New York Comic Con Brings Comics, Gaming, and Fandom to Life

MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

New York Comic Con returned to the Javits Center for its 19th annual edition from October 9th to the 13th, drawing thousands of fans of comic books, television, movies, video games, anime, manga, and other sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genres.

Attendees packed the convention halls, many dressing as their favorite characters in elaborate cosplay that highlighted the creativity and passion of the fandom. Fans mingled with fellow enthusiasts, hunted for rare collectibles, and met stars, comic creators, and industry figures from around the globe.

The four-day event showcased panels, exhibits, and interactive experiences celebrating popular culture’s diverse worlds. From superhero showdowns to anime meetups and gaming demonstrations, the convention offered something for everyone, creating a space where communities of fans could connect and celebrate shared passions.

New York Comic Con has become a key event for pop culture fans and continues to be a major economic driver for the city, drawing visitors from across the country and internationally. With this year’s excitement wrapping up, many attendees left already anticipating the next gathering.

“I’ve been coming to Comic Con for years, but this year the cosplay was next level. It’s amazing to see so many people bringing their favorite characters to life, it really makes you feel part of a community,” said Ethan Park from Astoria.

“I came mainly for the panels on indie comics and video games, and it exceeded my expectations. I even met a creator I’ve followed for years. There’s nothing like being surrounded by people who get your geeky obsessions,” said Maria Gonzalez from Williamsburg.

Courtesy NYPROUD

Queens Public Library Hosts ‘New York Proud’ Exhibit

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Inside the Hunters Point branch of the Queens Public Library, portraits of delivery workers, doctors, and chefs now line the walls — each image telling a story of perseverance, belonging, and identity.

The exhibit is part of the New York Proud campaign, a public art initiative by the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) and Photoville that highlights the lives and contributions of immigrant New Yorkers through large-scale portraits and personal stories displayed in public spaces across the five boroughs. The Queens pop-up runs through October 27.

“New York Proud is a vital reminder of the role immigrants have played—and continue to play—in shaping all aspects of Queens and New York City,” said Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the NYIC. “By transforming public spaces with this installation, we hope to illuminate what the national debate has too often erased: that immigrants are integral to our communities. They are our neighbors, our friends. At a time when immigrant rights are increasingly under threat, it’s more important than ever to celebrate and uplift immigrant voices.”

Now in its second year, the New York Proud campaign expands on its 2023 debut by showcasing nearly 20 portraits captured by Venezuelan documentary photographer Oscar B. Castillo. Each image captures immigrants in the spaces that define them — from a mechanic’s shop to a hospital corridor — portraying what Awawdeh called “the best of New York, which is our people.”

The Hunters Point installation features Queens-based participants such as Dr. Barbara Dilos, director of anesthesiology at NYC Health + Hospitals Elmhurst, and Maxi Lau, founder of Maxi’s Dumplings in Flushing. Both embody the borough’s longstanding role as a gateway and home for immigrant communities.

Awawdeh said the choice of the Queens Public Library for the installation was deliberate. “Libraries have operated as a sanctuary for people. They’ve operated as a place where our kids can go and be safe,” he said. “Really making sure that we’re able to continue to uplift those spaces and bring different types of work and different types of events to them only makes them stronger.”

Public art, he said, is a way to bridge divides at a time when immigrant rights are increasingly under threat. “Art drives culture, and in this moment, really having people see others who may or may not be part of their who aren’t them, but can see themselves in others, I think, is critical,” Awawdeh said.

Photographer Castillo, who collaborated with NYIC for the second year, said the project aims to “deepen the sense of connection and community that was forged last year.”

“Public art has the power to open doors, foster inclusion, and build bridges across differences,” said photographer Oscar B. Castillo. “Through these portraits, I wanted to honor the perseverance, dedication, and resilience that define New York’s immigrant communities. This work is a celebration of diversity and of the voices that create the rich fabric of New York.”

                                                                                                                             Beyond Queens, New York Proud installations are currently or soon to be on view at the Flatiron South Plaza in Manhattan, The Plaza at 300 Ashland in Brooklyn, Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, and the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island.

