November 19, 2013 by Billy Henehan

NYCC 2013 – Mattel Booth Tour

Back at New York Comic Con, we took a bunch of photos in the Mattel booth. They have some VERY cool action figures coming out soon that we wanted to share with you!

Bizarro Batman!

This Doomsday towers over other figures in the line.

Monsieur Mallah!

Check out the Terry and Bruce heads for this Batman Beyond figure!

This Black Manta is awesome looking, comes with a bunch of accessories and has an interchangeable head. Have we ever had an unmasked Black Manta figure before?

He-Man and Hordak as Horde Troopers!

The Batman ’66 line is getting a Batmobile.

Surfboard Batman vs. Surfboard Joker FTW!

What do you think of these sculpts compared to other DC figures?

I’ve wanted a hover board since Back to the Future II. Sadly, this is not fully functional, but 2015 is only a year away. We’ll have fully functional hover boards by then, right? Right?!

Written by David Henehan. Photos by Graig Kreindler.

November 7, 2013 by Billy Henehan

My 2nd New York Comic-Con

This year, I had the pleasure of attending my second NY Comic-Con. My first one, in 2011, was a dizzying, eye-opening experience of costumes, nerd love, and getting faked out by the promise of cupcakes. In 2012 I, sadly, was attending a wedding instead of witnessing the marriage of geekdom and even deeper niche geekdom. But this year, I was back and so was a beautifully renovated Javits Center.

I love traveling to the Javits via subway. Looking around in my car, I was wearing my 10^th Doctor t-shirt and looked like the only one heading to this thing. But then as I got out on 7^th Ave and walked west, I was slowly joined by more and more throngs clearly heading exactly where I was. How did I know? The capes gave it away, mostly. Also the inordinate amount of spandex.

And then, a block away. I witnessed this:

Why, yes, that is Boba Fett on an accordion. And he was playing the theme song from Zelda.

Anyway, the Javits was a big buzz of excitement, art, merch, and—my favorite part—creative costumes. As someone who throws a yearly themed birthday party, you know I have an appreciation for costumes—most especially the homemade ones.

Like this girl who came dressed as a character from Oregon Trail:

Or this homemade Dalek:

In fact there were a lot of Doctor Who related costumes this year, which I appreciated. Though, I thought, a dearth of Harry Potter costumes. Something I think I must remedy next year. (Luckily, I have thrown a Harry Potter themed party before so I am prepared.)

And speaking of Doctor Who, I was pretty thrilled that I had an opportunity to see John “Captain Jack” Barrowman—especially since I missed him at the convention I accidentally happened upon in Dusseldorf, Germany this year whilst on my honeymoon. (True story: you can read about it here).

The line to get his autograph and a photo with him were c-razy long. I mean, I have a photo of it, but I’m not sure how much you can surmise from it since I am a) short and b) not wearing a costume to compensate for that. (Another note to self for next year. Perhaps I can go as Madame Maxime.)

But trust me, it was long. And, also, we had missed the photo portion, which made me sad since JB was wearing his suspenders and giving out hugs. He looks like a good hugger.

Luckily, we just managed to eke into the Q&A session with him. It was standing room only but we got to stand pretty close to the front. If you’ve ever wondered what John Barrowman is like in person, think Captain Jack—but not toned down for television. And I include the sometimes X-rated Torchwood in this scenario. In other words: charming, hilariously inappropriate, and raunchy as all get-out. Oh, and very purty, of course.

JB answered questions ranging from the practical jokes the Torchwood cast played on each other (involved nudity) to whether he likes Thai food (also, surprisingly, involved some nudity. And diarrhea). It was a really fun hour, punctuated by his husband Scott “swishing” out on stage in a Superman costume (“Superman doesn’t swish!” John protested), and John planting one on him. Who doesn’t want a bit of romance inserted into their Comic-Con, I ask you?

My Comic-Con experience ended at the art auction. I’ve actually never been to an auction before at all, so it was fun to sit there with a paddle and see people get razzed over some really beautiful art. The fact that all proceeds went to charity made it that much sweeter.

And what does one do after a rejuvenating celebration of stories and arts and people’s unbridled passion for the above? Channel it into karaoke, of course. So, really, you might say that my Comic-Con experience ended with a rousing duet of “Beauty and the Beast.” There may have also been a Grease 2 song in there…but I’ll never spill which one.

