ICv2 to Host ‘Insider Sessions’ Seminar at New York Comic Con 2017
Ashley Eckstein, founder of Her Universe, a fangirl focused merchandise producer, will deliver the keynote speech at ‘Insider Sessions’, a new half-day trade news and research conference hosted by pop culture news site ICv2, to be held on October 5 at the Javits center during New York Comic Con.
Along with Eckstein, Insider Sessions speakers will include ICv2 CEO Milton Griepp, Forbes pop culture analyst Rob Salkowitz and NPD BookScan executive Kristen Mclean.
Traditionally every year ICv2 hosts a professional seminar at New York Comic Con on the pop culture business. Insider Sessions represents a partnership between ICv2 and NYCC to provide a new level of professional research and discussion on the global pop culture business.
Tickets for Insider Sessions can be purchased at the New York Comic Con website. New York Comic Con will be held October 5-8 at the Javits Convention Center.
ICv2 CEO Milton Griepp said Insider Sessions is geared “towards professionals in the publishing, licensing and merchandise industries, will be the platform for discussion this year’s show.”
"ICv2 has been doing conference events at New York Comic Con since the first year, and it's been a great partnership,” Griepp said. “NYCC has grown to be a huge event for the business of geek culture, and this year ReedPOP suggested that we collaborate in taking business content at the show to a new level,” he said.
Eckstein, a well-known voice-actress and fashion designer, is the founder of Her Universe, a company focused on merchandise and apparel for female pop culture fans, will deliver the keynote address.
"I founded Her Universe a little over seven years ago and my life has been immersed in the business side of the pop-culture industry ever since. From building the business to selling the business, from licensing to manufacturing to publishing, I've learned so much and I am eager to pass on some of the knowledge I've gained,” she said.
In addition to Eckstein, Griepp will deliver his annual White Paper on comics, graphic novel and manga sales and market trends over the past year.
Kristen McLean, NPD BookScan executive director of new business development will look at the growth of comics readers in the traditional book market, identifying the demographics around graphic novel buying and compare these new fans to consumers in the comic shop market and those who purchase their comcs online.
And Forbes pop culture analyst and ICv2 columnist Rob Salkowitz will look at new tools for analyzing social media data to learn more about the overall impact of an ever-growing, more influential geek culture on the broad pop culture industry.
Lance Fensterman, Global Head of ReedPOP, the parent company of New York Comic Con, said, "This will be an amazing opportunity to hear from industry leaders about the future of geek culture, along with expert research and analysis detailing the current state of comics & graphic novels in bookstores and in the comic store market."
