Has the Absence of NYAF Affected FUNimation? Part 2

Please read Part 1 of the interview before reading Part 2

FUNimation at the 2007 New York Anime Festival

New York Anime Festival vs New York Comic Con

So fans of New York Anime Festival (NYAF) knows what happened to the convention; it became a convention within NYCC then completely merged with it. I was curious to know how much has this action affected FUNimation and its anime presence. To my surprise, it did not have a major impact on FUNimation's participation at NYCC. The difference was just the conventions itself.

Has the Absence of NYAF Affected FUNimation? Part 1

Last time I spoke to Adam Sheehan he was the Senior Events Manager and Brand Manager. Now he has moved out of brand management for about 5-6 years and from events 1 year ago. He had the opportunity to move on to something new and decided to go for it. He is the Senior Marketing Manager for FUNimation.com. His main responsibilities are to promote and market the company website to obtain more traffic and members, support their physical product release, to promote the FUNimation apps and video subscription service.

NYCC - Spider-Man's Birthday Celebration, IGN Theatre Live Streaming and Entry Plan

Spider-Man's Birthday Celebration

One of my favorite superheroes is absolutely Spider-Man. Peter Parker is the nerdy, insecure teen that fights crime and wears an awesome costume! Sounds basically like my teen years. The big guy in the red suit (no, not Santa) had his 50th anniversary this year and to help celebrate this momentous occasion we're bringing a whole web of Spider-Man themed celebrations to NYCC! On Sunday, October 14 don't miss the cast of Broadway's Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark in a live, interactive performance. After your mind is blown away from the first dose of awesomness, you'll get a chance to learn some of Spidey's best moves from the cast. But I'm not done! We're showing a special screening of DisneyXD's animated series, Ultimate Spider-Man. No matter if you're turning 50 with Spider-Man or 5, Spider-Fans of all ages will definitely enjoy this celebration. Plus - stop by the Marvel booth to sign the larger than life Spider-Man birthday card (courtesy of Hallmark Cards) and help Marvel beat the Guiness World Records® title for "Most Contributions to a Greeting Card." While you're at it, check out our Guide to Surviving NYCC and find out what to bring, what not to bring and how to get into the Javits as painlessly as possible. See you in 6 days! Until next time...

Stay nerdy my friends,

-Lance

P.S. Follow me on Twitter @lfensterman for the first word on the latest NYCC news!

#NYCC: Dark Horse Announces New York Comic-Con 2012 Schedule!

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES
NEW YORK COMIC-CON 2012 SCHEDULE!

OCTOBER 5, MILWAUKIE, OR—It’s here! New York Comic-Con is upon us, and Dark Horse Comics is telling you all the goods ahead of time! Plan accordingly!

NYCC 2012 Dark Horse Comics Signing Schedule

VIZ Media (Booth 2042) Highlights for NYCC Next Week!

VISIT VIZ MEDIA AT NEW YORK COMIC CON, BOOTH #2042

VIZ MEDIA BRINGS ANIME AND MANGA FUN TO THE BIG APPLE FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2012

Meet The Character Designer For TIGER & BUNNY,
Sample Digital Manga, Neon Alley And WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA,
And More As VIZ Media Returns
To The East Coast’s Biggest Pop Culture Convention

San Francisco, CA, October 3, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, returns to New York City for the 2012 New York Comic Con with an array of events, special booth appearances, insightful panel discussions and promotional giveaways. New York Comic Con takes place October 11th-14th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. VIZ Media will be located in Booth 2042.

LOST GIRL Cast Invading NYCC October 12th & 13th!

LOST GIRL CAST INVADING NEW YORK CITY OCTOBER 12th & 13th!

FUNimation Entertainment & Giant Ape Media are proud to announce the appearance of cast members from the network show LOST GIRL, Ksenia Solo (Kenzi), Zoie Palmer (Lauren), and Rick Howland (Trick) to the Big Apple. We hope to see the fae-natics come out in force at the following public appearances!

Autographing, Photo Ops and More at NYCC!