Written by Sarvenaz Tash. Check out her debut novel, The Mapmaker and the Ghost. Photos by Graig Kreindler.

October 25, 2013 by Billy Henehan

Brazilian Breakfast Club

This past summer, Bleeding Cool ran a story with the headline Get a Brazilian Breakfast With Ivan Reis and Joe Prado at NYCC. The article talked about an art book called Ícones dos Quadrinhos (Comic Book Icons) being crowdfunded on Catarse. Catarse is like a Brailian Kickstarter. The book sounded cool. It had illustrations by 100 different artists. Each of the artists drew one of their favorite characters from their childhood. One of the support levels included a “Brazilian breakfast” with Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, a hardcover copy of Ícones dos Quadrinhos and sketches from Ivan and Joe in the book. Needless to say, I was intrigued. Not only are Ivan and Joe two of my favorite artists in the comics industry, but at NYCC 2012 I helped thwart a big art theft at their tables. Also, for years I’ve wanted a Hal Jordan sketch by Ivan, but have never been able to get one. Here was my chance!

I jumped to support the project. The Brazilian Breakfast option was limited to 6 people, and I figured that with Bleeding Cool running this story, it would sell out quickly. The price looked steep initially at R$500, but thanks to the magic of exchange rates, R$500 at the time turned out to be only about US$210. I was the first person go for the breakfast option.

When Bleeding Cool posted about the project, it was in its final day of crowdfunding. I figured the breakfast (and sketches!) at NYCC would be too hard to pass up and the other five spots would sell out quickly. Because of this, I was very surprised when I checked back on Catarse throughout the day and saw that no one else had gotten in on what to me was a tremendous deal. Later that day, the crowdsourcing period ended, and I was the only one who had signed for the Brazilian Breakfast.

WHAT?!?

Seriously, how did not one other single person decide to get in on this? I cannot put into words how excited I was. Getting breakfast with Ivan, Joe and 5 other fans would have been cool. But just me? AWESOME.

When I told a friend my news, he asked “What’s a Brazilian breakfast entail?” I said I wasn’t sure. “It sounds like a weird sex act,” he said. “I think you just signed up for a 4-way with these guys,” he added.

Shortly before NYCC , Ivan Freitas Da Costa, the man behind Ícones dos Quadrinhos, got in touch with me to coordinate when and where we’d meet up for the Brazilian breakfast. As it turned out, the Brazilian in Brazilian breakfast referred to the company I’d be in, not the food (also, thankfully, not the sex act). We we agreed to meet at the Market Diner near the Javits Center at 8 AM on Thursday morning, the first day of NYCC. Because they were all operating on a tight schedule, Ivan Freitas Da Costa told me to get to the restaurant by 8 AM sharp. I arrived at 7:45.

Since I was the first one there, I grabbed a table for four. Shortly thereafter, Joe and the two Ivans walked in, along with two other guys. Looking at my four-man booth, I immediately thought we’re going to need a bigger boat. The two other guys turned out to be Daniel HDR and the Brazilain giant from the art theft story from last year, whose real name it is Breno Tamura. I’m glad Breno came to the breakfast, as he had become such a mythical figure in mind from the way he apprehended the thieves last year.

After we moved to a larger booth, sat down and introduced ourselves, I mentioned that I had met Ivan, Joe and Breno last year when I helped stop the theft at their table. The table erupted. Joe Prado exclaimed “I knew I recognized you when I walked in!” Joe, Ivan, Breno and I related the art theft story from our different points of view to the other guys at the table.

Ivan Freitas Da Costa presented me with my copy of Ícones. If I could only use two words to describe this book, they would be gorgeous and huge. The art is printed on thick, high quality paper and really pops off the page. Opposite the art is a text piece by each artist, presented in both Portuguese and English. The book really is big. It’s about the size of a DC Absolute Edition, which definitely helps show off the artwork inside. You can tell just by looking at it that it was a passion project. This book is very limited. If you can get your hands on one, I definitely recommend doing so.

The cover and slipcase to Ícones dos Quadrinhos. This book is gorgeous!

It was cool getting to hang out with all of these artists in such a casual environment. They’re a tight knit group, some of them having known each other for 20 years. Ivan Reis, Joe and Daniel told me the stories about how they each broke into the industry. I didn’t realize that Ivan Reis’s first pairing with Geoff Johns wasn’t at DC, but was at Marvel, during Geoff’s Vison limited series from 2002. It’s amazing to think this iconic pair has been working together for over 10 years now.

