• COMICS
  • FILM & TV
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • SALES CHARTS
  • PODCASTS
  • COMIC CONS
  • REVIEWS
  • COLUMNS
    • Acrossing the Miles
    • Box Office
    • DC Round-Up
    • Drokking Scrotnig
    • Fandom Flames
    • Get a Grip
    • HiX-Men Moment of the Week
    • Indie View
    • Kibbles ‘n’ Bits
    • Making Comics
    • Matt Chats
    • Mint Condition
    • Queerness In Comics
    • Silber Linings
    • The Internet’s Strangest Superhero Songs
    • The Marvel Rundown
    • The Retailer’s View
    • There’s Blood On My Comics!
    • Tilting at Windmills
  • ALL POSTS
Sign in
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Privacy Policy
Password recovery
Recover your password
Search
Saturday, April 10, 2021
  • JOIN OUR MAILING LIST!
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy Policy
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
The Beat
  • COMICS
  • FILM & TV
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • SALES CHARTS
  • PODCASTS
  • COMIC CONS
  • REVIEWS
  • COLUMNS
    • AllAcrossing the MilesBox OfficeDC Round-UpDrokking ScrotnigFandom FlamesGet a GripHiX-Men Moment of the WeekIndie ViewKibbles ‘n’ BitsMaking ComicsMatt ChatsMint ConditionQueerness In ComicsSilber LiningsThe Internet’s Strangest Superhero SongsThe Marvel RundownThe Retailer’s ViewThere’s Blood On My Comics!Tilting at Windmills

      FANDOM FLAMES: Longing for in-person conventions

      SILBER LININGS: Why we love Kaiju

      The Marvel Rundown: The KING IN BLACK event reaches its bombastic…

      a house without windows

      INDIE VIEW: A HOUSE WITHOUT WINDOWS pulls away the curtains of…

  • ALL POSTS
Home Conventions Con-gestion Got You Down? Take A Cure at the Meadowlands’ East Coast...
  • Conventions
  • Top News

Con-gestion Got You Down? Take A Cure at the Meadowlands’ East Coast Comic Con This Weekend!

By
Torsten Adair
-
04/15/2016 6:15 pm
0
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Linkedin
ReddIt
Email
Tumblr

    eccmarquee-938x469Convention Season is upon us, and there are a lot of shows to attend! It’s like Primary Season for comics reporters… each week there’s another show someplace, with great stories to report, good friends to meet, and fun to be had! (And some scuttlebutt to be discussed at BarCon.)

    This weekend, Convention Scene lists THIRTEEN shows happening (not to mention signings and other events)!

    There are a lot of shows we don’t mention here, partly because we’ve got a lot of other stuff to deal with in this era of instant internet intel, and partly because you either have to do something really awful or really spectacular to be noticed.

    But me… sometimes, I like being able to just wander through a show (like MoCCA) and leisurely explore what’s cool, find some hidden treasures, and not have to deal with huge crowds or appointments or stress.

    That’s why I like attending the various shows that Cliff Galbraith and Crucial Entertainment sponsor. East Coast Comicon shows are comic-centric, with an amazing guest list of talent covering a wide variety of styles and genres. There’s geeky fun (Bat-Copter!), it’s in a great location (with lots of affordable restaurants and Wal-Mart), and it’s easy to get to from Manhattan. Also, it’s not so crazy crowded that you’ll have to wait in long lines to meet your favorites (well, maybe for the celebrity guests…)  For example, last year I had time to speak with Bob Layton about a never-produced George Romero movie from 1984!

    Here’s the basic info, updated from last year. If you have the time this weekend, stop by!


    The Show:

    Official website (lots to see, hear, do!)

    The Venue:

    EastCoastComicon2016plan
    A decent mix of creators, small press, kids comics, and other fun stuff!

    Meadowlands Exposition Center

    For those keeping score at home:

    The Meadowlands Exposition Center features:

    • 61,000 square feet of contiguous, obstruction-free, dedicated exhibition space with 20-foot high ceiling
    • 3,578 square feet of carpeted meeting space
    • Capacity: 365 10′ x 10′ booths; 398 8′ x 10′ booths; 3,500 seating – banquet; 5,000 seating – sports events; 5,000 seating – concert/theater style
    • Large multi-functional lobby may be used for registration, exhibit space or banquet area
    • Two drive-in doors and four loading docks on street level for easy access
    • Unique “flown from the air” electric simplifies floor plan and eliminates the need to carpet aisles to cover floor wires

    Directions:

    The Meadowlands Exposition Center offers directions.

    Take the bus! (Here’s the county bus map for the area!)

    Bus stops near the Expo Center:

    • 85 Hoboken – Secaucus/Mill Creek (The other side of the shopping complex)
    • 320 New York City PABT – Secaucus/Mill Creek  (About fifteen minutes from NYC.) ($.3.95 one-way)
    • One stop away (400 feet) is the #78 bus departing from Newark Penn Station to Broad Street and then Harmon Meadow, which then connects at Secaucus Junction.

