NYCC 2022 would be my first NYCC since 2019. As we all know by now, 2020 there was no NYCC. And 2021 I decided to skip due to all their COVID measures. I did not want to dedicate time and money to photo ops infected with masks and glass. As I said before, masks not COVID is the true virus!
With the new wings/garages of the Javits center and reed pop announcing mask policies, I decided 2022 would be the test on whether or not I would embark on NYCC in the future or if this would be my last. Spoiler alert, I decided 2022 wouldn't be my last.
Wednesday
I arrive in NYC Wednesday night and decide to test some of the "easy" shows spots. Sadly they were not so easy. At least those particular ones. First I tried for John David Washington and he didn't want to interact with fans and had a mask. Tried to chase him down to plead for an op but he wanted to keep the mask on so I didn't bother. Then I tried for Lea Michelle but she kept the mask on and didn't even take photos. Went to another spot but sadly was too late. Missed Hong Chau from Downsizing by a few minutes and also missed actor Judd Hirsch who was a random (spoiler alert, there would be more on Judd Hirsch later). I'm stupid for having even tried these show spots. Rookie move.
Thursday
The first day of NYCC! And it's off with a good start as I get the One of Us is Lying cast. This includes Annalisa Cochrane from Cobra Kai. Throughout I would get some first time ops, some updates. One notable get is Utkarsh Ambudkar from the movie Free Guy!
I go inside try some panels. I try the The Owl House cast but get there too late and missed most all of them (though I have the main one, Mae Whitman). But would do better for Pennyworth. I got Jack Bannon (Alfred) and Ben Aldridge (Thomas Wayne).
Then I would get actor Jack Huston from American Hustle, and good upgrade/update with James McAvoy, among others. Two more panels I try would be a total bust. First one is Significant Other. I don't bother with actress Maika Monroe as I got a shades shot earlier and I have a perfect no shades shot from before. But I wanted actor Jake Lacey from Rampage. I plead with him but sadly he is a complete asshole and eventually security stops me. And I try the Midnight Club panel but that was fruitless.
After NYCC I go to the "easy" shows and I get Dominic Fumusa (Nurse Jackie), Abigail Hawk (Blue Bloods), and Jessica Pimentel (Orange is the New Black).
Overall I would classify this day as solid. But sadly it would be met with a huge PUNCH. I would find out that Liam Neeson was a random at another "easy" show and did photo ops. That hurt bad.
Full list of Thursday photo ops part 1
Full list of Thursday photo ops part 2
Friday
This day is off to a good start as I get a photo op with author Neil Gaiman, someone I had missed at NYCC in the past. I see Martin and Jesse Kove come in and I call for Jesse and he does a photo with me "just because I called his name". He had shades but later in the day got a no shades shot.
Now there were two signings, almost back to back. First was Good Omen. Besides Neil Gaiman you had showrunner Douglas MacKinnon, executive producer Rob Wilkins, and actors Maggie Service, Nina Sosyana and Quelin Sepulveda. It was strict no photos but I got two posters signed. And in going to this horrid signing I missed a lot of good people outside including the cast of Let the Right One In which had lots of people I wanted. Beginning to remember why I despise NYCC. You can't be everywhere (spoiler, I would make it up later).
Then I go to the next signing for the Lord of the Rings TV show. This was the exact opposite of Good Omen and the best experience of any free signing at NYCC. They let you do ops with EVERYONE! First I got a much needed upgrade with actor Benjamin Walker then SIX more ops! Wow what a wonderful sweep!
Go outside get some fresh ops, some not. From the Chucky tv show I get actress Alyvia Alyn Lind (I asked her to remove the mask) and Zackary Arthur. I made the mistake of not going to the Reginald The Vampire panel where I could have had actress Em Haine and Jacob Batalon of Spiderman fame, but when it let out I did manage to get Jacob. I also got Dylan Sprayberry AKA Young Clark Kent from Man of Steel! And I get another great name whom I missed on entry, Rodrigo Santoro AKA King Xerxes from 300!
Omar Epps also stops. I focused on an autograph since I already had a shot from before. He was wearing shades and my previous shot is a shades shot, so I felt no need to fight the crowd for another shot. Also Martin and Jesse Kove gave out free copies of their comics which they were selling for good money inside. I got Jesse to sign it.
Now for the Let the Right One In panel. I decide to crash it rather than wait for exits (fantastic decision cause they garaged out). My main wants are Nick Stahl AKA John Conner in Terminator 3 and actor Demian Bichir. I manage to score these and most all of the cast. Sadly in my focus on those two I miss actor Kevin Carroll. And actress Anika Noni Rose kept the mask on (the sole instance of a mask op the entire week).
After NYCC go for the "easy" shows and get actress/model Azita Ghanizada and actor Faran Tahir (Iron Man). Wanted a better op with David Patrick Kelly in another show but never saw him (I would get another op in the future).
I then join markedout board member Greg2600 at the hotel for the Let the Right One In cast in the hopes to see Kevin Carroll but never do. I get a better shot with child actress Madison Taylor Baez whom I also got back in the panel. After this called it a night. All in all a great day at NYCC
Saturday
Saturday is off to an ok start as I get an upgrade/update with Chloe Grace Moretz. Not many people waiting and thus not many spotters, so I decide to go inside. Me and my splitter secure a spot in line for paid guest Boyd Holbrook. I search for the vendor booth owned by Don Handfield (Deep Impact) and get that op. His booth had the signing and Martin and Jesse Kove. Then back to Boyd and get the op.