During breakfast, Ivan Reis drew a Green Lantern logo on a bottle of Tabasco and signed it. He then reached for the mustard and began doodling on that. Pretty soon, all the artists at the table were drawing comic book character faces on all of the creamers.

After everyone had drawn on something, Ivan Reis handed me a pen and said, “You do one.” I’m no artist, but I managed to draw a half-decent Spider-Man face on a creamer. Ivan Freitas Da Costa took a picture. He posted to Facebook that Ivan Reis was doodling on condiments at the Market Diner. No joke, less than 5 minutes later, two very fan boy looking dudes walked into the diner all wild eyed, spotted our booth and immediately sat in a booth near ours. I leaned over and said, “I think those guys are here for the condiments.”

The Legion of Super Condiments

Ivan, Joe, Ivan, Daniel and Breno are all super cool dudes. There was a lot of laughter at our table during our breakfast on the first morning of New York Comic Con. If you get a chance to meet these guys at a convention, do it. Each of them are awesome.

Ivan Reis signing his Astro Boy illustration in Ícones dos Quadrinhos.

After we finished a very good breakfast (thumbs up to the Market Diner’s Leo Omelette), and got back to chatting, Ivan and Joe each drew sketch for me in my copy of Ícones dos Quadrinhos. I asked Ivan for a Hal Jordan Green Lantern and Joe for a Hal Jordan Black Lantern.

As he was finishing up his sketch, Ivan pulled out a silver pen and began crosshatching in the background. Ivan then said, “3D cover!” We laughed. The two sketches by Ivan and Joe look amazing. They are on opposite pages and mirror each other. Ivan gave his Hal a word balloon that said “Thanks for saving my covers!” and Joe gave his Hal a word balloon that said “Thanks for the save, brother!”

As we left the diner, one of the guys in our group turned back and yelled “Those guys just grabbed the condiments!” Apparently, they didn’t even wait until we were all completely out the door before pouncing. Ivan Freitas Da Costa joked that we’re going to see “Ivan Reis Tabasco” on eBay. With a wry smile, I said, “They didn’t get the Tabasco.” I opened my sport coat to reveal the Tabasco bottle that has the ability to overcome great fear. There were howls of laughter. I’m glad I grabbed the Tabasco bottle on my way out of the diner, but I did feel weird about it. These were the guys whose artwork I stopped from getting stolen last year. Now I was showing off a purloined bottle of Tabasco in front of them.

If you’re the guy who took the Spider-Man creamer thinking it was drawn by Ivan Reis, sorry.

I walked the guys back to their hotel before heading back to Brooklyn to get ready myself. We were still hours away from NYCC officially opening to the public (though there were people lined up at that Javits that drizzly morning at 9 AM waiting for the doors to open at 3 PM). When we made our goodbyes, Joe asked if they’d see me at their tables. I said, “Of course!” I don’t know if you saw it, but the Brazilian artists basically took over the F aisle in Artist’s Alley this year. During the show, I started calling their row Brazil.

It’s funny how fate has linked me to Joe Prado and Ivan Reis over the past twelve months. From the art theft last year to breakfast this year, it feels like things have come full circle. Thank you Joe, Ivan, Ivan, Daniel and Breno. This breakfast really was the perfect start to my NYCC 2013.

Left to right: Ivan Freitas Da Costa, Daniel HDR, Joe Prado, Billy Henehan, Ivan Reis, Breno Tamura

October 18, 2013 by Billy Henehan

NYCC 2013 Cosplay!

Wow, we saw A LOT of awesome cosplay at New York Comic Con this year! We took a bunch of photos of our favorites. Check it out!

Photos by David Henehan and Graig Kreindler.

October 16, 2013 by Billy Henehan

Agents of SHIELD S1E3: The Asset – Review

There are six members on Coulson’s Agents of SHIELD team, but with each passing episode, it seems like there are three distinct teams of two. Yes, they all worked together in episode two after the Bus had been commandeered, but with this episode we are back to smaller group dynamics. I think this works well, as the characters in each pairing play well off each other.

