New York Comic Con will expand its professional programming track for the 2025 edition of the annual event — and it’s also putting up a velvet rope.

The pro lineup will begin with NYCC 2025 opening night on Wednesday, Oct. 8, and programming will run through the end of the convention on Oct. 12. The events range from a Friday Marketing Summit with experiential marketing and events agency Experience12 to masterclasses led by writer and podcaster Josh Horowitz and brands including Warner Bros. Animation, Kickstarter and the New York Public Library.

NYCC revealed its mainline programming schedule for 2025 Aug. 14, which includes panels for new “Game of Thrones” TV series “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” and “IT” prequel “Welcome to Derry.”

The professional programming track at the ReedPop-produced four-day convention will be set up in a dedicated space in the Javits Center’s River Pavilion and will only be open to “industry professionals,” which includes those with the following badge and ticket types: Artist Alley, Writers Block, Pro Thursday, Pro 4-Day, Press, Content Creator, Panelist, Exhibitor and Sidekicks.

Per ReedPop, “industry professionals across comics, entertainment, retail and the literary space, as well as sponsors of NYCC, will be able to participate in programs curated and led by experts within their fields, with the goal of reaching those looking to increase their industry knowledge, sharpen their skills, and expand their networks.”

Professional attendees will also have access to the Press & Pro Lounge, as well as the rentable media suites and private on-site office spaces. Applications for a NYCC 2025 professional badge will be open on New York Comic Con’s website through Sept. 5.

“New York Comic Con has always been a place where professionals in many industries that touch the Comic Con community could attend quality panels and networking sessions,” Brien McDonald, VP of content for ReedPop, told Variety. “The successful introduction of our Wednesday Comic Book Retailers Day in 2024 showed there is strong demand for us to continue expanding. This year we’re excited to offer Pro, Exhibitor and Artist Alley badge holders a dedicated space in the Javits Center for this and expand our programming to five full days covering timely topics in pop culture, important industry debates, and multiple networking opportunities.”

See below for a list of highlights from this year’s professional programming lineup, with descriptions provided by ReedPop:

Wednesday, Oct. 8

  • Comic Book Retailer’s Day: Jim Lee, known for Batman, Justice League and Suicide Squad, and Todd McFarlane, co-founder of Image Comics, will chat with comic shop retailers. There will be over four hours of comic book publisher presentations and discussions among industry veterans blending storytelling, mentorship and industry talk.

Thursday, Oct. 9

  • The Comic Industry Mixer Presented by Comic Sketch Art (bar sponsored by IDW Publishing and event bags Sponsored by Yen Press): Starts at 7:45 p.m. with drinks, food, and presentations by the owners of Challengers + Conversation (Chicago) Tom King, (Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) and Courtney Menard (director of production, Tiny Onion). This mixer is geared toward professionals in the comic industry.
  • The New York Public Library will once again present a full day of programming for librarians and educators, and any other interested professional. Highlights of the NYPL program include ¡Wepa! Puerto Ricans in the World of Comics; Misogynoir and Multiverses: A Black Girl’s Guide to Fandom Culture; and Creepy, Crafty & Curriculum-Ready: Spooky Stories for Classrooms, Libraries & Beyond!

Friday, Oct. 10

  • ReedPop will collaborate with global experiential marketing and events agency Experience12 for the inaugural PopCultr Marketing Summit at NYCC. Sessions include:
    • Live Engagement & Events – Learn why live experiences are an essential marketing strategy as digital attention spans fragment, and audiences crave authentic connection.
    • Tabletop Games – Learn how TTGs and TTCs create brands people belong to, and the strategies driving their passionate communities.
    • Anime – Learn how anime has become a dominant cultural force while flying under traditional marketing’s radar, and what other industries can learn from it.
  • The Return of Backyard Sports: Celebrating the Joy of the Game: The panel will explore the creation of multi-generational storytelling in a multi-platform, endlessly fractured media environment. Playground Productions bought the rights to the Backyard Sports franchise in 2022, and has since relaunched the classic titles for modern consoles to enormous success. This panel seeks to understand how to tap into the original audience while expanding into evolving and new audiences. Panelists include: James Deighan (CEO, Mega Cat Studios), Lindsay Barnett (Founder and CEO, Playground Productions), and Chris Waters (Chief Product Officer, Playground Productions). Moderated by Jenny Maas (Senior Writer, Gaming and Entertainment, Variety)
  • The Harvey Awards (invite-only): One of the comic industry’s oldest and most prestigious awards since 1988, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding achievement in multiple categories. This year, the Harvey Awards returns to New York Comic Con, spotlighting comic books, graphic novels, manga and more. The industry awards are selected by a full body of comic and publishing professionals. This year’s nominees will be selected by a handpicked contingent of industry voices and voted on by qualifying professionals.
  • Voices in the Dark: The Art of Horror Audiobooks: Join a chilling lineup of voice actors and creatives as they pull back the curtain on what it takes to terrify through sound alone. Why is horror uniquely suited to audio? How do narrators embody fear, tension, and monstrous characters with just their voice? And how do producers wield pacing and sound design to amplify dread? Expect behind-the-scenes tales from recording booths where even the narrators got spooked. Whether you’re a longtime listener or simply love a good scare, this panel invites you deep into the dark — and leaves you wondering what’s lurking just beyond the headphones.
  • The Art Knight: Batman in Animation: For over three decades, Warner Bros. Animation has defined the animated legacy of the Dark Knight – from “Batman: The Animated Series” and “Justice League” to “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “Batman: Caped Crusader” and countless DC animated films along the way. The all-star panel of WBA’s top artists and creatives features James Tucker (executive producer & showrunner, “Batman: Caped Crusader”), Juan Meza-Leon (director, “Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires”), Mike Roth (executive producer & showrunner, “Bat-Fam”) and Simon J. Smith (executive producer, “Batwheels”), providing an in-depth look into the artistry, creative processes and inspirations that fuel their bold new takes on one of the most iconic characters in comics and pop culture.

