Star trek universe transporter experience at nycc (source: star trek)

Five Thing You (May Have) Missed on the Floor of NYCC

There is a lot going on over the four days of New York Comic Con. It’s impossible to see everything there is to offer even with a four-day pass. With all the panels, artists, merchandise and more, there aren’t enough hours in the day. One fun element every year are the interactive exhibitions set up by some of the big companies on hand.

Weren’t able to make it to New York for the con this year? Or maybe you were there and too hung up getting photographed in your awesome cosplay. Either way, we have you covered. I was lucky enough to partake in all of the interactive experiences and report back with my favorites. Here are the top 5 things you (may have) missed on the floor of NYCC.

1. The Expanse Experience

Located prominently inside the Javits Center, a partial replica of the “Rocinante,” the ship from The Expanse, was set up. A somewhat ironic location had the exhibit set up right next to the lounge sponsored by SYFY, the network that cancelled the show before it was picked up by Amazon Prime leading into December’s fourth season. The outside of the “Rocinante” was decorated with some costumes and props from the show. Inside was the break room with Holden’s famous coffee maker, Alex’s captain chair and a photo op. Fans also got a branded travel coffee mug similar to the ones the characters use on the show.

2. Star Trek Universe Transporter Experience

It was a big weekend for Trekkies with both the casts of Discovery and Picard on hand for panels Saturday. All four days had an installation allowing for fans to be virtually “beamed” to various Star Trek locations. The room was essentially like an elevator with screens on three walls, the ceiling and the floor with a mirror in front of you. Immersive sounds created a fun, albeit quick journey through the galaxy. For my two random locations, I was sent to an asteroid belt and on the hull of a ship during a space battle. Outside the “transporter,” props from the upcoming Picard series adorned the waiting area.

3. Marvel’s Avengers Video Game

Set to be released in May of 2020, there were two separate areas to get a chance to play the highly anticipated Avengers game. The surprisingly lengthy sample available for fans to play gave a chance to fight bad guys as most of the main Avengers team in turn. Presumably an early level for the single-player experience, the game will also have an online element when it’s released. I particularly enjoyed playing as Thor. I took out quite a few nameless henchmen by chucking Mjolnir at their heads. While I enjoy a little game time on my XBOX, I could hardly describe myself as a gamer. Even with my amateur status, the game proved to be a lot of fun.

4. Snowpiercer Bug Bar Vending Machine

As fun as these booths are for fans at the convention, they are obviously a promotional tool to get you talking (and posting) about the brand, show, game, etc. The new TNT drama Snowpiercer definitely thought of a unique way to accomplish that. A new adaptation of the story Americans first saw in the 2013 Chris Evans lead film of the same name, Snowpiercer is a large train carrying what’s left of humanity after Earth has become a snow filled waste land. While the wealthy live the good life in their train cars, the poor live in horrible conditions near the back of the train with only protein bars to eat. Those protein bars, it turns out, are made of a jelly produced from grinding down bugs.

So at NYCC, the Snowpiercer booth had vending machines that played a short video showing that process before gifting you a real “Cricket Protein Bar.” I initially thought it was a fun gag with a mislabeled regular granola bar. But it does, in fact, contain cricket powder. Now the bar I got was peanut butter and jelly flavored, which I don’t like in any setting. So I didn’t actually eat the bar. Yeah, it definitely wasn’t the crickets that kept me away… it was the PB&J.

'birds of prey' costume display at nycc (source: syfy)
‘Birds of Prey’ Costume Display at NYCC (Source: SYFY)

5. DC Entertainment: Birds of Prey Costume Display

Setting up in their usual spot at the far end of the convention center’s second floor, DC Entertainment focused on their upcoming Harley Quinn led film, Birds of Prey. The DC area was set up with some merchandising and an autograph section featuring appearances from prominent comic book writers and illustrators. But the main event was the lineup of costumes from Birds of Prey. With the trailer recently premiering and a surprise autograph session by the cast on Saturday, this project was clearly DC’s main focus at NYCC. The cast’s costumes mix practical real-world clothes and superhero uniforms. Well except for Harley Quinn, whose fashion sense is… unique.

Those were just five of the stand out installations on display at New York Comic Con. I’ll give an honorable mention to the replica of “The Krusty Krab” from Spongebob that gave fans a chance to put together a Krabby Patty. With all these fun things that had fans queueing up all four days, it got me thinking. What do they do with them after the Con is over? It may take some rearranging, but I could take them off their hands. Maybe I’ll put the Rocinante in my backyard. Or make my living room into a transporter? I could watch Star Trek while on Vulcan. It’s more likely the displays are being stored somewhere counting down the days to the next convention. Just like the rest of us.

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