New York Comic Con is a whirlwind of pop culture, merchandise, and cosplay, but it is also where industry professionals of all types get together to reconnect, talk shop, and look to the future. I walked twenty-five miles, spoke on panels for seven hours, and met dozens of colleagues, clients, and creators over the past four days. Here’s what I learned.

1) COVID, What COVID?: In 2022, the industry was concerned that conventions were dead in the wake of the COVID pandemic. I think the attendance of 2023 proved those concerns were unfounded. I don’t know the official attendance numbers, but the lines were long, the show floor was packed and masks were few and far between. Hopefully, we don’t see a spike in illness over the next few days from COVID, traditional con crud, or any weird variants.

2) The Direct Market came back down to earth: One of the bright spots of COVID was a huge increase in comic book and graphic novel sales while people were stuck at home desperate for something to do. That trend seems to be over, according to the sales presentation offered by ICV2. Comic shops and publishers will need to adapt to a post COVID reality if they want to thrive.

3) Anxiety Increases Over AI: The rumblings about AI generated comics from 2022 gained steam at this year’s con. Legal experts discussed the current cases moving through the courts and evaluated the ways creators and publishers are trying to protect themselves. Comic creators crowded the River Pavillion to attend an AI panel from a legal perspective, which only reinforces how important this issue will be in the next few years.

4) New Publishers Continue to Defy Trends: While several comic publishers contracted or ceased operation in 2022,  there are still high-profile companies ready to compete in this crowded market. Announcements from companies like Ghost Machine, event sponsorships by DSTLRY, and private parties hosted by The Lab reinforced the idea that creators and publishers still believe in comics despite the recent setbacks.

5) Change of Direction for Con Programming: NYCC had a general rhythm over the years in terms of professional focus. There was always a certain portion of the programming devoted to the creators of comics and their need to understand industry trends. That education took a back seat this year as traditional pro panels were rejected, comic book luminaries were snubbed, and the educational focus was replaced with an experiential concentration.

6) Eating Options Keep Improving: During the reconstruction years of the Javits Center and the wider development of Hudson Yards, finding a decent place to eat, drink or have a professional meeting was challenging at best. New venues opened in prior years, but COVID limited their impact. Now there are great spots like Kahlo, Taste of Spain, and Cedricks if you don’t want to sit on the convention floor and eat chicken strips and waffle fries. If you’re lucky, you can even find a quiet cocktail lounge called Ada’s Place a block away from the convention center, to escape the ever-present crowds and read your new comics.

7) Continued Need for Professional Education: More people than ever came up to me after panels and during my time on the show floor to get advice about working in comics. I directed many of them to my Kickstarter on The Business of Freelance Comic Book Publishing. There are less than 72 hours left in the campaign, so if you want to improve your comic book career, consider backing this project.

Have fun with your comic.

Gamal