Okay, so I found myself standing on a line a mile long on a Saturday afternoon. My daughter Meghan was standing next to me, holding her brand new Monster High doll. Waiting to get it signed by the people who created it. While we waited we found ourselves getting bumped into by waves of people coming and going all around us. The bulk of them dressed as everything from Batman and Wonder Woman to The Wicked Witch of the West and Wolverine. Oh yeah, and there were zombies. Lots and lots of zombies. The oddest thing of all? I wasn’t even upset or overwhelmed. I was smiling. So was Meg. The extremely nice woman in front of me turned to tell me how much fun she and her daughter were having. Did I mention they were both dressed adorably as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Only at Comic Con.

 

For those of you out there who might now know, New York Comic Con is the east coast's biggest and most exciting pop culture convention. It is held annually at the Jacob Javits Center in the heart of New York City and draws well over 100,000 fans over a 4-day period. The show floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, video games, toys, movies and television. So there is literally something for everyone. The panels and autograph sessions give fans of all ages a chance to interact with their favorite creators. The screening rooms feature sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit either big or small screens. A market place designed to bring together all of the major players in the entertainment industry, NYCC is the second largest pop culture convention in the United States.

 

A few days before this year’s Comic Con hit our fine city, there was a report about it on the news. They showed some of the costumes from years past, as well as clips of the legions of people that are herded into the Javits Center for the weekend. A friend of mine saw the report and said to me, “and you’re choosing to walk right into the middle of all that?” I smiled and said the only word that I could come up with to justify my insanity…Meghan. I took my daughter to her very first NYCC last year, which incidentally was also my first one too. She was barely nine years old and I didn’t know what to expect. Would it be too scary for her? Would it be too claustrophobic for her? Would she be bored? As it turns out I couldn’t have been more worried about nothing. Meghan and Comic Con blended together like blood on a zombie.

 

From then on it was a done deal. New York Comic Con would officially be an annual event for the two of us. In my opinion, this year was more organized and a lot more enjoyable for us too. We strolled into the great hall like we owned the place. Meghan stopped to take pictures right off the bat, with Batman, Bane and Poison Ivy. Her favorite D.C. personality, which makes me a little nervous. Lol. From there we hooked up with some friends and began to stroll aisle after aisle of everything that caught our eye. And there was plenty of that for both of us. She’s not even ten years old yet, but my beautiful little girl has a confidence that I never had at that age. I stood at a Midtown Comics exhibit, browsing through the comics, t-shirts and statues for sale. But I was actually keeping my eye on her the whole time.

 

While I stopped to admire a Walking Dead display, Meghan was browsing through the Archie Comics booth. While I was eyeing up some of the new video game releases, she was checking out the Mega Blocks, a really impressive WWE display case full of wrestlers (she loves wrestling just like her dad), and of course, there were the endless pictures to take of the new Monster High dolls coming out in the spring of 2014. We took a quick break and headed downstairs to cool our heels and enjoy a quick lunch, where my daughter was more than happy to indulge in a concoction that was actually mac & cheese served in an ice cream cone. I’ll say it again. Only at Comic Con. After lunch we met a few more people, got a few more autographs, and took a whole lot more pictures. At about the 6pm mark, my little party animal had finally had enough.

 

So we walked back through the sea of costumed heroes and villains, under the giant Walking Dead banner, and through the aisle where they check bags on one side and weapons on the other. I kid you not. Only at Comic Con. Finally we made our way to the street and headed for the train station back to Queens. When we boarded the train with a guy in a Rorschach trenchcoat and a woman in hot pants, heels and fishnets, I couldn’t help but wonder at what point you were far enough away from the Javits Center that those outfits would begin to look weird. Oh well, who am I to judge? As the train screeched a few stops closer to our Steinway street destination I glanced over at Meghan. Sitting in her seat, her eyes closed, her feet hurting, her giant Monster High bag in her lap. All I could think about was going again next year. Maybe I’ll even get her to go in costume.

 

What can I say? Only at Comic Con.