NY Comic Con - THOR toys

Well there were plenty of toys on display and here we have some from the upcoming THOR movie.

NY Comic Con - Green Hornet

Here we have the Black Beauty and the familiar Green Hornet babes at the exhibit hall, along with a 3D TV showing the footage from the film that debuted at San Diego Comic Con in July.

NY Comic Con - Highlights in the IGN Theater

Highlights in the IGN Theater include panels and previews of Hanna,

The Thing, Your Highness, The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, Nikita, V, and more!

Attendees attending the Focus Features panel featuring Hanna will meet the film’s stars Erica Bana and Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones) as well as Director Joe Wright (The Soloist, Atonement) and will also get a very early glimpse of footage from the movie which is not due to be released until Spring 2011; Universal will present cast and filmmakers from its upcoming thriller The Thing and the soon-to-be released comedy adventure Your Highness; AMC will premiere the first full scenes from the network’s highly anticipated series, The Walking Dead, and the event will include series stars Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually), Jon Bernthal (The Pacific), Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break), Laurie Holden (The Mist), and Steven Yeun (The Big Bang Theory).

These are just a few of the highlights. The cast and crew members from the hit series Vampire Diaries, Nikita and V will be in attendance at panels hosted by Warner Bros. M. Night Shyamalan will participate in MTV Presents ‘Unbreakable: Ten Years Later’ and DC will present sneak peeks at First Look! Upcoming DC Universe Animated Original Films & Shorts.

Additional movie, TV and comic book stars, celebrities and notable personalities who will be participating in events in the IGN Theater as well as other panels and appearances at New York Comic Con include: Adrien Brody, Bruce Campbell, Minori Chihara, Corey Feldman, Lyndsy Fonseca, Michelle Forbes, Seth Green, Tricia Helfer, Christopher Judge, Stephen Lang, Stan Lee, James Marsters, John Romita, Katee Sackhoff, Curt Schilling, Matt Senreich, J. Michael Straczynski, Bruce Timm, Milo Ventimiglia, Shane West, Noah Wyle, and many more!

For information specifically about screenings, panels, events and late breaking news in the IGN Theater please go to:
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYCC/Events/IGN-Theater/

For further information about all panels, guests and events at New York Comic Con, as well as
ticketing information to the convention, please go to the show’s website at
www.nycomiccon.com.

New York Comic-Con kicks off today

One of the Panels that I will be attending today is the Adult Swim panel featuring Robot Chicken show creators, Seth Green and Matt Senreich. They will discuss their original series, answer questions and give a sneak peek from the next season of Robot Chicken and the upcoming one-hour special, Robot Chicken Star Wars: Episode III, which premieres December 19. - IGN Theater, 6:45PM

Saturday I'll be taking in the V Special Video Presentation & Cast/Producer Q&A where three generations of V queens — played by Morena Baccarin (Firefly), Laura Vandervoort (Smallville) and guest star Jane Badler (Diana on the original V) — will engage in an epic power struggle over the future of humanity. V executive producer Steve Pearlman will also be on hand for the event which will show footage from the new season. V is produced by HDFilms in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Can't wait! And be sure to check back on the blog for my thoughts of the weekends events!

Comic Con Takes Manhattan

New York is the birthplace of comic books, and the New York Comic Con, at just five years old, has become a respectable contender as the “it” place for a pop-culture celebration.

The city has had other comic book conventions, of course, but New York Comic Con has become one of the biggest, and this year it takes over all of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The show, Friday through Sunday, offers plenty to do and see. But fanatics would be remiss if they spent their time only there. The city is filled with comics-related gems — hidden and apparent — that are worth exploring. As Stan Lee would say, Excelsior!

ON FOOT - Comics have frequently used the city itself. The Brooklyn Bridge was where Gwen Stacey, a girlfriend of the hapless Spider-Man, met her death, and the lobby of the old Daily News headquarters was used as The Daily Planet in “Superman” with Christopher Reeve. Fans can always take a self-guided walking tour based on “The Marvel Comics Guide to New York City,” which pinpoints the real-world inspirations for some fictional landmarks. The Avengers’ Fifth Avenue mansion, for instance, is based on the Frick.

IN PRINT - New York City has more than 40 comic book stores, and at many of them the faithful amass on Wednesdays, the day new issues and graphic novels are released. Midtown Comics in Manhattan is centrally located, with sites in Times Square and near Grand Central Terminal, but if you’re in Brooklyn, try Bergen Street Comics. The store is a haven for budding fans and veterans alike. There’s even seating that encourages leisurely browsing.

