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Hall of Records (from years gone by) => 2013 NYCC => Topic started by: rabbitwarren on October 13, 2013, 05:44:53 AM

Title: NYCC Reviews
Post by: rabbitwarren on October 13, 2013, 05:44:53 AM
I went Friday afternoon and Saturday (Friday was my stroll through the vendors day and Saturday was a panel day) and although this was fun, I can't say my enjoyment would merit an effort to travel here if I wasn't living in NYC already. 

I'll start off with the good.  Great selection of Vendors, some cool exclusives, and if you went late on Friday, strolling through the exhibit hall was quite easy (not so much on Saturday).  The Archer panel was great, Reign did not belong in NYCC and I felt bad for the cast when the audience gave a negative response at the end of the showing (although the show does actually suck).  I didnt stick around for the later panels because I wanted to do some more strolling.  And Politics aside, James Woods seems like a cool dude. 

Now some criticisms.  CCI has organization issues to be sure but they are a not for profit and a quick linkedin search seems to indicate they don't have a lot of full-time staff.  ReedPop is a for profit, has over 1000 employees, and charges accordingly and yet NYCC is just as disorganized.  On Saturday, they herded us in a room to wait to enter.  When the clock struck 10, it took another 10 minutes to actually start moving and the movement involved stops and starts.  In Comic con, the flow is usually consistent and fast once the doors open. 

Finding where the lines begin and end was a challenge.  And the wrap around to get into the main stage is a nightmare.  People were cutting in line easily. 

Second, delivery of the badges can be better.  I decided at the last minute to go on Friday as well as Saturday so my badge was being sent by UPS and required a signature.  I don't know what Reed Pop was expecting but not all of us nerds are unemployed and live in our parents basement.  Some of us are employed and work normal hours and don't want to wait for pacakges at home.  At least give us the option of picking up badges live when we buy the tickets.  In the end, I had to go to a ups center to pick it up, which was a pain and required me to leave work early. 
Title: NYCC Reviews
Post by: DRWHO42 on October 13, 2013, 06:40:29 PM
This was my second NYCC and I will give them a little credit on the badges this year. Entry and exit was not cumbersome. I agree about the holding pen in the morning the "release" was not organized and they actually did 2 or 3 columns at the same time there was a likelihood that someone who entered after you would be ahead of you getting into the exhibit hall.

I burned through a lot more cash this year because they had a number of guests I wanted autographs from. With that said they had a decent selection of guests.

One of my criticisms was the layout of the floor. There were pockets of space in some places and a lot of choke points. I actually walked straight through Midtown Comics booth and did not realize it - thought I was still walking through an aisle.

Bad-
The organizers could have warned people sitting in the main room that the screenings were full-length. There were groans at each cut b/c folks thought it was the end of the screening. On the same topic the panels for the sessions where there was a screening was very short in most cases. They had maybe 15 minutes on stage for q&a and maybe took 2 or 3 questions from the floor.

Good -
Agents of Shield showed the full episode of an upcoming episode and the cast was in the room with us. I thought it was good for them to hear our excitement. The Walking Dead panel was good and engaging - hats off to the moderator. Shame there was no cast signing though.

Reign may have not been aligned with the NYCC demographic but since one of the stars is tied to Teen Wolf I would have done the same if I was in the CW marketing department. The show is not that bad but it could be okay if the CW is smart enough to limit the episode run to 13 - 18 episodes to avoid creative fatigue.

NERD HQ had a good setup on the floor and they were good at snagging some folks to sign autographs for Operation Smile.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: Angology on October 13, 2013, 07:25:21 PM
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The Walking Dead panel was good and engaging - hats off to the moderator. Shame there was no cast signing though.
Was so happy when I saw that Yvette was the moderator (I didn't attend-we watched the live stream)!

On the SHIELD panel-I would rather have a Q&A at this point. The episode is on next Tuesday, I would rather chat with the cast. It was cool that they showed the pilot at SDCC-it was months away, and they ran the panel a little longer (did they do that here?). Just my opinion.

The Adventure Time panel seemed pretty cool. I will say-I love that they live stream some panels. Wish they could have worked things out for the first two streams on Friday (Comic Book Men & Falling Skies), but that is not uncommon to have hiccups. I was even able to listen in on some at work on Friday (Walking Dead 10th & Justice League War).

Did anyone catch the Sleepy Hollow panel? Was it a full screening? Another one where I would rather sit with the cast than watch something that will be on in a few days.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: mllNY on October 13, 2013, 07:51:35 PM
No Chris Hardwick as the moderator was odd; and just now on the Talking Dead the EP said we just announced this weekend, without actually saying NYCC. Tension. HMMMMM.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: rabbitwarren on October 14, 2013, 04:03:57 AM
I'm not a Teen Wolf fan so I am wondering if Adelaide Kane's character was popular enough to bring in Teen Wolf fans.  But you hit the nail on the head.  The reason why properties go to these conventions is to generate buzz but it only works if it appeals to the right demo.  I can't imagine the con crowd going crazy if the tudors were premiering just now, even if the show had Cavill, Natalie Dormer, Colin O'Donoghue, james Frain and other actors and actresses who went on to more con friendly properties. 

