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**johnnystorm** · Jan 1, '10, 10:43 AM

I had the same experience with Murphy Anderson years ago in Scranton Pa. He and his wife impeccably dressed, suit & tie, noone talking to him. We had a nice conversation about his Sci-Fi work at DC and he did me an Adam Strange sketch free.

Al Williamson was another great guy. I approached him and asked if he could do me a sketch. He said sure it was $20. So he does this quick little Flash Gordon sketch that was excellent. His son comes up and says "Oh, he's not doing sketches anymore, his health isn't good. I have a sign up saying so!" He tells the kid to back off, hands me the sketch. I go to give him the cash and he says" That's not very good, it's really a bad drawing, I can't take your money for it." and shuffles me off with it.

And at Baltimore last year, Evan Dorkin was just a great, great guy. Very funny, chatty, and when he handed my books back to me, he'd done a Milk & Cheese sketch on the inside cover.

Worst experiences:

Walt Simonson a few years ago, kept wandering off and closing his line. We got in his line three times, he'd sign 5-6 people's stuff, then say how tired he was and get up and leave. His wife Louise was left there telling us to come back later, obviously embarrassed. Finally he did sign my books, but did so walking down the line and holding the books, a quick sig & on to the next.

Howard Chaykin had a comment for every book you handed him, but this was unbeliveable: He thumbs through the comic, says "Isn't this a funny line I wrote? Let me go show this to Jim Starlin" And then he walked away for 5 minutes to show his funny line to somebody! With my book! I had to stand and wait for him to bring it back and sign it!

I hate the creators who go to cons and then refuse to sign books, or sit there doing sketches and tell you to come back at such & such a time. Among those- Mark Texiera, who sat there chatting to the guy next to him until 4 pm, then signed until 4:30. Mike Grell same thing, 4-4:30 while doing sketch work. And Tim Sale at Baltimore was ridiculous. He would sign only for the last ten minutes of each hour, and everytime we approached him he refused anyway.

**Blue Meanie** · Jan 1, '10, 11:19 AM

Originally posted by johnnystorm

Worst experiences:

Walt Simonson a few years ago, kept wandering off and closing his line. We got in his line three times, he'd sign 5-6 people's stuff, then say how tired he was and get up and leave. His wife Louise was left there telling us to come back later, obviously embarrassed. Finally he did sign my books, but did so walking down the line and holding the books, a quick sig & on to the next.

Howard Chaykin had a comment for every book you handed him, but this was unbeliveable: He thumbs through the comic, says "Isn't this a funny line I wrote? Let me go show this to Jim Starlin" And then he walked away for 5 minutes to show his funny line to somebody! With my book! I had to stand and wait for him to bring it back and sign it!

I hate the creators who go to cons and then refuse to sign books, or sit there doing sketches and tell you to come back at such & such a time. Among those- Mark Texiera, who sat there chatting to the guy next to him until 4 pm, then signed until 4:30. Mike Grell same thing, 4-4:30 while doing sketch work. And Tim Sale at Baltimore was ridiculous. He would sign only for the last ten minutes of each hour, and everytime we approached him he refused anyway.

Wow...I'm really surprised about Walt. He does have a little bit of an ADD thing...Maybe it was a bad day.

As for Chaykin...yeah, he's a little full of himself. Not one of my better experiences at a con.

Had a good experience with Grell...but that may have been because I gave him a Custom Mego Jon Sable figure with Custom Box. He was sitting next to Mike Gold...I think he was editor of Sable when it was at First Comics, and was geeked out about the Custom Figure showing Gold the figure. At the time Grell was saying how he was working on a Sable Movie.

Little side note...this is to all the guys that tote around BOXES filled with comics to be autographed...just stop. This may be one of the reasons that some of the nicer artist/writers/creators get a bit nasty at shows...and you are also ticking of the rest of the line that's waiting to get one autograph. Standing with 20 copies of the same book to get autographed. That's why before a con I will pick out what in my opinion is a pinnacle of a certain artist or writer...ONE BOOK...not TWENTY. Just one of my BIG pet peeves for comic cons.

**johnnystorm** · Jan 1, '10, 12:47 PM

I got Grell a few times before so I haven't even bothered the past few years. Once you get the Warlord, Sable, & Green Arrow stuff there's not much left.

