NY Comic Con 2016
photo by Richie S

2017 NY Comic Con: Mark Hamill at Hammerstein, 'Star Wars' concerts, DMC & more

The 2017 New York Comic Con happens October 5 – 8 at the Javits Center in NYC. You can still get tickets for the first day (10/5) but passes for the rest of the weekend are sold out. There are a few NYCC Presents events (that seem to have replaced “Super Week” this year) happening outside of the Javits Center that week, however, that you can still get tickets for. Here are some highlights:

Star Wars — Film Concert Series” (Wednesday, Oct 4, 5, 6 & 7 @ David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center). You can watch Return of the Jedi (10/4 & 10/5, tickets) and The Force Awakens (10/6 & 10/7, tickets) with a live score by the NY Philharmonic. Part of the bigger Lincoln Center Star Wars Concert Series.

An Evening with Mark Hamill” (Friday, 10/6 @ Hammerstein Ballroom): You know Mark Hamill from his extensive voice acting resume, his guest appearance on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and, of course, his 1978 film Corvette Summer. He was in some Star Wars movies, too. He’ll talk about at least some of that stuff at this special “evening” (tickets).

The Worst Music Videos of the ‘80s Explained” (10/4 @ VIdeology): Video Time Machine presents this look at some of MTV’s first decade’s most inexplicable videos, including ones by The Jacksons, Journey and Diana Ross (tickets).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A 20th Anniversary Celebration” (Thursday, Oct 5 @ Hudson Mercantile in Manhattan): No, Joss Whedon won’t be there, or Sarah Michelle Gellar or even David Boreanaz, but Edward Gross & Mark A. Altman, authors of Buffy oral history Slayers & Vampires, will be and will have many stories to share (tickets).

Nerf Herder (10/5 @ The Bell House): Keeping with the Buffy theme, geek rockers Nerf Herder, who performed the Buffy theme and appeared in the final season of the show, will play that theme live, probably, along with their hit “Van Halen” and other songs. Yes, we know their name is a Star Wars reference (tickets).

Epic Rap Battles of History” (Thursday, Oct 5 @ BB King Blues Club): The popular web series hosts a live show where “Pop culture satire, history, and dope beats collide.” Special guests are promised (tickets).

Plan 9 From Outer Space Live @ Littlefield
This 1959 so-bad-it’s-good Ed Wood classic is regarded by some as the worst movie ever made. A whole bunch of comedians, including Scott Adsit, Dana Gould, Janet Varney, Gilbert Gottfried, John Hodgman, Adam Savage, Jean Grae, Michael Ian Black, Ennis Esmer, Mark Gagliardi, Ron Lynch, and more, will be reading the whole thing live. After it’s over you may ask others, “CAN YOU PROVE IT DIDN’T HAPPEN?” (tickets)

Jonathan Coulton and Paul & Storm and “Friends” (Friday, October 6 @ The Bell House): Known for being the musical director of NPR’s “Ask Me Another” as well as his songs about geek culture, Jonathan Coulton teams with brothers in arms Paul & Storm, and some “friends” (TBA) for this musical nerdy night out (tickets) — they’ve also got a proper panel during Comic Con.

If you did manage to snag NYCC passes, there are all sorts of cool panel discussions this year, with the cast and showrunners of The X-Files, Star Trek: DiscoveryThe Walking Dead,  Black Mirror, Hey Arnold, The Tick, Ash Vs. The Evil Dead, Archer, and more, as well as a one-on-one with current Doctor Who Peter Capaldi, a NYCC edition of StarTalk with Neil DeGrasse Tyson (with former Mythbuster Adam Savage), a panel on “Hip-Hop & Comics: Cultures Combining” and Run DMC’s Darryl “DMC” McDaniels will speak as part of “DMC presents Boom! Bap! POW!.”

Check out the full NY Comic Con panel lineup and the full list of NYCC Presents shows.