Fanboys Anonymous

With great power comes great....crowds, at least for New York Comic Con, which has seen its record number this year. Attracting 151,000 fans to the Javits Center, ReedPOP reports, New York Comic Con is now the largest pop-culture convention in North America.

Comic Con has become the crossroad of comics, film, television, and video games, colliding every fandom under one roof as attendees bring their favorite characters to life in costume. Hosting panels and screenings, fans have a chance to interact with creators and stars and see a sneak peek at upcoming films and television shows before they are premiered.

Only in its ninth year, NYCC surpasses its older west coast counterpart—which was forced to cap their attendance at 130,000 due to reaching the capacity of the San Diego Convention Center, pouring additional events into nearby hotels and Petco Park. Last year, NYCC pushed the limits with 133,000, but Lance Fensterman, ReedPOP Global Senior Vice President, said that by expanding Thursday into a full day this year, they were able to sell another day's worth of tickets.

Ticket sales for NYCC totaled around $600 million, according to Eventbrite, an online ticketing and events service. Revenue from ticket sales increased 40 percent this year over 2013 as attendance continues to rise.

The major expansion of New York Comic Con has been met with plenty of criticism from ticket demands and the focus pulling away from comic books. However, the economic impact of the convention grew to $70 million last year, ReedPOP stated. In an effort to address the lack of focus on comics, ReedPOP started Special Edition: NYC, a smaller convention held in the summer focused solely on comic books and their creators.

New York Comic Con planners further expanded the annual pop-culture event beyond the Javits Center's walls for the inaugural New York Super Week, a week-long series of 110 events held at 25 venues across New York City leading up to New York Comic Con. The 10 day extravaganza featured everything from An Evening with the Cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation to Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Sing-Along and Joss Whedon-themed Party.

"The investment is well worth north of a million dollars to get this going," Fensterman told the New York Times. "We were not shy about launching this thing." The ambitious ReedPOP VP said he hopes the convention will reach the height of other New York events such as Fashion Week. "We want this to be an anchor in the fall."

Convention attendance has seen a surge in recent years, partially due to the growing popularity of comic-to-film and comic-to-televion. Reminiscent of San Diego Comic Con, tickets for this year's NYCC sold out within an hour, but not before completely crashing the server. Fans were left disappointed and furious with the amount of tickets that were being sold for $200+ on Craigslist and Ebay, while others waited in line for over 24 hours to grab retail tickets in August.

With max crowds, ReedPOP tested its new Main Stage Clearing policy to help ease the heavy flow of panels with the use of panel-specific wristbands, but even that saw panels close as soon as the convention doors opened.

Attendance at New York Comic Con has steadily grown since 2006, starting with only 33,000. As the convention continues to grow, reaching the capacity of the Javits Center where it was held from Oct. 9 through 12, Fensterman and other organizers closed the show to field questions, complaints, and compliments from attendees—many of which centered on ticket sales and the difficulty of getting into panels.

Graph provided by Business Insider

ReedPOP announced this weekend that they will be bringing a comic book convention to Paris next year. The next New York Comic Con has already been scheduled for October 8-11, 2015. Special Edition: NYC is set for June 13-14, 2015 at the Javits Center.

There have been plenty of exciting announcements this weekend at New York Comic Con, but this one hails from a galaxy far, far away. Announced during the Marvel Cup O' Joe panel on Saturday, the new Star Wars — Kanan: The Last Padawan comic series will bridge The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.

The ongoing Marvel series, written by Star Wars Rebels Executive Producer, Greg Weisman, and drawn by Pepe Larraz, will tie into the Star Wars Rebels animated series, exploring the backstory of Kanan Jarrus (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr.) starting with Order 66.

The five-part arc, beginning with "The Last Padawan," will follow how Kanan escaped the extinction of the Jedi. With a tone that is "slightly darker than the television series," the comic will show the renegade Kanan train to be a Jedi with Master Billaba, then train specifically not to be a Jedi anymore.

"It's amazing to take part in that incredible legacy," Weisman said in an interview with Marvel. "I'll admit it's intimidating. There are plenty of fans out there—especially on the Internet—who are basically expecting us to fail them. But I'm confident that Star Wars Rebels will not disappoint."