So if Reign was hoping for buzz, they didn't get it.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: zuko3984 on October 14, 2013, 11:37:56 AM
I had a great time at NYCC. I did have some issues and complaints but the total experience i had was very good.

I'll start by saying i had the Ultimate Access Badge and while it is expensive i found it well worth it. No waiting in line to get in the building was great. The VIP room with the free coat check which was never very crowded was very useful. The biggest thing was no waiting to get into the panels. I got to see all the panels in the main room and the Empire room without having to room camp or line up early. The reserved seating was fantastic. Got to see most of the panels from the front row or very close to the front. Sat front row dead center for the x-files panel which was the highlight of the con for me.

I went to the exhibit hall on Thursday and Friday morning and i didn't find the crowds too bad. My friends tried walking the exhibit hall on saturday and found it very crowded. I was able to get all the exclusives i wanted and some stuff that I didn't even know i wanted till i saw it.

I did have a few issues. They need to find a better way to control the lines that form for the in booth signings. Stan Lee was doing an in booth autograph signing Saturday morning. The line got so long that it was blocking other booths. Specifically the Marvel Booth. Marvel booth manager started to flip out that we couldn't block his booth. Security was called in. After waiting in line for 90 minutes and having already bought an autograph ticket we were told we had to leave the line. No one from the booth came over to explain anything. They didn't tell us when we could come back or offer any information. Security basically just told us that we had to leave and anyone who didn't leave was going to have there badge taken away. I went back later to the booth and got a refund but the people who work in that booth are the rudest people i have ever seen. They acted like they were doing me a favor by refunding me my money and told me it wasn't there problem that i wasted 90 minutes in line.
Another issue is they need to educate all the staff and also the vendors about the different types of badges. I had an issue with at the Marvel Merchandise booth were they were letting people with Special Access badges go the front of the line. They wouldn't let Ultimate access to the front of the line. What i found out later after complaining was they were confusing Special Access badges and Medical Badges.

My last issus is they need to make sure the Staff is giving out the correct information. I was at the Following panel and when it was over the a bunch of the staff started announcing that the cast was going to be doing a free autograph signing for anyone who goes. I go to where they said to go and was told i needed an autograph ticket. If the staff in the room would have mentioned this important piece of information I would have stayed in the room for the Sleepy Hollow panel.

Besides a few issues i had a blast and can't wait till next year.

Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: alyssa on October 14, 2013, 12:37:19 PM
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I did have a few issues. They need to find a better way to control the lines that form for the in booth signings. Stan Lee was doing an in booth autograph signing Saturday morning. The line got so long that it was blocking other booths. Specifically the Marvel Booth. Marvel booth manager started to flip out that we couldn't block his booth. Security was called in. After waiting in line for 90 minutes and having already bought an autograph ticket we were told we had to leave the line. No one from the booth came over to explain anything. They didn't tell us when we could come back or offer any information. Security basically just told us that we had to leave and anyone who didn't leave was going to have there badge taken away. I went back later to the booth and got a refund but the people who work in that booth are the rudest people i have ever seen. They acted like they were doing me a favor by refunding me my money and told me it wasn't there problem that i wasted 90 minutes in line.
Was the signing at the Desert Wind booth? 
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: mllNY on October 14, 2013, 01:15:05 PM
To further zuko's point.

Funny enough, and this is not reedpop, I found the crazy cat people (stan lee people) exceptionally rude as well and almost got into a fight with them on Sunday morning. I knew to head over to the room they moved the signing to as opposed to the booth but they told us he was signing at 10AM. I got to the line 9:40 and was 5th on line. They kept saying 10 (multiple times) until Stan finally showed up at 10:45. Now I understand Stan Lee is usually a bit late but anything more than 20 minutes is rude and people should be better informed.  I was desperate at that point cause I did not want to miss any of the defiance panel at 11. Then they had him signing stack of comics for profession resellers until almost 10:57 (I was staring at my watch intently) at which point I was literally going at it with this little punk from their booth who then tried to tell me to leave the room and get a refund. Like I had not just wasted $170 (2 pops and 2 autographs, 1 for me and 1 for a friend) and 80 minutes on line. I was almost close to calling him out of the room.

With extreme luck I was done by 11:05 and even more extreme luck the main stage had technical difficulties so when I walked in they had not started 10 after. With my UA badge I too got to the front of the panel room.

Again this is not criticism on reedpop they have no control but that whole Stan Lee experience was pathetic. Desertwind should run them for good.

