10/14/2013
By Ivan Pereira
Big Apple comic fans showed off their pride in huge numbers over the weekend.
The organizers of New York Comic Con said 133,000 people flocked to Javits Center during the four-day event, close to the renowned San Diego Comic-Con’s attendance.
Lance Fensterman, the convention’s show manager, said he was impressed by the event’s growth since its 2006 launch, which attracted only 33,000 people.
“It’s New York. When you put [on] something that’s big and exciting, you get a bigger crowd,” he said.
This year’s con aimed to bring in more newbie visitors by offering less of the three and four-day passes that are typically purchased by con veterans.
Fensterman said the New York crowd has a “totally different” energy than the West Coast attendees.
The manager added that the growing variety of content lures a lot of people. Aside from staples such as Superman, followers of shows such as “The Venture Bros.” and games like “The Legend of Zelda” were eager to hear the latest news about their beloved franchises.
“I had to apologize to ‘Walking Dead’ fans that couldn’t get into the panel on Saturday. It was the biggest [event] at the con,” Fensterman said.