Michael Turner was a super-nice guy to meet a cons, but people would be bringing him 400 books to sign, which he would do. Other great creators are J. Scott Campbell, Matt Fraction, Don Rosa,Frank Cho, Stan Sakai, oh, and John Cassady. Cassady was at Baltimore a couple years ago and would do a free head sketch for anybody that asked (I got a nice Lone Ranger!). The Dynamite people told him he should stop so the line would speed up and he refused saying the fans were good enough to wait for him (he arrived late) so they deserved something in return!

Sometimes it's difficult to decide what to get signed, especially by somebody whose body of work is simply amazing ( a John Romita or a Joe Kubert). I try to limit myself to 5 books per person. And I try to get the people I don't have anything from first, and the ones I do have only a few. I usually only have a short box at a big con (actually, Baltimore is really the only one I attend anyway), and that box is only half full, saving the rest of the space for shopping. And I'm grateful for the good nature of my wife, who while having little interest in comics anyway, is more than happy to go stand in a line for me...which has been very lucky since she's a bit of a friendly chatty cathy, who for whatever reason manages to come back with a head sketch or such on my books. But since she doesn't really know the comics, she doesn't hold up the line with endless questions of the William Shatner variety ("In issue #399 of Unimaginable X-men, what was going through your mind when you drew Nightcrawler's tail pointing to the left in panel 4 on page 19?"). Another peeve of mine.

Yeah, it's really annoying to get in line behind somebody with a trolly of boxes to get signed...and they never seem to be organized either, sorting through the stuff in front of the artist. I couldn't imagine trying to drag 5-6 long boxes around on a wagon all weekend then getting them in and out to my hotel or vehicle. Not to mention blocking te already narrow con aisles.
A lot of creators too are starting to put a limit on stuff signed, such as 5 books for free then a buck each after. Neal Adams was $5.00 a signature per item but you decided quickly what was important to have signed!

Oh and here's a tip:

Stan Lee will sign comics through the mail for free, just send the SASE with correct postage (use forever stamps!). Turnaround of a week or two only..I've had success twice from him.
Address is:
STAN LEE
c/o POW ENTERTAINMENT
9440 SANTA MONICA BLVD. STE 620
BEVERLY HILLS, CA. 90210

A great opportunity when you consider the prices that Dynamic Forces charge for Stan's auto on their website!

**Blue Meanie** · Jan 1, '10, 1:15 PM

See, you learn something new everyday. I didn't know Stan signed for free through the mail. That's very cool.

One box I can see...but the ones that tote multiple boxes are just annoying. I remember when Walt did his second signing at my friends shop...I think it was the 3rd or 4th issue into his run on Thor...One of my friends customers bought 50!!! Copies of Thor 338 knowing in advance that Walt was going to do a signing. The day comes for the signing and I told my friend "Are you kidding me?? This guy is gonna hold this up for at least a half hour or more..." So Walt would sign 2 copies and then take the next fan on line and sign their's and then go back and forth to sign the customers 50 2 at a time. The customer was annoyed to say the least...serves him right though.

**johnnystorm** · Jan 1, '10, 1:34 PM

Yeah, it's one thing to have two copies of a book you like, but 50 copies is just blatently for resale. I also like to tell creators that it's fine to personalize the book to me. When I'm dead & gone, if the family wants to sell my signed books well then ok. If the artist is anyone anyway, the personalization shouldn't matter, at least in my opinion. I can't imagine a future collector saying no I don't want Stan Lee's signature because it's made out to someone else. I'd gladly accept a book signed by Jack Kirby or Steve Ditko made out to someone else!

**Blue Meanie** · Jan 3, '10, 11:05 PM

Two of my favorites were Bob McLeod and Nick Cardy. McLeod because he was the last person on my X-Men 94 I needed to have the whole staff sign the book...took me 15 +Years. Cardy was just a complete blast. One of my Favorite artists...and it took me a long time to finally meet him. He kept doing shows like Charlotte...but never anything in the New York Metro area...Hell, I would have gone to Baltimore to meet him. When I finally got a chance to meet him I was totally geeked out. Probably the same I was when I got to meet Murphy Anderson. Just very nice man to meet and a very humble man.

