New York Comic Con may be the main event, but before the celebrities arrive, there’s a whole Super Week of events by and for fans from Oct. 5-11. Here are some of our favorites (check the link for the full listing.) Crossplay Cosplay Contest Long before Marvel decided to make Thor a woman in the comics or introduced its first Muslim superhero, the real world diversity of fandom was already on display among cosplayers who didn’t let things like gender or race stop them from dressing up as their favorite heroes. The diversity-championing FanBros podcast hosts this special costume contest to celebrate the talent and creativity of fandom — and challenge what heroes can look like. Aces & Operatives: Spy 101 Nobody else is Tom Cruise-hanging-off-a-plane-during-takeoff ambitious, but you probably already have some spy skills if you’ve ever gamed a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book. Hone your CIA application at this spy school that plunges you into a command center to complete missions in various departments. There’s even a real mole among you to test your skills. Graduate, and you’ll be named a special agent. Next stop, “The X-Files”? Blade Rave After “Twilight” and “The Uptown Showdown: Superheroes vs. Villains The boundaries between heroes and villains have blurred to the point that, somehow, Heath Ledger’s Joker came out as the sympathetic one in “The Dark Knight.” So who are we rooting for, anyway? Debaters will include Janeane Garofalo, an “I Love Superman” alum from Upright Citizens Brigade and a “Daily Show” writer, plus lots of audience participation so arrive prepared; knowing your history is just as important here as your grand unified theory of why Hollywood can’t make a good Superman film anymore. Draw-Mania! Superheroes may be capable of fantastic things, but they’re all modeled on real people (even the Hulk!) Try figure drawing for yourself at these sessions, where “interestingly costumed” models pose for anywhere between 30 seconds and 20 minutes. The classes are BYO paper and materials, so bring anything from charcoal to watercolors, and try keeping one foot in the real world while letting your creativity inspire what ends up on the page.
Oct. 7, 8-9:30 p.m.
Latitude Bar and Grill, 783 Eighth Ave.
$10
Oct. 10, 8-11 p.m.
Grotta Azzurra, 177 Mulberry St.
$35-$50
Oct. 9, 7:30-11 p.m.
Terminal 5, 610 W. 56th St.
$56
Vampire Diaries,” the blood-sucking genre could use a little of the late-’90s grit of “Blade.” Enter event masters BBQ Films, who have lined up everything short of Wesley Snipes to put you in the movie’s world with an old-school rave featuring dancers, sword-fighting and roving vamps from Poisonous Pinups. But what you’re really there for is the (synthetic) blood rain as The Crystal Method reprogram your pulse with thumping beats.
Oct. 8, 8-9:30 p.m.
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway
$15
Oct. 6, 9-10:45 p.m.; Oct. 10, 7-8:45 p.m.
DiMenna Center, 450 W. 37th St.
$20
The best events of New York Comic Con’s Super Week
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