New York Comic Con, one of NYC’s largest–and nerdiest–conventions, returned for its 20th anniversary at the Javits Center, gathering thousands of fans, gamers, artists, vendors and more.
From Oct. 8 to 11, NYCC showcased its Show Floor, Artist Alley, Cosplay Central, Panel Rooms and more spaces full of lively geek culture. This year, NYCC’s theme was centered around Coney Island, featuring unique circus events and NYCC x Coney Island merchandise and collectibles.
NYCC’s 2026 featured guests including: Hayden Christian, Idina Menzel, Nicholas Cage, Rosario Dawson and Sebastian Stan.
In addition, video game stars, such as Jennifer English and Neil Newbon and comic artists, like Peach Momoko and Alex Sinclair, were also present.
As NYCC is known for calling forth parties of geeks across different fandom universes, many attendees expressed their excitement towards seeing fellow fans and cosplayers.
An attendee dressed as the Halloween version of Jester of Critical Role, said that she was most excited to see “all of the cosplayers and the incredible work they do. There is some stuff I am like ‘wow I wish I could do that,’ and it’s amazing to see that the community is so welcoming.”
Cosplayer Malibare dressed as Gwen of League of Legends, expressed her excitement towards the artistry around the con.
“You might see a character that you saw in your childhood show from like 10 years ago, or see something new,” she said in an interview with The Ticker.
“It’s also so cool that this is a place where everyone likes the same thing. I feel like growing up as a kid, anime was kinda looked down upon–like I was considered that ‘weird kid,’ but it’s so cool to be in this environment where everyone is the ‘weird kid,’” she said.
Another attendee dressed as a ‘Ghost’ from Call of Duty, said that NYCC, “brings the extroverts out of introverts.”
Baruch alumni and former food columnist at The Ticker, Andres Mendieta, said that one of his favorite parts about the con is “seeing fans of all generations gather together to celebrate the characters, movies, comics and shows that we all grew up with and have fond memories of.”
In Artist Alley, Jocelyn Short is an independent author and illustrator of “Bearers,” “a collection of original character designs,” of “soul carriers,” who escort souls to their selected destinations.
Short’s concepts are inspired by elements from Final Fantasy, funeral attire of Black women and avant-garde fashion.
Short has been vending at cons for 10 years; her favorite things about attending cons are “connecting with other artists and seeing them in their own elements,” showing off her works that are personal to her and “sometimes getting random free stuff–like trinkets.”
Inspired by artists like Junji Ito and Rockin’ Jelly Bean, award-winning horror manga illustrator, Gigi Murakami, creates art centered around narratively driven horror.
“I have been vending for more than 10 years, so it’s been a long journey… I don’t like the setup and breakdown… I like the ‘people aspect’ of [Comic Con],” she told The Ticker.
“I like how huge Comic Con is,” Murakami added, explaining that Comic Con has branched out from comic books, opening entries to “other nerdy mediums,” making it a “more inclusive space” and expanding the community.
NYCC is one of NYC’s staple events; it highlights and unites people amongst a vast array of interests and passions and serves as a momentous reminder that–despite NYC’s diverse upbringings–there are just as many past times that will always bring people together.