Not a fan of getting sketches done at shows...but I think I will be bringing a book to the next couple I go to. More a fan of and Collector of Original/Comic Art...but I can't afford ANY Cardy Pages...even the ones with no main characters in them.

**johnnystorm** · Jan 4, '10, 12:00 AM

I'd like to meet Cardy...Teen Titans #23 is one of my favorite covers of alltime. He cancelled out of Baltimore last year, hoping he comes this time. Ramona Fradon is another I'd like to meet as well, but haven't managed to do so.

**goldenryan** · Jan 4, '10, 10:37 AM

anybody ever met kirby before he passed away?

**Riffster** · Jan 4, '10, 1:34 PM

I met Carmine Infantino and bought his book and he was doing sketches inside the covers, He was so old looking and brittle he was taking breaks doing sketches, but the handler/manager would be like ok he's taking a break and then he'd sign autographs as his break. I felt so bad. Glad i got the sketch but just felt like he was an old man not having a choice in being there

i had him sketch Robin for me and he had to ask what he looked like...

**Blue Meanie** · Jan 4, '10, 9:59 PM

Originally posted by Riffster

I met Carmine Infantino and bought his book and he was doing sketches inside the covers, He was so old looking and brittle he was taking breaks doing sketches, but the handler/manager would be like ok he's taking a break and then he'd sign autographs as his break. I felt so bad. Glad i got the sketch but just felt like he was an old man not having a choice in being there

i had him sketch Robin for me and he had to ask what he looked like...

We should call the "Handlers" what they really...money hungry scum. Tuska had one that was the worst. The so called handler was talking to George Tuska like he was a little child. REALLY ticked me off. I hate when people talk down to other people. Show people some respect for Christ's Sake.

Had the pleasure of meeting Carmine Ifinitino here in NY at the Big Apple National a few years back. Got him to autograph my Batman From the 30's - 70's.

As for Kirby...never had the honor of meeting the KING. I do have his autograph though in a 1975 Marvel Comic Con Program. Got to find those scans I have of the book.

**Steeler80** · Jan 4, '10, 10:08 PM

As far as comic legends, I've gotten to meet and speak a little with Dick Giordano (who I had corresponded with via email a few times before, although he didn't remember it) and George Perez.

Both were very nice. Giordano appeared hard of hearing and his wife had to relay the conversation a little so that made it hard to converse but he was very nice, Perez too.

My big convention regret is I was at one where Dave Cockrum was signing. His line was a little too long and I meant to check back later. Never did and he passed away the next year.

**BlackKnight** · Jan 4, '10, 11:01 PM

Originally posted by Riffster

I met Carmine Infantino and bought his book and he was doing sketches inside the covers, He was so old looking and brittle he was taking breaks doing sketches, but the handler/manager would be like ok he's taking a break and then he'd sign autographs as his break. I felt so bad. Glad i got the sketch but just felt like he was an old man not having a choice in being there

i had him sketch Robin for me and he had to ask what he looked like...

Man ...., Thats Harsh Stuff.., Sad.

**cjefferys** · Jan 4, '10, 11:38 PM

My favourite artist to meet was Al Williamson. Really nice guy, I had him sign a couple of my old ECs. Only EC artist I ever had the chance to meet.

I never met Walt Simonson, but I once sold him something on ebay about 10 years ago (a carded Super Powers DeSaad figure). He was awesome to deal with, extremely friendly. I told him that I was going to waive my usual policy of holding checks until they clear in his case, because I was a fan. He laughed and told me to be really careful about trusting "comic book folks".

**goldenryan** · Jan 4, '10, 11:47 PM

Originally posted by Steeler80

As far as comic legends, I've gotten to meet and speak a little with Dick Giordano (who I had corresponded with via email a few times before, although he didn't remember it) and George Perez.

Both were very nice. Giordano appeared hard of hearing and his wife had to relay the conversation a little so that made it hard to converse but he was very nice, Perez too.

My big convention regret is I was at one where Dave Cockrum was signing. His line was a little too long and I meant to check back later. Never did and he passed away the next year.

that's sad, he was my favorite x-men artist.

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