Next up, the panel for the original TMNT movie. I get ops with producers/writers Kim Dawson and Bobby Herbeck. Attending the panel (as in the audience not a panel guest) was Michael Turney who was in the first TMNT movie. Sadly he wants nothing to do with his TMNT past so he wouldn't do ops. But I did get him to sign my TMNT laserdisc. I also got Kim to sign it but Bobby only wanted to do it at the booth. At the booth it of course costs money. So I chose to simply be happy with my Kim combo, Bobby photo op, and Michael autograph, all of which I got for free. While I was inside I even missed people outside. Just an example of how there's so much going on at this con.
Outside getting the Walking Dead people is like pulling teeth. Norman Reedus signs and I get an auto. In hindsight I would have done better with them at another spot they were at. I got an update with Lauren Ridloff. Rush inside for a paid op with Harvey Guillen. Then back to walking dead where I get Michael James Shaw (fresh), Scott M Gimple (upgrade), and Paola Lazaro. Overall did pretty bad with walking dead.
I sadly don't attend a panel where I could have had Jim Henson writer Craig Shemin. Dumb!
Jenna Ortega (Wednesday Addams) doesn't stop going into NYCC and garages out. So we beat her to her hotel. She does an op with someone but doesn't really stop much otherwise. She almost immediately leaves to go out to a party but rushes into an uber. We wait for her to return and never see her. Eventually give up and go to a spot with Brendan Gleeson who I need. As I arrive at that spot I find out Colin Farrell was a random and stopped going in. PUNCH! Brandon did not stop. I get Timothy Olyphant who I have and Zacheri Levi shows up and I get an update with him (my first op is from 2014). Sadly Brandan, Colin, and Woody Harrelson (who I have) all sneak out. Someone waited for Jenna till like 5am and never saw her come back to the hotel.
Saturday is officially my weakest day of NYCC week.
Sunday
Sunday is off to a horrid start. I wake up, practically parked up the street from the Javits center. As I arrive I find out that I missed by less than 5 minutes actor Xolo Mariduena (Cobra Kai, Blue Beetle) and others stopping for everyone. PUNCH! (spoiler, I end up making up for it). But things take a turn for the better as I get people from the Muppet cast. This include a much needed upgrade with Lilly Singh, Tahj Mowry (Full House), and pupeteer Bill Barretta. The latter is a great name cause he took over characters like The Swedish Chef and Dr Teeth from Jim Henson and he wore the Earl Sinclair suit in Dinosaurs!
Among others, I also get Jensen Ackles who has alluded me for a long time and I never wanted to pay his insane con prices. He has shades on, but I'll take it. Daniel Radcliffe comes in and it's a mob scene. He took some ops but had a beard so I had no need to fight for this op.
Then I crash the panel with Xolo and thankfully him and the rest of the cast are very nice! Back outside and get Anders Holm and Lilly Singh again then back inside for another panel where I get everyone there. Back outside for more stuff. I get among others things upgrade with Brenton Thwaites AKA Nightwing. Larry Kenney comes out and signs for everyone and I get a couple of autos. This ended NYCC.
Then it was off to a spot for Branden Gleeson and Colin Farrell. Sadly it's a mob scene. Branden doesn't even show up and Colin barely stops and promises to stop on the way out. They pulled a bait and switch as they snuck Colin out and gave his car to actor Barry Keoghan. Huge PUNCH but I do get Barry so it wasn't a total waste. This ended the day. I then park my car at a great spot.
Monday
After much needed sleep following a grueling comic con, I wake up. I look at the time and see that I can make a Jamie Lee Curtis spot. She hadn't been stopping as of late, but it was literally on my way to the bathroom so I thought I'd try for an autograph (already have a great op). But she does nothing for no one.
Now I have two shots at Brandon Gleeson and Colin Farrell. First spot I wait. Most people are busy with Robert Downy Jr (who I have). So I bank on everyone remaining busy with him. Going in they do nothing. And by the time they leave sadly people who were waiting for Downy join in. And no shock they don't do it leaving.
I run on foot to the next spot and beat the car there. Sadly they don't stop going in or leaving. Colin is even using the COVID excuse. At this point I decide I cannot dedicate more time for the huge want that is Colin (I had long given up on Brandon at that point) and should now go to spots where I can actually get ops. Before leaving this spot I get barely valid actor Ben Ahlers.
Next spot is off to a great start as I get a much needed upgrade with actress Claire Foy. Also get Sarah Polley. Rooney Mara didn't stop (but I have her) and everyone missed actress Sheila McCarthy (Die Hard 2, House Arrest) in the crowd. But move to another spot where I hope to see her, and I did. She was nice. I also get actress Kate Hallett. Now it is at this spot where I am with markedout member Greg2600 and the most heart crushing thing takes place. Exiting this spot is none other than 88 year old Tina Louise AKA Ginger from Gilligan's Island! I know she doesn't normally stop for ops, but seeing her there, you had to ask. No shock she ignores. This would have been my best op for the week if she did stop. But it was truly heart crushing to see her and watch her walk away.
Back to the previous spot where I wait for Tilda Swinton and she is nice as can be doing it for all. Got the op and some autographs. My time in NYC was coming to a close. I debate if I should waste time checking one last spot for Colin Farrell. I decide to check it out before leaving the city even though it is late. As I arrive I am heart broken as an old lady waiting tells me there were like 2-3 people waiting and he did indeed stop for ops leaving. PUNCH. But I wait anyway cause it looks like paps are waiting and there's some action to be had. Not minutes later I spot Judd Hirsch leaving! Holy crap! I ask him for the op and he agrees! Which is unusual for him! Missed out on Colin but I guess Judd is older so better to get him in the long run. Wait some more as there are paps and cars. Taylor Swift exists and wants nothing to do with anyone. This ended my time in NYC.
Now to showcase autographs:
Blanks are Norman Reedus and Larry Kenney.
Despite some misses and PUNCHES, I would say this was overall a very fruitful week.
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