Skye and Agent Ward are once again paired up in this episode. Ward trains Skye, a hacker with no military experience, tricks that she’ll need to learn to stay alive in the field. Following the maxim that if a gun is shown in Act I, it must be fired by Act III, the means Skye learns to disarm a gunman in the opening of the episode is employed at the end of the episode. Though if I were Skye, I think I think I’d have less issue with pulling a trigger than I would sprinting off a balcony hoping that I land in the pool.

There’s nothing suspicious about playing with your compact as the villain reveals his master plan.

During Ward’s training of Skye, we find out that Ward’s brothers used to beat him up when he was a kid. We later find out he’s from Massachusetts. Of course he is. In movies and television, if you had brothers who liked to beat on you growing up, you’re either from Boston or Brooklyn. No one ever says “My brothers constantly beat me up when we were growing up…in Rhode Island.”

FitzSimmons continue to be my favorite characters on the show. I was hoping for more FitzSimmons in this episode, as they have a connection to Dr. Hall, the titular asset. Finally, Agent Coulson and Agent May round out the teams of two. Coulson and May, the two most experienced members of the group, often come across as the parent figures of the team. They’re in charge and the other characters definitely defer to them. Taking this analogy further, Skye and Ward are the surly teens of the family and FitzSimmons are the whiz-kid younger siblings.

Mr. Tim, of the Our Valued Customers webcomic, had a great one-panel comic that summed up exactly how I felt by the end of this episode:

Courtesy of Our Valued Customers

Well played, Joss.

I love that the creators are baiting us with Coulson’s mysterious resurrection. We gettwo really good lines of dialog here. Early on, Coulson tells May, “I saw plenty of action with the Avengers,” to which she replies when he’s out of earshot, “And you died.” Later, someone tells Coulson he’s “a little rusty.” Rusty? Maybe because he’s a robot? At New York Comic Con this weekend, the most popular theory among the fans I talked to is that Agent Coulson is an LMD and doesn’t know it. I’m guessing we won’t find out the answer until the last scene of the season finale.

The final scene at the very end of this episode is huge. No Nick Fury or Maria Hill cameo, but this episode’s ending should have a big effect on the series going forward. It looks like we’ll definitely see the return of Dr. Hall. Many are saying, myself included, that we just saw the birth of the classic Marvel villain Graviton in that swirling ball of liquid metal that looked like a cast-off from The Abyss. I like that the show is setting itself up for returning issues to be dealt with (Graviton, The Power Broker). I’m really hoping that with Thor: The Dark World being released soon, we’ll get a Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston or at least a Stellan Skarsgard cameo at the end of an episode soon.

October 9, 2013 by Billy Henehan

NYCC 2013 Exclusives

Once again, Hasbro has decided to snub NYCC (Hey Hasbro, maybe if your exclusives weren’t so lame in 2011, people would have bought them). There will be no NYCC exclusive Minimates. Those two pieces of news would be bigger downers if there weren’t so many awesome exclusives at New York Comic Con this year. We combed through the very large list of NYCC exclusives to bring you this list of what we think are the coolest ones.

Agent Coulson SHIELD Badge and ID and Personalized ID Card – eFX Collectibles – Booth #1869
You got in on the pre-sale for this, right? If not, hit this booth up early. I think this will be the most popular souvenir of NYCC 2013.

Marvel Toon Tumblers – Marvel – Booth #1354
Price: $15.99, Limited to 200 for each design
A few years ago, when Toon Tumblers was first starting out, they partnered with Marvel to release an exclusive Ghost Rider Toon Tumbler at NYCC. This year, Marvel and Toon Tumblers have partnered again for an astounding eight different Toon Tumblers. They are: Angela by Sara Pichelli, Deadpool by Skottie Young, Hawkeye by David Aja, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD cast photo, Scarlet Witch by Adi Granov, Superior Spider-Man by Ryan Stegman, Spider-Man by Skottie Young, and Thor and Jane Foster from Thor: The Dark World.
I’m very, very, very tempted to come home with the Skottie Young Deadpool and Spider-Man pint glasses. Maybe that Agents of SHIELD one too. I need something to drink out of when I’m writing my Agents of SHIELD episode reviews.

Rocket Raccoon Plush & Lithograph – Marvel – Booth #1354
Price: $34.99, Limited to 1000
Rocket Racoon isn’t exactly a household name. He’s a character in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie. If you’re not familiar with Rocket Raccon, don’t fear buying this. He’s definitely not the Jar Jar Binks of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Zombie Magneto Bust – Marvel – Booth #1354
Price: $99.99, Limited to 300
Designed by Gentle Giant, this Zombie Magneto bust is exquisitely designed…in an entirely gut wrenching way. Check with your significant other before putting this on your shelf.