Autographing, Photo Ops and Ticket Giveaways, Oh My!

One of my favorite parts of NYCC is meeting all of you fans, but I must admit there's a star struck fanboy in me that still gets giddy when I see my favorite celebrities! This year NYCC has more celebrities and Guests than we can count on all of the hands at ReedPOP HQ. With less than two weeks left, I want to make sure you plan ahead and school up on all you need to know to have the most epic NYCC ever! Take home the ultimate con souvenir when you stand side by side with your favorite celebrity and pose for a professional photo! Browse through the full list of celebrities with photo ops before the show and once at the Javits visit Froggysphoto in the Official Pix Booth in the Autographing Area of Hall 1B to get your pictures taken! If a picture just isn't enough to fill your fan heart, be sure and take a gander at all the stars signing autographs. Are you a die-hard fan of The Walking Dead, Robot Chicken, Venture Bros., Carrie, Silent Hill, Evil Dead and Anime? Then get in line for Autograph Ticket Giveaways each morning. These Private Autographing Sessions require a free Autographing Ticket, quantities are limited and you can bet fans will line up early. Remember, there are plenty of celebs that don't require tickets so look through the entire list of Autographing Sessions taking place at NYCC 2012! Start your homework NYCC fans. Until next time...

Stay nerdy my friends,

-Lance

P.S. Follow me on Twitter @lfensterman for the first word on the latest NYCC news!

Carrie Fisher at NYCC 2012

We are just two short weeks until the doors at the Javits will open and floods of happy fans will trek down 11th Avenue to the greatest pop culture event ever to hit Manhattan. There is so much amazing awesomeness that will soon overcome us all I can barely contain my excitement. Since we have to wait a little longer, let's take the anticipation to a new level! Have you heard the news? Princess Leia Organa, Carrie Fisher, is coming to NYCC 2012! The pop culture icon will be hanging around, signing autographs and taking photo ops with some lucky fans. If you haven't decided on a costume yet, may I suggest Han Solo? If Star Wars just isn't your thing (are you sure you're a nerd?), be among the few to get a first glance at never before seen footage from the new movie Silent Hill: Revelation 3D on Friday, October 12 in the IGN Theater! No matter what kind of nerd you are, we work hard at ReedPOP HQ to make sure there's something for everyone at NYCC! Seems like the folks at TBS do too, which is why I'm excited to welcome Revenge of the Nerds stars Robert Carradine and Curtis Armstrong and their geekiest new reality series King of the Nerds to NYCC on Saturday, October 13. Hurry, friends! Don't miss the pop culture phenomenon that is NYCC. Free Kids Day Tickets just sold out and Sunday and Friday Tickets are getting close! Why buy a Saturday Ticket on eBay for 200 bucks when you can still get a Friday Ticket for just $35! Until next time...

Stay nerdy my friends,

-Lance

P.S. Follow me on Twitter @lfensterman for the first word on the latest NYCC news!

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Letter from Lance Fensterman

Masakazu Katsura is Spotlight Guest at NYCC

MASAKAZU KATSURA IS SPOTLIGHT GUEST AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

TIGER & BUNNY Character Designer To Attend Courtesy of SUNRISE, Inc.

Norwalk, CT, September 21, 2012: New York Comic Con (NYCC) is today proud to announce Masakazu Katsura will attend this year's NYCC as a Spotlight Guest. Mr. Katsura is currently the character designer of the hit anime series TIGER & BUNNY, as well as the creator of acclaimed manga series including Video Girl Ai and Wingman. New York Comic Con will take place October 11 - 14, 2012 at NYC's Javits Center. It is one of New York's largest annual events and last year attracted over 100,000 attendees. Mr. Katsura joins a broad range of already-announced guests including Yoshitaka Amano, Brian K. Vaughan, Mike Mignola, Joshua Gates and Anne Rice. Katsura's appearance at New York Comic Con is courtesy of SUNRISE, Inc., the animation studio behind TIGER & BUNNY as well as anime classics including Mobile Suit Gundam, Code Geass and Cowboy Bebop.

