Steven Prusakowski
What is always shocking is just how much creativity you can cram into one building and all the different mediums in which it takes form. This past week Awards Radar teamed up with The ‘Verse! to cover the New York Comic Con, an event that is floor after floor of amazing artistry across a dizzying array of mediums. From the thousands of comic book artists showing off their hand drawn crafts, to the millions of pieces of detailed and niche merchandise that covers just about every franchise to grace the big or small screen, the pages of a comic or even your phone – it was all represented in New York’s Javits Center over the four day event.
Our favorite mediums to explore are of course television and films. They were well represented; be it the classics, returning series, or highly anticipated upcoming releases there was plenty to take in. On the ground at the event, were Steven Prusakowski (that’s me) and Norm Felker, best know for his co-hosting work on our geek-centric podcast, The ‘Verse!.
The event was chock full of reveals, announcements, and updates – some of the biggest news that spanned genres and mediums. Below you will find highlights of our four days on site – exclusive photos, videos, and panel recaps. Exclusive in-depth coverage of specific series, plus some of our interviews can already be found Awards Radar with more to come. Get caught up with the excitement that is NYCC.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Who is Sauron? That’s what everyone wants to know as Prime Video’s epic series wraps up season one. And surprisingly, the cast revealed who it is in full Spartacus fashion admitting one by one that, “I am Sauron.” Besides this rebellious outburst they were tight-lipped about the Lord of the Rings prequel series, while not being so stingy with their appreciation for each other. Read Awards Radar/The ‘Verse!’s Norm Felker’s interviews with the cast here.
And, if you are caught up, here’s the season finale trailer that dropped during the event. All season one episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are now streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Let The Right One In
Anyone familiar with the 2004 Swedish vampire film Let the Right On In has an idea of the bloody thrills to expect from this new Showtime series which premiered last week. This time around, instead of the snowy isolation of Sweden, this father/daughter vampire takes us to the busy streets of New York City to tell a story that asks the questions, what would you do for your child?
The series stars relative newcomer Madison Taylor Báez and veteran actor Demián Bichir as the duo that cover a lot of morally gray territory to keep their small family together. Simultaneously a slow burn and insanely intense; cerebral and gory. If you think the first episode ramps up the intensity, it’s just the beginning.
The panel included: Bichir, Báez, Nick Stahl, Grace Gummer, Anika Noni Rose, Ian Foreman, Jacob Buster and Kevin Carroll. My interviews with all of them and an extended conversation with Showrunner Andrew Hinderaker are coming soon to Awards Radar.
Check out the trailer, if you dare. Let the Right One In is now airing on Showtime. And be sure to check out my interviews with the cast and showrunner here.
TITANS
The Titans panel revealed details about a very promising season 4 that will have them facing off against a bunch of new villains, the vampiric Brother Blood (Joseph Morgan), his second in command at the Cult of Blood, Mother Mayhem (Franka Potente), and the sorcerer Jinx (Lisa Ambalavanar). The team also will be venturing into Metropolis with Superboy (Joshua Orpin) and even Lex Luther (Titus Welliver).
Check out the trailer that dropped during the event below. And for a much more in-depth look at the series, read Awards Radar’s interviews with the cast including Brenton Thwaites (Nightwing/Dick Grayson), Ryan Potter (Beast Boy/Gar Logan), and Joshua Orpin (Superboy/Conner Kent) plus Showrunner Greg Walker.
The fourth season of Titans premieres November 3 on HBOMax.
ONE OF US IS LYING
One of the series that I was introduced to at this year’s event, Peacock’s mystery drama series which feels like a fun combination of some favorites The Breakfast Club meets I Know What You Did Last Summer meets 2022’s social issues and social media. Below is a season one trailer… and for those who have already watched the first season, you can find the season two trailer here. Proceed with caution though, a lot of the fun with this series are the secrets. I highly recommend starting at season one and I’m not lying.
Look for my interviews with the cast coming soon to Awards Radar with Marianly Tejada, Chibuikem Uche, Annalisa Cochrane, Cooper van Grootel, Jess McLeod, Melissa Collazo, Sara Thompson and (Writer/ Showrunner / Executive Producer) Erica Saleh.
Season two of One of Us is Lying hits Peacock on October 20th. Check out all NYCC coverage of the series including 3 NEW interviews here.
