Category Archives: Convention Report

Convention Report, Podcast

Comic Timing – Episode 213: Toy Fair 2023 In Review

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Recently, Toy Fair held their (usually) annual event at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City on September 30th through October 3rd, 2023. Ian attended the trade show for the first time, and he discusses the event with Kris Naudus on this very episode. They delve into just what exactly Toy Fair is, where it will be headed come 2025 after 100+ years in NYC, how this year’s event compared to previous years Kris experienced, and so much more. So much more includes highlights from Vault and their AEW figures and professional cosplay you can wheel around in a custom overhead bin friendly suitcase, tons of Lego playsets and buildable art, Bandai’s Tamashi Nations selections as well as their Godzilla and Tekken figures, Funco’s massive presence and their integration of Mondo’s high-end collectibles, Foam Alive’s incredibly soothing foam fun and other sensory pleasures like slime and putty, Super7’s TMNT and GI Joe offerings, the return of Ty and Beanie Babies, InstaCake (just add water), bubbles and Bluey everywhere, Playmobil’s Star Trek and Magnum PI sets (you read that right), Fresh Dolls, including their Black Panther: Wakanda Forever dolls, The Elf on the Shelf Santaverse, and tons more!

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming.

Follow Ian on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/i_am_scifi, on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/iamscifi.bsky.social and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi; Kris is on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/lampbane and http://www.twitter.com/KrisNaudus for the professional Tweets, Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/lampbane.bsky.social and you can check out her various other works at http://linktr.ee/krisnaudus.

Thanks as always for listening, and we’ll catch you next time!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:28:43 — 53.1MB)

Convention Report, Podcast

Comic Timing Episode 210 – The New York Comic Con 2022 Wrap-Up

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New York Comic Con 2022 was held from October 6-9, 2022. Now that the con has been put to bed, this Comic Timing/CGS crossover episode goes into the minutia of what went down, from the mindset of longtime convention attendees, artist alley participants, and one first-timer. The crew consists of Ian Levenstein (haven’t missed a NYCC yet!), Kris Naudus, Jamal Igle, Julian Lytle, and Donovan Morgan Grant. They discuss both positives and negatives, ranging from layout to inconsistent rules management, panel slate, the exhibition floor, crown management, and a whole lot more. Plus some comic book recommendations at the end to round us out. 

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and support the production of various podcasts at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming.

Follow Ian on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/i_am_scifi, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi; Kris is on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/lampbane and http://www.twitter.com/KrisNaudus for the professional Tweets. You can find Jamal Igle on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jamaligle and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jamal_igle_artist/. And be sure to check out Dudley Datson and the Forever Machine on Comixology! Julian is on Twitter at @julianlytle and you can read his movie reviews at https://idobi.com/author/julianlytle/. And you can find Donovan at https://twitter.com/donoDMG1, on his podcast Questions: We Don’t Have Answers, and at DC Comics’ website!

Finally, be sure to check out Comic Timing’s new YouTube channel for additional content and releases.

Thank you so much for continuing to follow the show, and we’ll catch you next time!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:06:19 — 60.2MB)

Convention Report, Podcast

Comic Timing – Episode 183: Comfort, Kris, Conventions, Actors and Adam

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Episode 183 is now available for your ear holes! This is the last piece that was recorded during New York Comic Con weekend, only not at the con itself. Back at the old apartment, Ian sat down with Kris, Comfort Love and Adam Withers to discuss the growing trend of actors and actresses demanding more money from conventions in order to attend a show. How will this in turn affect attendees, artists and writers at the con, and how the show itself is run? What is the ceiling for how much people are willing to pay to hit a convention, and will it take a show saying, “No way,” to an actor to make that ceiling happen?

The group also delve into Comfort and Adam’s history attending shows as independent creators, and a few of the difficulties they faced getting their feet in the door as indie superhero creators, and Kris and Ian briefly get into Flame Con, what made it work so well, and why it is immediately one of the better small cons around. It’s a laid back, flowing conversation, and I hope you guys dig it as much as we all did recording it! For more on DashCon, follow this here link; in return, you get an extra hour in the ball pit. And Adi Fitri IS Malaysian!

You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com and be sure to Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming. Be sure to follow Ian on Twitter @i_am_scifi, Instagram at i_am_scifi or on Tumblr at heehaw-ds9.tumblr.com; Kris is on Twitter @lampbane, Instagram at lampbane, Tumblr at both lampbane.tumblr.com and Garak’s Clothiers, and check out her articles on Engadget. Finally, you can find Comfort and Adam on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr as well. And get The Uniques on Comixology while you’re at it, why don’tcha?

