pictures from the 2021 Rhode Island Comic Con

The Rhode Island Comic Con was the last show I attended in 2019. I wrapped up the convention year with a table and, of course, not knowing that I wouldn't attend any show in 2020. RICC was back at its regular dates this year, and I was able to get a table once again, so it had many full-circle moments as I ventured back into the world of selling stuff at conventions. 

So how was it? It was weird. But here are some pictures, in the spirit of the grand tradition of this damn blog, which I have been using for like 13 years at this point. That is also weird. Anyway, let's look at some pictures!

The eerie glow of the wheels on Ghost Rider's bike really sells this costume. The lights are a perfect touch.

Low-key Philip J Fry is a nice go-to if you've got red hair. It also works as a James Dean costume outside of convention center grounds.

Here's a look at the main show floor hallway, traveling down the escalator. It's hard to compare attendance at this show to that in 2019. Saturday felt busy at times. It was pretty sparse at moments on Friday and Sunday. I don't blame anyone for not feeling comfortable getting back to regular conventions just yet. I suppose that the crowds came in waves, and in between those waves, the attendance was light.

Okay. So. William Shatner announced that 2019 would be his last year for convention appearances. At NYCC in October, I paid (a lot) for an autograph. At RICC, my pal Ian and I went for one of the photo ops. The plastic divider in the picture is distracting, and these celebrity photo ops are pretty cheesy in general. But I couldn't pass up what will probably be my last chance to get a photo with Captain Kirk.

I posted the picture online, and some random kind soul quickly came back with this edited version. Bless the person who did this. Maybe this will be my Christmas card this year.

I don't know what this costume is! But it is impressive!

This Predator costume was probably the most popular at the show, and this guy paid the price for having a good outfit at a small convention. I often saw him surrounded by crowds for 30 minutes at a time, and he'd eventually have to ask people to let him leave. It's a double-edged sword, my friend.

Some Bat-Family characters.

One of the photo booths on the floor allowed you to take a picture with this really huge Battle Cat. You could sit on it, hold He-Man's sword, the whole thing. I know that this isn't a licensed thing, and I wonder who was in charge of spray painting the tiger model green, but it was still fun to see.

Sometimes at shows, especially small shows, the things I enjoy seeing most of all are the old and very expensive comics. Here's a hefty run of the Fantastic Four that includes issues 1, 2, 4, 5, 52 and others.

I'm here for this Skeletor.

This Little Shop of Horrors Audrey II prop was roped off on the show floor. It looks like someone could get in it and operate it? But every time I saw it, it was just there for display.

Lower Decks is the best Star Trek show currently airing. I absolutely love it. 

I saw more than one couple dressed as Laszlo and Nadja from What We Do In The Shadows, which is also a wonderful show that I've just recently finished watching. It's a great idea if there's more than one person if your group.

I was kind of bummed when shows shut down for 2020 - I was also sad for other, more important reasons, I guess - so I decided that I would get unnecessarily dressed up the next time I was able to get a table. It took two years, but I was finally able to get back to exhibiting a convention in November of 2021. So here's the table...

...and here I am, resplendent as always, at the 2021 Rhode Island Comic Con. Everything about this is ridiculous. 

Also here's Godzilla.

Here's another Laszlo and Nadja. Laszlo is wearing his cursed hat.

Well, now I know who in Pennsylvania has this variation on the Pac Man license plate.

I was able to be on a panel, see some friends, and be bored at a comic convention again for the first time in a while. I'm happy about it all.

pictures from the 2021 New York Comic Con, part 1

I went to the New York Comic Con in October - 23 months after the last time I had been to a comic book convention. It was weird. I was anxious about going. But ultimately, I had a good time and I took a bunch of pictures. Let's take a look at NYCC 2021!

I'll admit that I was a little worried about going to this show. I was able to get a professional pass and I live within driving distance, so the decision to go or not was decidedly low stakes, but I still wasn't sure if I was making the right choice. Beyond the obvious fear-for-your-safety worry, I didn't even know if the show would have anything interesting to see.

Even though the event returned to the Javits Center in Manhattan, there were very few big-name guests or vendors in attendance - no Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image, etc., and very few media properties, either. The show was operating at a limited capacity, and it's my understanding that Saturday was the only day that sold out. But when Friday came around, I grabbed my bag and hopped on a train to Penn Station, where I immediately saw a guy crossing the street get into a heated argument with someone trying to direct traffic. New York was back, baby!

