After returning to an almost normal in person convention last year the 2022 edition of New York Comic Con (NYCC) show felt a lot closer to a pre-pandemic show. With large crowds, stronger programming, and a fuller convention floor, the convention even ended up using more floor space which had not been used last year after the completed expansion of the convention center, the four day convention annually held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan brought in hundreds of thousands of fans, to celebrate all aspects of pop culture whether it be movies and television or comics, collectibles, and anime.
Every year I tend to separate a few special things from the show to focus on and this year that was Prime Video and Audible for promoting a bunch of their content throughout the four day convention. Prime Video and Audible seemed to go the extra mile this year with their programing content with heavy promotion of the upcoming shows The Peripheral, Good Omens Season 2, and Wheel of Time Season 2 as well as promotion for the recently concluded Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Additionally Audible held an offsite event to promote the release of The Sandman Act III audiobook.
With various panels, activations, and cast signings for all their content Prime Video and Audible really embraced New York Comic Con in 2022 and throughout the years.
Prime Video Good Omens
One of the two big pushes of Neil Gaiman content came this year with the panel promoting the upcoming second season of Good Omens. Neil along with cast members Maggie Service, Nina Sosanya, and Quelin Sepulveda joined Executive Producers Douglas Mackinnon and Rob Wilkins in person to discuss the second season of the show. While David Tennent, Michael Sheen, and Jon Hamm were unable to attend they did all appear virtually for a few moments to say how excited they were for the new season, especially given that this is based on all new content.
Not too much was revealed during the panel but cast did give some information on the new characters they play. Some of the actors are even returning from season one but with new roles in the second season. Maggie, who played Sister Theresa Garrulous in season one, is now playing Maggie a record store owner next to Aziraphale’s bookshop in Soho. While Nina, who played Sister Mary Loquacious in season one, also returns as a coffee shop owner who is also located near Aziraphale’s bookshop. Rounding out the panelists is Quelin, a new actor to the series, playing Muriel an Angel that arrives on earth to escape her boring job.
Neil did touch on the plot saying how he and Terry Pratchett had plotted an idea for the sequel years ago at a convention before Terry’s passing so he is happy where the story is going.
While it was sad not having Sheen, Tenent, or Hamm in person the panel was a lively one and I’m very much looking to see the second season when it drops.
Additionally we now know the second season is set to drop on Prime video during the Summer of 2023.
For fans lucky enough to get through in the NYCC reservation system there was a surprise Good Omens cast signing which gave them the opportunity to briefly meet and chat with the cast and get a signed poster and personal item.
Prime Video Wheel of Time Season 2 and Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power
For fantasy lover Prime Video also had a double panel on the Empire stage for two of their larger shows The Wheel of Time and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The Wheel of Time cast and showrunner Rafe Judkins took some time to reflect on the first season and provided some sneak peaks for the upcoming second season.
While The Rings of Power was closing in on their final episodes fans were given a chance to get an in-depth panel discussion from cast before the final episode aired.
Similar to Good Omens fans that were fast enough in the reservation system were able to get a spot for a cast signing for The Rings of Power.
Prime Video The Peripheral
Not much was really teased about the upcoming Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan sci-fi thriller show The Peripheral leading up to the convention however Prime Video stepped up their game by not only hosting a panel also dedicating their booth presence to their newest show.
The panel saw stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Jack Reynor, Gary Carr, T’Nia Miller, and JJ Feild, as well as executive producers Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, creator and showrunner Scott B. Smith, and director Vincenzo Natali come out to talk about this new show. Based on William Gibson’s best-selling novel of the same name The Peripheral follows Flynne Fisher (Moretz) a women living in a forgotten corner in 2032 America, where technology has altered society, trying to hold her broken family together who discovers a dark connection she has to an alternate reality set in London 70 years in the future.
Fans in attendance of the panel were also given a really neat poster promoting the show
On the show floor Prime Video welcomed fans into their Forever Fab 3D print shop experience. While appearing outwardly as a strip mall outpost guests were instead immersed into the world of The Peripheral by watching everything from 3D printed candies to Flynne’s Peripheral headset (which is used by her in the trailer to travel to the future London) get printed right in front of them. After you are led out the back of the shop a voice from the future urged us toward an unknown “sim” and the mysteries that lie beyond.