Star Wars Rebels premiered on Disney XD early this month and has been renewed for a second season. The animated series is set between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope and follows a group of rebels as the Empire hunts down the last remaining Jedi.

Star Wars — Kanan: The Last Padawan will be released in April 2015.

The wildly popular Powers comic book series is more than worthy of a TV series, and fans at NYCC got full coverage of this fall's debut on the PlayStation network.

The trailer shows a lead character with faults, Christian Walker, and gives a simple synopsis of the plot in just a minute and a half.

The adult tone of the film certainly comes through; it looks like they may have pulled this one off! Judge for yourself:


Will you give this series a chance? It's a rare stand-alone superhero series in a sea of network shows potentially mulled in continuity.

The Walking Dead starts within 24 hours of this post, but if you just can't wait, here's an intense 4-minute preview.

Rick and the gang are in what AMC's preview text calls a "vulnerable situation." The series will continue to stray from the comics and become its own story, with even more surprises. It has already been renewed for a sixth season on AMC.


Have you got your The Walking Dead party all set to go? You might need someone's arm to hold on to for this one.

Just as Netflix uploaded a new home page for Marvel's upcoming Daredevil series, the show's panel at New York City Comic Con revealed even more: our first look at the costume!

I can't help but wonder if this is for real, considering it looks exactly like the ill-received costume that Matt Murdock/Daredevil wore back in the '89 TV film Trial of the Incredible Hulk:


This upcoming Netflix series is Daredevil's first introduction into the otherwise true-to-comic-book-style Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it seems to be the first full redesign of a classic look. Where Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor's costumes are near pitch-perfect, this looks completely off to me and is most likely a prototype, or makeshift, costume at the start of his adventures. One thing that can be said about 2003's Ben Affleck Daredevil movie is that they at least got the costume right.


Concept art for the show shows the same costume, confirming that this must be the look they're going with. It's black, not red, and features no "DD" logo or small horns on the cowl. It's most likely this is Matt's first take on a costume, as one of these concept art images shows that he's almost emulating his father's boxing outfits. Considering how close Marvel has stayed in design to their classic characters, we will most likely be seeing the true costume in the coming months (as they begin filming those scenes).

Earlier today, Netflix posted the previously mentioned home page for Daredevil, offering the logo below and the following synopsis:

“Marvel’s Daredevil” is a live action series that follows the journey of attorney Matt Murdock, who in a tragic accident was blinded as a boy but imbued with extraordinary senses. Murdock sets up practice in his old neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, New York where he now fights against injustice as a respected lawyer by day and masked vigilante at night.

Daredevil is the first of five shows Marvel has planned with Netflix, to be followed by Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage, all building to a final film: The Defenders. Marvel's head of television, Jeph Loeb, was at NYCC and confirmed "Just to clarify: neither the role of Jessica Jones nor of Luke Cage has been cast. Anything else is just a rumor."

However, we now know who Rosario Dawson will be playing in the show. Originally assumed to be the role of Matt Murdock's enemy/love interest Elektra, she will be playing a relatively new Marvel staple named Night Nurse. She is a character that vigilantes go to for stitches when things get too rough. Her character's real name is Claire Temple on the show, different than the comics. Temple's character was involved with Luke Cage's origin in the books, suggesting she will be crossing over to that series as well.

Do any of these reveals get you more or less excited for the show? Will you binge watch your heart out in May 2015?

Stephen Amell has cemented himself as the definitive person to play the role of comic book hero Green Arrow. Already well known as the title character of the hit television show Arrow, he was previously announced to lend the voice work for the character in the upcoming Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. Now he's bringing friends with him.

Announced during today's panel at New York Comic Con 2014, the upcoming release by Traveller's Tales will now feature four packs of downloadable content at launch. Previously announced packs are The Dark Knight, 75th Anniversary, and Man of Steel. The newly revealed set will feature Green Arrow and the characters from his universe. This will include:

Oliver Queen / Green Arrow
John Diggle
Felicity Smoak
Helena Bertinelli / The Huntress
Slade Wilson
Roy Harper
Sarah Lance / Black Canary
Malcolm Merlin


The DLC pack will also include an exclusive Arrow-themed level and vehicles. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham will release in North America on November 11 and worldwide on November 14.

Are DLCs something that you get you excited to buy this game? Were you already getting it, regardless?

