ReedPOP, the company behind the pop culture bouillabaisse known as New York Comic Con, debuted a true comic book-centric convention with this weekend's Special Edition: NYC. The casual observer may label the two-day Special Edition: NYC has a stripped-down New York Comic Con, but that would be erroneous. Special Edition: NYC's laser-beam focus on comics and comics culture—as opposed to video games, movies, and television—showcased convention content that would get overlooked during the big show.

What Was Different
One could sense the difference between Special Edition: NYC and New York Comic Con upon entering the Jacob Javits Center. The crowd was much smaller, which gave the show a more intimate feel than the sprawling autumn convention. As a result, cosplay—one of the defining elements of New York Comic Con—was scarce due to the smaller number of attendees.

In addition, DJ JFX316, an Ohio-based comic shop manager and rapper, filled the hall leading to the show floor with tone-setting grooves that included the likes of nerdcore hip hop and remixed themes from popular geek properties such as Tim Burton's Batman. The turntablist's presence gave the show an almost party-like atmosphere that New York Comic Con lacks.

Comics and Panels
Naturally, there were numerous comic books and comic book-related merchandise to purchase, as well as an artist's alley featuring the likes of Greg Pak (Action Comics, World War Hulk) and Gail Simone (Batgirl, Red Sonja).

Two Special Edition: NYC's more interesting panels were Kickstarter and Comic: How to Fund Your Dream Project and Creator Connection, which were aimed at comic book creators, both aspiring and professional. The former was a tips-heavy panel designed to teach people how to best use Kickstarter to crowdfund their projects; the latter was a wonderful networking event that was created with the intent for writers and visual artists to meet, greet, and collaborate. Many business cards and handshakes were exchanged.

We'll Take You There
If you couldn't make it out to the Jacob Javits Center this weekend, check out our slideshow for a Special Edition: NYC visual walkthrough.