(Logo property of The Big Apple Comic Con; courtesy of Right Angle PR)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
When I arrived outside Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City, dozens of pop culture aficionados were waiting to get to the venue to attend the Big Apple Comic Con.
Once fans were lead into the show, they had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Certified Guaranty Company to see if they could grade the value of their comics or if they needed a witness when they met their favorite creators. Participants also received a boot from XS Blast as they offered samples of their energy drinks.
As fans got off the escalator, they were greeted by numerous vendors that had a plethora of art, comics, clothing, and toys they could purchase. Brick Swap USA brought in a diverse collection of Lego figures. The toy business brought in assorted brick figures from various Lego assortments that brought collectors’ flashbacks of their childhood. One particular piece that caught many attendees’ eyes was a Lego Batman wearing a mermaid costume.
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find made their presence known with their impeccable supply of pop culture artwork. The artwork included beloved Disney characters Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh dressed up as Deadpool. In addition, they also saw some of their favorite Pokemon characters such as Pikachu, Charizard, and Dragonite in a very different way as the posters showcased the familiar pocket monsters on side and presented their anatomy on the other side of the poster.
This painting was done by the incredible Anthony J. Biondolillo. (Photo property of Jake’s Take)
At the Big Apple Comic Con, there were a variety of creators. What stuck out to me the most were the artists that I met while I was on the floor. Illustrator and painter Anthony J. Biondolillo showcased his impeccable artistic pop culture icons such as Superman, Lois Lane, Cruella de Vil, and Maleficent in their contemporary time period style. In addition, he also reimagined comic book characters as Disney characters.
Stratford, Connecticut based art team Tainted Sweets brought audiences a taste of when they set the Chibi art style, which is a significant part of Japanese culture to countless DC superheroes and villains. Also, Bun Leung impressed fans with his impeccable interpretations of comic book characters.
The Rogue Alliance were definitely some of the best cosplayers at the Big Apple Comic Con. (Photo property of Jake’s Take)
There were also quite a few cosplayers that stood out in the crowd. A trio representing the Rogue Alliance, a collectic group of New York based performers that merge Star Wars with other forms of pop culture genres such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Shakespeare. Other cosplayers dressed as unique characters that not even veteran fans see at conventions including Speed Racer, the Black Ninja Power Ranger, Cyborg, and Kamala Khan.
Thank you so much to Michael Copon for taking time to talk to me! I truly enjoyed meeting you. (Photo property of Jake’s Take)
Last but certainly not least, there were several special guests at the convention. Fans waited in lines to speak with comic book industry veterans such as Neal Adams, Michael Golden, Jim Steranko, and Mike Royer. There were also several media guests that interacted with fans including Nicholas Brendon, Ming Chen, Jennifer Cihi, Wilson Cruz, and Sherilyn Fenn. I also want to give a big shout out and “Thank you” to actor Michael Copon for taking time out of his convention schedule to speak to me. I am very excited for you to read our conversation soon.
The Big Apple Comic Con will return to the New York City area next year on April 13 and 14, 2019.
To see highlights from the Big Apple Comic Con, head to my Facebook page!
