It's time for you to go to New York Comic Con

12 JUNE 2019

1:01 p.m.

So it looks like everyone in the queue got something - and even people who Fan Verified today were able to slip in and hoover up the leftovers. I realize some people are disappointed because they didn't get Saturday or the perfect badge configuration, but on the whole NYCC is a much more attainable experience than SDCC - and the badge sale not nearly as stressful. Just my opinion.

And of course, badges will go up for sale through Lyte when they're turned in (including mine, maybe) so not all hope is lost. Stay vigilant and you'll probably be able to score something.

I'll return to NYCC later this summer. For now, I'm turning all my attention to San Diego Comic-Con, just 5 weeks away. I hope you too have something to fill your summer with nerd magic.


10:20 a.m.

So oddly, minutes after Saturday sold out, some people saw them available again and got them. Just badge sale weirdness, I guess.

9:49 a.m.

Saturday tickets are low...


9:32 a.m.

Sounds like people are still getting Saturday tickets (among other days.) Hang in there.

9:26 a.m.

Well, that was nice and smooth. Got the full show, even though I didn't get in immediately. Now I am extra motivated to make this work.

How did you do? The main issue I'm hearing so far is non-working links.


9:12 a.m.

People are getting tickets - even if you feel like time has stopped for you personally.

9:03 a.m.

Virtual queue.....


8:56 a.m.

We're just minutes away from the New York Comic Con general badge sale. By now you should have your link, your credit card, and a beverage at the ready - as well as your steely resolve to prevail. Badges are limited and you may not get everything you want. But you'll probably get something.

Last weekend, while in New York, I found out I probably can't go to NYCC. But there's still a possibility so I'll be in the mix with you today. I'll post updates but I don't expect anything too radical or unexpected to happen.

Good luck!

Are you eligible for the New York Comic Con sale?

15 MAY 2019

We're entering that time of year when it starts to feel like all Comic-Con, all the time. Maybe you're girding yourself for a Memorial Weekend Con like Phoenix Fan Fest, maybe you're saving money for SDCC, or maybe you're deciding between Boston and Dragon Con. We're swimming in options at this time of year, right? So much so that New York Comic Con can seem like an elderly autumn cousin while we're in the flush of spring.

But in fact, you need to plan now for NYCC - not just for this year, but next year.

Here's the deal. I know many of you keep the ghost of NYCC in your brain as an alternative to the San Diego Comic-Con madness. At least this is true for the people I know; they have a vague idea that badges are easier to get and more hotel rooms are available and the Con is bigger than SDCC - and they translate all that into an image of a convention center waiting with open arms. But that's not completely, exactly, entirely true.

If you'd like to attend NYCC, here's what you need to know:

• Much like SDCC, there is a presale for returning attendees and a general sale for everyone else. They already had the presale this year - and you either knew about it or weren't eligible for it.

• The general sale is on 12 June at noon EST.

• To participate, you must complete a Fan Verification account - or what NYCC annoyingly calls "Fan Ver" - by the end of 2 June. Yes, this is a lot like CCI's Member ID accounts. But unlike the SDCC sale, you can buy badges for people who don't have Fan Verification accounts. You'll include their email address to "assign" them their badge and then they can create an account later. This is true only for the upcoming general sale.

• Because the lion's share of the spoils go to returning attendees in the presale, you may need to start out with a partial badge the first year and hopefully graduate to a full badge the following year in the presale. Though neither of those is guaranteed.

Overall, my point is that you do need to put thought and preparation toward a future at NYCC and can't treat it like some small city Con. I'd still classify it as a far more attainable experience than SDCC, but what isn't at this point.

Other selling points: it's easier to book a hotel, it's not hard to find good airfare deals to New York, and ReedPop offers a smorgasbord of events before, during and after the Con. If you're sick of fake SDCC parties that are basically cosplay contests with mediocre bar food and a terrible DJ, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the variety of NYCC offerings.

Okay, I'm done selling New York Comic Con to you. If you're die hard West Coast/Best Coast, you probably aren't interested anyhow. But keep that NYCC ghost in your brain fed - because one day you may find yourself locked out of SDCC and looking for another place to land.

October Comic-Con thoughts

1 OCTOBER 2017

It's Halloween month! Maybe you're going to Hollywood Horror nights, maybe an Edgar Allen Poe seance, or maybe an occult-themed cosplay party. But you're also probably beginning to feel the trepidation that sets in when SDCC Returning Registration is nigh.

There hasn't been any formal announcement yet - and many attendees are not sure if Returning Reg will be in November, as it used to be, or if we'll have to wait until March again. My guess would be an earlier Ret Reg since presumably CCI isn't doing any major overhauls to the system this year. (But as with anything CCI - who knows.) In any case, it's time to think about that and a few other things.


