Ever wanted to have coffee with Shrek, Spider-Man and Chainsaw Man’s Pochita? Look no further! New York Comic Con, the largest pop culture convention on the East Coast, takes place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center every October. This year’s convention began on Thursday, Oct. 9 and lasted all the way to Sunday, Oct. 12.
NYCC is a massive, four-day event dedicated to all things pop culture: from celebrity guests, such as James McAvoy and Elliot Page, all the way to previews, panels and an artist alley that goes on for miles.
NYCC is the place where it happens: It’s a high energy convention where fans can come together to find their community and discover something new!
This is my fourth year attending the convention, and it was the most packed I have ever seen the Javits Center out of all the times I’ve attended before. Statistics are not out for 2025, but if it’s anything like 2024, the numbers are high. This year, the convention included 200,000 attendants, over 570 panels and events as well as over 1,250 exhibitors and creators.
Not to mention all the talent: actors, artists and major studios (Such as Marvel and DC Studios) all showed up, and they showed out, too. In the Marvel panel, fans caught a glimpse of “Daredevil: Born Again” season 2, with the trailer being released for the first time at the convention.
Other panels included “The Lost Boys: Adapting the Film for Broadway with Producer Patrick Wilson,” which included the first public performance by the cast, a panel led by Tony Award–winning director Michael Arden, best known for “ Maybe Happy Ending,” additional residents of Santa Carla (The fictional kind) and a “Phineas and Ferb” panel led by the co-creators Dan Povenmire and Swampy Marsh.
Whatever you’re looking for, the options are limitless, but the truth is that people weren’t just there for exclusive merch and trailers: They were there to find their people.
“I really like the community here. One of the parts that I like about being at Comic Con or just conventions in general is just the people here,” convention attendant Chris Negri said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re fans of the same or a different series. For example, I ran into a cosplayer from an entirely different genre, and we were just brought together by sheer interest.” Negri spent his time at Comic Con dressed as Anakin Skywalker of the “Star Wars” prequel series.
“There’s so much overlap in what you can be interested in at conventions,” Negri said. “Everyone here is super nice, and I feel like that’s one of the aspects of being in ‘geekdom,’– this community. I feel like this is truly one of those places where I can be myself.”
And he’s right: I did show up in cosplay (Lex Luthor, anyone?). Whether or not you showed up in cosplay, attendants were able to find people who wanted to bond over their favorite franchises and characters. People were conversing in lines, handing out freebies like stickers and pins, or just hanging out and taking photos together.
People who made their own cosplays could register for and participate in the “NYCC Cosplay Central Crown Championships of Cosplay.” The championships are competitions at different ReedPop events, and cosplayers are judged based on numerous categories decided upon by the organization. This year’s first-place winner was an individual operating under the name “Say No to Scrunchies,” who created a cosplay based on the Wall Clicker from “The Last of Us,” which was truly a sight to behold.
“Conventions are special to me because I just love dressing up and seeing people dress up where it’s cool to do so, and there’s so much great art here,” Spider-Man cosplayer Bert Guerra said. “That’s honestly what makes me keep coming back, our walls are filling up from this [the art], these artists are incredible.”
Along with the costumes and panels on display, NYCC had plenty more to offer:
Animation studio MAPPA, which had a booth at the con for the first time this year, got to create a display for the highly anticipated release of “Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc”, and created an experience fit for any fan of the manga.
The film is a sequel to the first season of the anime, and while fans got to see a part of it at an exclusive screening, the film itself will premiere in U.S. theaters on Oct. 24.
MAPPA also had a Pochita meet and greet, sketches and concept art of the characters as well as standees for fans to take photos with. Employees handed out stickers of the characters and paper crowns depicting the character of Pochita from the manga and, at a “Chainsaw Man Special Panel,” fans got a behind-the-scenes look with the creative team of the movie present.
In addition to the displays, fans were able to purchase exclusive movie merchandise at the store attached to the booth, and beyond that, almost every booth had an exclusive piece of merchandise or experience to offer the convention.
Much of the talent attending the convention ensured they were offering fans a positive experience. Actor Robbie Daymond had an extra seat at his meet and greet which held various gifts from fans.
Ryan Potter, the actor known for his roles as Hiro from “Big Hero 6” and Beast Boy in the live action “Titans” show, had his own pile of drawing and stickers he collected. His presence at the con was part of comic book company CGC Comics, who brought many actors to their booth for signings.
NYCC offers an opportunity for people of all kinds to connect with fellow fans. With a convention of this magnitude, there is no denying that it feels larger than life, but one thing that’s so wonderful is how no matter what, there is a place for anyone who attends to find what they are passionate about.