New York Comic Con returned to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center over the weekend for its 20th edition, celebrating one of New York City’s most vibrant and integral fall traditions.
The Comic Con spirit starts to bloom early Thursday morning, as the streets of Hell’s Kitchen fill with convention badges and elaborate cosplays. The excitement builds all over the city as 250,000 visitors get ready for a weekend full of panels, meet-and-greets, booths, and more.
The convention’s 20th anniversary brought a variety of special surprises and new additions to the show, including a partnership with Coney Island that brought dancers and performers to the convention throughout the weekend. “Being 20 years old is beautiful for me,” said Sarah Natochenny, the voice of Ash Ketchum, on the anniversary.
“I’ve just seen a lot of amazing community come together here,” said Chris D’Lando, New York Comic Con’s Event Director.
D’Lando spoke with us at length about the community aspect of Comic Con, and that sense of community becomes clear as soon as you walk through the doors. The main concourse is filled with groups chatting about their interests and reconnecting with people they might only ever see at conventions.
Chris D’Lando, New York Comic Con’s Event DirectorPhoto by Dylan Christie
A great example at this year’s New York Comic Con was the gathering of 649 people dressed as Spider-Man, who came together in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as the superhero. Unfortunately, the group fell just 36 people short of the record, but spirits remained high despite the missed attempt.
But of course, no Comic Con is complete without the announcements and surprises revealed during its panels.
“There was some breaking news from the Naruto panel. I know [Nicolas] Cage was talking about some great stuff,” D’Lando said. “We had a panel [Saturday] night for the new film Children of Blood and Bone. Blumhouse [Productions] unveiled their upcoming schedule and released some trailers. A lot of great late-breaking news.”
Continuing past the concourse and into Exhibit Hall, visitors were greeted by elaborate booths and interactive activities inspired by their favorite media. One of the largest was Funko’s “FUNKO-ween” installation, which featured a New York-based haunted brownstone setting alongside Comic Con-exclusive merchandise.
“It was really important for us to create some type of New York element in order to, you know, capture the spirit of New York,” said Jesse Cromley, Funko’s director of marketing.
The convention’s strong connection to New York City is prominent throughout the Javits Center. While speaking with Henk Rogers, co-founder of Tetris, inside a Volkswagen wrapped in Tetris blocks, he reflected on the city’s influence, saying, “New York gave me the attitude that I can do anything.”
Benny Kline, founder of Tenacious Toys.Photo by Dylan Christie
Right near Funko was a sprawling, 600-square-foot space dedicated to The Tenacious Collective, one of Comic Con’s largest gatherings of artists and creators showcasing and selling their work. Benny Kline, founder of Tenacious Toys, brings together a group of friends and fellow creators to showcase some of the convention’s most unique work.
Kline also emphasized the importance of community, both within his collective and throughout Comic Con. “The world’s a really tough place right now. We all need that joy, the camaraderie, and the feeling of family as much as we can get. So when we can surround ourselves with positive people doing interesting things, it makes life worth living. So, that process of connecting to people, maintaining this circle and supporting each other is really, really important. It’s not just a business, it is like a family.”
Beyond the organizers who bring the show to life, the passion and impact of its visitors have helped sustain the convention for the past 20 years. New York’s own Danny Cortes spoke about the fans, stating, “Just their presence here makes me feel great.”
Overall, New York Comic Con has continued to stay true to its roots of connecting major entertainment brands to independent artists. On the first floor of the convention, hundreds of tables lined the walls of Artist Alley where the artistic masterminds behind all creations showcased their work and met members of every community.
Twenty years later, New York Comic Con continues to show that fandom is forever, and it is built on the strong foundations of community and shared culture. There is truly something for everyone. D’Lando put it best when he said, “Pop Culture is Culture, and you can see it all around me…It is all here. And it is a place where everyone can come together and celebrate their fandom.”
Voice actor Sarah Natochenny at New York Comic Con. 
Attendees played trading card games like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: The Gathering.Photo by Dean Moses 
Cosplayers posed for photos throughout the Javits Center.Photo by Dean Moses 
Cosplayers dressed as DC Comics Penguin, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy.Photo by Dean Moses