It’s that time again! The geekiest time of the year, when all the cosplayers and comic readers and pop culture junkies amass in New York City for New York Comic Con. This year promises to be the largest one ever, with a supposed quarter million people attending. That is completely insane.
So if this is the largest NYCC yet, that should mean there will be a lot of Muppet-related things to see and do, right? We’re pleased to see that there’s a good amount that we’ve found, and we’re excited to share our findings with you.
Panels!
BOOM! Studios: Discover Yours
Friday, October 5 at 1:30pm
Room 1A24
Archaia, an imprint of BOOM! Studios, has been consistently putting out quality material officially licensed from The Jim Henson Company. Moreso than any other company from any Muppet-related property. If they plan to announce or promote anything from the worlds of Fraggle Rock, Labyrinth, or The Dark Crystal, this is where they’ll do it.
Geeks of Color VI: Fight the Power
Friday, October 5 at 2:45pm
Room 1B03
This panel, which focuses on diverse careers in all areas of pop culture will include Geri Cole, who has been writing for Sesame Street since season 46! I’m sure she’ll have some interesting insights on being a woman of color on such a historically diverse TV series.
Netflix & Chills
Friday, October 5 at 7:30pm
Main Stage – 1-D
This late-night panel will spotlight some upcoming Netflix TV shows, including the highly-anticipated Dark Crystal series. Lisa Henson will sit on this panel to give us the world debut of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Presents “The George Lucas Talk Show”
Friday, October 5 at 7:30pm
Room 1A24
Competing with the Netflix panel is The George Lucas Talk Show, which will feature “George Lucas” (played by Connor Ratliff) and Watto (Griffin Newman from The Tick, who we hear is also a huge Muppet fan) interviewing an interesting panel of famous people. One of those people is Sonia Manzano, best known for her role as Maria on Sesame Street. I’m gonna be honest, it’s going to be really hard to choose between these last two panels.
Diamond Select Toys: The Best of All Worlds
Saturday, October 6 at 12:00pm
Room 1C03
Along with Archaia (see BOOM! Studios above), Diamond Select has been keeping the Muppet content coming with their action figures, Minimates, pint glasses, and busts. If they have new Muppet merch coming down the line, there’s a decent chance they’ll announce it at this panel.
But that’s not all! There are a few other panels that might be of interest to you, though the chances of any Muppet-related content are a bit slimmer. Katie Cook, artist behind several Henson projects including a recent issue of the Fraggle Rock comic, will lead a drawing workshop on Thursday the 4th. Disney Publishing will have two events, may mention an upcoming Muppet project. There’s a chance that Funko may mention their upcoming Jim Henson figure at their Thursday evening panel. And really, Muppets could be mentioned anywhere, anytime. That’s the magic of Muppets.
Booths!
At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be much Muppet presence in the booths this year. Hopefully we’ll find some surprise Henson stuff (stay tuned for our roundup next week to see if that actually happens!), but for now, here’s all we know for sure:
BOOM! Studios will definitely have a section devoted to their Henson Company offerings, like the Fraggle Rock, Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and Storyteller comics. It’s also likely that they will have some of the talent behind those books present for autographs.
Diamond Select will probably have their Muppet stuff on display under glass, including the upcoming Animal bust.
In previous years, Zen Monkey Studios has had t-shirts and vinyl pins from several Henson properties on sale.
Lastly, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab will be selling their perfumes and fragrances inspired by Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth. Because that’s a thing, I guess!
Artists Alley!
A lot of the talent behind the Muppet-related comics from the past few years, as always, will be setting up shop in Artists Alley! Some of our favorites include Katie Cook, Amy Mebberson, James Silvani, David Petersen, and Jay Fosgitt. Be sure to stop by their booths, tell them how great their work is, and maybe buy a print or commission a sketch.
Aside from those celebrities, Artists Alley is huge, and we always seem to spot some stray Muppet art. Take your time, browse around, and spend a little money to support some artists!
Cosplay!
One of the best things about Comic Con is the amazing array of costumes. There’s everything from casual dress-up to incredibly elaborate, well-known characters to the most obscure. We always spot a few great Muppet or Henson-related ones, and I’m sure you will too if you keep your eyes peeled.
Merchandise!
The other best thing about Comic Con is getting to take home a bunch of stuff. There’s a whole section of the Con devoted to merchants, many of whom are selling vintage merch, and many of those have Muppet stuff for sale. You’re bound to find a few gems, or at the very least some Funko Pops (they all have Funko Pops).
UPDATE: We’ve just learned that artist Kevin M. Wilson will be selling this incredible Muppet Show art print! Along with a yet-to-be-revealed Labyrinth piece, it will be sold at the Hero Complex Gallery booth, so be sure to stop by and nab yourself one of each!
If you’re headed to New York Comic Con, you are now officially prepared with a Muppet lover’s cheat sheet! Keep an eye out for pigs and frogs and superheroes and whatever, and let us know what you find!
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by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
