And so it begins, New York Comic Con! Most assume it’s a Friday to Sunday sort of thing; but Thursday is nothing to ignore. In many ways, Thursday’s can be the most fun of the weekend: less crowded, time to explore, and chances to get in to find things that would otherwise be sold out already.

I was truly honored to receive a Press Pass, and intend to see/report on all I can. So now that the crowds have faded – for now – it’s time to recap the days highlights.

The Marvel Experience:

Most panels take place in the conference halls in the lower levels. Unless you’re Marvel; then you can just put on a show wherever you are – though their booth is big enough. It might not be Agents of SHIELD or Avengers; but Marvel unveiled an incredible attraction that is honestly worthy of a a Stark Expo.

The Marvel Experience will be a traveling attraction where you can go and feel what it’s like to become a superhero. No ‘heroes on ice’ or ‘indoor roller coaster ride’; but an actual complex of domes in which you can join Spiderman, Hulk and more as they fight Hydra. Using cutting edge motion capture and immersive tech, you will truly feel like an Avenger in the making. A prototype model layout was unveiled along with the first cities to get this attraction.

Dec. 12  – Jan. 3	Phoenix, AZ	The Domes at Salt River Fields – Talking Stick
Jan. 9 – Feb. 1	Dallas, TX	The Domes at Cotton Bowl
Feb. 7 – Feb. 22	San Diego, CA	The Domes at Del Mar Fairgrounds
Feb. 27 – Mar. 22	San Francisco, CA	The Domes at AT&T Park

For more information, please head to http://themarvelexperiencetour.com and keep up with the latest updates.

Exclusive Merchandise:

From Midtown Comics, Darkhorse, Triforce, Lionsforge to the entirety of Artist Alley, there are tons of amazing pieces to see and purchase. Square Enix really stepped it up with a bunch of Final Fantasy statues as well as PlayArts reimagining a of Batman, Ironman and more.

Though not everything is as expensive as those. So for a more complete list of exclusive items to check out this weekend, please check out NYCC’s Best Exclusives by This Is Infamous. It’s an incredibly detailed and researched article that is more or less a treasure map of awesomeness.

Beyond show floor items, remember that Artist Alley is an amazing place to find – and sometimes even commission – rare works. I picked up this beautiful limited edition Arrow artwork from Brian Roll; but will continue to make time to visit each day to find new gems and meet some of these incredibly talented artists.

Voltron 30 Years:

A big fixture this weekend will be Voltron, who will be celebrating his 30th anniversary. Panels, memorabilia and more are spread out through the massive con, so we’ll have to keep hunting to see more. Either way, the statue of him over in the Black Box section is enough to get anyone excited and feeling like a child again.

Autograph Hero’s:

Some of the most reductions lines of Comic Con are always the autograph lines. Some might be fast and simple; but others can take well over an hour. Today’s winners were the Kevin Conroy – THE Batman – and the always amazing Jason David Frank – the original Green/White Power Ranger.

At any given moment, the wait was almost two hours; but all that waiting is rewarded once you get up front. To meet childhood heroes – their lines were side by side – and have them chat with you, take pictures and sign all your merchandise truly shows their love of fans.

I asked Kevin Conroy if he could remember what he told Terry McGinnis in Batman Beyond when offering him the position of Batman. Conroy admitted that very few have ever asked him to bring out that version of Bruce Wayne; but he smiled at me, extended his hand and said “Welcome to my world!” #ChildhoodComplete

Jason – never to be out done – surprised both sets of fans by taking a break from signing to run up and down the aisles high diving and video tapping the massive crowd that results from The Green/White Ranger and Batman working side by side. – DC and SABAN, get on this!

Cosplay Champions:

Again, Thursday is usually a very casual day for most con-goers. A way to learn the lay of the land and just relax. Though that didn’t stop some from bringing their A-game. From stunning costumes to hilarious role plays, there were some very talented people here.

Below you can find all my favorites from Day 1. And if you find yourself or anyone you know, please speak up and share! I’ll be posting these for each Day, so stay tuned and keep being awesome!

Check here for Highlights of Day 2