NYCC may have to consider adding a fourth day, and making that extra day for industry and trade people, including librarians and teachers and press. For people who are working during the con, those early hours on Friday before the doors open to the public might end up being the only chance they have to see the rest of the con (as it was for me). And really, the definition of "professional industry person" is becoming so diffuse, it's not so elitist as it might once have been. It still rankles to make the suggestion. I come out sounding like the guy who's just got in, trying to pull the ladder up behind him. But it may have to happen.
According to the official NYCC blog today:
NYCC will take place over four days this October. New York Comic Con has experienced exponential growth since it was launched in 2006, and our expansion into a fourth day now will allow the show to accommodate even more attendees and provide additional programming and business opportunity for the artists, creators, and exhibitors who are the foundation of the show's success.
According to the blog, NYCC 2011 will be from Thursday, October 13 through Sunday, October 16. The show is open to the public all day Friday through Sunday, plus a limited number of four day tickets will be sold. Thursday will feature academic programming beginning at noon, and the show floor will be open for professional hours and a new preview night on Thursday from 4 to 7 PM.
I don't think this will ease crowding at all on the other three days, but that isn't the purpose of this move. If folks who are working the convention or attending it as guests actually get to see the rest of it first, they'll be in a better mood -- it won't be quite so much like being herded through cattle pens and getting put on display -- and I think that will make the overall convention experience a tiny bit nicer for everyone. But maybe that's me trying to rationalize privilege as a universal virtue. I expect to be working behind a table (or two) again this year, so the extra day makes a huge difference for me.
One other surprise is that tickets go on sale February 7.
