NYCC 2015: Show Floor Musts

Michael Moccio ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Editor-in-Chief
Every year at New York Comic Con, the show floor seems to get more and more packed. NYCC 2015 even more so! With the large amount of crowds that come to NYCC each year, it’s important to know exactly what you want to do so you can prioritize your to-do list. That way, if the crowds cut too much time, you can make sure you get to the booths you really want to get to. Quality over quantity, as the proverb suggests. As such, Emertainment Monthly has surveyed the show floor and picked out the best Comic Book publishers to visit on the floor.

Dark Horse, Booth 1636

You won’t get a more personal experience than if you visit Dark Horse on a show floor. The staff are second-to-none in customer service and everyone there is genuinely interested in making you have the best experience possible. Dark Horse is a hub of creativity with its amazing list of talent and intellectual properties, most notably for Emertainment the Avatar: The Last Airbender graphic novels. In addition to its expansive list of comics and graphic novels, they have a great range of statues for sale, which is always worth at least a look and photo opp.

What most not to miss: The new Avatar: The Last Airbender graphic novel, Smoke and Shadow.

Archie Comics, Booth 1836

Archie Comics should be on everyone’s Must List for NYCC. As a company, they’ve been incredibly innovative in pushing out comics that are more reflective of the world in which we live, particularly in the relaunched Archie book. Mark Waid has been killing it on the story and Fiona Staples has proved to be a master in building the aesthetic of the new Archie. One of the best aspects of Archie Comics on the show floor is that they’re a small, powerhouse company, which means that in addition to getting great one-on-one time with the staff and creators, you’re going to have a lot of product to choose from.
What most not to miss: The Fiona Staples covers previously only available at SDCC. Quantities are extremely limited, so stop by first thing!

Valiant, Booth 1635

Valiant has been making waves since their relaunch back in 2012 during the “Summer of Valiant.” As a company, they’re one of the best in the business at communicating their brand’s values: the interviews CEO Dinesh Shamdasani does with the media are unparalleled. Since their relaunch, they’ve been committed to creating unique content within the comic book community. With properties like Rai, Unity, and Quantum and Woody, they definitely deserve a visit from show goers at NYCC.

What most not to miss: Checking out any of the Volume 1’s to see if any of their characters spark an interest.

DC Entertainment, South Concourse

Regardless of personal feelings regarding DC’s recent projects (Man of Steel), no one can deny that Batman vs. Superman is going to be one of the biggest films in history. Whether or not it’ll deliver in quality, the fact that a live-action film starring World’s Finest is a reality is enough to warrant a visit to the DC Entertainment booth. For anyone struggling to find it, not that it’s not on the show floor–it’s at the South Concourse to the left of the Blue Entrance. There’s not much besides the displays, but it’s a great opportunity to check out the statues of Superman and Wonder Woman, as well as the large, hanging icons.

What most not to miss: Seeing the life-size statues and nabbing a photo.
There are, of course, multiple other comic book companies to hit up on the show floor: Marvel at Booth 1354, Image Comics at Booth 1544, and IDW at Booth 1844. Notably absent on the show floor is BOOM! Studios, which will still have panel presence throughout NYCC.
Be sure to check back for more NYCC updates as the show continues!