Phase 1 Marvel Cinematic Universe Blu-Ray Collector’s Set – Marvel – Booth #1354
Price: $150
I’m recommending this one with a caveat. If it doesn’t come with a Tesseract, skip it and buy this version from Amazon.

Thor: The Dark World Cast and Crew Tee Loki Fan Variant – Marvel – Booth #1354
Price: $34.99, Limited to 399 across various men’s and women’s sizes.
This shirt looks so cool. The only thing making me second guess getting it is the the $35 price tag.

Agents of SHIELD Coulson Lives T-Shirt – Marvel – Booth #1354.
Price: 19.99, Limited to 550 across various men’s and women’s sizes
Show your support to the agents of Marvel’s new hit TV show with this shirt. Coulson lives! But exactly happened in Tahiti?

Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD “Bus” Blueprint – Marvel – Booth #1354
Price: $12.99, Limited to 300
This is the same blueprint hanging behind Coulson’s desk on “The Bus” aka SHIELD-616, the Agents of SHIELD team’s mobile headquarters.

Captain America Hooded Scarf – Marvel – Booth #1354
Price: $24.99, Limited to 100
Super cute or silly? You decide!

Chew Smorgasbord Edition – Limited Red Slipcased Variant – Image Comics – Booth # 1444
Price: $100, Limited to 150
According to the NYCC website, this will only be on sale during John Layman and Rob Guillory’s signings at the Image booth and at their Artist’s Alley table. It collects the first 20 issues of Chew. There is also a non-slipcased, non-limited, black cover version of this book as well.

East of West Volume 1 Limited Edition Hardover – Image Comics – Booth #1444
Price: $40, Limited to ??
This hardcover was designed by series creator Jonathan Hickman, so it’s bound to be gorgeous.

Lazarus Volume 1 Paperback with Limited Edition Bookplate – Image Comics – Booth #1444
Price: $9.99, Limited to 200
A similar paperback with book plate was released for Saga last year at NYCC and it was sold out less than an hour into the day on Thursday. This one may not sell out as fast, but I’d be surprised if this was still available two hours into Thursday.

Star Wars R2-Q5 ARTFX+ Statue – Kotobukiya – Booth #1654
Price: $29.95, Limited to 1000
R2-Q5 has become the unofficial droid of NYCC. It was an exclusive Star Wars Christmas ornament last year, and is an exclusive ARTFX+ statue this year. I might be wrong, but I think the only thing that separates this limited edition from a similar unlimited edition is that it includes a metallic coin.

Mind MGMT Custom Dust Cover – Matt Kindt – Artist Alley H5
Price: $??, Limited to 5
Custom drawn, brown paper bag dust cover for your copy of Mind MGMT. This is one of the coolest exclusive ideas I’ve ever come across.

Takara Transformers Asian Exclusive MP-08 Masterpiece Grimlock – Lunar Toy Store – Booth #1581
Price: $??, Limited to ??
The Masterpiece Grimlock Transformer is very hard to find and when one does find it, it usually has a high price tag attached to it. From what I understand, Lunar Toy Store will have a limited supply of these on hand at a reasonable price. If you’re in the market for this figure, hit the Lunar Toy Store Booth early.

Cheetara 14″ and Snarf 5″ Deluxe 2-Pack – Mezco Toys – Booth #1855
Price: ??
Thundercats, ho! At 5″ tall, is this the biggest Snarf action figure ever?

Batman Arkham Origins Flip Up Knit Hat – Midtown Comics – Booth #1736
Price: ??
The perfect thing to wear next time you’re standing on a long line outside Midtown Comics on a cold day during a Scott Snyder signing.

NYCC 2013 Brooklyn Defender T-Shirt – NYCC Official Store – Booth #1132
Price: ??
With art by Cliff Chiang, this is easily the coolest of the NYCC 2013 t-shirts being sold directly by NYCC.

Polarity Hardcover – Boom! Studios – Booth #1344
Price: $??, Limited to 40
Boom! is selling 20 at each of the two signings they are hosting for it.