Bergen Street displays original comic book pages — small press to mainstream — and paintings by local artists. “There are people who will come to an art opening and not come to a comic shop,” said Tom Adams, who owns the store with his wife, Amy, and who has a passion for art. Comic book pages are appealing for two reasons: They offer a glimpse into how comic books are made, and, well, “they also just make the store look great,” Mr. Adams said.

Both Adamses are fans of the cartoonist Darwyn Cooke, and two of his illustrations are framed on the wall behind the register. One is of Catwoman, the other of Parker, the antihero created by the novelist Richard Stark. Last year Mr. Cooke adapted “The Hunter,” one of four Parker novels that he will turn into graphic novels. A collectors’ edition of the second, “The Outfit,” will be sold at the New York Comic Con. On Saturday night Bergen Street will fete Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul, the popular writer and artist who are chronicling the exploits of the recently resurrected Flash.

ONSTAGE - New costumes! Changed powers! Long-lost relatives! The latest comic book revelations are hot topics that would be at home at the Comic Book Club. Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage are the hosts of this weekly gabfest on Tuesdays at the People’s Improv Theater in Chelsea.

The club’s first outing was in 2006, and the formula has remained relatively intact: interviews with guests (a mix of comedians and comic book professionals), a trivia contest, quick reviews of recent releases and commentary on industry news.

One of Mr. Zalben’s favorite guests is Kevin Conroy, an actor who frequently lends his voice to the many animated versions of Batman. “He knows how to play the audience,” Mr. Zalben said. “He comes out and says, ‘I am Batman,’ and everyone cheers.”

The Comic Book Club hosts have become a presence at conventions, including the New York Comic Con, where they conduct video interviews with guests and comment on the news. They have also gone online with audio podcasts and a YouTube channel. Lately they have been trying live streaming.

Future guests include Greg Pak, who writes the Incredible Hulk, and the animator Bill Plympton. “He’s going to come on and draw stuff while we’re doing the show,” Mr. Zalben said.

ON THE WALL - There are drawings aplenty at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary next year. It has come a long way from its beginnings at the back of a frame shop in Union Square, said Ellen S. Abramowitz, the president and chairwoman. Its 3,000-square-foot space is crammed with visual treats.

This week it began exhibiting the works of three artists: the underground cartoonist Denis Kitchen; Al Jaffee, known for his Mad magazine fold-ins; and Liza Donnelly, a cartoonist for The New Yorker. In a typical Donnelly panel two women are talking on the sidewalk. One says to the other: “Some men aren’t deceitful. Some men are dead.”

There always seems to be something going on at the museum — opening receptions, panel discussions, educational seminars. The organization also puts on the MoCCA Festival, a two-day celebration of comics, every April at the 69th Regiment Armory.

ON TAP - Another way to celebrate comics is with a frosty beer. Comic book writers have been known to hang out at local spots like the Irish Rogue. That Clinton bar is a favorite haunt of Mark Millar, the superstar writer of Marvel’s “Civil War” and his own (ultra-violent) “Kick-Ass,” which became an underappreciated film this year. Feel more at home with the indie crowd? Try the Black Sheep Bar and Restaurant, where tipplers this weekend may include staff members of Dark Horse Comics, based in Oregon. For a triple treat, there’s McGee’s, which is a hangout for the DC Comics staff and writers from the “Late Show With David Letterman” as well as the inspiration for the neighborhood bar in the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.”

UNDER GLASS - The new Midtown branch of Heritage Auction Galleries has a rotating window display filled with memorabilia and collectibles.

That public showcase was an important factor in choosing the space, said Greg Rohan, the president of Heritage, which is based in Dallas. “People have come in and wanted to know if they could buy” featured items, he said Alas, most await auction, though some are occasionally available for direct purchase.

On a recent damp morning the collectibles included the prop arm (opening bid: $7,500) of a “Terminator” android and a copy of Batman No. 1 from 1940 (opening bid: $9,500). Two painters on their way to a job gazed at the display and commented on the items in a foreign language. Then one of them spotted a comic book and switched to English: “Amazing Spider-Man.”

NEW YORK COMIC CON Through Sunday, Jacob K. Javits Center, 11th Avenue between 34th and 38th Streets, Clinton; (888) 605-6059, newyorkcomiccon.com.

BERGEN STREET COMICS 470 Bergen Street, near Flatbush Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn; (718) 230-5600, bergenstreetcomics.com.

BLACK SHEEP BAR AND RESTAURANT 583 Third Avenue, at 38th Street, Murray Hill; (212) 599-3476, www.blacksheep.nv.switchboard.com.

COMIC BOOK CLUB Tuesdays at 8 p.m., People’s Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street, Chelsea; (212) 563-7488, alexzalben.com.

HERITAGE AUCTION GALLERIES 445 Park Avenue, near 57th StreetMidtown; (212) 486-3500, ha.com

THE IRISH ROGUE 356 West 44th Street, Clinton; (212) 445-0131, theirishrogue.com.

