NYCC 2015

Taking a queue from last year's New York Comic Con, Skybound Entertainment and McFarlane Toys will once again team to bring a fan-favorite character from Telltale Games' The Walking Dead universe to life in action figure form. Last year, we were treated to the first non-comic, non-television figure from The Walking Dead with the release of Clementine, the co-star and driving force behind The Walking Dead, Season 1 and the lead of The Walking Dead, Season 2. Now one year later, her guardian and zombie-killing mentor Lee Everett is making the jump off the screen. Even just seeing Lee here in his various states brings back memories that I'm not sure I need to feel on a rainy Friday afternoon. The dude went through a lot over the course of the first season of Telltale's episodic venture into Robert Kirkman's and Charlie Adlard's post-apocalyptic world. Since players were put into his shoes for a majority of the game, we went through those same trials and tribulations right with him. Some decisions are just too hard to make with a timer forcing your hand into a choice. The relationship between Lee and Clem was just a little too real. It still stings a bit knowing how that first season ended.

I love pretty much everything about digital comics. The accessibility, the fact that creators can reach a wider audience through the internet, even the fact that they don't take up a whole lot of space in your home! Those are all great things about the format. This year at New York Comic Con, however, Comixology is going to ask the question I think we've all been waiting for: What if those digital comics... were in print? That, it seems, is the premise behind a pretty cool project that they're unveiling as part of their sponsorship of this year's NYCC Artist's Alley: A set of five print versions of formerly digital-only comics that will be limited to 500 copies each. And, in what is arguably the best part, they're giving them away for free.

With October just around the bend, that means it's time for cooler weather, cooler costumes and the biggest comic book convention on the east coast. Yes, New York Comic Con is bearing down on us faster than we're prepared to deal with it, but that's okay. We'll make do. In addition to incredible amount of stuff happening at the show, there will be a lot of great stuff up for grabs. As busy as Funko was at San Diego Comic-Con, its plate looks to be equally as filled at NYCC this coming year. This week, Funko is unveiling all of its planned exclusive items, with a new batch coming every single day. While the availability of each is likely to be a bit more open than it was at SDCC, these things will still be limited. If you're hoping to get any, definitely plan ahead and around any and all panels you hope to make it to this year.

October traditionally marks the end of the summer con season, when retailers, creators and exhibitors return to their caves for hibernation, secure in the knowledge that they have done everything they can to promote their wares. But before we all get our rest, the fitful sleep before the rattling of chains in January that signals the first email about registering for San Diego, there's one last stop: New York Comic-Con, coming at you on October 8 through 11, complete with a very fun roster of variant covers! In addition to getting Andy Kubert's art for Dark Knight III on the cover of the con program, DC is marking the occasion by offering up six exclusive variants that you can grab at the Javits Center next month. But if you're not going to be there, don't worry too much: You can check 'em out right here.

I'm a big fan of Mezco's One:12 Collective. It all started when I first got my hands on the prototype Dark Knight Returns Batman that kicked the line off. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the detailed, mixed-media figures, but once I held the aged Bruce, I knew this collection had incredible potential. The second release, Judge Dredd, was equally as impressive, but wasn't a must own for me. I loved the design, but felt I could forego this piece in lieu of upcoming pieces like the Flash or Superman. Then I saw the Black and White variant prototype of Judge Dredd at SDCC. I'll put it plainly; I'm a sucker for black and white variants. It all started with NECA's Mirage-inspired Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles box set, and has continued through the years. There's just something more intriguing about a figure whose design has been whittled down to its most basic essence. Of course, where 2D linework can easily express a full figure, there's a true talent in being able to translate the simplified aesthetic into an appealing action figure. Even though the Judge Dredd Black and White NYCC variant doesn't quite have the same attention to line details as something like DC Collectibles' Blue Line Batman, its monochromatic scheme still catches my eye in a way the standard version doesn't.

Marvel went a bit light on TV at Comic-Con 2015, between Agent Carter and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s dual panel, and Marvel Animation, but we can always expect New York, home of the Defenders to deliver. Jessica Jones, Daredevil, the Agents and all the rest will be on hand for New York Comic-Con 2015, and so will we.