What to Expect From the First Online New York Comic Con
We knew it was going to happen, but it still hurts: New York Comic Con 2020 is officially canceled in physical form and is moving to a digital experience. Like the new FanDome DC , NYCC hopes to capture as much magic as possible in an online environment, but for a much wider audience. For anyone who has been to the NYCC before – or any major convention in general – this is a difficult task. The miracle of NYCC is that you interact in person with other enthusiasts, see their cosplays as they walk by, sit on the floor with your new merchandise, and discover new artists as you roam the 840,000 square feet of the Javits Convention Center. Center.
From Lance Fensterman, President of ReedPop, a company that holds annual conventions:
We’re totally disappointed that we can’t get together in person at New York Comic Con, which we love to build, and our fans love to revel in. We look forward to this weekend all year, just like you, and with this being our 15th edition, we were especially excited. I will miss the artists’ alleys and meet the friends I have made since we were in the basement at the Javits Center. While this year is definitely going to be a different one, we will try to deliver the best and most exciting event for our fans, members and studios thanks to our partnership with YouTube.
With no personal experience, a pop culture convention is for most nerds just another day on the Internet. ReedPop is hoping to change that, and they are partnering with YouTube to try and make it happen. Here’s what to expect:
Lower cost and higher availability
Good news? Forget about the day pass, which is usually $ 55 or more than $ 200 for a weekend badge – the digital conference is pretty much free. This means greater accessibility for a conference that was largely unavailable in a personal format, whether due to location, cost, or other issues with leaving home to join a crowded convention center in Manhattan. Opportunities for an exclusive pay-per-view experience will likely emerge, but most of the programming will be streamed live and subsequently available upon request.
Exploring your path in the Metaverse
According to their press release, ReedPop is offering a new “online portal dedicated to spreading the pop culture experience” through what they call the Metaverse . The dates will run as planned from October 8-11, with digital versions of the three pillars you’d expect from the scam: the artists’ alley, panel rooms, and the showroom.
The online layout offers a new challenge to traditional skills that artists and exhibitors have honed to lure potential fans to their desks, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens and how effectively the Metaverse is notifying fans that artists are available. Live streaming panels should be less complicated for fans who are familiar with setting up for specific times and durations, similar to the Zoom and Hangouts streams we’ve all gotten used to over the past few months.
The official convention YouTube channel will air the most popular panels and announcements from the biggest names and studios (or those with the biggest pockets), and fans will be able to comment on YouTube’s live chat feature. Speaking of announcements …
Same big studio announcements
If a congress is based on fan enthusiasm, then its soul (both blood and bones) is made of money. New York Comic Con has gone from being a “comic” convention to a full-fledged pop culture juggernaut, far beyond what most people would consider “niche” or particularly boring. Expect big announcements from PlayStation and XBox, Marvel and DC, and all the armies in Streaming Wars – Netflix, Hulu, HBOMax, AppleTV +, CBS All-Access, Peacock, Quibi and others – vying for your attention. But while big companies make up the face of New York Comic Con today, let’s not forget the heart …
New ways to meet new artists and fandoms
The loss of conventions this year has certainly hit the big studios, but the brunt of the devastation falls on the most vulnerable artists and salespeople – small businesses looking to make most of their lives off agreements when you bump into their desk and fall in love with their work. … Look for ways to support them and adapt your dating style to digital.
Expect endless shopping spots from small retailers and independent publishers. To add a sense of urgency, we can expect to be incentivized by convention-only merchandise and special offers for visitors over the long weekend. If you’ve been looking to buy a new graphic novel, toy, or new fashion accessory for a long time, consider postponing that purchase until October, when you can view all of your favorite small sellers in one place.
An easier way to build an online community
It is not uncommon to make new friends at a convention. It often looks like exchanging phone numbers and names on social media, and then hopefully a flashback of reconnecting when the weekend is over and you’ve recovered from the flu after the convention. This connection will now be faster as building an online community is almost built into the convention attendance process. Meet someone new? Find a new artist? Love the work of cosplayers? Find them on your chosen social networks and subscribe to them almost instantly. The crash after the convention will be more gradual, and while you personally see far fewer people, your online community is ready to take the hit.