New York Comic Con 2018, held at the Javits Center in midtown Manhattan, was an over-the-top festival and spectacle. Thousands of people of various ages and ethnicities, female, male, and gender fluid, able-bodied and physically challenged, with a multitude of fandom interests and passions, thronged the convention center inside and out. A significant percentage of attendees engaged in cosplay, wearing costumes that ran the gamut from paper box and magic marker creations, to lavish outfits and makeup that involved hundreds of hours of prep time. The Con ran from Thursday-Sunday, October 4-7, and it was a see-and-be-seen scene.

I attended the Con on Saturday with my younger daughter (aged 15) and her friends. We were pleasantly surprised that entry was quicker and easier than in previous years. Once inside we were dazzled by the crowds, the pageantry, the hundreds of tables of wares sold, the panels held in conference rooms, and the intricate art and fantastic artists on display in the Artists Alley section.

For those unfamiliar with Comic Con, it is a very large tent, embracing fans of comic books and cartoons, science fiction, superheroes and villains, movie and TV franchises such as Star Trek and Star Wars, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Outlander and several others, gaming (especially Nintendo but also card games), anime, manga, media, art, music, publishing and other related interests. Basically it encompasses many people who love various aspects of fantasy and creativity. While there were many people there who might be classified as stereotypical "Nerds" or "Geeks", there were many others who just adore various types of pop culture and want to immerse themselves in it, document it, and even make their livings in it. And it is a tremendous economic engine. 

The main floor was packed wall to wall with vendors, huge corporations as well as small indie businesses. They sold comics, books, clothing, accessories, posters and more. They also distributed many freebies (I got t-shirts, books, buttons, colored pencils and other goodies). Many comic book artists and creators came, signing autographs and selling their merchandise. Among the bigger stars was actor John Leguizamo, with his new comic book series. Cast and creatives from other TV shows such as Outlander spoke on panels throughout the fest. 

There were several dozen panels covering many different topics, and I attended three: "Will Eisner and the Graphic Novel Revolution"; "Cosplay Is Not Consent: Cosplaying in the Age of #MeToo"; and "Graphic Novels That Make History." I also peeked in at "Family Guy Cast Interview." These were all interesting and inspirational. 

Much of the fun at NYCC18 was also about gawking at dressed-up people, asking to take their photos, and watching people enjoying themselves without being weighed down by the angry, divisive news stories of recent days. At NYCC18 I found the vast majority of attendees to be polite, thoughtful, energized and enthusiastic. We were involved actively in escapism, creativity and learning. We loved it.