Tag Archives: NYCC

NYCC 2011 Flash Action Figure News and Pics

Salutations Speed Readers,

For those that haven’t heard yet there were some pics shown off at New York Comic Con this past weekend of the “New 52” action figures coming up from DC Direct next year. As expected there were a few pictures shown of the new Flash action figure; TNI and Toy Ark have the goods:

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Catch the Flash & Flashpoint Teams at NYCC!

The new Flash writer/artist team, Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, are both scheduled to be at New York Comic Con this weekend. You can also catch the Flashpoint team of Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert.

In addition to signings, Johns will be on Friday’s DC All Access: Green Lantern panel, and Johns, Manapul and Buccellato will all be on DC All Access: Justice League panel on Saturday.

This is Buccellato’s only east-coast appearance on his fall signing schedule, and the only event this fall where you can meet both halves of the current Flash creative team.

Update: Brian Buccellato has posted his schedule for the convention, including three signings:

FRIDAY October 14th
4-5 PM @ THE DC BOOTH (with Francis Manapul)

SATURDAY October 15th
3-4 PM @ THE DC BOOTH

SUNDAY October 16th
3-4 PM @ THE DC BOOTH (with Francis Manapul)

Flash Hints from NYCC

I’m on the other side of the country from New York, but the comics press are doing a thorough job of covering New York Comic Con. The Flash isn’t getting a huge spotlight, but there are bits of news here and there. SpeedsterSite has been posting Flash-related bits on Twitter.

From CBR’s Geoff Johns Spotlight write-up:

  • After re-introducing Barry Allen in the first story, “all of the flashes” will appear in future arcs.
  • Flashpoint (the upcoming Flash-centered event) and Speed Force (the second ongoing Flash series) will debut in the first half of 2011.
  • Hot Pursuit (appearing on the cover of Flash #9) doesn’t run, but his motorcycle uses the speed force. “He’s a police officer. His identity I think will surprise a lot of people.”
  • No plans for Walter West, the Dark Flash.
  • Regarding James Jesse, “The original Trickster’s still dead…But you never know, there’s a lot of Black and White rings out there.”
  • The upcoming Flashpoint event is completely unrelated to the Flashpont Elseworlds story from ten years ago.
  • A Green Lantern/Flash crossover is in the works.

See also Comics Alliance’s summary and Newsarama’s liveblog.

From CBR’s DC Nation writeup:

  • Kid Flash and Superboy race in Superboy #3.

From Comics Alliance’s DC Nation post:

  • Who’s Who will be out after Flashpoint.

See also Newsarama’s DC Nation liveblog.

Newsarama’s Animated Young Justice coverage has a lot on this version of the characters, including:

Kid Flash is Wally West, 15, and good friends with Robin. Voiced by Jason Spisak. Not as fast as the Flash, and he can’t stop on a dime — he has to skid to a stop. He’s very much into using his momentum as a weapon, so his costume has shoulderpads and kneepads. Vietti: “His body is like a human cannonball… he has a little bit of a parkour approach.”

Of DC Universe Online, Newsarama says, “All 4 Earth Green Lanterns, all the Flashes are in the game”

The DC Universe panel didn’t seem to have much Flash info at either CBR or Newsarama. Same with the DC Town Hall: Comics Alliance summary, Newsarama liveblog.

And finally, a bit from SpeedsterSite:

Andy Kubert on FLASHPOINT: “I’ve got a HUGE chunk of it done. Geoff will choke me if I say any more.”

Flashy People at New York Comic Con

New York Comic Con starts today, and the guests include The Flash‘s writer & artist team of Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul, former Flash writer Mark Waid, and former Flash artists Freddie Williams II (“Wild Wests” and “Fast Money”) and Salvador Larroca (“Terminal Velocity”).

Francis Manapul has posted his signing schedule, and notes that the program lists his Artist’s Alley table as A-8, but he’ll actually be at A-6.

DC booth (#2243).
I’ll be signing at the DC booth throughout the weekend.

FRIDAY, OCT 8

3:30-4:30pm: SIGNING @ DC booth

SATURDAY, OCT 9

4-5pm: SIGNING @ DC booth

SUNDAY, OCT 10

2:30-3:30pm: SIGNING @ DC booth

Hero Initiative booth #333
I’ll be doing sketches at the booth for a donation to this great cause. Hope you guys swing by!

