Michael Davis: New York, New York. It’s a Hell Of A Con.
I had every intention of attending the New York Comic Con. My plans were made months ago. I was looking forward to seeing friends and family; I am a New Yorker after all.
I’ve avoided the New York con over the last few years for a number of reasons, chief among them is they seem to have forgotten all the help I gave them some years ago when they were not as big as they are now.
I hate that shit.
I hate when people want something from you they treat you a certain way but when they don’t (think) they need you any more they treat you like they don’t know you.
Another reason I have avoided the NYC Con is the Javits Center where the event is held. The Javits staff has no respect for comics, geeks or those they consider crazy ass people in costume.
The last time I was there a few years ago (admittedly this may have changed) if you left the convention center and wanted to return you had to go to the back of the line of people who had yet to get in.
So if you waited 45 minutes to get in you would have had to wait on the very same line as if you had not already gained admission, paid your money, got your pass and considered yourself safe from the New York City cold ass weather.
No, you geeky nerd, get to the back of the line. The fans are not the priority at the NYC Con-not by a long shot at least they were not the last time I was there.
Like I said, that may have all changed and if it did-I could give a shit.
If the people at the NYC Con think I give a fuck about representing them in the best light they have another thing coming. The moment someone from the con picks up the phone and apologizes for treating me like shit after I hooked them up then I will more than happy to consider what my loud ass voice says about them.
Anywho, like I was saying I had every intention of going to the NYC Con. In fact I was to be part of a big announcement there. That announcement and seeing my friends and family were more than enough reason for me to brave the Javits Center and if not to forgive at least forget (for the moment) how the NYC Con has treated me.
As luck would have it the announcement was postponed and because it was raining it started to pour and I had to deal with a family issue. So the agonizing decision was made to skip the NYC show.
That unbearable choice was made in about 30 seconds. OK, it was made in about one second, if you don’t count the 29 seconds it took me wipe the silly grin off my face.
Yes, truth be told I still could have made it on Saturday. But since the con is over on Sunday that would have been not a lot of time so what’s the point?
But…
If the same scenario but instead of the NYC Con the venue was Dragon Con or the San Diego Comic Con International (you know, the real Comic Con) I most likely would have been in Atlanta or San Diego on that Saturday in a heartbeat.
Or maybe not.
I’ll tell you this. It would really have bothered me not to make either of those conventions even if it was only for one day. That’s what the NYC Con has yet to learn. How to get people to want to go not because it’s a comic book convention but because it’s the NYC Comic Book Convention.
Once they learn that, I’m in. Hell, if someone I know can tell me they have learned that or that they are treating fans better I’m in. It’s all about respect and it seems like they don’t have any.
Soooo until then I’ll just keep pointing stuff out like how fans and professionals alike were pissed when they found out the NYC Con hijacked Twitter accounts to post excited tweets about the convention – it included links to its official Facebook page.
All done without anyone’s permission.
Like I said. It’s about respect.
WEDNESDAY MORNING: Mike Gold
THURSDAY MORNING: Dennis O’Neil
Martha Thomases said
Try aiming more carefully, holding your breath for the release and keeping your head down on the follow-through.
But, yeah – i’ve only managed to make two cons in the last ten years or so, where i used to his at least two or three a year (SF cons, mainly), but i remember what it can be like to miss you hoped would be there at a con.
The re-entry line is for the con attendees only – pros may enter and leave with impunity.
It’s a good show, certainly the best one NYC has ever seen.It’s already filled the Javits to bursting, and there’s no larger options.
I’m still trying to find out why DC chose to not have a booth on the show floor, instead just displaying the Superman costumes out in the lobby, and running their autographing in Artists’ Alley.