Back to the Future Reunion Panel
There is a reason that Back to the Future has such universal appeal and the top two reasons were on stage right in front of me for a 45-minute discussion between Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox that was simply beautiful – in addition to inspiring, informative and so darn funny.
The two entered the stage to the sounds of the film’s unforgettable score which had fans like me in head to toe chills. The conversation had plenty of laughs, many thanks to the lightning fast wit of Fox, but also left the audience with a warmed heart and tears in our eyes. Here are some of our photos from the panel. (I will not share because I do not think they are official versions, but you may find a copy of the event on a certain Tube You. Hmmm… I think that’s what it is called.)
STAR TREK UNIVERSE PANEL
Star Trek: Picard
One of the most anticipated panels of NYCC had to be the adventures of the Star Trek franchises which are continuing to boldly take us to strange new worlds. On hand were the entire main cast of Star Trek The Next Generation who reunited to discuss working together for the third and final season of Picard. On stage were Sir Patrick Stewart, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and Michael Dorn
They teased some exciting information including the three villains the crew will face off against: Amanda Plummer as Vadic who is hunting down Picard and the crew, Lore (Spiner), the evil android brother last seen in season seven of TNG and Doctor Moriaty (Daniel Davis).
As if that is not enough, they premiered this trailer that has fans counting down the days to liftoff.
Star Trek: Picard returns to Paramount+ one final time starting February 16, 2023.
Star Trek Discovery
For the Star Trek Discovery portion of the panel, cast members Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz, alongside executive producers Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, and Rod Roddenberry were joined by Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burham) straight from the captain’s chair of the Discovery to share some details about season five and an action-packed clip.
The new season includes an expanded cast with the addition of three new members and will have the crew off the ship and on the ground to take on a high adventure to battle a mysterious “ancient power” whose existence has been hidden for centuries. They teased the audience with the following first look preview clip of the new season.
The series is currently in production and will return to Paramount+ in 2023.
Star Trek: Prodigy
Fans of the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy there was plenty to get excited about especially after the thrilling conclusion to the first half of season one which changed everything for the young crew of the U.S.S. Protostar. In the second half you can expect more adventure as the Protostar is hunted down by… wait for it… Vice Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) herself. We spoke with the cast including newcomer Jameela Jamil, Mulgrew, Brett Gray, plus writer Ben Hibon and creators Dan and Kevin Hageman.
I sat down to speak with the cast and team behind Prodigy – an interview that will hit Awards Radar before the second half of season one’s premiere on October 27th. Although they would not reveal any secrets, as someone who has watched most of the new episodes, there’s a lot to look forward to. As Jameela Jamil said at the supposedly family-friendly panel, Star Trek Prodigy’s return “is gonna blow your f*ckin’ b@lls off!”
Star Trek: Prodigy Season 1 will return to Paramount+ on Thursday, Oct. 27.
WEDNESDAY
If you are looking forward to Wednesday, then look no further than our coverage of the NYCC panel with cast members Jenna Ortega, Luis Guzmán, Gwendoline Christie, and (announced during the panel) surprise guest, Uncle Fester himself, Fred Armisen. The cast discussed working on the upcoming Netflix series based on The Addams Family which sends Wednesday off to school. Also discussed, collaborating with Tim Burton, the costumes, Guzmán having the difficult task of being required to kiss Catherine Zeta Jones, and much more. Read my full panel coverage here.
Oh yeah, and fans of the films had another reason to cheer, Christina Ricci, a former Wednesday Addams herself, will take on a mysterious role that has yet to be explained. Spooky. Check out the first look trailer that premiered during the panel. The creepy, kooky series hits Netflix on November 23rd.
GOOD OMENS
Fans of Aziraphale and Crowley (Michael Sheen and David Tennant) have been anxiously awaiting even a whisper about their return to earth after preventing the apocalypse during season one of the series, based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 book of the same name. Though the panel members remained tight-lipped about the bigger details, NYCC attendees were introduced to new cast members as well as several returning cast members in new roles. Though not in attendance, fans were also entertained by the Zoom antics of castmates; Sheen, Tennant, and John Hamm.
Some other highlights were an exclusive first look clip, the season two poster reveal (below), and a general premiere date for the second season of Good Omens – Summer of 2023.