Awawdeh said the coalition hopes to expand the project beyond New York City, with new exhibits this year in Rochester and future plans for other cities across the state.

He also emphasized that the campaign is part of a broader mission to advocate for immigrant rights amid political challenges. “We’ve been really fighting back against this current administration’s efforts to undermine and jeopardize all of our rights,” Awawdeh said, citing NYIC’s push for the ‘Access to Representation Act,’ which would guarantee legal counsel for immigrants in court.

As visitors pass through the library’s light-filled atrium, they encounter not just photographs but the faces of a city built on migration — a reminder, as Awawdeh put it, that “immigrants continue to be the engine behind the city, the heart of what New York is, and what New York has been and will continue to be.”

For more information about New York Proud, visit www.immigrantsareny.org

Courtesy EPIC

Queens Broadway Performer Takes Center Stage in Y2K Showcase

MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Queens native and Broadway performer Conor Tague is bringing his passion for performance and advocacy for neurodiverse artists to the stage of Joe’s Pub later this month. The Astoria resident will co-host and perform in Y2Kabaret, a nostalgic musical showcase by EPIC Players, New York’s leading neuro-diverse theater company, on Sunday, October 26.

The production, which celebrates music from the early 2000s, features a cast of 44 neurodiverse performers alongside Broadway guests, including Jessie Hooker Bailey, and Tague’s How to Dance in Ohio co-star Hunter Hollingsworth. The event will feature two shows at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with tickets priced at $35.

For Tague, who was born in 2000 and has lived in Queens for most of his life, the moment is a full-circle experience. “I was born in the city, and I’ve been here like my whole life,” he said. “Growing up, I had a nice time, and I really worked on my passion for performing — watching a lot of VHS tapes and reenacting scenes. I discovered Michael Jackson, learned all his moves, and by fourth grade, I performed as him and won my talent show.”

That early love of performance would later blossom into a professional journey that led him to Broadway. Tague made his debut in How to Dance in Ohio, the first Broadway show featuring openly autistic actors playing autistic characters. “It was literally the best thing that I’ve ever done in a long time,” he said. “Being part of a cast that was openly autistic, as well as working with Broadway names, was such a blessing. I still miss it to this day, and I’m proud to say that I made that Broadway debut.”

Tague joined EPIC Players in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, after learning about the company through friends. “I joined in the summer of 2020. Everything was virtual at the time, but I got to hang with my closest friends and make new ones,” he said. “Everyone in the cast of our cabaret has something that’s really going to blow people’s minds.”

Founded in 2016, EPIC Players — which stands for Empower, Perform, Include, Create — provides performing arts opportunities and training for neurodiverse and disabled artists. The organization also offers free classes, professional productions, and community-building programs in both New York and Los Angeles.

“At EPIC, we are committed to the idea that everyone deserves a chance to be seen,” said Aubrie Therrien, Executive Artistic Director at EPIC Players. “This event is an exciting opportunity to shine a light on the incredible talent of our neuro-diverse actors and celebrate the progress we are making toward a more inclusive stage.”

As co-host of Y2Kabaret, Tague is taking on a new kind of challenge. “Since I’m co-hosting with Talia, who’s really incredible, we get to create a banter between performances and engage the audience,” he said. “The key to being a really good host is to light up the room with the best energy — and it’s more fun when you’re not doing it alone.”

The cabaret will feature performances of hits from artists like Green Day and Kelly Clarkson, all tied to the Y2K era. “Every cabaret that we’ve done is themed, and this one focuses on music from 2000 to 2009,” Tague said. “I’m in a few group numbers — one of them is ‘Bye Bye Bye’ by *NSYNC. It’s going to be amazing.”

For Tague, the show isn’t just about the music — it’s about the message. “It’s very important for audiences to experience neuro-inclusive theater,” he said. “Some people might think that those of us in the neurodiverse community can only do the simplest things, but we can do a lot more. Performing live shows that we’re given the chance — we can do many things, and that’s something that can never be taken for granted.”

Looking back on his journey, Tague hopes his story can inspire other neurodiverse artists. “Never be afraid to show off the best part of yourself,” he said. “If they like you or even love you, embrace it — because you are welcome no matter what.”