My thoughts on NYCC are to follow
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: Chris on October 14, 2013, 01:18:37 PM
I have found the security for Stan Lee at SDCC to be rude as well. 
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: zuko3984 on October 14, 2013, 01:20:00 PM
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Was the signing at the Desert Wind booth?
No. it was booth 1555. The banner at the booth said Stan Lee Collectibles but when i looked up booth 1555 on the NY comic con website it is listed as Crazy Cat Collectibles.
I sent an email about the Stan Lee Line issue to the show manager Lance Fensterman and i got a reply. He did apologize and said that this wasn't the first complaint they had gotten about this vendor. He also said they were already looking into ways to address lines at the in booth signings. The quick reply to my email was nice but i doubt much will happen. Even with the complaints about this vendor I'm sure they will be back next year. Maybe they will address the issue with the lines for in booth signing but i'm not counting on it.

 
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: mllNY on October 14, 2013, 01:44:15 PM
I'll likely mention it to Lance in my email as well. But honestly he can handle the Line issue, but he can't do anything about the rude people that work in that booth. Crazy Cat Collectibles is like Stan's own company.

The problem with the placement was that Image (who had a ton of signings, and had some of the nicest people at their booth throughout the convention. Seriously should be commended for that and will be in my email), Hallmark, and Marvel were all in that area so with the Stan Lee signing it just created absolute chaos. I was just in the area on Saturday and you couldn't even get through the aisle because of the line.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: zuko3984 on October 14, 2013, 02:24:20 PM
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I'll likely mention it to Lance in my email as well. But honestly he can handle the Line issue, but he can't do anything about the rude people that work in that booth. Crazy Cat Collectibles is like Stan's own company.

I hope they do end up doing something about line issues. I also don't think they will do anything about Crazy Cat Collectibles. But i do disagree with you that NYCC can't do anything. They can do something they just choose not to. I got the impression from the email i got that they got a lot of complaints about this company. NYCC could tell them they are on probation next year and if they get more complaints they wont be allowed back after that. Stan Lee does signing for other companies. If he wanted to still attend he would have to attend with any number of other companies or just not attend. Would it be a hit on NYCC for them not to have Stan Lee? I guess so but i don't think any one guest or booth should be above all others. NYCC would survive and continue to grow with or without one guest. And honestly Stan Lee is in his 90's and a day will come sad to say probably soon when he is no longer able to go to cons. NYCC will survive just fine without Stan Lee if it came to that. And if it ever came down to a public relations battle the con just has to show all the complaints and how the booth treated people.

But honestly not many if any convention organizers ever stand up to the guests. They let them get away with treating the fans however they want to.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: Jim Watari on October 14, 2013, 02:25:52 PM
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I'll likely mention it to Lance in my email as well. But honestly he can handle the Line issue, but he can't do anything about the rude people that work in that booth. Crazy Cat Collectibles is like Stan's own company.

The problem with the placement was that Image (who had a ton of signings, and had some of the nicest people at their booth throughout the convention. Seriously should be commended for that and will be in my email), Hallmark, and Marvel were all in that area so with the Stan Lee signing it just created absolute chaos. I was just in the area on Saturday and you couldn't even get through the aisle because of the line.

The Image people are always very nice at every convention I've been to
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: rabbitwarren on October 14, 2013, 05:03:34 PM
Two more things I did like were the fact that I could order shirts online rather than queueing up for them.  And also I had no issues with the RFID. 
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: YouThinkMeMad on October 15, 2013, 05:54:02 AM
I know the Marvel booth was even complaining about the Stan Lee both and heard them call for security a few times on Saturday (I think it was Saturday) because of line issues and the fact that their line was blocking the Marvel booth.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: zuko3984 on October 15, 2013, 12:46:45 PM
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I know the Marvel booth was even complaining about the Stan Lee both and heard them call for security a few times on Saturday (I think it was Saturday) because of line issues and the fact that their line was blocking the Marvel booth.
Yes the Marvel Booth was not happy at all about the line from the Stan Lee Booth. I understand the guy from marvel didn't want his booth blocked but he also didn't handle the situation very well. He was taking it out on the people in the line and acting very rude to us in an attempt to get us to leave. Then when he called security and when they didn't immediately do exactly as he wanted he acted like a little child who didn't get his way and didn't even give security a chance to try to figure out what to do with the line so that maybe they could make everyone happy. Security was trying to work it out at first to figure out what to do with the line but the marvel booth guy was being such a pain that they just gave up and made everyone leave. Once that happened security also became kind of rude and angry and told anyone who didn't leave right away they would have there badge taken away. While all this was happening no one from the stan lee booth even bothered to come over and talk to anyone or actually do anything at all to fix the situation or tell us when to come back or what to do.  The whole situation was just a mess. Stan lee booth should have had a better plan for the line. They had to know they were going to get a huge amount of people for Stan Lee signing. But they really don't care about anything related to customer service. worse company i have ever had the displeasure to deal with.
But i also blame the marvel booth for inflaming the situation and not even wanting to listen to any attempt to fix the situation except  if it was the answer they wanted to hear which was to get rid of the line completely.
And security while trying to help at first gave up rather quick and only wanted everyone to leave without giving any information on what to do. and then threatening to take away badges for just asking questions.
As i'm sure everyone can tell i am still highly annoyed by the situation.