Saturday, Oct. 11

  • Kickstarter 101: Join Kickstarter’s head of publishing, Oriana Leckert, for a look at the tips, tricks and strategies behind successful literary crowdfunding campaigns. You’ll learn about the benefits of building community and raising money through crowdfunding, the publishing landscape on Kickstarter, and the most important elements of building and running a project, illustrated with case studies from authors and publishers across the literary spectrum.
  • Writing Workshop: Carving Out Your Niche: Writers, grab your pen and notebook and join authors Matt Dinniman (“Dungeon Crawler Carl”), Jim Butcher (“The Dresden Files”), Alexandria Bellefleur (“The Devil She Knows”), Kimberly Lemming (“I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com”), and Rachel Harrison (“Play Nice”) as they do a deep dive on creating writing your niche. The panel will feature insights into their creation process; tips on exercises to flex your writing muscles; and advice on finding your voice as a writer.
  • Comedy Fandom: How Audiences are Built in 2025: With the comedy landscape ever evolving, it’s becoming more important for comedians to build their own audience. As gatekeepers seem to be less relevant, comedians no longer need a late-night set, buzzy festival performance, or network-produced special to break through. Today’s comedians are utilizing new tactics to reach and develop audiences. Whether that be social media, YouTube, or podcasts, a single path to success is gone as comics are building their own new ways. This panel will discuss ways comedians are building their audiences today, how the industry is evolving to support them, how clubs are booking them, and predictions on how things could look in the future.
  • How Influencers Drive Music Discovery: Influencers are increasingly becoming the tastemakers driving streaming spikes, chart placements, and even tour demand. This panel brings together influencer marketers, artists, and creators to explore the new gatekeepers of music discovery. We’ll dig into how songs go viral, the blurred lines between promotion and authenticity, and what it takes to build lasting impact beyond the trend cycle. Whether you’re in music, entertainment, publishing, or any field looking to connect with audiences in fresh ways, this session offers a behind-the-curtain look at the strategies, successes, and stumbles shaping the future of influencer marketing. Panelists include Josh Bernstein (President of Z2 Comics + Records), Sean Rameau (Digital Marketing Director at MNRK Music Group), Skye Sweetnam (Singer of Sump Cyco + Influencer), Pablo Douzoglou (VP, Head of Marketing at Beggars Group), moderated by Josh Goldfeder (Senior Marketing Manager at The Syndicate).
  • The Art of the Interview with Josh Horowitz. Join the creator and host of the acclaimed “Happy Sad Confused” podcast for a masterclass on interviewing. Josh will cover topics such as finding your voice as an interviewer, dos and don’ts that have served him well, plus practical tips for building a podcast and crafting a career in the entertainment industry.

Sunday, Oct. 12

  • What Comes Next?: A Nonfiction Insider’s Look at How To Get Published: Join nonfiction literary agent Alia Hanna Habib (“Take It From Me”) as she offers up some tips, insights, and behind-the-scenes tools of the trade to help writers decipher what happens once you have a pitch, proposal, or book.
  • Everything You Need to Know about Indie Publishing: Are you ready to publish your book, but you’re not sure where to turn? One option, chosen by an ever-increasing number of writers, is to self-publish. Join this panel of experts as they discuss the process of, and challenges and opportunities presented by, independent publishing.
  • Beyond the Mask: VTubers, Identity and Content Creation in the Digital Age: Creating content online today can be exciting, exhausting, and everything in between. Whether you’re building a brand on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, or behind a VTuber avatar, this panel dives into the reality of growing as a creator in a space that never slows down. Join streamers, video creators, and corporations for a down to earth conversation about finding your voice, building a brand, growing a community, and making content that actually feels meaningful. We’ll talk about starting from scratch, dealing with platform shifts, staying consistent, and keeping your sanity while doing it all in public.