Is New York Comic Con Still Really About Comics?

Newsweek spoke with people working at this year’s New York Comic Con, who predictably fluff up the whole subject: Over 20 years, D’Lando has watched superhero cinema rise, anime move into the mainstream, and once-dormant interests return with new force; through each cycle, he said, New York Comic Con has tried to remain “at the bleeding edge of pop culture,” serving as “a central nervous system for fandom” whose energy depends on thousands of people experiencing a moment together. If anime became mainstream, it’s only within the context that the comics mainstream’s plummeted in quality. But it’s sadly possible for anime to become PC, and for these conventions to enforce it that way. Also, have they noticed fewer superhero movies are finding success these days? And what if any particular old franchise becomes subject to PC as well? Does that not concern them if it happens? Anime’s “exponential explosion” during the past five to seven years has brought brands including Bandai, Viz and Crunchyroll into prominent positions, while collectibles and trading cards have surged. “Comic books are back in a big way this year,” D’Lando said, citing DC Comics’ Absolute line, and he repeatedly re...