GHOSTS
While there were no big reveals from the NYCC panel for CBS’s Ghosts season two it was a spirited event that included several members of the cast Román Zaragoza, Sheila Carrasco, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Danielle Pinnock, Asher Grodman, and Rebecca Wisocky and including Executive producer/co-showrunner Joe Wiseman.
Fans were also treated to a screening of a hilarious episode titled, “Alberta’s Podcast,” that provided more details to Alberta’s past and will certainly change the way Hetty thinks about doing laundry forever. The series’ ratings keep on climbing which is no surprise with the positive energy, touching moments and laughs the series produces. Fans can expect some familiar faces from the original BBC version of the series and if all goes well (fingers-crossed) a musical episode. Below are some of our photos from the event. Season two of Ghosts is currently airing on CBS.
THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA
The cast of Amazon Prime Video’s insanely popular The Legend of Vox Machina filled the massive Empire Stage to roll the dice and score a critical hit on fans at NYCC. On the stage were Critical Role regulars Travis Willingham (Grog), Marisha Ray (Keyleth), Taliesin Jaffe (Percy), Ashley Johnson (Pike), Sam Riegel (Scanlan), Liam O’Brien (Vax), Laura Bailey (Vex), and Matthew Mercer (Lord Sylas Briarwood.) The panel started in style – a Scanlan rapping recap of season one (below).
The recap hit just the right note, putting the audience and panel in the mood to talk and joke their way through a panel that included a sing-a-long, cameos by most of the character voices, a group hug, lots of laughs, a season two clip and some tears too.
It all ended with some more very welcome news, the season two premiere date January 2023 and the news that the series has already been renewed for season three. Watch the recap and the season two clip below.
THE PERIPHERAL
Every year I am introduced to a series that was not on my radar, this year it was Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming new sci-fi thriller series, The Peripheral. Based on the 2014 novel by William Gibson and brought to you by the producers of Westworld (Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy), the series tells a reality-warping VR mystery where the bleak virtual world of future London crosses over into our existence.
The series looks like it will keep viewers guessing all the way through. Included on the panel were stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Jack Reynor, Gary Carr, T’Nia Miller, JJ Feildand plus producers Nolan and Joy, showrunner Scott B. Smith and director Vincenzo Natali. Check out panel photos and the series trailer below.
The Peripheral premieres October 21 on Prime Video.
LET’S GET ‘WEIRD’ PANEL
This was not only the last panel of NYCC 2022 it had one of the biggest and most controversial celebrities in entertainment history in attendance. You guessed it, Al Yankovic. Weird Al Yankovic to be exact. Okay, maybe that was not ‘s not 100% accurate. Yankovic was actually on Zoom. He joined the film’s stars Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood. Attendees were treated to a couple of clips from the upcoming parody biopic, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Radcliffe discussed how he went from Harry Potter to “Amish Paradise.”
The panel highlight was an exclusive clip of a pool party that had Weird Al questioned about his artistry by Wolfman Jack (Jack Black), challenged to come up with a song parody on the spot. The clip was star-studded with 80s celebs Andy Warhol, Peewee Herman, Salvador Dali and other icons of the decade. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story premieres on The Roku Channel on November 4th.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It was another highly successful year at perhaps our favorite four days of every year – New York Comic Con. The most amazing part of this is that what you see here is the tip of the iceberg. NYCC offers dozens and dozens of panels which cover the spectrum of art, entertainment, comics, gaming, and beyond. In addition, there’s the massive showroom floor is multiple football fields worth of creativity aisle after aisle. Plus, a full wing dedicated to meeting your favorite celebs, cosplay, and Artists Alley where you can find comic book artists from across the globe. You simply cannot cover it all. We look forward to trying next year with even more expanded coverage.
But wait, we’re not done. Watch for more pieces and exclusive interviews from NYCC including Star Trek: Prodigy, Velma, the team over at Funko, One of Us is Lying, and Let the Right One In coming to Awards Radars in the days to come. Plus you can check out some exclusive photos on our AwardsRadar and TheVerseCast twitter and Instagram feeds. Believe it or not we are still unpacking all that we took in.
For many, like us, this not an event, it is a way of life – one that you can customize to meet your interests. We’ll see you there again next year, at the one and only New York Comic Con.
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