    If you’re driving from Manhattan, take the Lincoln Tunnel and Route 3.  North or South, use the Eastern Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95).  Click on the map above to figure out travel options.  If you’re taking public transit, I suggest the buses.  The ones from Port Authority are coach buses, similar to the shuttle buses you find at amalgamated-cons.  I suspect the other NJT lines offer similar service.

    The Neighborhood:

    The Plaza at Harmon Meadow (Click to access the map key.)

    Harmon Meadow map

    Note the Chase ATM east of the Expo Center. Want to save on bank fees? Buy something at the Wal-Mart with your debit card, and ask for cash back. Also, there is no shortcut between the 400 and 500 Plaza Drive buildings. You’ll have to walk around to get to the restaurants to the south.

    On the other side of the Interstate/Eastern Spur is The Mall at Mill Creek.  It’s a bit of a hike.  It’s home to Kohl’s, Toys R Us, two gas stations, a liquor store, and waterfowl.

    Dining:

    As you can see on the map above, there are a lot of casual dining restaurants nearby!

    There’s also a McDonald’s in the Wal-Mart to the north, but if you’re already there, why not buy some real food instead?  (Maybe one of the employees will let you use their SNAP card.)

    Hmm… with all of those office buildings nearby, I wonder if any of these restaurants deliver to the Expo Center?

    Here’s the YELP search for the area.

    Sleeping:

    The official con hotel is Embassy Suites.  [Please book here first.  It’s next door to the Expo Center, and if the hotel has a good weekend, then it makes things easier for the show next year.]

    Here’s where to stay:

    USE THE DISCOUNT CODE : CAT
    FOR RESERVATIONS
    Online reservation Embasy Suite Reservations >> 
    Official hotel of East Coast Comicon is the Embassy Suites
    Located right next to the Meadowlands Exposition Center

    $169 per night. Includes breakfast.

    Embassy Suites Secaucus – Meadowlands

    455 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, New Jersey,07094, USA

    TEL: +1-201-864-7300

    There are other hotels in the area (due to the high concentration of corporate offices, the junction of Route 3 and the Turnpike, and the Meadowlands).

    This is a great location for a show!  Easy access, affordable dining, emergency retail (or distractions for family members), lots of hotel rooms.  It rivals SPX!  Maybe not “Camp Comics”, but certainly a “Spring Break” experience!


     

    Related

    • TAGS
    • east coast comicon
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Pinterest
    Linkedin
    ReddIt
    Email
    Tumblr
      Previous articleSuper-short, No-spoiler review: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
      Next articleKazoo Magazine for girls will run comics by Alison Bechdel
      Torsten Adair
      I've been writing for The Beat since July of 2010. I've been reading comics since 1974, collecting since 1984, and spreading the graphic novel gospel since 1994. I'm a bookseller, a librarian, an amateur scholar, a cool uncle, and a comics evangelist. Ask me anything!

      RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

      East Coast Comicon 2019 Round-Up: Why You Should Attend Your Smaller Local Cons

      INTERVIEW: Fabian Nicieza Supports Hero Initiative This Weekend

      INTERVIEW: Marv Wolfman & Just Having Fun at Cons

      CONTACT THE BEAT!!!

      Send us news, tips and links!

      Hot Now!

      Moon Knight series

      MacKay and Cappuccio helm new MOON KNIGHT series for Marvel

      04/07/2021 4:30 pm
      Bequest #2

      EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: BEQUEST #2 features fantasy realms, Navy Pier

      04/06/2021 11:00 am

      Scarlet Speedsters featured in JUSTICE SOCIETY: WORLD WAR II images

      04/07/2021 3:00 pm
      Queer coding

      The MCU still doesn’t know what to do with Bucky’s queer...

      04/08/2021 1:00 pm

      Tilting at Windmills #283 – Marvel’s move to PRH changes everything

      04/07/2021 10:45 am

      EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: HEAVY METAL #305 debuts Ron Marz & Armitano’s SWAMP...

      04/05/2021 1:30 pm

      LATEST POSTS

      The Beat Presents: An Overly Simplified Guide to WrestleMania 37

      Brandon Schatz & Danica LeBlanc - 04/09/2021 8:37 pm

      Admiral Ackbar and Bro Thor among Hasbro Pulse Fan Fest reveal highlights

      04/09/2021 6:20 pm
      voyagers

      REVIEW: VOYAGERS treads a boring and familiar path

      04/09/2021 6:00 pm

      New STAR TREK movie announced for 2023

      04/09/2021 4:00 pm

      Search

      ADVERTISEMENT

      Subscribe to Blog via Email

      Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

      ABOUT US
      All the information you need about comics news, graphic novels, film, television, streaming, toys and fan culture!
      FOLLOW US
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertising
        • Advertising

          • Advertising slots are available right now for the Beat.
          • We have several sizes to fit every budget.
          • Top banner: 728 px wide x 90 px high
          • Site Wrapper – spec available on request. Available in one week slots.
          • Top Sidebar Boombox: 300 px wide x 250 px high
          • Large Sidebar Boombox: 300 px wide x 600 px high
          • Sidebar classified: 125 x 125 px
          • All ads should be either jpgs or animated gifs. Rates are available upon request. Email [email protected] for more info. Schedules also available.

          Related

      • Privacy
      © 2020 Superlime Media LLC
      Go to mobile version