Sony Pictures to Debut Exclusive First Looks of Carrie and Evil Dead at NYCC on October 13th

SONY PICTURES TO DEBUT EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOKS OF CARRIE
AND EVIL DEAD AT NEW YORK COMIC CON ON OCTOBER 13TH

CAST MEMBERS AND FILMMAKERS
FROM BOTH FILMS WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE

Culver City, CA (September 18, 2012) - Sony Pictures will debut exclusive first looks at the highly anticipated upcoming films Carrie and Evil Dead at New York Comic Con on Saturday, October 13th from the Javits Center.

Carrie, Evil Dead and The Bay Terrorize NYCC

Don't Take Carrie to the Prom

I never went to prom. I wasn't really into dancing to cheesy music, drinking punch that someone inadvertently spikes and watching the cool kids spill pig blood all over the telekinetic girl who then snaps and makes sure everyone burns to death in the gymnasium. Not really my thing. I do enjoy watching it all unfold though which is why I'll put on my dancing shoes for the cast and crew of the much-anticipated reimagining of Carrie at NYCC 2012! Horror film fans rejoice! The IGN Theater is getting spooky on Saturday, October 13. For those of you who find enjoyment in the demonic and hell raising, don't miss Bruce Campbell and the cast and crew of the cult-hit horror film remake of Evil Dead as they join the Carrie group in a goose bump inducing panel. Save room for more! The Bay director Barry Levinson is bringing his terrifying new found-footage film about a mysterious killer parasite that wipes out an entire seaside town to NYCC 2012. If you can't handle the freakiness stay out of the IGN Theater! Want to tap into this fright fest but haven't bought your tickets yet? Saturday, 3-Day and 4-Day passes have sold out online, but limited quantities are still available with our official retailers! Be sure and give them a call to see if they can hook you up with tickets to NYCC 2012! Until next time...

Stay nerdy my friends,

-Lance

P.S. Follow me on Twitter @lfensterman for the first word on the latest NYCC news!

~~~

Letter from Lance Fensterman

Manga Artist Masakazu Ishiguro and Editor Masahiro Ohno to be Guests at NYCC

MANGA ARTIST MASAKAZU ISHIGURO AND EDITOR
MASAHIRO OHNO TO BE GUESTS AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

Ishiguro And Ohno To Attend In Cooperation With JManga.com

Norwalk, CT, September 20, 2012: New York Comic Con (NYCC) is today proud to announce Masakazu Ishiguro and Masahiro Ohno will both attend this year's NYCC as guests. Mr. Ishiguro is the creator of the Japanese comic Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru (And Yet The Town Moves), and Mr. Ohno is the Editor-in-Chief of popular Japanese comic magazine Young King Ours. New York Comic Con will take place October 11 - 14, 2012 at NYC's Javits Center. It is one of New York's largest annual events, and last year attracted over 100,000 attendees. Ishiguro and Ohno join a broad range of already-announced guests including Yoshitaka Amano, Brian K. Vaughan, Mike Mignola, Joshua Gates and Anne Rice. Ishiguro and Ohno's appearances at New York Comic Con are in partnership with JManga.com , who publish Ishiguro's work online in English and who will be participating at NYCC for the first time with their own booth and panel.

Guillermo del Toro at NYCC 2012

If you're looking for a fantasy film shrouded in darkness, with hints of wartime lore and a dash of the mythological, supernatural and scientific, look no further than our next NYCC Guest! Join Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Novelist and Designer Guillermo del Toro at NYCC 2012! Del Toro is the mind behind some of your favorite films including Hellboy, Hellboy II, Pan's Labyrinth and The Devil's Backbone and he'll be taking the NYCC stage on Friday, October 12 with Legendary Entertainment. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us! If that's not enough to peak your curiosity, don't miss the weirdest, most thought provoking panel lineup from Science including the Firefly 10th Anniversary Special Event, Stuff You Should Know live podcast and the cast of Oddities . Today's announcements reign in the realm of the fantastic for sure! For those 21+ NYCC Fans, save the date! Tuesday, September 25 from 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM join the NYCC team at Brooklyn Brewery for the launch of our new collaborative beer, the Brooklyn Defender. Great guests, good beer, happy Wednesday NYCC fans! Until next time...

Stay nerdy my friends,

-Lance

P.S. Follow me on Twitter @lfensterman for the first word on the latest NYCC news!

