6 Best New York City Bars For Comic Nerds

Ah, fall is finally here. Breathe in and smell the crisp leaves and... musty stormtrooper outfits? And what's that off in the distance, the rattle of inhalers?

The "nerd" subculture is a vast and intricate landscape, with enough little nooks and crevices to fit the bill of whatever form of fantasy or sci-fi calls to you. And in New York City, card-carrying comic geeks can even find a bar to match their particular brand of nerd.

Fans of the Victorian sci-fi genre known as Steampunk, for example, might be found congregating post-conference at The Way Station or Lillie's Victorian Establishment — showing off their handmade costumes and gadgets as well as their drinking skills, and meeting other enthusiasts to trade H. G. Wells quotes and tips on spot-welding an antique laptop. Even for those not donning the proper Victorian corsets and top hats, a sense of awe at the complex costumes and a desire to enter into their collective fantasy is all you need.

Maybe, however, you skew towards the dark — favoring the gothic subculture of vampires and werewolves, in which case your destination will be The Slaughtered Lamb, a werewolf-themed bar with its own dungeon. Or perhaps you're a superhero kind of comic lover, with t-shirts of every Justice League emblem, in which case the Gotham City Lounge will be your destination. And hey, even those attending the next-door Anime Festival have a place to go after a long day of geeking out: the neon, post-dystopian Bento Burger.

The Comic Con scene is hardly just attracting one kind of fan anymore, but if there is any place varied enough to keep up with all the subcultures, it's New York City, where there is something for everybody, including the giant six-foot-seven guy painted red from head to tail. So once the first night of the 'Con is over and you and your X-Men crew pour out onto the streets looking for a place to get Logan his damn beer, check this list and see which bar has the right scene for you (and bring Cyclops along if you have to, but he's kind of a buzzkill).

Click here for the 6 Best New York City Bars for Comic Nerds Slideshow.