BIG – A WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge

It seems that every year, NY Comic Con at the Jacob Javitz Center gets bigger and bigger. This was taken above the main floor last year.

This past weekend I wrapped up yet another fun-filled (and tiring) excursion at one of the biggest conventions of the year in New York City: The NY Comic Con! When I think of big, it doesn’t get any bigger than this! I started going to these conventions for the first time in 2009. I was a fresh newbie, not knowing what to exactly expect from this unique experience.

This year, the convention topped to 116,000 attendees!

Traveling with my best friend and super illustrator/inker/colorist extraordinaire, Hector Collazo, the experience was even more richer as I got to meet many industry insiders via his connections and relationships to Marvel/DC artists. The past three years however have been very special as I now attend NYCC with a 4-day “Pro” pass (courtesy of Excel Comics). I’ve even included my daughter and her best friend into the festivities as Sundays is Free Kids Day.

The large hall under the convention center is where numerous celebrities like Lou Ferrigno, Christopher Lloyd, Carrie Fisher and other pop culture icons await eager fans to sign autographs – for $35 or $40 a pop! Skipped it!

I always get psyched at seeing the larger-than-life events and individuals at NYCC. Despite all the fun, the experience is marred by the heavy crowds that gather over the four days. It’s getting to the point where it’s unbearable walking the show floors. Walking through the aisles is slow and tedious where bodies are pressed together as they make the slow shuffle from vendor to vendor, panel to panel. Long lines are formed to go to the bathrooms, ATM machines, vendors, to get autographs or to attend many of the numerous panels. You can forget about entering the large IGN theatre where screenings and BIG events in this large auditorium are conducted here. The lines for the Evil Dead remake panel, The Walking Dead panel and the 10th Anniversary of the Firefly panel was nearly impossible to get into. Just getting in to the convention every day was a long wait!

In my opinion, the artists are the real stars of Comic Con! This year however they were put in a different hall completely away from the main area like some forgotten stepchild. The crowds were much lighter here compared to the rest of the convention.

It’s estimated that over 116,000 attendees showed up to this year’s Comic Con. Quite an impressive number. Construction is currently taking place at the Jacob Javitz Center, opening up an additional 90,000 of square footage for next year’s Comic Con. I seriously hope that this will help out with the crowds next year or I fear that I just might have to skip it entirely.

Nah! Whom am I kidding?!