Thanks again for listening, and we’ll catch you next time!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:16:33 — 45.7MB)

Convention Report, Podcast

Comic Timing – Episode 182: The NYCC 2016 Interviews

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We’re back, baby! After a month off to recharge and move home base, Comic Timing returns with a doozy. It’s all the interviews Ian conducted at the 2016 New York Comic Con, which took place October 6th through the 9th! Here’s the full list of participants, some new and some returned customers:

  • Julian Lytle – Ants, Ignorant Bliss Podcast
  • Carlos Cabaleiro – Artist, The Golden Guard
  • Dave Dwonch – Action Lab Entertainment, Creator, Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab, The Geek Savants Podcast
  • Mystery Guest – Stuff, Things
  • Chad Cicconi – Label design of Blade’s Bloody Barleywine, Artist, Blue Hour
  • Jamal Igle – Artist, Black, creator of Molly Danger, part of Actionverse
  • Julie and Shawna Benson – Writers, Batgirl & The Birds of Prey, CW’s The 100

    • Thanks once again to everyone who stopped and talked all weekend long, whether it be on the mic or just to catch up. You guys and gals are the best! Onward to 2017’s New York Comic Con.

    You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com and be sure to Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming. Be sure to follow Ian on Twitter @i_am_scifi, or on Tumblr at heehaw-ds9.tumblr.com; Brent is on Twitter too @kossinab. And be sure to pre-order Comfort and Adam’s The Uniques Vol 2: Paint it Black, which is available for a whopping 45% off at DCBS!

    Thanks again for listening, and we’ll catch you next time!

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:38:19 — 57.0MB)

    Convention Report, Podcast

    Comic Timing – Episode 174: New York Comic Con 2015 in Review

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    Episode 174 of Comic Timing is now available for your earholes! As has become an unofficial tradition, our thoughts on New York Comic Con arrive about a month after the show has concluded. So, here’s all that went down at NYCC 2015! Ian is joined by Austin and Kris as they go through the best and worst of the show, awesome cosplay, LexCorp WiFi, waiting on a line to wait on a line to get con exclusives, how to budget your time appropriately in a sea of people, the introduction of Hammerstein Ballroom events to the show, swag and art obtained, and a whole lot more.

    And more includes reports on panels attended, including Comic Creators Consuming Coffee: Where Food & Comics Collide, Action Lab: Five Years and BEYOND!, #BlackComicsMonth: Diversity in Comics, Adventure Time, and the Ash Vs. The Evil Dead premiere. Hope there’s enough to make you feel like you were there too!

    As always – we are sponsored by the newly redesigned DCBS! That’s right! Discount Comic Book Service! All comics from major publishers like Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse are 40% off or more. And hardcovers and trade paperbacks from Marvel and DC are at least 50% off! Plus, be sure to check out their Comixology digital storefront for even further savings! And be sure to check out Kris’ Tumblr at Garak’s Clothiers for some excellent cosplay shots and geek fashion.

    You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com and be sure to Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming. Thanks, and we’ll catch you next time!

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:57:42 — 69.3MB)

    Convention Report, Podcast

    Comic Timing – Episode 171: Conventions and American Comics for Manga Fans

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    Episode 171 of Comic Timing is now out! This time, it’s time for a bit of a convention catch-up. Kris and Ian attended Special Edition: NYC at Pier 94 in Manhattan, and AnimeNEXT, which just had its final year in Somerset before moving to Atlantic City in 2016. They go over what worked, what didn’t, what needs improvement, whether or not New York Comic Con is a place to converse with your fellow fan, disappearing dollar bins, the ever-decreasing age of Anime convention attendees, and more.

    The episode then transitions into the complete American Comics for Manga Fans panel that Ian and Kris conducted Friday night at AnimeNEXT. If you would like to match audio with slides, here’s a link to a PDF of the presentation. It was a lot of fun to do, and I hope you guys enjoy it too!

    As always – we are sponsored by the newly redesigned DCBS! That’s right! Discount Comic Book Service! All comics from major publishers like Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse are 40% off or more. And hardcovers and trade paperbacks from Marvel and DC are at least 50% off! Plus, be sure to check out their Comixology digital storefront for even further savings!

    You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com and be sure to Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming. Thanks, and we’ll catch you next time!

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:24:00 — 79.0MB)

    Convention Report, Podcast

    Comic Timing – Episode 163: NYCC 2014 Interviews

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    Here we are with all the interviews that were conducted at the 2014 New York Comic Con. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Jeremy Dale, who passed away suddenly last week at the young age of 34. Jeremy not only was a friend of the show but a personal friend of mine. Without Jerem’y smiling face at the end of an artist alley aisle, the comic industry is worse off for it. If you would like to help support Jeremy’s wife Kelly and the family as a whole in their time of need, please do check out Jeremy’s GoFundMe page. It would be greatly appreciated.

    Back to the show itself, here is a full list of everyone who appears on this episode:

    As always – we are sponsored by DCBS! That’s right! Discount Comic Book Service! All comics from major publishers like Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse are 40% off or more. And hardcovers and trade paperbacks from Marvel and DC are at least 50% off! Plus, be sure to check out their Comixology digital storefront for even further savings! And be sure to pre-order both Vito Delsante’s Stray #1 and Nick Marino’s Holy F*ck #2 after listening to them here.