Disco Nightwing Mini-Print – Christopher Jones – Artist Alley D9
Price: FREE
All you have to do is show Christopher Jones that you follow him on Twitter or are a fan of him on Facebook and he’ll give you one of these signed Disco Nightwing mini-prints free of charge. Sweet deal!

Metallic Batman Beyond Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Fugitive Toys – Booth #410
Metallic Nightwing Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Fugitive Toys – Booth #410
Metallic Harley Quinn Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Conquest Comics – Booth #3004
Black and White Harley Quinn Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Harrison’s – Booth #2254
Glow in the Dark Deadpool Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Harrison’s – Booth #2254
Glow in the Dark Ghost Rider Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Harrison’s – Booth #2254
The Walking Dead Bloody Rick Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Harrison’s – Booth #2254
The Walking Dead Bloody Daryl Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Harrison’s – Booth #2254
The Walking Dead Bloody Michonne Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Harrison’s – Booth #2254
White and Gold Phoenix Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Conquest Comics – Booth #3004
White and Black Deadpool Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Matt’s Cavalcade – Booth #3027
Stan Lee NYCC Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Conventionexclusive.com – Booth #1274 or Crazy Cat Collectibles – Booth # 1555
Unmasked Wolverine Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Toytastik.com – Booth #2544
Glow in the Dark Unmasked Wolverine Funko Pop Vinyl Figure – Toytastik.com – Booth #2544
Price: $??, Stan Lee is limited to 1000, White and Black Deadpool limited to 1500, Unmasked Wolvering limited to 1500, Glow in the Dark Unmasked Wolverine limited to 500.
If you collect Funko Pop figures, you are going to love NYCC 2013. You’ll have to travel to a few booths to catch them all. Personally, I think the Stan Lee one is the coolest.

FUNKO Batmobile – Toy Tokyo – Booth #101
Adam West-style Batman Pop Vinyl driving a 1970s tin-style Batmobile. This is all kinds of yes.

Power Rangers Tokyo Vinyl Metallic Red Ranger – Bandai – Booth #1628
Price: $??
The metallic paint job sets this figure apart from the regular version.

Hal Jordan and Saint Walker 3 3/4″ Action Figure 2-Pack – DC Comics/Graphitti Designs – Booth #755
Price: $29.95, Limited to 3000
Hal comes with a big green fist. It kind of looks like Green Lantern is wearing Hulk Hands.

Super Best Friends Forever Poison Ivy PVC Figure – DC Comics/Graphitti Designs – Booth #755
Price: $24.95, Limited to 2500
A nice companion to SDCC’s Super Best Friends Forever 3-pack.

Man of Steel Christmas Ornament – Hallmark – Booth #1554
Price: $??, Limited to 150 per day
Superman in his black costume from when he saw Zod’s nightmarish vision of the future.

Star Trek: USS Kelvin Battle Scarred Variant Christmas Ornament – Hallmark – Booth #1554
Price:??, Limited to 175 per day
From the 2009 JJ Abrams Star Trek movie. This ornament features light and sound.

Star Wars: Wrath of the Rancor Christmas Ornament – Hallmark – Booth #1554
Price: ??, Limited to 200 per day
Ever since I saw this would be a SDCC/NYCC exclusive this summer, I knew that I would be buying it at NYCC this fall.

The Ewoking Dead by Peter Goral – Tenacious Toys – Booth #208
Price: $80, Limited to 50
More than any other exclusive this year, this one made me say “WTF?!” Peter Goral has designed a Zombie Ewok action figure out of resin. The figure comes carded on a card that evokes the old Star Wars Kenner cards if they crossed with the art of The Walking Dead. The $80 price tag makes me balk, but I really want to see this in person.

Doctor Who Titans: 10th Doctor Tuxedo Variant – Titan Entertainment – Booth #2142
Price: $15, Limited to 500, Limit of 2 per customer
The Titan booth is a must stop at booth for Doctor Who fans. This variant features the 10th Doctor in his tuxedo from the 2007 Christmas special, The Voyage of the Damned. Interestingly, Titan is charging $5 for me this figure than they did at SDCC.

Doctor Who Titans: 10th Doctor Parting of the Ways Variant – Titan Entertainment – Booth #2142
Price: $15, Limited to 1000, Limit of 2 per customer
This variant has the 10th Doctor in the 9th Doctors signature outfit, right after his regeneration in The Parting of the Ways.

