During the exclusive roundtable interviews at New York Comic Con 2024, the cast and executive producers of School Spirits shared heartfelt reflections, behind-the-scenes insights, and personal stories.
The Teen Titans Go! pressroom at New York Comic Con 2024 offered exciting insights as the cast and creative team reflected on the show’s journey and upcoming projects.
The Walking Dead Universe took over New York Comic Con and Paleyfest this week with two offerings. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol, and The Walking Dead: Dead City.
At this year’s New York Comic Con, BlumFest returned with a bang, delivering its biggest slate of films yet.
On the first day of New York Comic Con 2024, directors Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame, The Gray Man) joined stars Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt on stage to give fans an in-depth look at their upcoming Netflix film, The Electric State.
New York Comic Con, a highly anticipated event for fans of all things pop culture, experienced some unforeseen challenges during its recent edition.
One prominent issue that surfaced was related to internet connectivity. As attendees flooded the Jacob K. Javits Center, the sheer volume of people attempting to access the internet led to significant congestion. This resulted in slow and unreliable connections, making it difficult for many attendees to utilize their devices for various purposes, including accessing event information, sharing their experiences on social media, and staying connected with friends and fellow fans.
In the experience of attendees at the event, Artist Alley was notably devoid of activity. Many talented artists were displaced from Artist Alley to accommodate more renowned and costly comic artists on the show floor. Consequently, several convention-goers missed out on encountering talented artists simply because they were unaware of their presence on the show floor. During the event, they had the opportunity to engage with an outstanding artist, Kelly McMahon, who shed light on the fact that most artists had to actively contend for a spot at Artist Alley, revealing the competitive nature of securing a table at the event. It was also a bad time for the center’s wifi to not work as many artists had QR codes displayed on their desks along with the payment swipes. The problem is, the bad connection affected their sales tremendously.
Another hiccup at the event was the difficulties some attendees faced when trying to access QR codes. QR codes are commonly used for various purposes at conventions, from ticket scanning to accessing exclusive content. However, it was reported that several attendees had trouble scanning these codes due to technical glitches and network issues. This inconvenience, though not universal, did disrupt the smooth flow of activities for some con-goers, highlighting the importance of reliable technology infrastructure at such large-scale events.
On a rather bizarre note, the event also witnessed an incident that left attendees baffled. Reports emerged that an individual defecated on the show floor, creating an unsanitary and uncomfortable situation for everyone present. This incident not only marred the convention’s overall atmosphere but also raised questions about event security and the behavior of certain attendees. It served as a reminder that maintaining a safe and respectful environment at conventions like New York Comic Con is essential for the enjoyment of all participants.
This year’s New York Comic Con left some attendees feeling a bit underwhelmed in terms of the vendor presence. While the convention traditionally boasts a diverse array of vendors offering a wide range of merchandise, there was a noticeable shortage of vendors in comparison to previous years.
Additionally, some felt that there was an overemphasis on anime-related content, which, while exciting for fans of the genre, may have overshadowed other facets of pop culture. Furthermore, the show floor appeared strikingly similar to what attendees had experienced in previous editions of the event, with little to no discernible innovations or unique attractions. Overcrowding was also an issue, as the convention was bustling with attendees, leading to long lines and congested walkways, making it a challenging environment for many to navigate comfortably.
This contrast with San Diego Comic-Con was particularly evident in the available activities and experiences for attendees. Many participants felt that New York Comic Con offered fewer engaging and unique opportunities compared to its West Coast counterpart. San Diego Comic-Con has earned a reputation for its immersive attractions, exclusive panels, and high-profile celebrity appearances. In contrast, some attendees noted that New York Comic Con lacked the same level of excitement and innovation in its programming. The striking difference in the scale and diversity of activities between the two conventions became quite evident for those who had experienced both.
Overall, the combination of the ongoing labor strikes and a perceived deficit in offerings at New York Comic Con contributed to a less satisfying experience for some attendees. While the convention still provided a platform for fans to connect and celebrate their passions, the differences between this year’s New York Comic Con and other major events in the fandom world became quite apparent, leaving attendees and enthusiasts looking forward to more robust and engaging experiences in the future.
The 2022 edition of New York Comic Con came in full force this year compared to its return in 2021.
Whether if its Funko, gaming, cosplay, or the panels, there was something for everyone at the four day convention. In my ten plus years of covering New York Comic Con, I think this year’s show was the most crowded i’ve ever seen. I will dive more into that a few paragraphs down. With that out of the way, here is my review for this year’s show.
