All right guys! The Panel Listing has been released! Please note that changes occur (often) so anything I post now could just as easily be not true later (however while time/room may change, its unlikely the day or guests will change to the point it gets cancelled.)
Post 1: I'm Going to NYCC!
Unlike Book Expo (also hosted by ReedExpo, and my other 'big' convention), NYCC garners crowds that number past 100,000 (rather, last year was 100K, this year is likely to get even more) and is basically the East Coast parallel to SDCC (though not quite in the same league content wise). With that said, keep the following in mind when plotting your activities:
- That panel you are desperate to go to that you think no one else will have heard of? A few hundred, if not a few thousand, others would like to be there too. Go to lines early.
- The NYCC policy, unless they update it before the con itself (and someone point me to where it says this officially as I can't find it anymore), is not to clear out rooms between panels/screenings. I believe there are exceptions to this, but by in large there you have it. Its not unheard of for people to stake out a particular venue (like the IGN Theater) and stay there for hours just to have a seat at the panel they want. Be prepared to have back ups to any panels you want to attend. Or to choose a certain few and sit through drek you may not care about.*
- Wifi costs money in the Javits (though there is a vendor offering free Wifi and a recharge station provided by Da Vinci's Demons). A lot of money. $5/hourly, $30/daily and $70/weekend.
- Bring your charger(s)--reception is bad enough inside the Javits that you'll use more battery life searching for a signal then almost anything else. There's plenty of places to plug in though.
- Many of the celebrity guests charge to sign things. It varies person to person, but its usually cash only and one item. Keep this in mind.
- There's food avail at Javits, but its ridiculously overpriced and subpar to boot. Either bring snacks, food you can eat in line, have a friend willing to either bring you food from outside or who will leave to get food from outside...or plan to make time to leave to get food.
I prefer my hardcopies, but the app can be useful to learn about last minute changes while there. NYCC offers a walk through of My Show Planner (including how to register). Its worth checking out. Meanwhile my schedule is located here.
Stuff to Note:
Insight Editions about their NYCC plans (via Eyesin)
Warner Brothers panels, Robert Kirkman Panels, Science! Panels (via Convention Scene)
Image Comics panels for NYCC (via Graphic Policy)
(*) The exception here may be the IGN Theater, I'm not sure if they clear this out or not since this is where the bigger panels (like The Walking Dead) take place
