It's not for Halloween — it's Comic Con, where Black and Caribbean cosplayers find community

For 19 years, New York Comic Con (NYCC) has been the East Coast's most celebrated gala of geekdom. In 2024, the convention welcomed more than 200,000 attendees. In 2025, that number swelled by 50,000, making it the, or one of the, most highly attended conventions in the U.S.

From novice nerds to masters, every October, the Javits Center teems with enthusiasts attending author, actor and production company panels, autograph signings and fandom meetups. They play console and tabletop games, enter contests and spend their precious gold and silver coins on NYCC exclusives and trinkets. But, arguably, the most exciting thing about the event is seeing the thousands of people who bring their favorite book, comic, movie, television show or video game character to life through cosplay.

Isaac Camp