Y2Kabaret will take place at Joe’s Pub at The Public on October 26 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets and more information are available at publictheater.org

Local Networking Event Showcases Cannabis Industry

MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Local business leaders, community members, and entrepreneurs gathered on October 8 evening at Acey Ducey’s in Forest Hills for a Forest Hills Kiwanis Club networking event, featuring guest speakers from New York City’s growing legal cannabis market. The event offered opportunities for attendees to connect with neighbors, explore potential business partnerships, and learn about emerging industries in the region.

Daniel Olson, the Kiwanis Club treasurer, opened the evening by welcoming attendees. “This is an event of the Forest Hills Kiwanis. We’ve been around for 10 plus years, and it really is more of a chance to meet maybe your neighbors, maybe some business partners, maybe make some new friends,” he said. Attendees were encouraged to mingle, introduce themselves, and participate in a raffle featuring memberships to the Queens Chamber of Commerce, local restaurants, and other community prizes.

Two guest speakers, Ethan Macias of Terp Bros and Michael Intagliata of DANK By Definition, provided insight into the rapidly evolving cannabis industry and their experiences operating legally in New York.

Macias, general manager at Terp Bros’ Astoria dispensary, discussed the challenges his family faced entering the industry under the state’s equity program, which grants licenses to those previously convicted of marijuana offenses. “My cousin Jeremy Rivera qualified through the program, applied for the license, and was granted it. When he was granted the license, the Office of Cannabis Management was in a little bit of an injunction, so we couldn’t open just yet. We went through a lawsuit and were finally able to open a couple months later,” Macias said.

Terp Bros, which recently celebrated its two-year anniversary in Astoria, plans to expand with a second location in Ozone Park. Macias described the company’s commitment to safe, regulated retail: “Things are changing fast. Legalization has changed the stigma. It’s allowing people who have had city jobs or just looked at cannabis as something that was a no-no to be able to consume safely. It gives you the opportunity to have somebody that you can hold accountable, like any other industry, with being safe.”

He noted that Terp Bros carries more than 800 products to meet a wide range of consumer preferences, from edibles and beverages to items for vaping and smoking. “There’s something for everyone,” he said, emphasizing the company’s focus on education and compliance. Macias also shared that he began in entry-level positions at the dispensary and worked his way up to general manager, overseeing daily operations, staffing, and regulatory compliance.

Intagliata, a partner at DANK By Definition, shared the company’s evolution from a hemp processor to a leading New York State cannabis brand. “We started as a hemp farm and processor. When legalization came, all hemp licenses became vertically integrated. About two years ago, we launched DANK, a brand designed to curate events and experiences alongside cannabis consumption,” he said.

Intagliata described the challenges and rapid growth of the legal market. “When we started, there were only four stores in the market. We had to travel around and carefully navigate regulations to stay operational. As the market grew, the number of stores exploded. Today, we serve roughly 400 accounts statewide, including a significant base in Queens,” he said.

Both speakers acknowledged lingering stigma surrounding cannabis use, particularly among older generations. Macias said the company works to educate customers on safe consumption: “It isn’t just something that a lazy pothead is smoking. There’s something for everyone, whether it’s a popsicle, chocolate bar, or something to smoke. Safe, regulated consumption is key.”

Intagliata echoed the sentiment, adding that cannabis use, like many other lifestyle choices, requires moderation. “There’s always a perception that cannabis users are lazy or unmotivated. But most people I’ve met in this industry are hardworking and driven. Safe, clean, regulated cannabis allows people to enjoy its benefits responsibly,” he said. He highlighted the wellness applications of cannabis and the importance of licensed retail over unregulated sources.

Both speakers emphasized the significance of community engagement. Intagliata said that Queens plays a vital role in the state’s cannabis market. “We’re here to support local events, interact with the community, and educate people about legal cannabis. Queens is an essential region for our business,” he said.

The Forest Hills Kiwanis Club event offered a cash bar opportunities for informal networking, reflecting the organization’s decade-long commitment to fostering community connections and local business growth. Raffle prizes ranged from local restaurant vouchers to a membership in the Queens Chamber of Commerce, adding a celebratory atmosphere to the evening.