When they became available, I was slow in pulling the trigger on a two or three day pass for NYComicCon. Time passed and I completely forgot about it. Like SDCC, tickets sold quickly. In late summer, a new job came along, and Thursday became the only day I could find a ticket and committ... so I took it... one day is better than none.

Sadly, with my signature ambitions, one day is/was not enough, especially with the truncated hours Thursday has to offer. If I had Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday, I know I would have accomplished what I set out to do. For example, last year, what I couldn't finish on the first day, I left open invoices behind with the CGC and picked up right where I left off the following day. And I got most everything accomplished. This time around, I had no such luxury.

I was looking forward to getting Francisco Francavilla's inscription on three (3) different comic titles: Afterlife with Archie #1, and Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #'s 8 and 9. I had multiple copies of each and would have asked him to sign a total of 9 comics.

I also wanted to score the signatures of Mark Morales and Olivier Coipel, and was hoping to achieve my first quad signature piece on GOTG 6, but they were either conducting business elsewhere... perhaps somewhere on the main exhibitor floor or in comic panels... or they were no-shows.

For the most part, I was a denizen of Artist Alley and chose to stay away from the mayhem of the upper level or the adjacent lower level where the panels and celebrity signings take place. I only ventured to see the main floor when i closed my invoices... which i had to do when the Francavilla booth had quietly materialized a handwritten signage reading "Cancelled". Oh well, that's life. I hope to have the opportunity next year to meet the man, and finish what I started.

What I did get done, I'm really happy with. Coincidentally, the comics i got signatures for and submitted for grading, have one theme in common: an appearance by Angela, aka Aldriff Odinsdotter, Thor's long lost sister, and Asgards newest citizen.

So this is what the day yielded:

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #5: 4 copies signed by Sara Pichelli.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #6: 5 copies signed by Sara Pichelli and Justin Ponsor.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #7: 4 copies signed by Sara Pichelli and Justin Ponsor.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #10: 4 copies signed by Kevin Maguire and Justin Ponsor.

Aria Angela European Tour Ashcan: 2 copies signed by Jay Anacleto.

Aria Angela #1 Tower Records Variant: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto.

Aria Angela #1 Whilce Portacio Variant Cover: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto.

Aria Angela #1 Whilce Portacio Holo Foil Variant Cover: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto.

Aria Angela #2 Gold Edition Variant: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto.

Aria Angela #2 Chris Bachalo Variant Cover: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto.

and lastly...

Aria #4 Glow in the Dark Cover: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto.

The last comic, for some absurd reason, features Angela on the cover, yet in no way does she appear in the actual story or subsequent issue(s). So why bother to put her on the cover? It kinda acts like a one page preview of the Aria Angela two-issue series, and it happens to be the same cover featured on the Aria Angela European Ashcan Tour.

As far as a prediction of grades, I am always hoping for the higgest possible example, but realistically, I doubt any of the comics will grade at 9.8. I'm guessing they'll garner grade ranges between 9.0 - 9.6, but I'm hoping fate proves me wrong and gifts me some 9.8's or higher.

A big shout out goes to the hardest working man at the CGC Signature booth, Michael Balent... you make every year coming back a pleasure!

Kudos to Bree for her hard work. And lastly, a big thank you to all the red shirt witnesses... thanks for being there for us.

Although I head back to work tomorrow, I'm already looking forward to next year and hopefully a three (3) days attendance pass.

I'll leave you tonight with an image of a free comic book given away by energy drink makers SK.

Best of luck to all those submitting comics this weekend at NYCC.

Thanks for reading and happy collecting!

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