The day we’ve been waiting for it finally here. Reed Pop announced today to buy New York Comic Con tickets this year. There have been big changes from last year to the Retail Partner Program, so make sure you read all the details below. The Saturday ticket and Kids ticket prices have stayed the same, but every other ticket has seen a price increase from last year. Thursday increased by $5 from $35 to $40. Friday and Sunday have also gone up $5, from $45 to $50. It’s interesting that Friday and Sunday are now the same price as Saturday. Usually Saturday is more expensive because it’s seen as “the” day to go. The multi-day tickets both jumped $10, for $65 for the 3-Day and $95 for the 4-Day to $75 and $105 respectively. There are two VIP packages, both of whose details are outlined on the NYCC website. The two packages sell for $215 and $525.

There are three ways to buy tickets to NYCC this year: 1) Online 2) At Special Edition: NYC 3) From Midtown Comics. I’m breaking down each option in this post.

ONLINE

Online ticket sales will take place on Wednesday, May 13 at 12 noon eastern time on the NYCC website. Unlike the past few years, where VIP Packages, 4-Day Passes, 3-Day Passes and individual day tickets went on sale on different days, everything is going on sale at noon on May 13. Yes, there were a lot of problems last year with the site crashing, and hopefully New York Comic Con addresses that this year, but even with dealing with the site crashes, and tickets showing up as sold out one minute and on sale the next, online remains the best way to secure yourself a ticket. Mark your calendar now. Seriously, like right now. Set an alarm on your phone. You do not want to show up late to this party. Have your credit card out and ready to go. Every second you delay brings you closer to getting locked out of getting a ticket. You can buy up to 10 tickets in an order, but only 4 of any one ticket (4 3-Days, 4 Saturdays, etc).

AT SPECIAL EDITION: NYC

A very limited number of NYCC tickets will be on sale at Special Edition: NYC on June 6 and 7. The rules are strict. You can buy one New York Comic Con ticket. The downside to buying your ticket at Special Edition NYC compared to online is the added cost of a Special Edition: NYC ticket, which is $20 or $30 depending on which day you go (There is also a $50 full-weekend ticket). But this isn’t too much of a downside, because Special Edition: NYC rocks. Special Edition: NYC is like New York Comic Con’s younger, smaller sibling. But don’t let its size fool you. Special Edition: NYC is awesome if you are a comic book fan. Imagine NYCC, but without the video games, actors and wrestlers signing autographs, The Block, etc. It’s like they took Artist Alley and some panel rooms and turned that into a new convention. Special Edition: NYC is very reminiscent of the best smaller comic book conventions of yesteryear, but with A-list guests. Scott Snyder is going to be there. As is Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez, and many other creators. If you’re planning on buying your ticket at Special Edition: NYC, get there early. Last year, fans sprinted to the NYCC ticket line right at the opening like they were lining up for a Scott Snyder signing. Those tickets went fast. Expect them to go just as fast this year.

AT MIDTOWN COMICS

Here’s where the ticketing options experienced the most change. The list of retailers selling New York Comic Con tickets has been diminishing over the past few years. This year, there’s only one: Midtown Comics. For the past two years, tickets went on sale at Midtown Comics’ downtown location the day before going on sale everywhere else. Last year, they were the only store that sold 4-Day Passes. This year, they’re the only store selling ANY passes. New York Comic Con and Midtown Comics have not released any concrete details yet as far as date and location are concerned, just saying that tickets will be sold at a special event at Midtown Comics this summer. We don’t know if it will be at all three stores, just the downtown store or what. But I will say this, if you end up relying on Midtown Comics for tickets, be prepared for some serious waiting around Midtown Comics. The last two years, a lot of people slept out overnight (two years ago in the pouring rain!) in order to secure their tickets. The lines were capped early and still lasted hours and hours once tickets went on sale. The following day, when the remaining tickets were divided up among Midtown’s three stores, the downtown store was sold out of 3-Day, 4-Day and Saturday tickets before the store officially opened. I will say this for Midtown Comics, for all the craziness that goes on there when NYCC tickets go on sale, they are so much better organized than every other store that sold NYCC tickets last year. I remember reading about a store in Queens that had a line down the block before it opened, only to turn everyone away, because they pre-sold all their NYCC tickets to their regulars. I was at another store in downtown Manhattan where the owner bragged about holding NYCC tickets back for his regulars. That’s great for his regulars, but against NYCC’s ticket rules. Midtown Comics may have been packed with people trying to buy tickets last year, but Midtown played by the rules while keeping order.

You now armed with the information you need to secure a New York Comic Con ticket for yourself. If you follow my advice outlined above, you’ll hopefully find yourself with a NYCC ticket without having to pay an arm and a leg to a scalper. Good luck, god speed, may the odds be ever in your favor and may the Force be with you.

Written by Nick Doyle.