Doctor Who Titans: Glow in the Dark 8″ Statue of Liberty Weeping Angel – Titan Entertainment – Booth #2142
Price: $30, Limited to 700, Limit of 2 per customer
What a perfect exclusive for New York Comic Con. It’s NYC’s iconic Statue of Liberty, revealed to be a Weeping Angel, from the 2012 episode The Angels Take Manhattan. And it glows in the dark!

Breaking Bad Walter While in Green Hazmat Suit Action Figure – Mezco – Booth #1885
Price: ???
If you’re looking for a toy to flip on eBay, this might be the one. NYCC isn’t even here yet, and it’s already going
for over $90 in active auctions.

Variant Covers:
I’m not a a big fan of con-exclusive variant covers. They’re for the most part exactly the same as the standard cover, but with the con’s logo added to it. Why pay extra for that? But there are some NYCC exclusive variant covers this year that I’m digging…and one that I’m shaking my head at.

Adventure Time #20 Get a Sketch Variant – Boom! Studios – Booth #1344
$??
I’m a sucker for blank variants. I have far more than I’ll probably ever sketches on, but I can’t stop buying them.

Afterlife With Archie #1 NYCC Variant – Archie Comics – Booth #1936
$10, Limited to 350
Limit of 2 copies per person per day

Lady Death: Dragon Wars #1 Metal Edition
Price: $??, Limited to 69
Really? Limited to 69 copies? Really? Excuse me while I facepalm. SMH.

Superman/Wonder Woman #1 NYCC Variant – DC Entertainment/Graphitti Designs – Booth #755
Price: $10
The Official 2013 NYCC poster is also the cover of this variant. Is it me or does Superman look a lot like artist Paolo Rivera here?

Lazarus #1 Splash Page Comic Art Variant – Splash Page Comic Art – Booth #2405
Price: $??
This variant features a sweet wraparound cover from series artist Michael Lark.

Mars Attacks Sketch Cover – Topps – Booth #1561
Price: $??
If the listing on the NYCC website is correct, Topps artists will be on hand to draw you a sketch when you buy this variant. If that’s true, this might be a great way to get your convention sketch collection started.

Archer and Armstrong # 14 NYCC Variant – Valiant Comics – Booth #2028
Price: $??
Unlike most NYCC variants, which are just recolored covers emblazoned with the NYCC logo, this variant cover has Archer and Armstrong at NYCC. Or maybe it’s cosplayers dressed as them.

Mighty Avengers #2 Cosplay Variant – Marvel – Booth #1354
Price: $10, Limited to 2,000
Okay, this variant is definitely cosplayers, Avengers cosplayers. Avengers cosplaying other Avengers. This wins the award for Most Fun Variant Cover at NYCC 2013.

Written by David Henehan.

September 16, 2013 by Billy Henehan

NYCC Exclusive Agents of SHIELD Phil Coulson Badge and ID Pre-Order!

One of the coolest looking exclusives at the upcoming 2013 New York Comic Con is eFX Inc’s Agent Phil Coulson Badge and ID. Cast from the master molds used in ABC’s Agents of SHIELD TV series, these prop replicas look like the same badges carried by SHIELD agents on the show. The badge and ID come in a genuine leather wallet embossed with the SHIELD logo.

What’s more is the NYCC version includes a personalized ID card with YOUR photo and information! Going by the reaction I’ve seen so far on Twitter, I expect this to be one of the most sought after NYCC collectibles this year. The NYCC exclusive badge and personalized ID set is limited to 1500 pieces and costs $50.

Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday 9/17/13 at 9 AM Pacific (12 Noon Eastern), you’ll be able to pre-order your badge directly from eFX for pick-up at NYCC. You’ll even be able to upload a photo of yourself so that your badge and custom ID will be ready for you at NYCC, allowing you to skip the sure to be long line for this collectible. I wouldn’t be surprised if eFX completely sells out from just the pre-order.

It’s time to break out your black suit, white shirt and black tie!

Information on how to pre-order the badge tomorrow can be found on the eFX website.

August 8, 2013 by Billy Henehan

Keep Calm and Carry On

NYCC 2013 tickets go on sale today at the Midtown Comics downtown location at 12 noon. Spurred on by the quick sell-out on New York Comic Con’s website and the high price tickets are commanding on eBay, people started camping out for tickets yesterday evening, lest they miss out. Depending on which comment you believe on the Midtown Comics Facebook page, there are 50-200 people camping out for tickets in the alleyway next to the store. This alleyway greatly stinks of the refuse of the nearby fast food joints.

