We’re now less than a week out from this year’s New York Comic Con: the east coast’s (and by some accounts, the country’s) biggest convention of the year. If you managed to score tickets months ago when they went on sale, cool! We’ll see you there. If you don’t yet have tickets (and want to go), there are still a limited number of Thursday tickets available. But I wouldn’t wait much longer.
With a show of this size, everyone needs a plan of attack. There are an overwhelming number of panels, in-booth events, signings, off-site events, and invite-only parties. So what’s on your to-do list?
If you haven’t made a list yet or are open to some substitutions, allow me to make a few suggestions. I’m willing to bet these events are cooler than whatever you’ve got on your list anyway.
It’s no secret that we here at GeekDad HQ are big fans of Jonathan Coulton, Paul & Storm, and their annual JoCo Cruise. (Tickets on sale now for the 2018 sailing!) So it’s with much excitement that we’re announcing that a number of JoCo Cruise regulars will be at NYCC in some capacity.
Whether you’re looking to laugh, cry, or just go “hmm,” there’s something here for you: concerts, panels, signings, podcasts, performances and Muppets!
THURSDAY
Nerf Herder signing (hosted by Dark Horse Comics)
- 2-2:45 pm
- Dark Horse booth #1636
- Come meet Nerf Herder and celebrate the 20th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Merch will be available for sale – and the guys will be signing a special free “color it yourself” page from the Buffy Adult Coloring Book. But wait, there’s more! Stop by for a chance to win two tickets to their rock show in Brooklyn that evening!
- NYCC Thursday badge required
NYCC Geek Rock Block
- 3-3:30 pm
- NYCC Live Stage at Javits Center, booth #174
- Check out live interviews with some of the top names in geek rock, including Nerf Herder, Jonathan Coulton, and Paul & Storm.
- NYCC Thursday badge required
Geek Rock Block Meet & Greet with Nerf Herder, Jonathan Coulton, and Paul & Storm (hosted by Loot Crate)
- 3:30-4:30 pm
- Loot Crate booth #536
- Loot Crate brings you an hour of geeking out with the biggest names in geek rock: Nerf Herder (Buffy the Vampire Slayer theme), Jonathan Coulton aka “JoCo” (Portal), and musical comedy duo Paul & Storm. Come meet everyone, have something signed, AND sign up for your chance to win 2 tickets to Nerf Herder in Brooklyn on 10/5 and 2 tickets to JoCo and Paul & Storm in Brooklyn on 10/6. (both 21+) Merch will also be available for sale.
- NYCC Thursday badge required
Nerf Herder Live at Bell House with Corn Mo
- 10:30 pm
- Bell House, Brooklyn (149 7th Street, Brooklyn)
- Tickets available here. ($25)
- Pioneers of the late 90s pop-punk and geek rock movements, Nerf Herder are perhaps best known for their powerful theme to the iconic Joss Whedon TV show Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Last year, the band released its newest full length “Rockingham” and now is returning to the Northeast for the first time in 15 years. Not to be missed! (21+)
- NYCC badge not required
FRIDAY
Jonathan Coulton and Paul & Storm Live at Bell House
- 7 pm
- Bell House, Brooklyn (149 7th Street, Brooklyn)
- Tickets available here. ($30)
- Join Jonathan Coulton, Paul & Storm, and surprise guests for a night of music, hilarity, and general nerdery. (21+)
- NYCC badge not required
SATURDAY
Telling Stories with Pat Rothfuss, Jonathan Coulton, Paul & Storm, Maureen Johnson, Jean Grae, and Travis McElroy
- 2:45-3:45 pm
- Javits Center Room 1A06
- Bestselling authors Patrick Rothfuss and Maureen Johnson, singer-songwriters Jonathan Coulton and Jean Grae, comedy/music duo Paul and Storm, and podcaster Travis McElroy discuss their strategies for storytelling, creating characters, and moving from good idea to finished thing.
- NYCC Saturday badge required
SUNDAY
We Got This with Mark and Hal – a Special Kids Edition
- 1:15-2 pm
- Javits Center Room 1C03
- We Got This with Mark and Hal is recording a live episode of their popular Maximum Fun podcast in which they settle the topics you never knew you cared so much about, like whether ketchup belongs on hot dogs, what the best classic board game is, and who is the best Batman of all time! And they need your help! Come help them decide a very important unimportant topic! Featuring Mark Gagliardi and Hal Lublin (Venture Bros, Welcome to Night Vale, The Thrilling Adventure Hour, Mighty Magiswords, Star vs the Forces of Evil).
- NYCC Sunday badge required
Solid State with Jonathan Coulton (hosted by Image Comics)
- 3-3:45 pm
- Image Comics booth #1444
- Celebrate the recent album of release of Solid State by Jonathan Coulton and its companion graphic novel by Jonathan Coulton and Matt Fraction from Image Comics by meeting JoCo himself. Exclusive hardcover graphic novels and vinyl will be available for sale. Don’t miss your chance to meet the man behind the music and the graphic novel – and to have them both signed!
- NYCC Sunday badge required
We Got This with Mark and Hal – Live!
- 6 pm
- Hudson Mercantile (500 West 36th Street, Manhattan)
- Tickets available here. ($15)
- We Got This with Mark and Hal is returning to NYCC for the third consecutive year, recording a live episode of their popular Maximum Fun podcast in which they settle the topics you never knew you cared so much about, like whether ketchup belongs on hot dogs, what the best classic board game is, Star Wars vs Star Trek, and the best Batman of all time! Mark Gagliardi and Hal Lublin (Drunk History, Venture Bros, Welcome to Night Vale, The Thrilling Adventure Hour) will be joined by special guest Jonathan Coulton as they tackle another of the most important debates of all time: the best game show of all time! (All Ages)
- NYCC badge not required.
Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher Back to Back – Live on Tour
- 10 pm
- Music Hall of Williamsburg (66 North 6th Street, Brooklyn)
- Tickets available here. ($35)
- Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher are going on a bus tour across the U.S. this fall! Don’t miss your favorite comic wives doing standup BACK TO BACK. (16+)
- NYCC badge not required.
MONDAY
We Got This with Mark and Hal – Live!
- 12:30 and 3 pm
- Museum of the Moving Image, Redstone Theater (36-01 35th Ave, Astoria [Queens])
- Tickets available Tickets available here. and second shows. ($15)
- Returning to New York for the first time since last fall, the hit Maximum Fun podcast We Got This with Mark & Hal will serve as hosts, judges, and jury as they partner with The Jim Henson Legacy and Museum of the Moving Image to record two live episodes in which they’ll answer unanswerable Muppets questions and screen the winners for audiences at the museum in Queens, New York, on Monday, October 9th. Both events will be ticketed separately.
- First, hosts Hal Lublin & Mark Gagliardi will pick the Best Muppet Show episode of all time from a shortlist created through fan voting! Hal and Mark will be joined by The Jim Henson Legacy president, Emmy-nominated writer and producer Craig Shemin and actor, podcaster, and New York Times Bestselling author John Hodgman (The Daily Show, Judge John Hodgman) to pick the best episode of all time, which will then be screened immediately after the recording.
- For their second show, Mark and Hal will be joined by Tony-nominated actor and Muppeteer Stephanie D’Abruzzo (Avenue Q, Sesame Street, Nature Cat) and Doc Hammer (Venture Bros) to determine which of the classic Muppet film trilogy is best: The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, or The Muppets Take Manhattan? They’ll deep dive into the topic with their usual combination of fun trivia and hilarious side tangents before arriving at their final decision. The winning film will then be screened for the audience.
- NYCC badge not required.