Hey there Fanboys and Fangirls! Ever wonder what it would take to be an editor in the world of comics? Michael Petranek (editor, Papercutz), Randy Stradley (editor, Dark Horse Comics), and John Barber (editor, IDW), explained the process in a panel on editing in the world of comics, moderated by Buddy Scalera.

The panel kicks off by describing their stories and rise to editors through the world of comics. Their biggest advice is have a good work ethic and ambition to be an editor. Also, they noted that interns and assistants more focused on networking rather than the tasks assigned to them are noticed by those in the community—more of a pay-your-dues and show-passion-in-what-you-do logic.

A question about licensing was asked about from the audience, about the back and forth between the paper industry and the studios. When it comes to companies such as WWE and Marvel, the stories are written by sources from the studios, and the editors then take those stories and bring them to life. There is not much back and forth communication unless the comics have to be tied into a movie or TV show. The dynamics of comics are different than those of cinematic media, so the little details are then discussed.

Another tip given by the editors is the approach that should be taken with writers. When working with writers, it's a team project. You should ask questions like, "What are we accomplishing this story arc/issue?" and where would the character go next after a certain action. When writing, the panel agreed, a really good writer can learn the lore and history of a topic and produce a better story than other writers who are so engulfed in the history that they risk retelling an old story rather than taking a new creative path with the character.


That, ladies and gentlemen, is the panel "Editors on Editing"! I hope you found the advice and coverage inspiring and helpful. Keep checking back for ongoing coverage of panels and events here at New York Comic Con!

As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a seat at NYCC!—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


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During the New York Comic Con panel for Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham featuring Kevin Smith, Jim Johns, and others, many new characters for the upcoming release by Traveller's Tales.

Players can look forward to playing as the following new characters.

Darkest Knight
Solar Suit Superman
Man Bat
Condiment King
Green Loontern (Daffy Duck)
Conan O'Brien

This is in addition to the previously announced Detective Chimp, Mad Hatter, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Kalibak, Polkadotman, Music Meister, Jim Johns, Kevin Smith, The Suicide Squad, and Green Arrow (voiced by Stephen Amell) as well as, of course, all of your favorite classic Batman characters.



Did you ever think you'd see the Condiment King again? Get ready for Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham releasing on all platforms on November 11 in North America and November 14 worldwide.

Hey Dacetacular nation, Chris "The Dace Man" Dace here, and we have the latest news coming out of New York City Comic Con.

Legendary TV has given the go ahead for a remake of sci-fi master Irwin Allen’s 1965 cult TV classic Lost In Space. Feature writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, who penned Dracula Untold, have signed on to write the adaptation.

The 1960s series, set 30 years into the future (1997), revolved around an attempt by the United States to colonize deep space by sending a single family, the Robinsons, on a 5 1/2-year journey to another planet. However, a foreign secret agent, Dr. Zachary Smith, sabotaged the mission, causing the ship to veer off course and become lost in space.

The original series aired on CBS for 3 seasons and ended its run after 83 episodes due to a combination of softening ratings and rising costs.

New Line Cinema produced a Lost in Space film in 1998. It was directed by Stephen Hopkins and starred Gary Oldman and William Hurt.

Who would you like to see cast in the series, and how do you think the robot should be designed?

Let us know in the comment section below!

Hey Fanboys and Fangirls.

Check out the latest preview from Valiant below, here is what they have to say:

UNITY #0
Written by MATT KINDT
Art by CARY NORD
Cover by RAUL ALLEN (AUG141717)
Variant Cover by CHRISCROSS (AUG141718)
Variant Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN (AUG141719)

Before X-O Manowar… Before Ninjak… The world was changed in the trenches…

The unbreakable all-star superteam known as UNITY has saved the planet, and the world is in its debt…but is this the first time a band of exceptional heroes and soldiers has rescued humanity from a doomsday threat? The Eternal Warrior remembers, and, one hundred years ago, behind a curtain of barbed wire and corpses, he led another team of valiant champions on a life-or-death mission that changed the very course of history. Now, for the first time, find out why the world needs UNITY…and why there has always been one to stand against the threats no ordinary team could match!

