NYCC 2024 Day 1 [Recap]
When it comes to kicking off 3 full days of convention coverage, starting things off with a red-eye flight isn’t particularly ideal. Even still, coming in from San Diego on little sleep, I landed bright and early in New York, determined to power through the day. After a quick stop at the hotel to drop off my bags (and enjoy a New York lox bagel), I was off to the Javits Center for the start of New York Comic Con 2024. I could’ve used an extra shot (or three) of espresso…but hey: no rest for the weary when there are exclusives to grab and legends to meet!
First on my list: the highly coveted Absolute Batman variant cover by Javier Fernandez, a piece that fused Gotham’s Dark Knight with the neon-soaked aesthetics of Akira. Unfortunately, my timing was off—by the time I made it to The Comic Corner, the last of the variants had already sold out. A bit of a gut punch, but NYCC’s show floor waits for no one. With my buddy Michael Schwartz (of Armored fame!) by my side, we set off to explore the hall, our eyes scanning for hidden treasures and exercises in the geeky and spectacular.
We made our way to Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard’s booth, where I got my copy of The Power Fantasy #1 signed. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re missing one of the sharpest first issues of the year. I mentioned a few other highly reviewed titles to Kieron, like Helen of Wyndhorn and Dawnrunner, but as he sheepishly admitted, wrangling a toddler tends to limit one’s reading time. Fair enough - parenthood is a demanding task!
Next up, I swung by Donny Cates’ table, and this stop had me feeling all kinds of nostalgic. I brought my Silver Surfer Black treasury edition to be signed, reflecting on Donny’s rollercoaster of a journey over the last few years. From being one of Marvel’s brightest stars with runs on Venom, Thor, and Guardians of the Galaxy, to surviving a car accident that left him with amnesia—it’s been a tough road back for him. He’s only recently started stepping back into the spotlight, such as his recent acknowledgment of his villain, Knull, now slated to be the final antagonist in Sony’s Venom film series. I wish him all the best in his continued road to recovery and healing.
Onward I went to Hayden Sherman’s table, initially to chat about Into the Unseeing. But something unexpected caught my eye: a small ashcan of Absolute Woman. Naturally, I picked it up and noticed Jason Aaron was at the next table. I couldn’t pass up the chance to get my TMNT #1 Skottie Young variant signed. To top it off, Jason had an Absolute Superman ashcan as well, and in a twist of Comic Con magic, it turned out that the Wonder Woman and Superman ashcans were a flip-book! Two iconic characters in one collectible—a double win.
By mid-afternoon, I was doing a bit of wandering on the show floor, marveling at the sheer variety of booths and displays. The Funko activation was massive, as expected, and I had to tear myself away from the new Secret Wars Mondo poster.
Anime fans were well-represented too, with Crunchyroll, Tamashii Nations, and Banpresto all drawing huge interest. The crowds were buzzing, the lines were long, and the energy was palpable.
Before wrapping up the day, I swung by Jeff Lemire’s booth to get a copy of Minor Arcana signed, and then I scored an interview with rising star Danny Earls. Let me tell you, Danny has one of the most unique origin stories in comics today. Formerly a professional soccer player (or football, for the international readers), Danny kept his passion for comic art under wraps while pursuing his athletic career. His commitment to both crafts is something else— committing himself to sit at a drafting desk for hours on end, in order to properly build the stamina for the job. His story is one you don’t want to miss, so take a listen below!
The last stop of the day was with Gavin Smith, where I picked up a stunning commission of Dr. Wily. If you follow my social media, you’ve seen my collection from artists like Daniel Warren Johnson and Nick Dragotta, and Gavin’s piece now sits proudly alongside those gems.
After a whirlwind of comics, creator conversations, and convention chaos, I was more than ready to crash for the night. But this is only the beginning—there’s still two more days of Comic Con goodness to dive into. Tomorrow, I’ll be taking a tour of Bandai Namco’s booth, as well as diving deep into the mech battler: Mecha Break. On Saturday I’ll be hitting up the Secret Level panel, and in the meantime I’ll be digging into so much more. Stay tuned as we continue this adventure at one of the largest pop culture conventions on the East Coast!
