Reading comics, watching zombies on TV and playing with toys or video games can be fun, but they’re also often solitary pursuits. Being at New York Comic Con is the closest thing a fan of genre culture has to the thrill of attending a football game. It’s like a stadium where you get to crowd in together with an insane throng of like-minded enthusiasts (185,000 of ’em over the weekend, according to last year’s estimates, making this the biggest Comic Con in the world) to dress up and freak out together about the things that you love and know best. Plus, you might see the likes of Felicity Jones, Mark Hamill or R.L. Stine—all slated to appear this year—at panels or signings.
It’s exciting to be surrounded by people who are as into something as you are, even knowing that not everyone likes the exact same thing that you do. And even if you’re not a huge fan, there is a crazy amount of creativity on display at Comic Con—from the artists, publishers, toymakers, entertainment companies and, not least, the costumed masses. That alone makes it worth seeing. Read on for our guide. —Deacon Worrell
When
October 5–8, 2017
Where
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, with supporting events taking place all around the city.
Getting there
The closest subway stop to the Javits Center is 34th Street–Hudson Yards, on the 7 train. A number of other subway and bus options stop nearby. For details, visit
Tickets
Go to
What should I check out?
We’re looking forward to panels about Mad magazine, Hey Arnold and Stan Against Evil as well as ones about the Black Panther with Ta-Nehisi Coates and Replicas with Keanu Reeves. Other highlights include an event with Spawn creator Todd McFarlane, StarTalk Radio with Neil deGrasse Tyson and our personal favorite—nerd-rockers Nerf Herder playing the first New York City concert in 15 years at the Bell House. But the bottom line is that nerds of all stripes will find something to get excited about. But the bottom line is that nerds of all stripes will find something to get excited about. So check the schedule and find what appeals to you. For a full list of panels and screenings, visit
Anything else I should know?
Like any other big event, New York Comic Con has a lot of rules—many of them for security reasons. For the most part, as long as you use common sense, don’t bring anything dangerous, and respect your fellow fans, you should be fine. But why not visit Comic Con’s full