New York Comic Con is one of my favorite times of year. It’s always a treat to see all the incredible art, merchandise, and cosplay the geek world has to offer. And of course, it’s our solemn duty to seek out all the Muppet-related stuff the Con has to offer.
Tragically, the pandemic put a pause on last year’s NYCC, so it felt extra special getting back to it this year. But since most of the world isn’t back in full yet, the 2021 New York Comic Con was a bit… lacking. Most of our regular friends were missing from Artists Alley, none of the book publishers showed up, and not one panel we attended featured any Henson content at all.
Still, we managed to catch just enough Muppet-related stuff to fill a report! Our friends at the Muppet Stuff blog caught even more, so after reading this article, head over there too!
Starting with the art! We spotted this incredible print of Big Bird’s big eyes by Jason Edmiston.
Elsewhere in Artists Alley, Fat Guy Inc. illustrated the Sesame Street gang going Kaiju.
Artist Drew Blank teases us with an Oscar the Grouch album that doesn’t actually exist.
Jerry Pesce went full horror with his Muppet illustrations.
We really loved these Kermit and Rizzo prints from Monika Norcross-Cerminara!
Moving on to cosplay, we found these two buddies!
It takes guts to make a hat with a frog and a cup of tea glued to it. This is exactly the sort of thing that is my business.
Kira flew all the way from Thra to attend this year’s Comic Con.
I know it’s not all that gutsy to wear store-bought Sesame Street costumes, but it is way more special when you can dress as a bunch of Muppets with your pals.
Hey, there was merchandise too! Like this blacklight Dark Crystal poster!
Diamond Select was in attendance, selling their recent Muppet offerings.
Speaking of Diamond Select, they were also showing off their upcoming Sam the Eagle and Rizzo the Rat action figures.
Over in the bootleg section of the Con, you could’ve bought some of these Muppet patches for your jean jacket!
Little Shop of Pins was selling their new line of Jim Henson Company pins. Pins!
PINS! PINS! PINS!
Here are a few (almost definitely unauthorized) t-shirts from TeeTurtle.
And a sleepy diaper-clad Cookie Monster from Beefy and Co.
Forget all that new stuff, there was also a bunch of (shockingly expensive) vintage Muppet merch!
Oh hey, even MORE vintage merch that we can’t afford!
Also, this very sleepy Grover finger puppet. Shhh, don’t wake him.
In the non-Muppet world, we attended a panel where we got to see a brief performance by these hilarious Golden Girls puppets.
And in the same panel, the incredible Winnie the Pooh puppets, who will be starring in their own off-Broadway play later this year.
And that’s all for this year’s New York Comic Con! The good news about a quiet Con is that next year can only get better. Can’t wait!
Click here to geek out on the ToughPigs forum!
by Joe Hennes and Matthew Soberman
