A Beginner’s Guide to NYCC
New York Comic Con (NYCC) is the biggest comic and pop culture event on the East Coast. From meeting celebrities to surprise appearances, to comic creators from every corner of the globe to the top anime, cosplay, and gaming stars … it’s always one hell of a 4-day weekend.
If you’re new here, welcome to the nerd herd, my friend. NYCC is a non-stop geeky party and I’m here to tell you a bit about what you need to do (and what’s cool to do) at the show. Allow me to begin with the important bits:
VIP Presale: Wednesday, May 31 at 10:00 AM ET
Bought VIP tickets in 2022? This 24 hour presale is exclusively for you! You’ll receive a link to the email address you purchased VIP tickets with to buy your NYCC 2023 tickets.
PLEASE NOTE: this is for fans who purchased VIPs only. If you were transferred VIP tickets, this presale does not apply to you.
Popverse Superfan Presale: Have a Popverse Superfan Membership? This 24-hour presale is exclusively for you! Want to get in early on the presale? You must purchase your Superfan membership by 11:59 PM ET on May 31 to participate in this presale. Buy your Superfan membership here.
Fan Verification Presale: Sunday, June 11 at 10:00 AM ET
Did you rollover your Fan Verification Profile? Step right up, because it’s your turn for NYCC tickets. You’ll receive an email with your unique link to get the chance to purchase NYCC 2023 tickets 48 hours before the presale begins.
General Onsale: Wednesday, June 21 at 12:00 PM ET
You’ll need to create a Fan Verification profile to buy NYCC 2023 tickets during the on-sale if you have never attended NYCC or did not rollover your Fan Ver profile this year. More information on when the Fan Ver application opens back up is coming soon.
Want to have a chance at buying tickets to NYCC 2023? Then you’ll need to create a Fan Verification profile! Fan Verification profiles help real fans get tickets to New York Comic Con. After the NYCC Fan Verification Presale, Fan Verification will open to the public.
Did a friend or family member buy you tickets and you receive an email to accept those tickets? You also need a Fan Verification profile. If you don’t accept the ticket, your ticket will just sit in limbo and you'll be able to attend the event, but you won't be able to do any of the extra cool stuff we got goin' on.
Badge activation is required for all NYCC ticket holders. This ties that beautiful physical badge to your email address, so you have your reservations and information in one place. If you are participating in reservations: before you enter your panel or buy that exhibitor exclusive, the QR code on the back of your badge will be scanned. If your badge is not activated, it will be unscannable which means you will not be able to get into your panel seat, Autograph signing, or exhibitor exclusive line. (Trust us, it’s much easier to activate your badge at home, instead of at the front of a long line of fans!)
Picking up from Will Call? No worries! You can activate your badge once you pick it up. You’ll just want to activate that beautiful badge before you enter the show for the day.
TL; DR: Badge activation is required, so do it.
You bought your NYCC tickets for you and your friends – hell yeah! Now, there’s one more step you need to do – assign and accept the tickets. Each ticket must be assigned to the person who’s entering NYCC with it. Important note: if you and your friends/family are entering panel, exhibitor, and autograph signing reservations, you must complete this step before you can sign up for reservations.
Not sure if you assigned or accepted tickets? You can sign into the My Tickets hub where you will see if your tickets have been assigned, accepted, and/or transferred.
Pro Tip: If you, your friend, or your family member have a Fan Verification account, assign the tickets to that email address!
More information about NYCC 2023 Reservations will be announced closer to the show. Stay tuned!
There is no other high quite like meeting your heroes and the celebrities who have inspired you. At NYCC, you can do just that! You can stand side-by-side with celebrities from Moon Knight, Dune, The Mummy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Shadow and Bone, and so much more in a professional Photo Opportunity (Photo Op) that you get to keep forever!
If Photo Ops aren’t your style (or you want to get that beautifully printed photo signed), you can also purchase Autographs with your heroes. They can sign your Photo Op, an 8x10 headshot at their table, or fandom items you bring from home or buy at the show. Buy an Autograph, chat with your celebs while they sign your items, and have a memory to last a lifetime.
One of the most exhilarating things at NYCC are the panels. Have you ever been in a room with people who love the same fandom as you who are cheering, clapping, and hollering for the celebrities on stage or the cosplayers who are strutting their stuff? There’s no feeling like it! In panels you can find out news about movies, tv shows, anime, and studio content; watch an in-person Q&A with your favorite celebs, creators, or voice actors; or see people just like you who are hosting panels to talk about the things we all love to geek out about.
NYCC panels will be announced closer to the show.
Walking through Artist Alley is like swimming through a sea of beautiful art and creations. Everywhere you look there's a new creator who has put their heart and soul into their work to share it with you. Find something from every fandom, find something that is incredibly unique and exclusive to the creator, or get yourself a commission piece that nobody else has.
If you’re looking for some of the sweetest (and exclusive) merch around, then you’ll want to stop at the Official Show Store at NYCC! From pins to lanyards, short sleeved to long sleeved shirts, and *Funko POPs! and hoodies, it’s the place to get your NYCC on like Donkey Kong.
From small businesses to the biggest brands on the planet, you’ll find your new favorites and see some oldies but goodies on the Show Floor. The Show Floor at NYCC is very large, make sure you take the time to explore every nook and cranny, because you never know what you’ll find! You’ll also find Activations throughout the show, and on the Inner Roadway (which is outside). Activations are curated and hand-built experiences from the biggest brands at the show. Each one is unique, and you won’t find them anywhere else.Trust us, you’ll be making your friends who skipped out on NYCC jealous with the photos, videos, and comic con purchases you’ll be coming home with.
What is a Show Feature? It’s your own mini con inside a Comic Con that’s dedicated to a specific fandom or hobby. Obsessed with art and comics? Check out Artist Alley. Cosplay your jam? Cosplay Central is your place to be. Bringing the whole family? Family HQ is chock-full of activities for kids and adults alike. Gaming more your speed? Tabletop RPG, video games, PC gaming, tournaments and more find their home in the Gaming Zone. Anime, manga, and Asian culture play a big part in your life? Pop Asia is the place for you, Otaku. There are so many places to be and fandoms to see at NYCC.