City geeks unite! But only online

The Big Apple’s biggest geek fest is the latest coronavirus casualty.

This year’s edition of New York Comic Con has been canceled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally scheduled to be held at the Javits Center from Oct. 8 to 11, organizer ReedPop said it’ll forgo a physical event to team with a U.K. convention and create a virtual one.

“We may not be meeting in the queue hall each morning, but we’re excited to join forces with our sister event, MCM Comic Con in London, to bring you New York Comic Con’s Metaverse, our new online portal dedicated to delivering pop culture experiences, right into your homes NYCC weekend, Oct. 8-11,” organizers said Tuesday in a release.

“We are partnering with YouTube to bring to life four days of incredible content from the biggest studios, publishers and creators in the business. This is your chance to interact with your favorite creators and celebrity guests, and most importantly, the opportunity to engage with other members of this vibrant community of ours.”

A full list of attendees and events, as well as ways to purchase exclusive merchandise from home, will be made available shortly, organizers said. New York Comic Con is also planning to hold more one-off virtual events, including roundtables, networking events, seminars and educational programs.

Organizers said anyone interested in a sneak peek at what to expect from the online version of New York Comic Con should virtually attend the debut Metaverse event, being held Aug. 13-16.

“While we won’t be able to geek out with each other in person this year, we’re working hard to make sure Metaverse August and October will deliver unique experiences to help fill some of the longing we all have to get back to a convention,” the event team added. “We’re doing everything we can to make sure that when it is safe for us to be together again, you’ll have the same amazing experience you’ve come to expect from NYCC.”