Four days of panels, cosplay and fandom marked the convention’s milestone anniversary
When New York Comic Con first opened its doors, it filled a single hall at the Javits Center with about 33,000 people. This year, for its 20th anniversary, the convention drew more than 250,000 attendees over four days, from October 8 through 11. According to New York City Tourism + Conventions, the crowds brought an estimated $91 million to the city’s economy.
Big Screens, Bigger Announcements
The panel schedule gave fans plenty to cheer about. Studios and networks used the stage to debut trailers, preview upcoming seasons and make announcements. Projects on the lineup included Dexter: Resurrection, Avatar: Seven Havens, Crystal Lake, The Rookie, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Ghosts, Blade Runner 2099, Children of Blood and Bone and Whalefall.
The guest list was just as busy. Nicolas Cage, Paul Bettany, Lena Headey, Matt Smith, Hayden Christensen and Ian McDiarmid made appearances. Voice actors from series and games like One Piece, Final Fantasy VII Revelation and Naruto were also on hand for fans of anime and gaming.
A First for NYCC: The Getty Portrait Studio
This year the convention introduced its first Getty Portrait Studio, and a steady stream of celebrities passed through over the weekend. Josh Brolin, Linda Cardellini, Alexandra Daddario, Carrie-Anne Moss, Norman Reedus and Gabourey Sidibe all sat for portraits. The biggest surprise came from NFL star Rob Gronkowski, who dropped in wearing a Doctor Doom cosplay.
Opening the Door for Aspiring Professionals
Professional programming ran across five days in the River Pavilion. For the first time, fans could sit in on select industry sessions through a new aspiring professionals program. The change gives people hoping to break into comics and entertainment a look at how the industry works.
The Show Floor and Artist Alley
More than 650 publishers, brands and retailers filled the show floor with interactive activations and merchandise. Exhibitors included Bandai, Dark Horse, DC, Funko, Marvel, Penguin Random House, Scholastic, VIZ Media and Webtoon. Over 500 artists worked in Artist Alley, including Alex Segura, Ben Percy, Chris Claremont, Denys Cowan, Frank Miller, Jim Lee, Katie Cook, Peach Momoko and Tom King.
Cosplay Takes the Crown
On October 10, the Northeast’s top cosplayers competed in the Cosplay Central Crown Championships qualifier, presented by Krazy Glue. Silwen Cosplay won first place and the title of Regional Champion with a Sakizo Giulietta build. The win came with $1,000 and a trip to C2E2 2027 for the National Finals.
Gillian Conahan took second place as Lune from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Savant Celestial placed third as Mother Miranda from Resident Evil. The category winners were:
Armor: Where You At At, as Ciri from The Witcher
FX: Bombshell Beckie, with an X-Men Mystique/Gambit fusion
Needlework: Annieexmachina, as Gideon from Gideon the Ninth
The judges were Say No to Scrunchies, Dressesandcapes and Akellyz. They scored each entry on design, detail and performance. Coney Island’s Sideshow performers gave a halftime show, which fit the convention’s 2026 Coney Island theme. Sideshow acts also performed on the Community Stage throughout the weekend.
Looking Ahead
“New York Comic Con would not be what it is today without our incredible community,” said Kristina Rogers, VP of ReedPop US Comics Portfolio, BookCon, and Star Wars Celebration. “We had a blast celebrating all weekend long with our fans, our team, and our amazing partners and can’t wait to find out together what the next 20 years of pop culture will bring.”
