gabriel Hardman, and Yildiray Cinar

Speaking of podcasts, we had a lot of fun at the the iFanboy party Friday night. It still amazes me that it's held in a basement bar in Alphabet City. When I lived in NYC way back that neighborhood was rather... less posh.

The weather in New York was amazing too, perfect for walking and shopping for books. It turned out that the High Line ran almost all the way from the Convention Center to our hotel, and we took full advantage of the crisp fall air. I love the idea: an old elevated rail path upcycled into a lovely park that runs for blocks and blocks. It's like some idealized vision of a future city brought to life.

On Thursday we visited The Strand, finally. Wow, what a book store. Pro tip: they ship! Just $4.99 for the first book and $0.99 for each book after that. Way, way cheaper than packing back a bunch of heavy art tomes in the luggage. We also made it to The Village Vanguard to see the Bill Charlap Trio so I can now say that yes, that place fairly reeks of history. I can't believe we'd never caught a show there before since it's well worth the trip downtown.

Of course I'm paying for it all now with an epic case of con crud, but it was worth it. Now to catch up on all those deadlines before the next con season begins!