This past weekend I had the pleasure to attend Empire State Comic Con up in Albany, New York. ESCC is run Altered Reality, the organizers behind Rhode Island Comic Con that I attended last November. This was the first year for ESCC and although small in terms booths, celebrity signings and artists, there was still plenty to do and entertain fans of all ages.
As it is with all conventions whether they’re big or small, celebrity star power is a huge x-factor for attendees. This con showcased Robert Englund aka Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, the original Hulk himself Lou Ferrigno and from AMC’s Comic Book Men, Mike Zapsic and Ming Chen.
As you may know, I’m a huge fan of artist alley. Much like Rhode Island, artist alley was situated in the middle of the show floor which allows visitors to weave around and see all the great artwork and the men and women responsible. Because of its size, there wasn’t a lot of vendors but the ones that were there were quite good including a NYCC favorite FYE and some of their fun Funko exclusives. If you didn’t know the Albany area too well (and I am one of them), food choices were limited to what was being sold at the convention. Prices were reasonable if not cheaper than other venues. The food choices ranged from your typical hot dogs and sandwiches to popcorn and chips. There was also a cash bar for adult beverages. I thought the volunteers were helpful in guiding everyone through the vendors area and I was especially impressed by Prisma Photo Ops for their handling of the crowd as well as the talent during the photo ops. The only negative is not accepting credit or debit. If you find yourself at these events, make sure to bring cash.
As small as it was I overall had a good time and the staff was very good and informative. Let’s hope the weekend was a financial success that will allow them to make this an annual event. The next big event in my area by Altered Reality will be Rhode Island Comic Con in November.
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
