The oldest video game I've found at this year's New York Comic-Con is from 1977. That's the same years that Star Wars -- whose merchandise dominates the show -- made its theatrical debut. In contrast, I've seen comics and artwork dating back to the '40s, maybe even earlier. There are movie goods based on The Wizard of Oz, which memory tells me dates from the '30s.
Video games are newcomers on the stage of nerd culture, and shows like this are stark reminders of that fact. Games have a respectable showing here to be sure, but compared to the breadth and depth of comic- and film-related material, you can't help but realize the curators of game history need to step it up.
Nowhere is this more obvious than in pricing. The most expensive game-related thing I've seen do far are those R2-D2 Xbox 360s with integrated projectors ($1200), and those are hand-made custom jobs. On the other hand, I saw an issue of the Gold Key Star Trek comics that I remember reading at my grandparents' house 30 years ago and dismissing because it wasn't Star Trek. Its asking price? $800 (you better believe I'm kicking myself for not hanging on to it).
And that's only one of thousands of comics on sale here for three, four, even five figures. The original art for the cover of Wolverine #41 (which is only about 20 years old) is selling for $15,000. The really pricey stuff -- graded comics from the Golden Age and associated art boards -- isn't even listed with a price. Like high fashion, if you have to ask, you couldn't afford it anyway.
Not that there's anything wrong with being a brash young medium. The game-related booths are by far the most energetic and interesting at the show. Not to mention the most popular. Still, perspective is interesting. Wouldn't it be interesting if dealers were selling original Mario design sketches at trade shows 50 years from now?
Just kidding; Nintendo would never let that material out of its sight.
Also, that Penguin artwork above isn't a scene from Arkham City. But don't you wish it were?
Source: http://www.1up.com/news/nycc-sense-gaming-relative-place-world
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