New York Comic Con (NYCC) has announced the appointment of Jay Williams to the post of Manager of Programming & Education. Williams is both a trade show professional and a comics fan.
Show Director Greg Topalian said “We are extremely fortunate to have someone like Jay to step to the plate. Jay has directed all on-site operations for NYCC since the show’s inception and he’s been absolutely indispensable through our launch. In one of our very first brainstorming meetings he showed up dressed as Spider-Man, and I knew then and there that he was the right guy for NYCC.”
NYCC also notes that “one of Williams’s first initiatives is the launch of Kids’ Day, a significant all-day program on Sunday of the convention, which will focus on events and activities designed to attract and entertain young fans. A key partner in the development of this program is Kids Love Comics (KLC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development and growth of children’s comic books in North America.”
KLC believes that there is a strong untapped potential for kids’ comics and that the supply of comics to children has been hampered for many reasons, not the least of which is a lack of parental and educator awareness. “The younger generation is the future of our business and we want to make sure they are totally involved and catered to,” said Topalian. “Our Kids’ Day events are two-pronged. We will be creating programming just for kids, but we will also offer some adult seminars focusing specifically on kids’ issues.” Kids’ programming will include green screen photos and videos, roving crayon artists, a special “kid” drawing area, and numerous giveaways just for kids. Panel discussions devoted exclusively to kids’ topics will include sessions on Creating Your Own Superhero, Turning Your Real-Life Experiences into Comics, and Self-Publishing Your Work.
Topalian talked about the whole show: “Our kids’ stuff is only one small part, though a very important part, of a comprehensive schedule of approximately 125 special events that we’ll be offering, including author activities and conversations, screenings and premieres, and many panel discussions. As always, our goal is to provide something challenging, entertaining and educational for everyone who attends New York Comic Con.”
Registration is now open on the web site. They’ve also freed up registration for artists and creators. Last year, these professionals were only allowed free registration to the show through their respective publishers and/or exhibitors; this year, NYCC will accept free registration applications directly from artists and creators, but only until 1 December 2007.
NYCC will be returning to New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Center 18-20 April 2008.