~~~

Letter from Lance Fensterman

Acclaimed Manga Artist Moyoco Anno to be Spotlight Guest at NYCC

ACCLAIMED MANGA ARTIST MOYOCO ANNO TO BE
SPOTLIGHT GUEST AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

Anno To Attend In Cooperation With Vertical, Inc.

Norwalk, CT, September 19, 2012: New York Comic Con (NYCC) is today proud to announce Ms. Moyoco Anno, the writer and illustrator of numerous acclaimed Japanese comics including Sakuran, Sugar Sugar Rune, Flowers and Bees and Hataraki-man, will appear at this year's NYCC as a Spotlight Guest. New York Comic Con will take place October 11 - 14, 2012 at NYC's Javits Center. NYCC is one of New York's largest annual events, last year attracting over 100,000 attendees. Ms. Anno joins a broad range of already-announced guests including Yoshitaka Amano, Brian K. Vaughan, Mike Mignola, Joshua Gates and Anne Rice. Anno's appearance at New York Comic Con is in partnership with Vertical, Inc., publisher of Sakuran in the US.

Warner Bros. Television Gets an Empire State of Mind! The Lineup for NYCC 2012

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION GETS
AN EMPIRE STATE OF MIND!
666 PARK AVENUE, ARROW, THE FOLLOWING & PERSON OF INTEREST
JOIN THE LINEUP FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2012

BURBANK, Calif. (September 18, 2012) - 666 Park Avenue stars Terry O’Quinn (Lost) and Vanessa Williams (Desperate Housewives); Arrow stars Stephen Amell (Private Practice), Katie Cassidy (Supernatural) and Willa Holland (Gossip Girl); The Following stars Kevin Bacon (X-Men: First Class) and James Purefoy (Rome); and Person of Interest creator/executive producer Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy) with series stars Michael Emerson (Lost), Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Kevin Chapman (Rescue Me) are among the many talented performers and producers from Warner Bros. Television series confirmed to attend New York Comic Con 2012 for panel sessions and autograph signings with fans on Saturday, October 13, and Sunday, October 14.

The WB-TV Lineup Will Be at NYCC!

Warner Bros. Television Checks Out NYCC 2012

Though it may not technically be fall yet, it's starting to feel like my favorite season here at ReedPOP HQ in CT. Why is it my favorite? Well there's Mischief Night and Halloween, New York Comic Con (of course) and a new lineup of TV series waiting for me and my cat on the DVR when I get home each night. As a TV junkie I'm pumped to announce that Warner Bros. Television is hanging out on the NYCC stage with four panel presentations this year. Don't miss the select cast and producers from the television series Person of Interest, 666 Park Avenue, Arrow and The Following! Make sure you stay ahead of the curve at this year's show and download the Official NYCC Mobile App today to get the latest on show news, guest announcements, exhibitor info and special events . If you haven't purchased your ticket to NYCC 2012, I'd suggest you do so soon! Tickets are flying off the shelves and 3-Day and 4-Day Tickets are already sold out (though limited quantities are still available with our official retailers while supplies last). Don't miss out. Buy your Single Day Tickets today! Word on the street is Saturday Tickets are almost extinct. Until next time...

