NYCC 2013: My Adventures in Photographs
Words and Photos by Steve Seigh
With contributing photos by Melissa Megan
I want to tell you all a story. I want to write this all down so as best not to forget one of the best weekends I’ve ever had. Today is the Wednesday after New York City Comic Con 2013 and I’m still feeding off the vibes from this year’s show. Don’t get me wrong though, I had an incredible time last year as well. In fact, my Saturday night of that last year was one of the single best evenings of my entire life. This year’s show however, was special for an entirely new set of reasons. The amount of fun I had was endless, and I hope to share some of them with you here.
* Also, please bear with me as these stories and sentiments will be presented randomly as opposed to chronologically. Because after a while, everything starts to become a mushy mess, and each day seems to bleed into the other. Anyone who has done a exhaustive 4-day run of Comic Con knows exactly what I mean by that.
For us, Comic Con means a good time, but it also means that there’s a lot of work to be done. However, things ain’t so bad when your work involves interacting with people whom you respect, and in many ways, admire. What I’ve found, and love most about New York City Comic Con, is the easy going nature of nearly everyone I encounter. There is an energy at Comic Con, a synergy, that if you let it, will wrap you in a cocoon of positivity and good times. At least that’s what I’ve experienced. I know that for a lot of people (myself included) that Comic Con is a place where you can let go of most of your inhibitions. That being said, and contrary to popular belief, I am not the most outgoing person. When I go out and into large crowds, I’m not afraid to admit that I need someone there with me – I need that anchor. But, when attending Comic Con, all of that apprehension falls away instantly. It’s a wonderful feeling.
(Kelly Sue Deconnick – creator, badass, and then there’s little old me)
This woman, Kelly Sue Deconnick, is a pistol. With more fire in her heart than it would take to build a thousand Kree bombs, this creator isn’t afraid to speak her mind and tell it like it is. At the forefront of what is the most important movement in comics today, Kelly Sue, along with many other talented ladies of the Women of Marvel panel and beyond, are starting a revolution. When speaking at the Women of Marvel panel, Kelly Sue had this to say to all of the women in the audience who wish to one day work in the industry: “You are going to need each other. There is room up here – we’ll just keep making the table longer. We need you. We want you. You all have unique voices and gifts, and this industry absolutely needs you. The thing is, we need you to be ready. We can’t help you until you’re ready…. So I need you to start making comics.” She then went on to say “Start now. Every creative endeavor is difficult. Every creative endeavor is frightening. No idea is going to be as good on paper as it is in your head. You have a lot of mistakes that you need to make in order to learn in order to get to the good stuff…. It doesn’t make you a bad artist; it makes you a human being. Don’t be afraid of them. Start now.” That’s some powerful stuff right there. And you know what else? It also happens to be true.
(Photos from the Women of Marvel Panel)
(Homemade Captain Marvel figure seen at the Kelly Sue Deconnick signing in front of the WeLoveFine booth on the show floor)
(LOVE those boots! Tell me they don’t mean business! I dare you!)
(I think we all just met Pizza Dog’s lady friend)
(The lunging cat lady herself, Stephanie Cooke & yours truly at The Beet Authority at the Talking Comics Meetup)
And speaking of which, I’d like to take a moment to thank all who joined us that Saturday evening for drinks, a little grub, and a damn good time! You honor us by making Talking Comics a priority of yours during this hellishly busy weekend. With so many after-parties on the biggest night of the con, it’s very humbling to think that you chose to spend your time getting to know us a little better. I hope to see you all again next year!
(Contributor Melissa Megan with Kasra Ghanbari, Menton3, and Ben Templesmith)
These guys. Pictured above from left to right are Kasra Ghanbari, myself, Menton3, and Ben Templesmith. No doubt my time at the con would not have been nearly as special if it were not for these fine gentlemen and their incredible compatriots David Stoupakis and Kelly Eaves. We keep close through social media from time to time and all that, but nothing could have prepared me for the reception I received from them this year. I don’t want this to turn into an ass kissing circus, but let’s just say that they made me feel like family. On and off the air – we shared some great stories, told jokes, and got deep about what 44Flood truly represents. It’s a collective, it’s an initiative, but it’s also a force to be reckoned with. Now, with their recent signing to IDW Publishing, we’re about to see many more creative projects from this inspired imprint and I’ll be right there to read and dissect them all.
