The comic world was brought to its knees on Feb. 24–26 as thousand of fans swarmed the Jacob Javitz Center in New York City, for what was the first major comic convention in recent history to be held in the Big Apple.

Up until now, fans had three options to satiate their convention needs. a) Fly to California each summer for the monster San Diego Comic Con. b) Travel to the struggling Wizard World convention in Philadelphia, or c) go to one of the half dozen or so scummy basement cons that are teeming with fat, smelly men selling off Star Wars toys at insane prices.

New York needed a comic convention worthy of one of the most important cities in the world, and Reed Business Information decided they would be the one to put it on. There was only one problem… they had no idea how many people it was going to attract. Chuck Nasty of Love Cinema Vol. 6 dared to conquer Comic Con. This is his story.

Saturday 2/25/06 8:15 am

Wake up.

Showered.

Got my supplies for the show. Demos and fliers to hand out to people, and two full length albums. I did not bring comics with me to get signed.

Went to the bank.

Went to Andrews. My buddy that I am going to the convention with. He and our friend Dan and I are going on this journey.

Breakfast. We went to the diner, I had an Alpine omelet

Moving by 10:30

Javits Center by 11:15

45 dollars to park.

So we walked into the Javits Center to what is being called by Wizard Magazine, “The Biggest Convention ever!” So from an authority like Wizard it has to be the truth.

Not too bad actually walking, right in through the front door on the left of the convention center. However, when we walked over to the stairs to get to the main lobby the scene was surreal. People filled this area to the limits with thick lines, confusion, and junk food. It’s one thing to see lines, but these lines were peppered with Smurfs, Stormtroopers, people in really bad Matrix fashion, giant headed Japanese animals, kids in trench coats and hats on backwards, really buff grown men wearing skin tight punisher skull shirts, and then the thousands of regular dudes with boxes of comics to be signed.

http://www.javitscenter.com/content/tour/virtual/level2_vr02.htm

http://www.javitscenter.com/content/tour/virtual/level2_vr04.htm

If you click on the links provided you we see a virtual representation of the center. Please also note that if you hold down your mouse button and move the pointer you will get a “VR” experience, you know like the LawnMower Man. The area that I am showing you was full of convention goers in all their glory. It was amazing.

There were several large lines formed inside. Some of the lines were for getting tickets, getting wristbands, getting books signed, and getting into the building.

There were actual lines for Kevin Smith in the lobby. Mind you this is now about 11:45. To my knowledge this opened at 11 am.

I heard some kid say, “I have been on this line since 9 o’clock to meet Kevin Smith!”

Ok, so a plan had to be devised. The next course of action was to get on a line.

So we did just that, got on a line. This line wrapped around the entire inside of the Javits Center lobby in a spiral. It was decided that we needed to get in without waiting on this line. Andrew and I decided that we must venture forth and see if we can get in, Dan waited in the line as a place holder.

Now, truth be told I have some experience getting into places for free. I have done it at other conventions, like that horror one in Secaucus, NJ.

So I said to Andrew, “This is fucked. We need to get Dan out of that line. He’s just gonna rot up there and I’m not going to let that happen!”

“I don’t know,” Andrew replied. “He is on line and the line is moving apparently, slowly, but moving.”

“You know what Andrew? We might as well go back on that ridiculous line and wait for hours,” I sassed back with. “I mean really dude. Why are we down here–we are here to get in.”

So I called Dan on the cell. Told him to meet us downstairs near the food court area.

Again, I have to remind the reader that people were everywhere, and many of these people were dressed really crazy.

We found the spot where they were letting people in, several security and staff surrounded this opening. Our team separated and I attempted to go in.

I saw my chance and made a break for it, only to hear the security guard ask me, “Sir, do you have a ticket or a wristband?”

My reply was no, I did however offer him my drivers license and 25 bucks. He said no to that as well. I walked away very dejected.

My status currently is alone.

I walked past a man in a suit, holding a clip board that obviously works for the Javitz Center building itself. He was on the phone. The only part of the conversation that I could over hear was, “We have 9000 people here and no one knows what the fuck is going on!”

Then my phone rang! It was Andrew.

“Yo man. I’m in.”

Great at least someone got in. He asked me if I was with Dan, I told him no, he told me to go back to the giant line and find him.

All of that happens. I find out that Dan got pegged right after Andrew made it though. This soldier took a bullet. Dan and I have resigned to the fact that we were going to be on this line for a while, so we might as well make the best of it.

Time passes, it is now about 12:30 pm.

The giant line that we are on suddenly starts to move, but it’s a dispersal rather than a forward momentum.

“What’s going on? Why are the people leaving?”

Then I get my response through a megaphone.

“WE ARE NOT SELLING ANYMORE TICKETS TO THE CONVENTION TODAY! IF YOU WANT TO GO THE SHOW, PLEASE COME BACK TOMORROW. THANK YOU.”

How could this be? The show is only open an hour and a half. Then the Fire Marshals and State Police start to filter through the crowd of Stormtroopers and Cosplay girls. I wouldn’t say there was a riot. But there were a lot of angry dudes that have better relationships with their WoW characters than with humans. It is kinda funny to see Smurfs and cute giant headed Japanese animals, cursing.

“Dan,” I said. “Fuck this. We are getting in there. It is possible. Just stay close and we can do this.”

I said good bye to the 14 year old boy with the braces that we were shooting the shit with. I asked him if he wanted to come. He told me he is scared. I told him, “That’s ok. You won’t be forever.” I wished him luck, gave him a demo disc and we were off to find an elevator.

Everything in the Javitz Center is based on very visible escalators, and open areas. The elevators however are tucked away near the bathrooms so to speak. We approached a virtually empty area and called for the elevator.

Ding.

Took the elevator down to the 1^st floor. Doors opened right behind the security guards that stopped me before. The guard moves over to check out the massing riot of geeks, and I saw my moment to go, and I took it!

Right around the back of the guard and onto the convention floor. I made a quick right and started walking calmly into the crowd of people. Never looking back.

I hoped Dan made it through. I walked another 20 or so feet and I heard behind me.

“Keep walking, keep walking.”

I smiled and knew that for a moment I was Hannibal Smith and if you can find them maybe you could hire the A-Team.

It was a pretty awesome rush.

So that was getting in.

(click for part 2)