ON SALE 10/15/14

Q2: THE RETURN OF QUANTUM AND WOODY #1 (of 5)
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art & Cover by M.D. BRIGHT (AUG141704)
Wraparound Variant by OSCAR JIMENEZ (AUG141705)
Throwback Variant by M.D. BRIGHT (AUG141706)
Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS (AUG141707)
Blank Cover Variant also available (AUG141708)

The most demanded return in comics is finally here! The original Quantum and Woody are back! Legendary creators Christopher Priest and M.D. Bright return to one of the most acclaimed series of the modern era for an all-new mini-series event!

Whatever happened to the world’s worst superhero team? Twenty years past their prime, the unlikely crime-fighting duo known as Quantum and Woody (not a couple) have long since parted ways…until a middle-aged Quantum suddenly reappears with a brand-new teenage partner. Now Woody is out to break up the all-new, all-different Quantum and Woody and put an end to Quantum’s recklessness, just as Quantum takes on a life-or-death personal mission for national security. Can these former friends set aside their differences—and their ages—and their numerous health difficulties—to join forces one last time without driving each other crazy?

ON SALE 10/15/14

Men of Wrath #1 Cover by Garney and Milla

"Among the Sheep" - Chapter One.

When I was recently reintroduced to the wonderful world of comics, Jason Aaron was a standout talent that seemed to be making waves amongst old favorite characters such as the X-Men.

I was intrigued by his take on these various characters and proceeded to follow along the various stories. I picked up digital collections of Thor and came across his collaboration with Ron Garney. I went and read old issues of Scalped and Wolverine. What I found was a versatility of genre, tone and moods that some creators would give anything to be able to produce.

Aaron has continued to produce high quality work that pushes boundaries and will often rattle a few cages, such as the new Thor, released the same week as this new creator-owned work.

Sheep set the scene for murder

Now enter Men of Wrath. Wow. I am blown away by the story-telling. I was a little late picking up my copy, but the wait has only heightened the anticipation for the final product. I didn't read any reviews either, so this was all fresh to me.

The basic premise of the story is about an old, blood-stained southern family who are as mean as they are ruthless. The main character is Ira, who carries a legacy of hate that will play out in unexpected ways, I'm sure. The premise as explained by Aaron is quite personal, drawing from the writer's own family history.

This is one comic that must be experienced to fully grasp what will undoubtedly be a monumental piece of craft. I will however try to provide some context for this new series from talent at the top of their game; perhaps then, this will explain why I feel this is a noteworthy comic for any pull list.

Ira Rath has a terminal attitude

I haven't had an on-going series from the Icon imprint before, so this was novel. In fact, this is what stood out to me from the cover by Garney and Matt Milla. The focus is not on brand here, except for the creators' names. This gives way to the striking image of our protagonist in Men of Wrath, Ira Rather, as a silhouetted figure brandishing a rifle. Overlaid with imagery of a couple on the run, he stands above a line of sheep.

It turns out sheep can be a useful storytelling device, as exhibited by Aaron's using them to propel us to the past and set the scene for an on-going generational feud that seems both bloody and heart-wrenching. While this story is billed as a crime thriller, it has an emotional weight that feels well-balanced and fits the tone of the book.

Ira has been in the game a long time

Men of Wrath has great art. Garney brings a heavy but sharp look to pencils and inks in this issue. It is clear from the story-telling ability of Garney, through the different composition and panel arrangements, that you can readily be immersed into the narrative. Credit also needs to be sent Matt Milla's way for the coloring. The tone and feel is beautifully enhanced by Milla, and it is clear that the best results come out when the artists are working in collaboration. The progressive shot on the first page as we close on the sheep's eye was a good hook, but we are treated to a real variety of scenes, lifting, shadow work, and bright and dark coloring throughout the book.

On the final page Aaron pens a letter to readers providing context to the origin of the story. In this, Aaron points out that while this may be the darkest work he has produced thus far, it is accessible for mature audiences who have been saturated with similar-feeling dark work in other media.

Once I had finished reading Men of Wrath, I immediately sent a message to my local comic book shop to put this on my pull list. There is a lot of potential for the story and characters we have just been introduced to, and I want to see where Aaron and Garney take us on this journey.

Have you read Men of Wrath? What did you think? How does it compare to other works of these creators? Leave a comment below.