Friday, October 8
1030-1130

Geoff Johns will likely be doing signings at the DC booth, and Mark Waid usually does signings at the BOOM! Studios booth.

Former Flash artists Greg LaRocque and Jose Marzan, Jr. also have tables in Artist’s Alley, as does Flash in Wednesday Comics’ Karl Kerschl.

Panels that will probably be of interest to Flash fans include:

  • Friday 2:15pm: Spotlight on Geoff Johns
  • Friday 3:15pm: DC 75th Anniversary
  • Friday 6pm: DC Nation
  • Saturday 12:15pm: DC Universe
  • Saturday 3:45pm: Young Justice

(Sorry I haven’t posted much this week. I’ve just been waaay too busy!)

Con-flict: Big Apple vs. NYCC — FIGHT!

Comic Book Resources and The Beat both noticed something interesting in the program for this weekend’s Big Apple Comic Con: the dates for next year’s event. It’s going to be October 7-10, 2010 — the same weekend as the larger, well-regarded New York Comic Con.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Sketchy

It’s only been 3 months since Wizard World[1] announced Anaheim Comic Con (in California) would launch on the same day as C2E2. Okay, they’re halfway across the country from each other, and that can happen with a crowded convention season. This year’s WonderCon (San Francisco) and MegaCon (Orlando, Florida) seemed to manage just fine on the same weekend. On the other hand, Anaheim and C2E2 are both new shows. More importantly, C2E2 is run by Reed Exhibitions, who run NYCC, and is setting up in Chicago, the same city as Wizard/Shamus’ flagship Chicago Comic Con. There’s already bad blood there.[2]

Of course, Big Apple Comic Con and New York Comic Con aren’t across the country from each other. They seem to be just down the street, about a mile apart. That’s closer than my hotel was to the San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con International this year — and I walked that distance. Twice.[3]

You don’t accidentally schedule your con for the same weekend, in the same city, within walking distance of the #2 show in your market. Especially when you’ve already scheduled another show to conflict with the same organization’s only other event in your industry. (Reed is big in general, but NYCC and C2E2 are the only shows that overlap with Wizard’s field.) Obviously they deliberately chose to compete with NYCC.

Goal?

What I can’t figure out is: What do they hope to accomplish?

Given all the good will NYCC has picked up over the last few years, and all the good will Wizard has lost over the same period of time, I can’t imagine that if forced to choose one over the other, the comic book industry would side with Big Apple at this point. Publishers will probably split delegations[4], and I can imagine some guests setting up at both cons if contracts allow it, and I’m sure Big Apple will be able to get some exclusive guests…

…but it really reminds me of the attempt a few years ago (2006?) to launch Wizard World Atlanta on the same weekend as the well-regarded Heroes Con. The industry came down solidly on the side of Heroes Con, and Wizard World Atlanta was canceled. If anything, Wizard’s reputation is worse now than it was then.

Given their relative size, reputation and location, I can’t imagine that Big Apple expects to beat New York Comic Con by going head to head with it. So what are they tying to do? Ride on the other con’s coat-tails? Interfere with NYCC’s guests and exhibitors? Interfere with NYCC’s attendance? It just doesn’t make sense.

Update: It gets better! Big Apple kicked out 3 NYCC staffers today — just like they kicked out an LBCC staffer from Philadelphia a few months ago. (via Robot6)

Mr. Shamus, Wizard, whoever: you’re really making it hard for me to justify going to Anaheim Comic-Con next year. And considering it’ll take me longer to find a parking space than to drive to the convention center, that should take some doing.

Update 2: Reed Exhibitions has responded to the scheduling announcement, saying, “We confidently welcome any competition, whomever they may be.”

Notes

1. Or whoever actually runs the conventions that Gareb Shamus owns, since they seem to be downplaying the Wizard brand.

2. Robot 6 goes into more detail on Wizard/Shamus’ history dealing with other conventions.

3. Okay, the second time was a mix of walking, running and a pedicab ride, but still, it was walkable.

4. DC Comics will often hold DC Nation panels at two cons on the same weekend, sending Dan Didio to one and Ian Sattler to the other.