    You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com and be sure to Like us on Facebook and interact with the show at http://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming. Thanks, and we’ll catch you next time!

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:20:13 — 45.2MB)

    Convention Report, Podcast

    Comic Timing – Episode 161: NYCC 2014 Con Wrap-Up

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    Well, the New York Comic Con has come and gone once again. Time to talk about it in depth! Kris and Ian do just that, and a virtual bag of chips. Topics include swag obtained, cosplay seen, how the floor plan has changed over the years, some gripes that occurred over the weekend, how Javits North is the only place worth going to the bathroom, panels attended, and more! And more includes Ian’s experience at the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited Plus panel, where he got to see a bunch of stuff you guys won’t see for a few more months! Hint: Peggy likes to dance, Ant-Man is tiny, and ULTRON HAS NO STRINGS.

    As always – we are sponsored by DCBS! That’s right! Discount Comic Book Service! All comics from major publishers like Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse are 40% off or more. And hardcovers and trade paperbacks from Marvel and DC are at least 50% off! Plus, be sure to check out their Comixology digital storefront for even further savings! And be sure to check out Kris’ fashion Tumblr for a bunch of cosplay photos from the con, as well as some kickass T-shirts!

    You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com and be sure to Like us on Facebook and interact with the show at http://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming. Thanks, and we’ll catch you next time!

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:47:15 — 67.6MB)

    Convention Report, Podcast

    Comic Timing Episode 155 – Special Edition: NYC

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    This past Saturday and Sunday was the first annual Special Edition: NYC comic convention! Put together by Reed Exhibitions, the show is essentially an extension of New York Comic Con that is entirely comic focused. Ian, Kris and Raph were there, and give their thoughts on this initial offering. After that, you’ll find interviews conducted by Raph and Ian throughout Saturday. Here’s who they talked to:

  • Victor Dandridge – Vantage: Inhouse ProductionsAndrew Charipar – Misfit Corner Press
  • Andrew again, talking about Man of Steel. With Raph. Because we haven’t talked about this movie enough on this show!
  • “The Franchize” Jerry Gaylord of Identity Comics Studios – Fanboys Vs. Zombies, Loki: Ragnarock And Roll
  • Wesley Sun of Sun Bros Studios – Chinatown, Apocalypse Man, Monkey Fist
  • Sam Ellis – Robot Cowboy Samurai, Adventure Time and Bravest Warriors comics, Character Designer for Archer Season One.
  • Grant Ellis – The Old Rusty Gamer
  • Bryan J.L. Glass – Mice Templar, Furious

    • As always – we are sponsored by DCBS! That’s right! Discount Comic Book Service! All comics from major publishers like Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse are 40% off or more. And hardcovers and trade paperbacks from Marvel and DC are at least 50% off! Plus, be sure to check out their Comixology digital storefront for even further savings!

    You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com and be sure to Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming. Thanks, and we’ll catch you next time!

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:28 — 43.6MB)

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    Comic Timing – Episode 147: NYCC 2012 Time Travel

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    To continue to theme of getting things in right before the next event happens, here are a bunch of the interviews I conducted during 2012’s iteration of the New York Comic Con. Yeah, I’m aware it’s been a year, and that’s the last time that is going to happen. I’m looking to get this year’s stuff out no later than two to four weeks after the convention, so stay tuned for that. The interviews you will hear are as follows:

  • Doug Bratton – Pop Culture Shock Therapy and The Deranged Stalker’s Journal of Pop Culture Shock Therapy
  • David Doub – Dusk Comics
  • James Asmus (now of Quantum & Woddy) and Jim Festante – The End Times of Bram & Ben
  • A. David Lewis – Muktatafaht and Caption Box
  • Matt Kelly – Annabelle Avery: Steampunk Girl
  • Julian Lytle of Ants and Ignorant Bliss
  • Ulysses E. Campbell – Fantastic Forum
  • Ken Knudtsen – My Monkey’s Name Is Jennifer
  • Alex de Campi – Valentine, Smoke and Ashes
  • Umar – Dafixer’s Hideout

    • As always – we are sponsored by DCBS! That’s right! Discount Comic Book Service! For those of you who have not used DCBS before you can save an additional 8% off your first order via the promo code: CT8. Plus, be sure to check out DCBS‘ new Comixology digital store!

    We are also sponsored by New York Comic Con! The NYCC Live Stream is back. In partnership with Twitch.TV, NYCC will be streaming live from the Main Stage, Empire Stage and Show Floor all weekend long! Be sure to check out both channels this year for the most exclusive, behind-the-scenes content from NYCC 2013, the Best Four Days of the Year.

    Be sure to check out Comic Timing in the Podcast Arena at this year’s show. Ian will be at Booth AA7 along with The Multiversity Podcast. Here’s a basic layout of where that will be:

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    Ian looks forward to meeting you, and we thank New York Comic Con for their sponsorship of the podcast.

    You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com and be sure to Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming. Thanks for listening and we’ll catch you next time!

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:19:59 — 45.4MB)