I made it to the convention center after 1:00, and I walked right in. There were clearly and noticeably fewer attendees than in 2019 or years past. I usually enter at one of the left entrances, near what is usually the Funko booth and the small press publisher section. Nickelodeon's Star Trek: Prodigy had one of the biggest displays at the show.

The longest wait in line for the weekend was probably at the Chucky ice cream truck, which had some interactive displays and, from what I hear, actual ice cream.

I heard that two people got engaged at this bridge over the weekend. That's definitely a choice you can make.

This was the strangest thing to see at the show - not Captain Carter, but the empty space along the walls along the main floor. 

Most of the floor space was used, even if vendors were certainly allowed to spread out more than in previous years. But there were also these empty spots in some places that would've been packed any other year. How crazy was this to see at one of the world's biggest conventions? I naturally understand the reason, but it was still something to see.

There were plenty of folks in costume. Here's Mal and Zöe from Firefly!

Omni-Man had the good idea of putting his mustache on the outside of his mask. 

I think this is Dragonball, right? There's a werwolf in the show? Okay. Anyway, this 30-foot statue was an imposing figure on an otherwise scaled-down exhibit floor.

I read some of NYCC's COVID rules on their website, and a big one stated that protective masks must be worn, and that costume masks that covered up your face (so you couldn't see if you were wearing a protective mask) were not allowed. That rule...was not enforced.

This space is near where the Funko booth usually is, and is usually packed full of people waiting in lines. This year, there were a bunch of comic book longboxes! It was a big departure. I was glad to flip through some comics at the show.

Maybe the most popular booth at NYCC was, if you can believe it, the eBay booth. eBay was one of the few booths at the show with giveaways that people wanted, including a Dr. Strange comic book with cover art as seen here on the left.

Here's some space cowboy.

I was surprised that I didn't see anyone wearing a facehugger as a mask - but this costume is pretty great, in any case.

While waiting in line, I saw my friend Maryellen, who absolutely nailed this Masters of the Universe: Revelation Teela and Orko!

I wonder how she got the spear inside. Still, another great costume!

Griffin Newman, "Arthur" on Amazon's The Tick show and Orko on MOTU: Revelation, did a signing at the FYE booth on Friday.

It was great to see Griffin again. I'm very happy for his success on this new show.

What are our thoughts on the new Netflix Cowboy Bebop show? I'm hesitant to give it a shot, given how great the cartoon was. I guess we'll see how it is!

Prodigy probably had most of the banner space at the show.

Hey, it's Lego...Carnage...

I got an autograph from William Shatner in the afternoon. This was taken directly before his handler said, "no pictures, kid!"

This was probably the best costume I saw at the show. It's not just Doom, but Doom 2099?! Amazing!!

It's not Doom 2099, but these were okay, too.

The bowls of gak were a nice touch.

After about 6:00, the floor really cleared out. I've never been at NYCC with so few people walking around. This guy behind me thought it'd be okay to start eating a red pepper like it was an apple. Just real nonchalantly and everything. This was one of the highlights of my trip.

Here's a very involved Death Metal Wonder Woman!

Don't feel so down, murder guy.

What If...? Spidey!

If you have a dog at a comic convention, I want to take a picture with it.

There's a weird courtyard-like area out in front of the Javits Center that is technically still part of the show - you have to have a badge to be there. There were a few things happening there. Also here's Simon and Gunther.

Danny, the Doom Patrol ambulance, made his presence felt at the show.

Near the end of the night, I decided to check out the Prodigy display one more time. Things had really died down and I was able to walk through with almost no delay. There were a few activities - a VR-style game and a t-shirt station, but I mostly just wanted to sit in the chair and see the display.

So I did!

This was a promotional image they sent to you as you made your way through the booth. I don't know what kind of pose I'm making here. Don't try to make sense of it.

Look at this suit. I really hope they make one with the Thing at some point.

Walking back to Penn Station after the show, I came across this, which, at first glance, appeared to be a space dedicated to playing ping pong in downtown Manhattan.

And what do you know? That's exactly what it was. PingPod is a 24-hour ping pong center. You rent time and play. Wild.

I got some pizza and ate it on the steps across from Madison Square Garden.

I also witnessed some Weird Al-related vandalism. Who would do such a thing??

That's it for now. Saturday's pictures await!