NY Comic Con unites superhero fans at Javits Center in Manhattan
MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- New York Comic Con allows a quarter million people to let their imaginations run wild at The Javits Center in the Big Apple.
"You will find family here," superhero fan Keavonnda Totten said. "You will find a great conversation in here. That's what I think Comic Con is. It's a place to build-up a family that you never knew you had from all across the world."
Kyra Blake, 12, is attending her first of these shows with her father Fred.
"We'll remember it forever," her father said.
Blake's father said she was skipping school to attend the event, but that it was OK because she's a straight A student.
Mike Armstrong, Vice President at ReedPOP and in charge of New York Comic Con, said the big part of the event is dressing in costume.
"As a parent myself, it's nice to see families come in cosplay," Armstrong said. "You're creating the next generation of fans, and that's what these shows are all about."
Amid all the superheroes to meet, merchandise to buy and new games to play is a theme as old as time: share and share alike. Comic Con fan Arturo Montero proved that by bringing along two teenage cousins.
"To kind of pass along the tradition," Montero said. "You know, to share the love with the family."
Fans wait for hours to play the latest games for just a few minutes, which is especially crucial for New York City-based Marvel Entertainment.
"This is where we get to engage with the fans directly, so I think this is really helpful for us to see what's resonating with people: what works, what doesn't," said Brian Crosby, from Marvel Themed Entertainment. "It's our chance to show off a lot of things that we have in the works."
Some of the items are only available at this show and range in price from expensive to cheap, to even free. For the last hour of the show every day, Marvel gives away all kinds of things like posters, statues and action figures.
All the stuff is no doubt part of the appeal, but many come here for the camaraderie.
"I say its geekdom at its best, but there are no labels," fan Louis Libitz said. "We're all here having fun with each other, and it's a great event."
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