Fittingly, the first person in line was dressed like sewer-dweller Casey Jones.

Did I mention it rained last night?

This is foolishness. But this is what happens when people panic.

There is no need to panic. Keep calm and carry on.

Midtown Comics announced on its Facebook page that it would have plenty of New York Comic Con tickets, and that there was no need to camp out. Also, starting Friday, Midtown Comics will be just one of many stores that will be selling NYCC tickets. The full list can be found here. The downtown store, through a special promotion with NYCC is selling them one day early.

One interesting note about the retailer list: Midtown Comics is the only store where you can buy a 4-Day pass, anywhere. If you are interested in a 4-Day pass, I recommend hitting up a Midtown Comics location early. But by early, I mean sometime today or tomorrow. And if you’re camping out for a 3-Day pass, why? Seriously, why? Why not just stroll into one of the many stores selling 3-Day passes Monday to pick one up instead? Sleep in your beds comics fans, not in wet, smelly alleyways.

July 31, 2013 by Billy Henehan

NYCC 2013 Retailer Tickets Go On Sale 8/12/13 (UPDATED!)

Buried at the bottom of an email New York Comic Con sent out today announcing that Batman artist Greg Capullo will be attending NYCC this year was an announcement that will have far more immediate impact for people have been unable to score their weekend pass to New York Comic Con 2013. Here is the image from the email.

The Retailer Ticket page on NYCC’s website doesn’t list any stores as of this writing. We do know that Midtown Comics will be selling them at all three of their locations. Midtown Comics may be the only comic book store in New York City itself where you’ll be able to buy tickets. Midtown has already announced that all of their NYCC ticket sales will take place in person; there won’t be any mail order available for them.

Retailers will be selling 4-Day, 3-Day and single day passes to New York Comic Con, so if you missed out on a 3 or 4-Day pass, this is your chance. Don’t miss out.

UPDATE! According to the Midtown Comics Twitter and Facebook pages, Midtown Comics will have NYCC tickets for sale starting on 8/8/13 at 12 noon.

June 19, 2013 by Billy Henehan

Which NYCC Single Day Ticket Should You Buy?

The 3 and 4-Day passes have come and gone, but as of today at noon, you can now buy single day tickets to New York Comic Con at the NYCC website.

But which day to go? Each day has their advantages and disadvantages.

Thursday is the least expensive, the least crowded and you’ll have first shot at the hot NYCC exclusives. But many pros skip Thursday. It would stink to show up at your favorite artist’s table in Artist’s Alley only for him to not even be in NYC yet. Also, Thursday is a shorter day. This is the first year that Thursday single day tickets are available.

Friday is more expensive and and more crowded than Thursday, but nowhere near as crowded as either of the two weekend days. You’ll do well to get to the show before offices let out for the day and the crowd descends on the Javitz.

Saturday is the monster of all days. You’ll be paying more to be packed in like sardines. Seriously, if you’re agoraphobic, stay away from NYCC Saturday. But if you’re willing to pay the price (both in money and personal space), the rewards are high. The highest profile creators are usually around on Saturday. The most important panels are this day. This is the day that separates the Fanmen and Fanwomen from the Fanboys and Fangirls.

Sunday will be crowded, but not nearly as crowded as Saturday. Expect to see many hungover creators arriving late to their table. Bargains can be had in the dealer room, especially late in the day. If you’re a DC fan, Sunday’s DC panel should be considered can’t-miss.

I’m betting Saturday tickets go very fast, with Sunday close behind. I would buy those tickets today if you can. I wouldn’t be surprised if Thursday tickets go quickly, especially among the toy collecting, variant cover needing crowd. Friday is probably your best bet for holding out if you’re short on cash right now.

If you’re kicking yourself for missing 3 and 4-Day passes, there will be limited amounts at comic book retailers later this summer. Those were originally supposed to go on sale in June, but no date has been given as of yet. As far as I know, Midtown Comics will be the only NYC based comic book store selling NYCC passes.

What day or days are you going to NYCC this year?

UPDATE! Midtown Comics announced on their Facebook page that they will be selling single day, 3-Day and 4-Day passes at their three NYC stores beginning in late June or early July.

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