Costober 2022 Day 8: NYCC Part Two

Natasha, the spy. Starfleet, the future. Rhaenyra, the dragon.

About the Looks

I chose these three looks to wear to New York Comic Con 2022. Natasha because she’s a comic book character. Starleet because I was attending the Star Trek Universe panel. And Rhaenyra because the wig made it more of a con-cosplay than an everyday cosplay.

Saturday

My Saturday was mainly devoted to Star Trek. I got up nice and early because they were doing a Murf plush giveaway and I have wanted a Murf plush since the first episode aired. I arrived at opening and got right in line. I chatted with friends and other Trek fans for an hour and was one of the first few to get a Murf.

I then scouted out a con-goer who appeared to be kind and uninterested in a plush alien and asked him to get me another Murf so I might send it to my Antimatter Pod co-host. Liz and I both thank you random NYCCer!

Murfs achieved I headed to the show floor. Normally I avoid it on the busiest days, but my son requested a Hatsune Miku Nendoroid so I braved the crowds to find her. The line wasn’t bad at the Nedoroid booth so I hopped on. I got two Mikus — one of which was nearly sold out, so good choice to do it then — and a con-exclusive smiley Asuka Shikinami Langley for me. I also visited the RockLove booth, where they not only had the lightsaber necklaces I want so badly, they had a Padmé jewelry set!! I couldn’t justify the price to myself but I am very pleased that Padmé is finally getting some love in merch form and I wish I had the kind of life where I could buy it (I passed on a Padmé backpack at BoxLunch last week, too…it’s too late in the year to buy myself gifts but GAH).

I then headed to the panel annex about two hours before it was scheduled to start. The crowds really were too much, and my feet needed a rest from my adorable but not at all meant for walking shoes (see below). But thus I was in the very first corral in the reservation line and guaranteed a good seat. And I was surrounded by Star Trek fans. We had plenty to chat about so the time went by quickly. I ended up around tenth row, seated with a handful of “line friends”.

Star Trek: Discovery

The Discovery panel was first, and it was easily the smoothest presentation. Wilson Cruz wore a coat that was so impeccably stylish it mesmerized me and I legitimately had trouble focusing on anything else. But the Disco crew have gotten very good at paneling over the past five years and they put on a tight little show. The teaser trailer for season five promises all the things we’ve come to expect from Discovery; my favorite part was Michael accepting a quest from David Cronenberg (Kovich in universe) with her catch phrase and a smile…while bruised and bloody. You know. Typical Star Trek.

They also announced three new characters: couriers turned outlaws Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis) and Callum Keith Rennie as Starfleet captain Rayner.

The blurb on his character posted to StarTrek.com describes him like S1 Lorca 2.0, whom I loved. And his Ocampan? Romulan? Some Mix? features (ears) have me excited even beyond the Callum Keith Rennie (Leoben!) of it all. tldr; great job Disco crew, you are all very professional but full of heart and I am very hype about the new season.

Star Trek: Prodigy

Prodigy is probably my favorite current Trek project. It’s Voyager mixed with Star Wars: Rebels, I love every character, and the animation is stunning. Just absolutely gorgeous to look at. It’s also the one coming back the soonest, the back half of the first season starts airing October 26. The panel was certainly entertaining, but it was also a mess.

Producers Rod Roddenberry and Alex Kurtzman hung out for all three panels and for Prodigy they were joined by the creatives (Kevin and Dan Hageman, director Ben Hibon), and three cast members.

I think this little collage of my photos tells the story well. Kate Mulgrew (Various Kathryn Janeways) was firmly the star of the show. She got the most attention from mod and fans, and gave everything she said the gravitas of a congressional hearing. My line friend seat-mate likened her to Carrie Fisher, as in a personality that fills the whole room and refuses to be contradicted. Brett Gray (Dal) was just happy to be there.  But Jameela Jamil (Ensign Asencia) — perhaps knowing Kate Mulgrew is The Kate Mulgrew or perhaps just being The Jameela Jamil herself — wore this completely insane inflatable suitdress and heart-shaped glasses (that I also own! I am totally a Jameela Jamil!). It was so bonkers/great I took about 50 photos. And she backed up the look with her own irrepressible personality to the point of swearing on the panel for the kids show.

But then the trailer included Holo Janeway being impressed by Admiral Janeway, and Admiral Janeway being impressed by the kids Holo Janeway mentored, which was a level of self-impression bordering on self-cest reminiscent of “Deadlock“. So really, Star Trek: Prodigy leans into promoting The Kate Mulgrew just as much as Kate does. And to be clear, I am Here. For. It.

Star Trek: Picard

Finally, it was time for Star Trek: Picard and the crowd went wild as all seven cast members of TNG paraded on stage. This panel was also a mess. There was simply not enough time to give everyone equitable attention so Michael Dorn spoke all of once. Marina Sirtis has less of a filter than Kate Mulgrew and Jameela Jamil combined. And everyone — cast, crew, mod, and fans — were fawning over the cast and characters, which was very emotional and wonderful to be a part of, but messy nonetheless.

I grew up with TNG and Voyager, so I absolutely understand the nostalgia for a final season of Picard that is really a final season of The Next Generation. I just wish it wasn’t at the cost of the new characters introduced for the first seasons of Picard. I really didn’t like the trailer’s suggestion that Raffi is an Angry Black Woman who needs to be tamed just like Worf was an Angry Black (Klingon) Man who needed to be tamed — regardless of whom Worf is speaking about, the trailer chose to feature Raffi at that point. But the trailer did give me one moment to lose myself in nostalgia and desire for closure, which based on the reaction of everyone around me was the point:

This is straight out of a fairy tale. This is straight out of a fairy tale and features one of my formative OTPs and I literally gasped. I am legitimately angry about how well this 1.5 second sequence worked on me.

After the panel the NYC Away Team fan group organized a fan photo and an opportunity to record our thoughts on the panel and trailer for Paramount+ and the cast of Picard. I told them about my love for Dr. Crusher growing up, and how it’s great to see my childhood role models continuing to be role models in my adulthood. But I made a point to say Seven and Raffi were my favorite part of the trailer. I miss my misfit crew from season one! None of that made it into the cute little video Paramount+ shared but my smiling face did:

I ended the evening back with Karen at the same bar from the previous day because, again, I was too tired to go any further. But it was a very successful day in space, the final frontier.

About My Look

This is an Uhura-inspired limited edition dress by Her Universe that I found on Poshmark. I paired it with red satin gloves, a red ribbon choker, gold stockings, and the little gold bow from my Belle outfit.

I purchased these shoes secondhand ten years ago as part of my Pepper Potts in The Avengers cosplay aka the easiest cosplay ever. Pepper is barefoot in the film, but such things are not allowed at cons so I found shoes that look like Iron Man. They are adorable and I love them, but my goodness did my feet hurt after eight hours at the con!