A Four Day Oasis
NYC Comic Con
Series One
The term “Otaku” is a loanword from the japanese language. In English, it is usually referred to an obsessive fan of anime, comics or any kind of sub culture generally speaking. However, use of the label can be a source of contention among some anime fans. Particularly those who are aware of the negative connotations the term has in Japan. It is my intention to proclaim the use of the word “Otaku“ to describe a sub culture like no other. The New York City Comic Con convention is a conglomerate of popular comics, anime, video games, visual artist, fanboys and those wishing to become graphic illustrators for comics, manga and graphic novels. Those attending are welcome to dress up as their favorite super hero or villain, while more creative fans will come up with their own costume collage. Growing up as a comic book geek myself, I have been attending the con for 3 years now and always make it a point to clear my schedule as October comes to a close. During one of the evenings after the show, as I paraded among a crowd of fans dressed in super hero outfits of various intricacy and detail. Devilman, Captain America, Zombies and sexy lingerie personalities. Adorning the streets of mid town NYC; exiting the convention center in a brisk full moon evening.
My eyes at this point where looking for a resting place from the saturated exposure of colors, wild outfits and the roar of the crowd. An older lady inside a white SUV, holding a smart phone appeared before me with the most disturbance look in her face of shock and awe. As if she had been transported back from a 1950’s leave it to beaver episode into modern day Comic Con 2013. As she waited for “SheHulk“ to get in the vehicle; to what I can only imagined came after in terms of vows and glorious disapproval.
A Thought From The Either Came To Me:
This is why I love comic con!! to be part of a group of people
with similar interest
and never judging amongst the group.
The same night, another fan boy uttered next to me:
“This show was good enough
to get me out of my bat cave”.
—I could not agree more with Batman.
The documentation process for this years show ranged the entire four day of the con, gathering the mood and feel of the show was no easy task. My primary objective was to capture three main focal elements at the heart of the pop culture phenomenon:
- The fans who dress up and are the cornerstone of the show.
- A selection of toys from the show floor including objects, banners and sexy objects of interest.
- A series of digital design composites illustrating the mood and tone of the shows.
Wrestling among a sea of fanboys dressed in various outfits while trying to capture a good picture without resulting in a blurry shoot was the most difficult aspect of the entire show experience. The welcoming embrace of the fans, allowing me to take their picture made me feel accepted as part of their group which I am a part of. I can’t say there was a specific idea planned for the documentation process but I had an overall goal of what kind of shoots I wanted to capture. The two major elements for me where costume originality and show floor toys. And by far, this year’s winner costume was Captain America. Not just because the floor was inundated with them, which probably had to do with the success of the film but these boys seemed to have capture the mood and feeling of comic con. As they were treated like real celebrities by the attending press.
For The Love of The Fans
A Collection Of Toys
Show Floor Objects
Next Steps
For a depository of additional images from NYC Comic Con, make sure to subscribe to: This Modern World PhotoStream on Flickr. A web photo collage project series with a focus on documenting ideas, digital photo montage photography and the art of personal introspection. Using photography as a vehicle of artistic communication and creative expression. And I think it should be noted by now of a pattern beginning to emerge with our bi-weekly to weekly article series. Which is to document and exhibit an array of ideas aimed at creating a body of work culled from personal interest and professional goals as a web designer.
We hope to see you at this years NYC Halloween parade.
Arts Journal Zine 
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