 
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: YouThinkMeMad on October 15, 2013, 01:00:26 PM
I know Stan had one signing in a room. That's how he should be handled I think. It causes too much drama to have him out on the floor between the lines and people just trying to sneak a peak and grab a quick photo. OR put that booth in another area away from other popular booths. It doesn't take a genius to know that Stan Lee is going to draw a crowd.

I honestly might take a break from NYCC. This year was just way too crowded, even for me. The way the place is laid out, it's hard to just find a spot to hide for a minute. I know I missed most of the floor because I just couldn't get around.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: zuko3984 on October 15, 2013, 01:32:44 PM
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I know Stan had one signing in a room. That's how he should be handled I think. It causes too much drama to have him out on the floor between the lines and people just trying to sneak a peak and grab a quick photo. OR put that booth in another area away from other popular booths. It doesn't take a genius to know that Stan Lee is going to draw a crowd.

I honestly might take a break from NYCC. This year was just way too crowded, even for me. The way the place is laid out, it's hard to just find a spot to hide for a minute. I know I missed most of the floor because I just couldn't get around.

I agree with you about Stan Lee.

It's funny because my friends and i found this year the crowds on the show floor to be more manageable then last year. I  think a lot of it depends on timing. If you end up going down an aisle when something is happening like people are stopping to take pics of someone in cosplay it gets really crowded. But for the most part i found it much easier to move around this year compared to last year.
I honestly don't see any difference in crowds and crowd control between NYCC and SDDC. At times at last years SDCC i was ready to give up and leave because i was stuck in a crowd that just wasn't moving.
I think the biggest problem as far as crowds and keeping people moving is the whole stopping for pics of people in cosplay. It just really backs up the crowds and is a big problem. Not really sure what can be done about it though.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: YouThinkMeMad on October 15, 2013, 01:40:11 PM
Most of the "stop and go" issues I saw were due to people not knowing where they wanted to go or what they wanted to do. I never had traffic issues because of cosplayers. Maybe it depended on the area of the floor. Any of the cosplayers that were stopped all moved out of the flow of traffic as far as I could tell.

I just feel like every inch of that convention center is packed. During SDCC, I can easily find a quiet spot. I do it every year. Once I sat on the back steps looking at the Bay for 20 minutes just to get some fresh air. There are other parts that are pretty quiet as well. Plus with the location of the CC, you can leave and find other things to do to get a break. Because of the location of Javits, there really isn't anything else to do unless you want to walk a lot of blocks.

I know it sounds crazy for someone who's been to SDCC to say that NYCC was packed and crazy but that's how it felt to me this year. I mean, this year at SDCC I really had no issues walking the floor. In fact, some days it was almost creepy how easily I could walk around.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: Chris on October 15, 2013, 01:47:49 PM
Security made the Stan Lee situation worse at SDCC a couple of years ago.  There was no one around them and they stretched out their arms and started yelling “Keep moving everyone!” over and over which caused a crowd to form to see what they were yelling about. 

Rocket surgeon came up with that one.   :)
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: YouThinkMeMad on October 15, 2013, 01:51:59 PM
I wanted to add, I did have a good time. I finally got to meet Kelly Sue and get some comics signed and a photo. I attended a few panels that were on my list. I chatted with Zac Levi and saw "First Date" plus hung out with friends I only see at conventions. Plus I got my Rocket Raccoon.
Title: Re: NYCC Reviews
Post by: DRWHO42 on October 15, 2013, 06:06:05 PM
I had a ticket for the Stan Lee signing And made an attempt Saturday morning. The security people caped the line and were not all too friendly but this was due mainly on poor line management. Hearing about the Marvel manager reaction is disappointing considering they had huge lines themselves that same morning and he could have approached the issue better.

The folks working Stan Lees booth were nice during my encounters on Friday and Saturday morning but they were not staffed to handle the line and I do not think they know what to do. Needless to say after I was told to come back later I returned 15 or 20 minutes later and was able to walk right up and get my autograph. It was a bit rushed and there was no personalization but I got the signature.

Line management and coordination with neighboring booths is crucial if one expects long lines or signings. For comparison BBC America, FOX, and Legendary had good systems in place for SDCC. It is now up to Reedpop to figure out how to minimize issues in upcoming years.