Celebrating Marvel's 75th anniversary, an hour-long prime-time documentary will chronicle Marvel's evolution from a small golden age publishing company to the multimedia giant it is today.

Announced at the Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. press event in Times Square on Thursday, Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop! will take a detailed look at the history of Marvel from 1939 to present with exclusive interviews hosted by Emily VanCamp (Captain America: The Winter Soldier).

The documentary will give fans an "extraordinary peek into Marvel's future," which could mean anything from a preview of Avengers: Age of Ultron or Ant-Man, both in theaters next year.

Marvel also announced the return of Secret Wars, a year-long event with writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Esad Ribic. The comic will launch in May 2015 and will pick up following the conclusion of Hickman's Time Runs Out saga in New Avengers and Avengers.

Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop! will air Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 9 p.m. on ABC. Let's hope for a special cameo from none other than Stan Lee.

Are you excited for a Marvel documentary? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and stay tuned to Fanboys Anonymous for full NYCC coverage all weekend long. Follow us on Twitter @FanboysAnonymous

Welcome back to my comic book review series! Today I shine the spotlight on the second chapter in the new "season" of one of Marvel's breakout series, Moon Knight #8. This is the next installment in Brian Wood and Greg Smallwood's run of the book (you can read my review of their first installment here), and so far they've been able to pull their own weight after Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire blazed all expectations with their six seminal issues.

In this issue, the creative team tells the story in a refreshing approach that is new to the series and, perhaps, much more grounding than the standard comic book storytelling style. Every panel—save for those in the final two pages—is drawn as if the scenes were recorded by various kinds of video recording devices, from smartphones to surveillance cameras. Additionally, the dialogue is separated from each panel, strategically placed along the bordering gutters of the page, and color coded to each character.

Now, why did the creative team and letterer Chris Eliopoulos use this strange format? Because it provided, as I've stated before, a more grounding perspective to the action and makes this book feel like a black ops action thriller. It's a fitting format, too, for the story at hand.

One evening in the City that Never Sleeps, a disenfranchised madman takes hostages for ransom up in the 88th floor of the Freedom Tower. The police—unable to approach the situation without the madman setting off a bomb—turn the operation over covertly to Moon Knight. Being one of the few heroes in New York with the expertise to pull off a stealth operation of this magnitude, Moon Knight utilizes his advanced tech, mercenary skills, and multiple personalities to save his city and people.


Once again, Wood appeals to the hardcore Moon Knight fans with the reemergence of Moon Knight's Steven Grant and Jake Lockley personalities, but adds them strategically to the silver Avenger's more combative personalities. Strangely enough, he uses Grant's name as the name of Moon Knight's heroic personality (indicated by his caped Marvel NOW! costume) and Lockley's name for an identity tied to a new alteration of the Marvel NOW! costume, which ditches the cape and includes a macabre white face mask. His Lockley personality seems to now be aligned with a close-quarters, acute damage combat style, with which Moon Knight uses his intimate knowledge of the human body to take down his opponents.

I very much enjoyed Smallwood and Bellaire's art in this issue over the last, as it felt akin to the same synergy Bellaire and Shalvey had in the first six issues. Additionally, Smallwood's style seems to have found that sweet spot that made Shalvey's special to the book, which made it all the more enjoyable to read. Bellaire's muted tones and shadowy blues helped to hit the point home that Moon Knight's best work is done at night.

Moon Knight #8 fills me with confidence that this new creative team will carry the book that much further after the last one's impressive run—if only readers would stick or return to the book and give it a chance post-Ellis and -Shalvey. (Nudge nudge.) I give it 5 out of 5 stars for both the art and the writing, as both sides of the creative team did an outstanding job on their second outing together. Hopefully this new synergy will last!


Were you as impressed with this issue as I was? What questions are you looking forward to being answered in the next one? What is the deal with Marc's psychologist? Let us know about your thoughts in the comments section below, and continue following Fanboys Anonymous for more Moon Knight reviews by yours truly.

Fanboys Anonymous is invading this year's New York Comic Con! Check out the live Twitter updates from the on-site team as they attend panels, Q&A sessions, and other events. On top of that, the fanboys and fangirls will be tweeting random nonsense throughout the weekend. If you can't be there with us live, we invite you to follow along with the action as we try to bring the largest convention on the east coast to you!

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