(Memory Collectors #1 Sketch Cover Variant drawn and signed by Menton3)
It’s cool enough to be afforded the opportunity to interview such talented creators as Royden Lepp, Stephanie Hans, Alberto Albuquerque, Mike Del Mundo, and Joanna Estep – just to name a few – but Saturday night I found myself standing inside the Last Rites Gallery at 511 W 33rd St. NYC. This place was unreal. A tattoo parlor/art gallery owned and operated by artist Paul Booth, the Last Rites is a living, breathing tribute to dark art display – and carries with it an atmosphere almost as haunting as the works that adorn its many walls. Accompanied by my good buddy, Chris Beller, and the lovely Melissa Megan – she in her rockin Bedlam-inspired dress from Suckers Apparel and me in my black Creepy Tree button down – we wandered around the gallery, drinks in hand, marveling at the sites.
(Fortune Soul – Art by Soy Milk)
(This Block – Art by Scott Radke)
(El Acecho – Art by Gullermo Rigattieri)
(The Origin of Spirit 1685 – Art by David Stoupakis)
And oh my lord, then there was Friday night, the night of the Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo Premiere!
I said it on the podcast and I’ll say it again … this event is, in my estimation, what Comic Con is all about! For the first time ever, American audiences were treated to a brand new chapter in the absurdly epic Eva series of rebooted films. Complete with English dub, this film did not disappoint. I’ve been a fan of the Eva series for well over 17 years now and I’ve never seen this series look so damn good! Divided into 3 major acts, 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo has everything you would expect or want in a balls to the wall cerebral, action anime film. But this evening wasn’t just about the film, it was also about the massive party that occurred beforehand. Due to the festivities being pushed back by a half hour, it was up to the resident DJ of Comic Con to keep the party going, and keep it going he did!
Without warning, the musical build of the trendy “Harlem Shake” began to swell, and within moments, hundreds of people began to flail about. It was quite the scene let me tell you! From here the DJ broke out such party favorites as The Cha Cha, and Jump On It! People started lining up in the aisles just to get down. It was really something. No one in that room had a care in the world. It was like the music and good vibes of the room cast a spell over each and every con-goer in the room. Thanks to NYCC, I’ll never forget the time I watched the premiere of Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo with and estimated 3,000 costumed folk – a bag of popcorn and a bottle of red wine in my paw. It was the best way ever to end Friday at New York City Comic Con 2013.
Work, work, work aside, I really did have so many adventures. It’s easy when you’re a member of the Press to get caught up in your schedule and run yourself ragged during this momentous event. And while it’s important to be sure that you earn your right to be there, it’s also important to have a great time! I feel that I did a far better job of managing my time this year and starting this week you’ll be able to see and hear much of that great content as it shows up on our site. There’s so much more that I could share with you, but I’ll leave that to the Talking Comics podcast and the swarm of interviews that will be appearing across this site all this week. Stay close if you want to experience more of my, and my fellow Talking Comics compatriots shenanigans and hard work of New York City Comic Con 2013 weekend!
In addition, I’d like to thank the exhibitors, the creators, and organizers of Comic Con for inviting Talking Comics to the biggest comic related party weekend of the year! I can’t wait to see what next year brings, because you can bet that we’ll be there, and we’ll be wearing our war paint!
– NYCC 2013: My Adventures in Photographs Soundtrack –
This article was written while listening to the song “By and Down” by the band A Perfect Circle.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mIx1dKs4TA[/youtube]
This article was written by Steve Seigh – Executive Editor of Talking Comics. You can hear Steve on the Talking Comics weekly podcast as well as find him on Joblo.com where he writes a featured, bi-weekly column called Ink & Pixel. His Twitter handle is @dead_anchoress.
