By Joy Ling
October 8th marked the beginning of the eighth annual New York Comic Con, an event where hundreds of thousands of devoted fans converge to celebrate their love for comic books, animation, video games, television and film. This year’s comic con featured celebrities such as Hulk Hogan, George Clooney, Lucy Liu and William Shatner. Notable comic guests included the likes of Bryan Lee O’Malley, author of the popular Scott Pilgrim series and Jim Lee, a co-publisher of DC Entertainment. Comic Con attracts people from around the world by offering them a chance to meet the creators of their favorite franchises.
At the Elementary panel, fans were given the opportunity to watch a never-before-seen episode that centers on Joan Watson (Lucy Liu), the partner of Sherlock Holmes (Johnny Lee Miller). While enjoying her newfound independence, Watson gets caught in a surprising situation with new character Kitty Winter (Ophelia Lovibond), who turns out to be Sherlock’s new sidekick. This episode will debut Thursday, Oct 30. (10/9c) on CBS. Elementary is unique for its modern day take on a classic British fiction novel. Set in New York City, it stars Asian American Queens Native, Lucy Liu, and Londoner Johnny Lee Miller.
Crunchyroll, an anime streaming website, also held their first ever comic con panel on Friday, October 10th. During the panel, they announced new shows that the plan on including on their website, including Future Diary, Switch Girl, BONJOUR♪Sweet Love Patisserie, Ultraman Max and Case Closed. They also introduced a new Manga 2.0 App, which features an easy-to-use interface and more tools to assist avid readers. Crunchyroll also gave audiences an inside look into their office, and encouraged people to apply for a job with them on their website.
Of course, there is more to comic con than just panels. Every year, thousands of cosplayers attend the event to show off their outfits and pose as their favorite characters. Clarissa, a Sailor Saturn cosplayer, has attended NYCC twice, and says that she enjoys “being around like-minded people that enjoy the same things that you do.” She also advises potential comic con visitors to “learn how to sew, and don’t be afraid to cosplay. Everyone is super accepting.”
A Japanese club from Binghamton also participated in the pilgrimage to comic con. Donned in kimonos, they explained that they visited comic con because they “have always been fans of Japanese culture.” They also stated that their favorite part about comic con were the various cosplayers and the crowded, exciting atmosphere.
New York Comic Con is an event for everybody. Visitors are almost guaranteed to find something that will interest them, whether it is a celebrity, panel, cosplayer or shopping stall. It was exciting to see such a diverse conglomerate of people come together to enjoy their interests. However, because the event is so popular, tickets run out really quickly, so if you want to reserve a spot at next year’s convention, you better act fast!
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