MCGEE’S RESTAURANT AND PUB 240 West 55th Street, Manhattan; (212) 957-3536, mcgeespub.com.

MIDTOWN COMICS Times Square and Grand Central locations; (212) 302-8192, midtowncomics.com.

MUSEUM OF COMIC AND CARTOON ART 594 Broadway, Suite 401, between Houston and Prince Streets, SoHo; (212) 254-3511, moccany.org.

The Biggest Regrets of 20-Something Men

The Biggest Regrets of 20-Something Men

1. I regret never having the balls to tell you how I really felt about you. If I had of just told you. You would have told me you loved me too. But instead I had to find out from your best friend after your funeral. You were truly the most beautiful, amazing, smart person I have ever met. I miss you so much. The words I never said will haunt me until the day I die. -- Male, 20

2. I regret that I spent the last 8 years feeling sorry for myself and living within my own fear and insecurities rather than being the man she needed me to be. Perhaps if I had opened my eyes sooner she'd never have loved him, and never would have to be in this place where we both admit she settled for me, because she couldn't have him, and though I love her more than life, the returned emotion isn't the same from her, and may never be, because I blew it a long time ago.
I only hope now that it isn't too late and I can fix it. -- Male, age unknown

3. I regret breaking up with you. The only reason I did it was because I was so convinced that you were going to leave me for him and I didn't want that happening again. I thought it would be better to leave you before you could hurt me. It was stupid and selfish and cowardly. I get that now. We've been broken up for a year now. Nothing ever happened between you and him. I know I made a huge mistake. If I thought you would react positively, I would have started trying to get you back months ago. But I know you'd say no. I don't blame you. But I'd do anything to be your boyfriend again. I messed up. I'm so sorry. I still love you. And the sad thing is, even if you do happen to see this, you'll have no idea that it's me writing about you. -- Male, 22

4. I regret not being more of a man when I was 16. If I'd been stronger for her when she told me she was pregnant, then maybe she wouldn't have taken the life of herself and our unborn child. Exactly ten years later, and I've sabotaged every relationship I've had since. I regret that I've hurt so many beautiful, sensitive women by being unable to make real the emotions I feign. I WANT the emotions, but I can't have a future with anyone, because I can't help but see her face and that of our daughter that never was. Lily would have been so pretty. -- Male, 26

5. From the moment I saw you I knew I loved you. All I want is you for the rest of my life. My greatest hope and regret is just that. Because that's not what you want. And it kills me everyday. But I can't leave, I won't leave. I would rather have random amazing moments with you only once in a while than not be with you. I know that there is someone out there that can make me happy all of the time but I want you.... just you. I regret that I'm not that person for you. -- Male, 27

6. I regret the lie. I regret not coming to you and saying "I screwed up, let me try again." like I should have. I wanted to make you proud, instead, I made you leave. -- Male, 27

7. I was there when the doctor told you about the cancer. I held your hand as you cried and screamed, "I don't want to die." We shared more after that than ever. I loved the time we spent. I'll never regret that ... But I do regret running when it got bad. You didn't know me. And it hurt. I regret practically living with my girlfriend whom you didn't approve of. We're apart now. I regret the day hospice came the most. Because I left the house and didn't come back that night ... And you didn't live to see me the next day. I regret abandoning you in your final days. I miss you and love you Mom. -- Male, 24

8. I don't regret giving you a second chance in my life because I loved you from the first moment we met. Really, I just wanted a chance to be told in person that you did not love me anymore, you could have put me first for once, rather than being such a coward. I regret that I was so easily disposable to you and that's what still hurts a year later. -- Male, 27

9. I regret getting married. I hate to admit it or make her sound insignificant, but I settled for her. She was my first girlfriend and I assumed I would never find anyone else. Because I settled and married I knocked down the first domino in a series of regrets. Because I settled and married I ended up divorced. Because of the divorce I am in debt more than I was before. Because of being in debt I can't afford to see my family as much as I want. I will always hate myself for making that mistake. -- Male, age unknown

10. I wish that I could erase the memory that you were in love with my best friend while you were going out with me. I knew long before you even told me. Now we are so in love and we've totally worked through all of that but it still kills me. It eats me up inside. -- Male, 25

11. I regret letting you go. I didn't realize that you were the best thing I could hope for and that we were perfect for each other, and so I didn't realize what I was letting go. Now I am afraid that I let go of the one person that I am supposed to be with, and that you will marry your boyfriend. That scares me to death. -- Male, 20

