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Jet City Comic Con
Sep. 24th, 2011 10:51 pmSo THAT was quite a different Convention Experience than what I'm used to...
Every time I go to a comic book convention, I get there at least two hours before the doors open. I promise myself that I won't make any purchases till I've been around the entire convention to check everything out, and even then I swear I'm not going to make any purchases till the end of the convention when dealers are more likely to "Deal". This of course only lasts till the first table where I immediately buy more stuff than I need and then try to pace myself by going to a bunch of panel discussions. End of the day I usually go home with a few boxes of stuff that dealers were just tired of taking back and forth from their store to conventions.
Today, however, I had Crystal with me :)
She took the time to inventory my Justice League collection for me and make a list of the missing issues. AN ACTUAL GOAL!!!
We didn't show up till about 20 minutes after the convention had started. No lines, no fuss, just buy a ticket and walk right in. WEIRD.
I made it all the way around the dealers room making only ONE PURCHASE, and that was just $1. DOUBLE WEIRD!
Despite a lot of going back and forth and appreciating great art and toys and other merchandise all day long, the VAST MAJORITY of my $50 self-imposed budget went to the most GLORIOUS QUARTER BINS YOU HAVE EVER SEEN!!!
These bins were FULL of silver-age and Bronze-Age comics! I was pulling out Dell Comics, Gold Key, Carlton... real obscure collector stuff that usually gets lost in all the Super Hero Hullaballoo. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Yogi Bear, Dyno-Mutt, Flintstones... I was also pulling out great runs of early 1970's Superman and Justice League of America, along with most of my missing Justics League issues (Giffen/DeMatties)! This is all the stuff that I'm used to seeing go for at least a buck an issue if not more like $2 or even $5 and issue, and here I was getting them 4 for a dollar!
I eventually just ended up making a deal with the guy, ended up spending about $30 for a long box full of comics (he had been asking for $60 per box and no one was going for it).
I also found a comic for 25-cents written by one of my favorite writers, Brandon Jerwa, and he was one of the guests there today! I decided that I needed to go get it signed by him.
What I *meant* to say to Brandon Jerwa: "Hey, that Holiday issue you did was great! Ever since you told me about it last year I've been waiting for it and then I got it and WOW nice main-stream Christmas Carol theme! It didn't come off as forced or contrived, it fit in great with the regular pacing of the overall series! It was $6 well spent and I was really bummed that I couldn't find my copy in time to bring it here today for you to sign but LOOK! Just seconds ago I found this in a QUARTER BIN! Can you believe it??? If you wouldn't mind, could you please sign this for me?"
What I *DID* Say to Brandon Jerwa: "Hey, look what I found in the Quarter Bins over there! I've been scouring those bins all day! Yes, please sign it!"
What I'm sure it *sounded like* to Brandon Jerwa: "Your stuff is crap, look! I found it in the QUARTER BIN along with all the over-hyped copies of X-Force #1 and Bloodstryke! This is the most any sane person would ever pay for your tripe! Sign it? Sure, why not... you can't make it be worth any LESS, can you? Great, thanks... now I know what to keep in the bathroom for Emergency Toilet Paper".
Every time I go to a comic book convention, I get there at least two hours before the doors open. I promise myself that I won't make any purchases till I've been around the entire convention to check everything out, and even then I swear I'm not going to make any purchases till the end of the convention when dealers are more likely to "Deal". This of course only lasts till the first table where I immediately buy more stuff than I need and then try to pace myself by going to a bunch of panel discussions. End of the day I usually go home with a few boxes of stuff that dealers were just tired of taking back and forth from their store to conventions.
Today, however, I had Crystal with me :)
She took the time to inventory my Justice League collection for me and make a list of the missing issues. AN ACTUAL GOAL!!!
We didn't show up till about 20 minutes after the convention had started. No lines, no fuss, just buy a ticket and walk right in. WEIRD.
I made it all the way around the dealers room making only ONE PURCHASE, and that was just $1. DOUBLE WEIRD!
Despite a lot of going back and forth and appreciating great art and toys and other merchandise all day long, the VAST MAJORITY of my $50 self-imposed budget went to the most GLORIOUS QUARTER BINS YOU HAVE EVER SEEN!!!
These bins were FULL of silver-age and Bronze-Age comics! I was pulling out Dell Comics, Gold Key, Carlton... real obscure collector stuff that usually gets lost in all the Super Hero Hullaballoo. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Yogi Bear, Dyno-Mutt, Flintstones... I was also pulling out great runs of early 1970's Superman and Justice League of America, along with most of my missing Justics League issues (Giffen/DeMatties)! This is all the stuff that I'm used to seeing go for at least a buck an issue if not more like $2 or even $5 and issue, and here I was getting them 4 for a dollar!
I eventually just ended up making a deal with the guy, ended up spending about $30 for a long box full of comics (he had been asking for $60 per box and no one was going for it).
I also found a comic for 25-cents written by one of my favorite writers, Brandon Jerwa, and he was one of the guests there today! I decided that I needed to go get it signed by him.
What I *meant* to say to Brandon Jerwa: "Hey, that Holiday issue you did was great! Ever since you told me about it last year I've been waiting for it and then I got it and WOW nice main-stream Christmas Carol theme! It didn't come off as forced or contrived, it fit in great with the regular pacing of the overall series! It was $6 well spent and I was really bummed that I couldn't find my copy in time to bring it here today for you to sign but LOOK! Just seconds ago I found this in a QUARTER BIN! Can you believe it??? If you wouldn't mind, could you please sign this for me?"
What I *DID* Say to Brandon Jerwa: "Hey, look what I found in the Quarter Bins over there! I've been scouring those bins all day! Yes, please sign it!"
What I'm sure it *sounded like* to Brandon Jerwa: "Your stuff is crap, look! I found it in the QUARTER BIN along with all the over-hyped copies of X-Force #1 and Bloodstryke! This is the most any sane person would ever pay for your tripe! Sign it? Sure, why not... you can't make it be worth any LESS, can you? Great, thanks... now I know what to keep in the bathroom for Emergency Toilet Paper".
