BLOG - NYCC 2025 Recap (Patreon)

New York Comic Con, 9-12 October 2025

In New York, I found myself rapidly switching comparisons as I tried to get a grasp on the shape of this show in my mind. Big and laden with industry announcements like AX, an artist alley seemingly smaller than C2E2, a crowd hungry for queer, indie work that could easily be found at ECCC but somehow not so here. I tried to get a familiarity with the crowd: who was here? Why? What were they looking for? I encountered an Artist Alley composition like no other, comprised largely of old guard industry men who worked decades in capes and floppies, with a few illustration contemporaries in between but not so many with indie comics.

It didn't take long before I settled into the NYCC experience and identity as a show: it's incomparable. It is a wholly unique convention, but with one tickle of familiarity at the back of my mind. NYCC actually reminded me a lot of Baltimore Comic Con from the early 2010s. I don't remember much of that show, since I was just a high school kid. I remember Baltimore Comic Con being a smaller con, and the authors there being the spark that ignited my interest in comics for the very first time. I'm not sure what it was about NYCC that reminded me of my roots so much– maybe it's the east coast atmosphere, the presence of older industry professionals and familiar titles– but I was talking with my younger self all weekend. Like, hey we made it! Good job not dying before we got here!

I shared my table with En, as usual. We sat next to MK (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEGEND) and Misha. Our spot at the back of the hall was actually extremely awesome because we had uninterrupted cell service, quick access to private bathrooms, and the onigiri stall was right there. Please may all cons be so convenient, amen! Scattered in the AA were some familiar faces like Savanna and Addi. Despite the relative ease with which I was able to walk around on Thursday, I did three laps and still missed people I knew. Then after that, I was locked into the table for the rest of the show.

I'm not gonna lie, this show is busy! It is a competitive show to get into, and I'm so honored that I got to table this year. I haven't ever had such a lucrative, record breaking show for me, least of all this year. I talked to a lot of other artists who were saying that tabling in general sucked this year. Many artists performed the same or worse as last year at repeat shows, but NYCC seemed to have exceeded expectations.

"How's the show going for you?"

"Good! Good," said modestly and perhaps coyly.

Repeat small talk throughout the weekend

Numbers

I'm glad this show was a life preserver for so many, myself included. For real numbers, I made about $3k (before expenses) which knocked my socks off because I have never broken $2k before at any show, though I’ve come close. Such is the life of someone who does not do fan art and insists on making weird lesbian comics. This is also the life of someone who shares a table with my partner who does make fanart, and they surpassed my numbers easily. Man… comics are a scam. I should be making fandom prints. (I don't want to.)

The weird thing about being self employed is that you're the boss and the employee. And the boss looks at how successful fandom art is and goes "I don't care what fandom you make art for, I want 20 prints on my desk TOMORROW!! Earn money for the company!!" And the employee goes "hehe I drew a wolf again :3 I'm unionized against you, go fuck yourself"

To be clear, I do love making the occasional fandom print, but only when my heart is compelled. And I'm happy En sold well at NYCC because it means our cat gets more churu.

Ok so what did sell well for me?

The Shepherd's Sword Volume 1 sold out on Saturday which was so amazing and heartwarming and felt so good. I didn't sell nearly as many copies of How Could You, which is fine. It's been out for 10 months, lots of people have already read it. But there was something so touching about my self pub work out performing my trad pub work at this show.

My riso prints also did well! A sharp comparison between this show and others like ECCC or RCCC is noting that I got a TON of opportunity to explain riso printing at this show. In Seattle and Portland, everyone knows already. They're familiar with the art form. The people attending comic con in the PNW are pretty artsy. NYCC has artsy attendees and more. It really is a cross section of humanity, a microcosm, a little bit of all walks of life.

How Did this Artist Alley Feel?

To that end, the curation of the Artist Alley seemed to acknowledge the full range of attendees and their interests. The letterer next to me had been working in the industry for decades, lettering whole books by hand with pen and paper and protractor. It was impressive to say the least, and he had fans of all ages coming up to him all weekend who were familiar with his work. I wonder if I'll still be tabling at comic con when I'm in my 70s. I hope so, if I like it.

My one gripe– and please forgive me as an NYCC newbie, I could be talking out my ass– it sucked when some of the tablers didn't show up. For a con so big, I have never experienced so many empty tables. It vexed me because I know people for whom this show would have changed their lives, or benefited them greatly, people who would have worked their asses off all weekend.

Selfishly, it's like, ok so the tables are empty so that makes AA technically smaller with less competition for the same $20 being passed around. That's cool. But realistically? I would rather have my contemporaries hustling alongside me. Empty tables in AA are depressing.

I Am Not The Author of My Dragon Girlfriend

Speaking of which, this was the first con where I was confused for Courtney Fawnduu no fewer than 20 times. People asked me if I knew her, if I was her, where my cowboy comic is (it's hers). They complimented my jackalope tattoo and said "that reminds me of Fawnduu". They asked "aren't you usually with Catskullery and Fawnduu? Why aren't they here?" Mind you, this was my first time ever at NYCC, but Courtney had done it the past two years and in fairness, we do table at other shows together ALL THE TIME.

While it was heartbreaking to think of how much I missed my bros at this show, it was nice to know we have that kind of brand presence. It also made me laugh because long ago in the distant past of December 2021, Courtney and I tabled together for the first time and shared a spot at ECCC. The running inside joke at the time was that I was the author of My Dragon Girlfriend because people kept talking to me as if it were my comic. (Possibly because the main character has short dark hair like me, making it a potentially obvious self insert.) 4 years later we are not beating the allegations.

In New York, the show that was supposed to feel like a booming crescendo finale to the year faltered slightly. Don't get me wrong, I had a WONDERFUL time. I would be delighted and honored to work the show again next year. The staff and volunteers were some of the best I've ever seen. New Yorkers are nice. You know that saying that goes "east coast is kind not nice, and west coast is nice but not kind"? I think it flipped sometime in the last few years. New Yorkers are nice and they are kind. I will remember the person who came up and was so excited about my work and told me she had been reading it since she was 17. I will remember that always.

That said, my bros weren't there. I kept thinking about ECCC. I hope we all get to be together again in March.

At least at the end of every day, En and I went home to Tay and Liv's apartment and had dinner together and watched scary movies and cut Tay's hair and took an edible and fell asleep. And that too was a reflection on how far I have come. Being in your 30s is awesome. Never kill yourself.

Peepee Corner

My cat was much beloved at the show this year! Thank you to her fan club for coming to say hi and get her lil face sticker. And thank you to the person who brought En and I the flame point cat charms!!! Flame points are so special, and now Peepee knows she's famous. God help us all.