12. If I had a second chance to do ONE thing differently in my life, I would have let go of the idea of having a real father in my life. I would have stopped asking and seeking his attention and love. I would have stopped looking for him to save me from the life I had. I would have realized that he had a new life with his other children and new girlfriend. I would have let go, moved on and been happy. I would have realized that there was nothing wrong with me. IT WAS ALL HIM. -- Male, 24

13. I regret ever having doubted us. I regret I didn't give you all of me. I regret coming from fear, when the whole time telling you not to. I regret I let you down. I regret I can't stop writing you when I know I'll never see a response. I regret not staying in school and giving up my goals to create a life with you when all it took was some fat ugly coworker to put us in question. I regret letting myself fall so madly in love with you. -- Male, age 20

14. I regret that I let our past ruin our future. Everything about my life is perfect, with the exception of the emptiness that can only be filled by you. I thought I would stop thinking about you after a few months; it's been over a year and I still think about you every single day. I dream about you more often than I care to admit. I would give anything to make things different. I regret that I can't. More than anything, I regret that I took us for granted and that, now, I may never get to propose with the ring I bought you. -- Male, 21

15. I regret that I didn't finish him. -- Male, 25

16. I regret the intense feeling of confusion I felt and continue to feel stemming from meeting the girl of my dreams while cheating on you. I feel confused because were it not for treating you badly, I would not be as happy as I am now, though if we hadn't gone out in the first place, I would have so much to learn about the world and how relationships work. I cannot ask for forgiveness, and I cannot simply wish it away. I hope you are well. -- Male, age 20

17. I regret that I can't bring myself to tell you how I truly feel, out of fear I'll lose you completely. I regret that it's completely impossible for anyone to compare to you, and I may be alone forever because of it. I regret not expressing my feelings earlier, before we became so close, so I wouldn't have to see you as a friend every day while endlessly longing for more. I regret that you don't see yourself as the gorgeous, incredible woman you are - and that I didn't have the balls to tell you exactly that, regardless of who may have been around. I do not, however, regret passing on the others that were interested in me. It wouldn't have been fair, to them, to you, to me. You hold the only key to my heart already, I just wish I could find a way to tell you without risking the friendship we have. -- Male, 24

Negotiating Rental Prices In Today's Economy

Build Your Case

No matter how convincing you may be, the ultimate arbiter of rent is market demand. Does the property owner have many vacancies? Does he or she have other prospective renters waiting to lease the unit? Knowing what your landlord needs is the first step towards leveraging a deal. Before meeting with the landlord, gather evidence of your reliability – past rent history, proof of income, a good credit report -- whatever demonstrates stability.

"As a tenant, what can I do to prove I'm not a headache?" asks Gary Zaremba, president of Pepzee Realty, a property management company based in Dayton, Ohio. In his experience, the tenants he is most likely to negotiate with
have done their homework on the neighborhood. "Make sure you know the market price, the way you do any comparison shopping," he says. This could mean everything from price comparisons on listings sites like Craigslist and RentedSpaces to paying for premium access to listings, as Roth did. Paying for listings sites, such as the MLS, lets the realtor know that you mean business, Roth says, and it also gives you access to more exclusive listings.


Tit for Tat

Whether signing for the first time or renewing a lease, there are several arrangements that savvy renters can turn into a discount. There is the popular notion of "2/10, net 30," which Zaremba subscribes to. "If you pay within 10 days of the bill, I take 2 percent off the price," he says. "And if you've set up automatic deductions, that's another 2 percent off."

Aside from reliability, good stewardship is always foremost in the mind of landlords. Offer to provide "sweat equity" deals, in which you help manage an aspect of building maintenance in exchange for a discount. Beautification projects in and around the building are a useful way to prove your value, says Kathy Herzog, president of the Landlord Association, an online property-owner community. Above all else, a "landlord wants to know that their property is going to be well maintained," she says, and can help lead to a rent reduction.


Hard Bargain

"If the apartment were really non-negotiable, why would they meet with you?" asks Herb Cohen, author of the best-selling book "Negotiate This!" He suggests that prospective renters find a way to differentiate their offer. For instance, offer to sign a longer lease, or to provide several months' rent upfront, if possible. "Remember that a nose that can hear is worth two that can smell," he says. Your landlord's absolute margins are dictated by market trends, but if you can stand out among other renters as a reliable and easygoing tenant, you're more likely to find a better deal.

The same can be true for tenants renewing their lease. Consider timing your negotiation with the opening of a new vacancy in the building or during the winter, when demand is generally softer. "If I can avoid having any interruption of income," says Zaremba, "it's worth keeping a tenant, even at a rent reduction."


Key Takeaways

Negotiations can take place in even the most competitive markets if you know which levers to pull. Become familiar with the needs of your prospective landlord and offer payment options and a level of reliability that others fall short of.