New York Comic Con has always had the ingredients of a great show: location, scale, drawing power, legacy. But often the show has been its own worst enemy, hamstrung by the limitations of its facility, or trying too hard to be everything at once. And, like many events, the first post-pandemic editions of NYCC felt tentative and risk-averse, falling back on proven strategies rather than pushing forward.
This year, NYCC finally showed what it could do firing on all cylinders. Not only did it deliver for the hundreds of thousands of fans who packed the aisles, panel rooms, autograph areas and food courts, it also rounded into the must-attend destination show for industry professionals, particularly those in publishing and licensing, that it has aspired to become since its inception.
A professional approach. ReedPOP has been building NYCC into a business-centric event for the past several years, adding new tracks of programming for industry and retailers, educators, librarians, lawyers and creators. This year, they expanded the Wednesday professional programming schedule and dedicated the entire upper level of the Javits “crystal palace” building, including the River Pavillion, for pro and press resources and sponsor suites.
Half the mezzanine level was part of a new “content creator” area, and you couldn’t even get up the escalators without some kind of pro-level badge. This is in addition to expanded facilities in the new north building, with interview and meeting rooms available for press and sponsors.
On one hand, this makes common sense. New York is the business center of the world, as well as the heart of the publishing and media industries. NYCC should naturally be to that end of the business what San Diego Comic-Con is to the Hollywood and entertainment side. But it’s reasonable that, when running a massive consumer-facing show for the public, job one is keeping the show at critical mass for fans, exhibitors and sponsors. This year, the equal priority the organizers put on serving the professional audience, especially in publishing, was clear. One indication of success is that my inbox was jammed with the highest volume of publishing announcements of any show this year, by far.
This approach also makes good business sense. ReedPOP is a division of Reed Exhibitions, which makes its money on trade shows. Reed understands the revenue potential of a well-run B2B operation possibly even better than running a fan show. Doing both simultaneously under the same roof is hard to pull off, but this year felt like they finally found the range.
Barely-controlled chaos. The very best fan conventions feel like they are just on the brink of bursting at the seams but somehow keep the train on the tracks. SDCC, with its mile-long lines and mad scramble for, well, just about everything, is the model.
NYCC has had the “chaos” part dialed in from the start. The show has never lacked fan energy or the manic, all-things-at-all-hours vibe of its host city. As always, the tough part is making sure that translates into a safe experience for fans and good money-making opportunities for exhibitors when balanced against the hassles, expenses and logistical challenges of doing a gigantic show in New York City.
This year, organizers did a great job removing the most irritating friction points. Getting in and past security was fast and seamless. The wi-fi worked. The escalators worked. Signage was (mostly) clear. If there were issues with crowd-control and security, I didn’t see or hear of anything extraordinary. There was plenty of food and even adult beverages available all over the show floor, as well as in the streets around the Javits Center.
There were other improvements at the margins that made a difference. Not only did the app look and work like it was designed in the 21st century, it included a bunch of hidden bells and whistles, including a “gamified experience” that offered fans some engagement and rewards for opting into data gathering and surveys. Considering the alternative is collecting that information without the knowledge or consent of attendees, that felt like a respectful choice.
Another investment in everyone’s experience was carpet on the exhibit hall show floor. That amenity represents a massive expense considering the size of the Javits Center, and it doesn’t necessarily return that investment in any tangible way. However, when your attendees and exhibitors are clocking 5-figure daily step counts over a four or five day show, it’s a civilized thing to provide, as well as giving NYCC a premium brand experience that differentiates it from shows that opt for saving the money. Maybe next year, do Artist Alley too?
A rising show lifts all boats. “This was the most I have made at any show I’ve been to in 35 years,” said veteran artist Steve Lieber, whose table was slotted into one of the long aisles at the edge of Artist Alley, in the lower level of the Javits. Several other artists, from top industry names to folks selling prints and craft items, echoed that sentiment. Artist Alley was at its most crowded Thursday and Friday, when hardcore fans jostle for places on commission lists, but it was busy on Sunday for last minute shoppers too.
In the main exhibit hall, the story was much the same from the vendors I spoke to. Sales of everything from apparel to collectibles to toys to mystery boxes (pack-ripping is a huge shopping trend now) were brisk, though Saturday was slower than some expected.
One big change this year was the special area for comic publishers in the back corner of the convention center, by the (fragrant) food trucks. I think the idea was that the presence of DC’s giant booth would draw comic fans through the floor, past other vendors, and everyone else would benefit from the traffic. According to some exhibitors, this sounded like a last-minute decision by organizers.
That seemed iffy to me as it was really tough to get through the crowds once the floor really started filling up on Friday and Saturday. But apparently many of the publishers did better than expected. Vault Comics publisher Damian Wassel told me he did 3x the business he did in 2024, although possibly having Post Malone signing at the booth on Friday alongside the apocalyptic “Big Rig” truck exhibit they brought in had something to do with it.
It’s good for NYCC that this gamble paid off, because the best way to get publishers to show up at your very expensive convention in your very expensive city is to give them every opportunity to make money. Still, it feels like if publishing is meant to be the center of the show, then publishers belong at the center of the floor, not in the corner.
NYCC’s time to shine. In the inevitable comparisons that come up between SDCC and NYCC, one important distinction is that SDCC is organized by a mission-driven nonprofit, while ReedPOP is a commercial enterprise.
Often that works to SDCC’s advantage, in that organizers are free from the obligations to demonstrate annual growth or satisfy shareholders, and can therefore lean in to the quirky, legacy aspects of fandom that help offset the deafening noise of Hollywood studios fighting for attention.
But having to respond to commercial pressures can sometimes be a good thing. NYCC has a plan and a vision for what it wants to be, and it has not been afraid to invest in executing on those plans for the last few years. This year’s edition felt dynamic and exciting, especially for industry professionals, but also for everyday fans. Considering the other good news for the business that ICv2 shared at the show, this is an excellent sign for the future.
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com.
Rob Salkowitz (Bluesky @robsalk) is the author of Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture, a two-time Eisner Award nominee, and a proud longtime contributor to Eisner-nominated ICv2.
Source: ICv2