The cast even came over to the booth to check out the Fab 3D print shop on Saturday morning before their panel.
The show has already debuted on Prime Video and I encourage you to check it out.
Audible The Sandman Act III
Neil Gaiman wasn’t quite done with comic con quite yet though. Working with DC and Audible, the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, Neil helped celebrate the release of The Sandman: Act III by bring an immersive and interactive audio storytelling experience to life with their The Sandman Dream Portal installation.
Prior to entering the experience a Satyr of the woods does come out to warn those that enter that the themes explored in the experience are like those of the graphic novel adult in nature and that those who may not be up for it should not enter.
Those that do decide to continue and enter The Dreaming are welcomed by the voice of Neil Gaiman acting as the narrator for the experience. Fans were then given a taste of different dreamscapes within the Act III story line including Despair’s Realm, The City of Bubastis, and the Dream Gallery all with audio and video from the scenes in the audiobook.
Neil Gaiman and Mason Alexander Park were also able to spend some time at the experience during the convention.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Neil Gaiman and Mason Alexander Park attend as Audible And Neil Gaiman Celebrate “The Sandman: Act III” With “The Sandman Dream Portal By Audible And DC” Experience At NYCC at Jacob Javits Center on October 07, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Audible) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Neil Gaiman attends as Audible and Neil Gaiman celebrate “The Sandman: Act III” with “The Sandman Dream Portal by Audible and DC” Experience at NYCC on October 07, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Audible) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Neil Gaiman attends as Audible and Neil Gaiman celebrate “The Sandman: Act III” with “The Sandman Dream Portal by Audible and DC” Experience at NYCC on October 07, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Audible) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Mason Alexander Park attends as Audible And Neil Gaiman Celebrate “The Sandman: Act III” With “The Sandman Dream Portal By Audible And DC” Experience At NYCC at Jacob Javits Center on October 07, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Audible) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Neil Gaiman and Mason Alexander Park attend as Audible and Neil Gaiman celebrate “The Sandman: Act III” with “The Sandman Dream Portal by Audible and DC” Experience at NYCC on October 07, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Audible) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Mason Alexander Park and Neil Gaiman attend as Audible And Neil Gaiman Celebrate “The Sandman: Act III” With “The Sandman Dream Portal By Audible And DC” Experience At NYCC at Jacob Javits Center on October 07, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Audible)
Audible has been known to put on similar events at New York Comic Con with a The Sandman: Act II experience last year and a Pottermore Harry Potter Pensieve Experience back in 2018 and they are always a nice escape from the hectic convention scene.
About The Sandman: Act III
The Sandman: Act III continues to bring to aural life the world of The New York Times best-selling graphic novel, The Sandman, created by Neil Gaiman and published by DC. The third installment which covers Brief Lives and Worlds Ends is again adapted and directed by co-executive producer Dirk Maggs and narrated by Gaiman, who also returns as creative director and co-executive producer, with original score from BAFTA Award-winning composer James Hannigan.
Returning to the Audible Sandman universe is series star, James McAvoy in the title role as well as Kat Dennings as Death, Miriam Margolyes as Despair, Justin Vivian Bond as Desire, Jeffrey Wright as Destiny, Kristen Schaal as Delirium, Andy Serkis, Riz Ahmed, Regé-Jean Page, Kevin Smith, Bebe Neuwirth, Niamh Walsh, Arthur Darvill, Ray Porter, Shruti Haasan, Billy Boyd, and a full ensemble cast. Joining the cast of Audible’s Sandman franchise for the first time are David Harewood as Destruction, Wil Wheaton as Brant Tucker, and KJ Apa as Prez.
The first installment in the audio franchise The Sandman stands as the best-selling Audible Original in the company’s history with the second installment The Sandman: Act II being their second best-selling Audible Original in the Premium catalog in the first 90 days of release.
