Got some signatures...

My youngest son and I just got back from the Con. We had a really good time. As we were waiting to get in we mapped out where the CGC booth was and then where the comic creators, Peter David and Bret Blevins, were going to be. The doors opened and we made a beeline for the CGC booth.

Mike was there as always...super nice guy, and I met another board member who worked at CGC as well...beer30. He let me know that the first thing I needed to do was go make sure the artists and writers I wanted to have sign my books were where they were supposed to be. So my son and I went to their booths...on the complete other side of the Con. Luckily they were there. My son stayed with Peter David while I went back to the CGC booth to grab beer30 as my witness.

Our first stop was Bret Blevins. Nine out 10 books bagofleas sent me to have signed were for Bret. I took them out of the box and Bret signed them all no problem. He said he had never seen anyone prep their books like bagofleas had...windows were cut out of the backing boards where the signatures should go, and even the desired marker color was noted on the board. He was a nice guy and I think was appreciative of the care that went into prepping the books. He was telling, I think his wife, which issues they were just based on what was visible through the cutouts. He was like, remember this one?

I also had Bret sign a book for me, and even gave him an unsolicited twenty bucks to draw a little Wolverine head on the cover. The issue? Well, I searched a database online to see what he had drawn and found one issue of Xmen, number 211, in my collection which had been previously graded 9.8 and given to me by the immensely generous and all around good guy, Ronnylama. To top it off, bagofleas was very kind to give me an unnecessary but appreciated monetary thank you for getting his books graded. I was able to use this money to pay for having this book regraded after Bret signed it. So now I will have a high grade, signed and sketched copy of Xmen 211 completely given to me by my fellow board members and friends on this site. How cool is that?

As Bret was finishing up the last of the signatures my son came over to see where we were. He told me someone had asked Peter David how he was doing after his stroke and Peter David was like, does everyone know I had a stroke or what? I believe this happened a while back but I still dont think it was something he was comfortable talking about so I didnt say anything about it when I met him. He was kind enough to sign a few books for me...Hulk issues featuring Xmen characters of course...and one for bagofleas. Then beer30 took a pic of me with Peter...see below.

All comics now signed and in hand, we headed back to the CGC booth. I thought, man I will be glad to drop off these books and be done with the stress of handling these high grade beauties that arent my own. Dont get me wrong, I'm glad I was able to help bagofleas get a few signatures for his New Mutants set, but it was a little nerve wracking. What happens next...the CGC guys asked if I had Golden Age bags to put the books in since they were exposed where the signatures were and they needed to be protected. Um, no...I dont have Golden or Silver Age bags on me. So, we had to take all the books out of their bags and turn them around so the backing board faced the cutouts in the bag. We got through it though and thank goodness bagofleas selected pressing as well so even if there had been any mishandling, they should be in the same or better condition than before.

Wow, this journal got long, sorry. So thats about it. It was fun to meet Peter and Bret. The Con itself wasnt as great as the Amazing AZ Con that was here in January, but my son and I had a great time nonetheless and we are looking forward to going again next year.

Til next time...

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