New York Comic Con 2015: Must-See Vintage TV Panels
From existing hits like Sleepy Hollow and Mr. Robot to such upcoming potential favorites as Colony and Ash vs. Evil Dead, the New York Comic Con is the place to see what’s new and popular in genre television. But fans of retro TV can indulge their nostalgia for the past as well, and not just on the convention floor where merchandise (and pirated DVDs) from older shows is always abundant. We’ve gone through the NYCC schedule and highlighted the vintage TV panels that you’ll want to make time for.
Related: New York Comic Con 2015: Your Day-by-Day TV Calendar
FUNimation Presents: Dragon Ball Z (and Beyond)
A touchstone of ‘80s anime, Dragon Ball Z ran for 7 years and nearly 300 episodes. And while the Dragon Ball franchise has never really gone away — living on in movies, spin-off TV shows, and video games — this particular series remains its crowning achievement. FUNimation, the company that currently holds the U.S. licensing rights to all things Dragon Ball, will explore the series’ history and also preview Dragon Ball Super, an all-new series that started airing in Japan back in July and will likely make its way to these shores in the next few months. (Oct. 8, 11:15 AM – 12:15 p.m., Room 1A10)
Andre the Giant: The Man Behind the Legend
If you watched the WWE back when it was still known as the WWF, then you were almost certainly a fan of this towering French strongman. Joining Vince McMahon’s league in the ‘70s, Andre’s career really exploded in the ‘80s, along with the rising popularity of wrestling as a television spectator sport. (His iconic role as gentle giant Fezzik in The Princess Bride also cemented his pop culture legend.) Andre’s daughter, Robin Christensen Roussimoff, and assorted special guests recap her father’s seismic impact on the WWE with stories from in and out of the ring. (Oct. 8, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Room 1A24)
The Adventure Continues: A Justice League Reunion Event
All due respect to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot have their work cut out for them if they want to be recognized as the definitive on-screen version of DC’s Justice League. For now, that title goes to the animated League, which aired on Cartoon Network from 2001 to 2006, first as the six-hero Justice League before evolving into the giant-sized Justice League Unlimited. It was the culmination of the DC Animated Universe that began with Batman: The Animated Series and remains one of the best superhero cartoons ever. Now, the League’s core members — Batman (Kevin Conroy), Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg), Superman (George Newbern), Green Lantern (Phil LaMarr), Hawkgirl (Maria Canals-Barrera), and Martian Manhunter (Carl Lumbly) — join forces again, alongside the show’s voice director, Andrea Romano. Better still, they’ll be performing a classic script from their Justice League run. Batfleck had better be taking notes. (Oct. 9, 2:00-3:00 p.m., Empire Stage 1-E)
Firefly Reunion
Thirteen years after Joss Whedon’s short-lived space Western took flight on Fox and a decade removed from its big-screen spin-off, Serenity, the NYCC plays host to a Browncoat reunion. Serenity’s captain Nathan Fillion a.k.a. Mal Reynolds takes center stage, flanked by his eternally loyal second in command, Zoë Washburne (Gina Torres), and trusty mechanic Kaylee (Jewel Staite). It’s true what they way: you just can’t take the sky from them. (Oct. 10, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Main Stage 1-D)
The 8 Doctors of Classic Doctor Who
Most modern-day Doctor Who fans are only on a first-name basis with four Doctors. But the time-traveller’s history is actually twelve Doctors deep, with eight actors having held that role between 1963 and 1989, plus a one-off TV movie in 1996. Here’s an ideal opportunity to indulge yourself in old school Who, celebrating the exploits and adventures of William Hartnell, Tom Baker and Sylvester McCoy — just some of the Time Lords who warmed up the TARDIS for Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi. (Oct. 10, 7:45-8:45 p.m., Room 1B03)
The Amazing Economics of Star Trek
Finally, a panel where statistics geeks can mingle with sci-fi nerds! No less an authority than Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman stops by the NYCC to consider the financial status quo in the 23rd century imagined by Gene Roddenberry. Prepare to talk about all things Trek in a way you never have before. Like, how much does it cost the Federation each time Scotty beams someone up? (Oct. 11, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Room 1A24)
The New York Comic Con runs from Oct. 8-Oct. 11
