Has it already been a year since the last edition of New York Comic Con? I’m pretty sure folks are still in line for the Futurama panel. Still, the costumes are being assembled, the comic checklists have been written, and the hand sanitizer bottles have been refilled, so it must be time to head back to the Javits Center for another four days of geeky awesomeness.
And while it may have a lighter Muppet presence than previous years (we blame ourselves), what’s more in the Muppet spirit than finding the little bits of joy and making the most of it? So off we go with our preview of all the things to see if you’re a Muppet fan!
Panels!
The gang at Hallmark are putting on their annual look behind the scenes and preview of things to come at their panel, Adventures in Pop Culture with Hallmark. This year’s Muppet ornament features First Mate Piggy taking a spacewalk from the Swinetrek, but what will the future hold? Nurse Piggy from Veterinarian’s Hospital? Wonder Pig? *Gasp*… a Muppet that isn’t Miss Piggy? This might be the place to find out!
Adventures in Pop Culture with Hallmark
Saturday, October 19 — 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
River Pavilion: Professional Programming
The crew at Diamond Select have really impressed us with their line of Muppet action figures. If you love this series, be sure to head to the Diamond Select Toys & Gentle Giant LTD panel, where they’re happy to discuss their processes in bringing all of their collectibles to life. (But not in a creepy Toy Story way.) Chances are we’ll hear more about the upcoming Sweetums and Robin Deluxe Set that was recently revealed, and maybe an update as to when Pepe and Uncle Deadly will finally hit store shelves. We want a king prawn for Christmas!
Diamond Select Toys & Gentle Giant LTD
Saturday, October 19 — 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM
River Pavilion: Professional Programming
Merchandise!
If you were one of the lucky few to snag a reservation for Funko (Booth #1000 & 1012), you can rock on with a limited edition POP! of Animal on his drum kit, with an even more limited flocked version. Given how hard it is to get a reservation, odds are you weren’t, but fear not! The flocked version is exclusive to NYCC, but the standard version will be a shared exclusive with Target in the United States and GameStop in Canada. (Just don’t eat the drums.)
Also on the show floor is Guy Gilchrist (Booth #2057), best known to Henson fans as the artist behind The Muppets comic strip, which ran in newspapers from 1981 to 1986. This is Gilchrist’s first time at NYCC, so he’ll likely have some Muppety art to take Manhattan.
Artist Alley!
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Artist Alley is one of the most fun things to visit as a Muppet fan each year. It’s always a treasure hunt to see which artists have paid tribute to the creative worlds of Jim Henson, but the search is always rewarded. A few people who have worked on official projects will be there, like Jay Fosgitt (“Sesame Street” and “Fraggle Rock” comics), Katie Cook (“Fraggle Rock” comics), Christopher Eliopoulos (I Am Jim Henson), Art Baltazar (“Fraggle Rock” comics), and JustaSuta Art + Design (“Sesame Street” comics).
Cosplay!
No matter how much or little of an official Muppet/Henson presence there is, the fans never disappoint. Whether it’s something simple like an Elmo or Cookie Monster onesie or a more elaborate getup like this amazing Count von Count costume, it’s practically a guarantee that you’ll see some Muppet cosplay. Hey, somebody’s got to dress up like Jareth!
Famous People!
As one of the biggest conventions of its kind, NYCC always gets a star-studded roster of guests, and with this many celebrities, it’s a sure bet that some of them will have Muppet connections. This year’s highlights include Alyson Court, who played Ruthie in Sesame Street Presents: Follow that Bird, Electric Mayhem documentarian Kevin Smith, and Marisa Tomei, who once read a book to Joey and Davey Monkey, or Gary himself, Jason Segel!
Or you might catch a glimpse of Muppet super-fan Brett Goldstein, one of the few celebrities to appear in Muppet, Sesame Street, and Fraggle Rock projects! Of course, you could just go up to the guests and ask them why they haven’t worked with the Muppets yet. I’m sure they’d love that! You can find a full list of NYCC guests here.
Whether you’re pumped for panels, spending moola on merchandise, or just looking to take in the vibe (and stuff your bag with as much free swag as they’ll hand out), there’s something for everyone at New York Comic Con!
Click here to once again demand a Sam the Eagle Hallmark ornament on the ToughPigs Discord!
by Matthew Soberman – Matthew@ToughPigs.com