Stay nerdy my friends,

-Lance

P.S. Follow me on Twitter @lfensterman for the first word on the latest NYCC news!

~~~

Letter from Lance Fensterman

Science Invades New York Comic Con with Firefly, Oddities and Stuff You Should Know

SCIENCE INVADES NEW YORK COMIC CON WITH
FIREFLY, ODDITIES AND STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

--SCIENCE Presents NYCC Panels for BROWNCOATS UNITE: FIREFLY’S TENTH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL, STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW and ODDITIES at the Javits Center on October 13 and 14, 2012--

September 18, 2012 (NEW YORK, NY) -- SCIENCE today announced that it will descend upon the East Coast’s ultimate comics and pop culture convention with three exclusive panels at this year’s New York Comic Con, taking place October 11 - 14. Headlined by the exclusive sneak peek of the definitive FIREFLY reunion event BROWNCOATS UNITE, the network’s appearance at this event features a star-studded lineup of top talent, producers and never-before-seen footage, along with numerous buzz-worthy surprises. SCIENCE also will present for a panel STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW with the Top 10 iTunes podcast kingpins, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, who will investigate the magic behind comic book movies. New York’s favorite masters of the macabre ODDITIES also will make their mark with a show-and-tell NYCC won’t soon forget.

Grant Morrison at NYCC 2012

Things are heating up at NYCC HQ. We've sold out of 3-Day and 4-Day Tickets, the Official NYCC Mobile App is available for download starting tonight at 12:00 AM EDT, our panel schedule goes live tomorrow at 2:00 PM EDT and we have more superbly awesome guests coming your way this week! First things first, today's guest has been on the comic scene for over 30 years and in 2012 received an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honors for services to Film and Literature. If those credits aren't impressive enough I don't know what is. Welcome award-winning writer Grant Morrison to NYCC 2012! This comic legend hails from Glasgow, Scotland and will be hopping across the pond to chat about his work on Action Comics, Batman Incorporated and Happy!. If you haven't purchased your ticket to this year's pop culture phenomenon I'd suggest you do so soon! Who knows when they'll be gone forever. 3-Day and 4-Day Tickets may have sold out in record time this year but fret not! There are still limited quantities available at our official retailers while supplies last! Until next time...

Stay nerdy my friends,

-Lance

P.S. Follow me on Twitter @lfensterman for the first word on the latest NYCC news!

~~~

Letter from Lance Fensterman

Andrew Lincoln and Additional Cast Members of The Walking Dead to Appear on Panel at NYCC

ANDREW LINCOLN AND ADDITIONAL CAST MEMBERS
OF THE WALKING DEAD
TO APPEAR ON PANEL AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

Other Panelists Include
Showrunner and Executive Producer Glenn Mazzara;
Executive Producers Robert Kirkman and Gale Anne Hurd

Norwalk, CT, September 14, 2012: New York Comic Con (NYCC) officials have confirmed that a high profile panel focusing on season three of AMC’s hit television series The Walking Dead will take place at this year’s pop culture extravaganza. Cast members including Andrew Lincoln will be joined by showrunner and executive producer Glenn Mazzara as well as executive producers Robert Kirkman and Gale Anne Hurd. Moderated by Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick, The Walking Dead panel, which will take place in the IGN Theater on Saturday, October 13, 5:00pm - 6:00pm, will include an exclusive clip from the premiere episode of season three.

Adult Swim Takes Over Friday at NYCC

When it comes down to it, I'm a bit of a night owl. My solution? Fight zombies, hunt ghosts and on tamer nights watch TV. Thankfully the folks at Adult Swim have created the most bad-assed late night network for us insomniacs. You've seen our next guests in the wee hours of the morning and we can't promise they look as good in the daytime. Welcome the grand poobahs of late night TV - the cast, creators and producers of Robot Chicken, The Venture Bros, China, IL, Superjail!, Childrens Hospital and NTSF:SD:SUV:: - to NYCC 2012! Night dwellers rejoice! For those more inclined to daylight don't miss anime guest Yu Asakawa, Danny Choo, Tara Knight and Kanae Muraki at NYCC. While you're at it, bid on over 70 original pieces of art from top creators at the Second Annual NYCC Charity Auction benefiting St. Jude's Research Hospital. Phew! I'm exhausted just thinking about all the fun to be had! Don't miss this lineup of epic proportions...Until next time...

Stay nerdy my friends,

-Lance

P.S. Follow me on Twitter @lfensterman for the first word on the latest NYCC news!

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Letter from Lance Fensterman