At last year’s New York Comic Con, the Javits Center’s expansion was completed in time for the show to take place. Gone are the days that I would have to rush to Madison Square Garden or at another place just to cover a panel. There were some panels at the expansion building last year, but it was the 2022 edition where all the panels and press rooms took place. I just wish that somebody told us sooner that there was a second press lounge.
I say this because the area where the press rooms took place at the second floor of Javits, was not there. I was caught off guard with the surprise and I had to ask around about the new location. Besides that, I think the new location is much better. But for the attendees to go to the panels in that area, it was hard to navigate.
New York Comic Con always had an issue with overcrowding and this year’s show looked like it was overcrowded no matter where you went. Last year, Funko did not have a presence at NYCC so it was easier to walk the show floor without the Funko booth and among others. Funko returned this year and the lines were extremely massive. In fact, the line at the Ebay booth was so poorly managed that in the middle of an escalator, cosplayer Mitch Drucker suffered a seizure and a heart attack, and paramedics arrived around 20 minutes later, but to no avail. I was wondering how could this happen and how poorly managed the line was.
There was some good that came out of this year’s panels. At the Titan’s panel, the cast revealed Beastboy’s new suit. For The Walking Dead’s last panel, Scott Gimple revealed the that The Walking Dead: Dead City will premiere in April 2023. On the Back to the Future panel, we got a nice reunion between Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd had a great reunion that was years in the making.
As far as the booths go, there were a large amount this year from various retailers. Several of them were not giving away free swag. I totally get it since the pandemic hit them hard. But it used to be great to leave with something. Also to add, thank you Reedpop for adding the carpet back! It was severly missed from last year’s show and the past two C2E2 shows that I covered.
With all of it out of the way, I will always enjoy covering New York Comic Con! Below are some of the press interviews that I have conducted!
Cast members of The Walking Dead arrived at Paleyfest this past weekend to promote the final 8 episodes of the series.
Before they took the stage, they were greeted by fans outside that were eager to see them for the final time on the show. Cast members such as Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Norman Reedus, Lauren Ridloff, Lauren Cohan, and more showed up at Paleyfest hours after appearing at the Museum of the Moving Image as there is also an exhibit there with props and costumes from the series.
The Knockturnal got the chance to catch up with cast members Norman Reedus, Eleanor Matsuura, Lauren Ridloff and The Walking Dead’s Chief Content Officer Scott Gimple to talk about the final episodes. They were all ecstatic about the direction of their characters for this final half.
For the last episodes of The Walking Dead, The Commonwealth took control of the communities and the team of Daryl, Maggie, and more are not only trying to get them back, they are also going to have conflicts as The Commonwealth is not an easy adjustment for everyone.
After the red carpet took place, the cast went in for the panel prior to heading to New York Comic Con.
Saturday afternoon, The Walking Dead’s cast and crew descended upon Manhattan to celebrate the series’ final appearance at New York Comic Con before next month’s finale. It all comes together,” said inscrutable Walking Dead brand manager, Scott M. Gimple. “All these characters reach their conclusions.
AMC has already confirmed several spinoffs featuring major characters – including Negan, Maggie, Daryl, Rick, and Michonne – but Gimple assured fans that the eleventh season will wrap up the sprawling undead saga that began over a decade ago. As he added, “We do tell the end of the story of The Walking Dead.” “Yes, there are other shows, but bringing all of this together makes sense.”
It’s been one hell of a f—ing ride.” Those are the words Jeff Dean Morgan used to describe his experience: “I hadn’t expected Negan to make it this far.
The mystery spinoff (which does not yet have a name) will take place in France, feature many familiar faces, and sport a brand new aesthetic, Reedus said. He described it as epic in scale.
“It’s f—ing epic. I’ve been on location scouts over there for a bit, I’ve been talking to sound people. It’s crazy what we we’re gonna do over there. I think France is gonna have a f—in’ heart attack, which is good; which is what I want. It has a different look, it has a different feel, it has a different sound to it. It has all the things you like about the show, but new people experiencing them in a different kind of way … It’s gonna very cool.”
“Frace gives Daryl the opportunity to experience things he hasn’t before in his life and with walkers,” Gimple explained, confirming that the spinoff is directly connected to the stinger featured in World Beyond’s Season 2 finale, in which French scientists were implicated directly in the walker outbreak.
Gimple announced onstage that Dead City will premiere in April (production stills were also shown). As he hinted, “It’s a very, very, very different world in the apocalypse in New York City.
AMC premieres new episodes of The Walking Dead every Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern. They can be accessed a week earlier by AMC+ subscribers.