Emerald City Comicon

Tickets go on sale on 11 October. I've noticed people who only attend SDCC or NYCC assume getting a badge to another Con is a sure thing; that isn't the case here as these tickets will go very quickly. Participate in the sale when it goes live if you want to go. If you've never considered going, think about it because this Con has a lot to offer. You can read my ramblings about it here.


New York Comic Con

It's right around the corner. If you've never been, I recommend watching the coverage to see if this Con appeals to you. It's slightly easier to get into than SDCC and it's something to consider for 2018 if you don't get a San Diego badge. While it's been a big and boisterous Comic Con for years now, it's recently picked up more and more of the Hollywood side of SDCC. People used to say, "I like New York Comic Con but it's not San Diego." These days, some still say that - but there are fewer and fewer of them.


SDCC Returning Registration

It's time to gird your loins for a possible November badge sale. That means talking to (or creating) your buying group. A lot of attendees swore they weren't coming back to San Diego Comic-Con in 2018, or are only popping in for a day, so your group may need to be pruned, grown or shuffled around by priority.

If you were a 2017 first-timer - or just a lucky attendee - you may not have a buying group. You will find a variety of options here. You can join one of the huge groups out there in the community, you can pull together some friends for a smaller group, or just ask around to join up with strangers. The third option is actually pretty common in our world, which is why you will want to get that started now so you can build trust and get an idea of who you're dealing with. I'll post more details for people who are new to this in the next few weeks.


Go ahead and spook it up this October. But be ready for an SDCC badge sale as soon as a month from now - and start making Plans A, B and C for your 2018 Con life. As with all things Comic Con, fortune favors the prepared.

Take your first step toward New York Comic Con

19 APRIL 2017



Was SDCC Open Reg really only 11 days ago? It seems like forever. If it's still on your mind, however, because you didn't get a badge and you've been moping around ever since, you should definitely consider going to New York Comic Con. And your journey can start today.

Fan Verification has opened up today and closes 3 May. Much like SDCC Member IDs, everyone who wants to get a NYCC ticket needs a profile, so make sure you and your friends all create one.

Having a profile doesn't guarantee you a badge. But while the annual NYCC sale has gotten increasingly competitive in recent years, your odds are still better than with SDCC. It's a big, beautiful show and it takes place in October, which is a great time to be in New York.

Seriously - think about going.

NYCC is eliminating 3 and 4 day tickets - but they are holding a small pre-sale

17 MARCH 2017



Happy St. Patrick's Day! Are you still sulking over your SDCC badge sale loss last weekend? Then there's no better time to think about New York Comic Con - you know, the Con that's constantly breaking out a ruler to measure up against SDCC - and that means getting yourself ready.


No, tickets aren't going on sale yet. But you do need to create a Fan Verification profile to be eligible for that future sale. Did you create one last year? Then you're good. In fact, you're better than good - you're eligible for a small and limited pre-sale. You should get an email asking you to confirm your profile details in the next few days. If you don't get it by 21 March, email inquiry@nycomiccon.com and ask about it.

Now here's the part you won't like. The Javits Center will be under construction - and that means the Con is dealing with "space limitations." I know that is a horrible phrase to hear in association with a Comic Con but it is what it is. At least ReedPOP came out and said it. As a result, there won't be any 3-day or 4-day tickets on sale - just single day tickets to allow the most people to experience the Con.

They're also finally moving the ticket sale to a weekend. Otherwise it'll look the same. If you have feelings about these changes, you might want to attend their live Facebook Q&A this Monday, 20 March, at 3:30 pm Eastern time.

And yes, I really think you should consider NYCC. Maybe you'll get lucky next month for SDCC and maybe you won't. But it doesn't hurt to put yourself in the running for NYCC by creating your Fan Verification profile and watching for the sale.

Deadline: verify yourself now for NYCC

12 JUNE 2016





Remember how last month New York Comic Con reported that its ticket sale would change this year? No? Well, ReedPOP has altered the process just a bit, by requiring ticket buyers to complete a Fan Verification profile. Yes, this is similar to CCI's Member ID account. You'll need to do this to participate in the ticket sale - and tomorrow, Monday, 13 June is the deadline. You have until midnight EST.

Maybe you still aren't sure if you even want to go to NYCC. That's fine, but if there's even a tiny percent of a chance that you might want to go, then complete your profile now. It doesn't obligate you in any way and you'll safeguard your eligibility for the ticket sale.

You can read all about their reasons and rules here.