Got Stan Lee's Autograph at Megacon Orlando- a few observations 0

[ADAMANTIUM]

They "say" Anastasia Collectibles has exclusiveness, but I was able to drop mine off to CGC before! Sometimes I guess they have private signings with Stan.... idk, but I've never paid for VIP...... I have enough lines to stand in for such as photo-op's with my brother and looking for artist's doing sketches; getting my name first day of the con for a sketch and picking up sketch on last day...

[jcjames]

Yep.

That's the basic "Level-1 Stan Experience" nowadays. It's a total cattle-chute and has been for years. Max stands directly in front of Stan while he slides your item in front of Stan, Stan signs it probably not even seeing what it is, then Max slides it past to the other side and you have to go around Max. Stan rarely looks up and pictures are always swatted down.... well, almost always.

Last time I did the drill, I paid a little extra for the photo-op too. Was worth it for us, because it'll be the last time I get his sigs now that he's charging so much, and that as someone else pointed out, his signature goes bad quickly as he tires so if you're not early in line, you don't get good sigs.

 

Snuck this pick from behind Max as Stan was signing one of my books a few years ago. Heh, take that Max!

Edited May 29, 2017 by jcjames

[Mercury Man]

If by some miracle he comes back to MegaCon Orlando in 2018, I am not going anywhere near the place.  

I'll stick to the Tampa Comic Con.  

[kevhtx]

VIP at most cons that I have been to is line skip (not filter) and generally, its not a big deal (Ive been on both sides of the rope).

Most of the time, its only a couple/3 hundred people and they are spread out across the con. They might take up the first 15-20 minutes or so of a signing for a big name but thats about it. After that, 1 or 2 occasionally walk up and line skip the others but its not that big of an inconvenience. I think it just pisses people off that people are skipping the line. But, people are paying for access and its a hefty price tag. Ive paid it many times and like others have said, its to get as many books signed as I can get. I did it in Dallas last year and it helped me tremendously.

VIP access makes signing scheduling so much easier at a con and you don't have to pick/choose which creator sig you want. If celeb or creator A is signing from 3:00-5:00pm in Area DD and creator B is signing from 5:00pm - 6:00pm only in Area A, I don't have to worry about not being finishing with creator A signing and missing creator B. And, I didn't have to get into line early for creator A either. It really is a huge convenience IF you are planning to get a ton of books signed or books signed that would be valuable enough to justify the cost.

[kevhtx]

I found Stan very friendly at the breakfast at Fan Expo Dallas last year, but all the other times, he barely talked to me. I think he said hi or hello to me at LA Comic Con when he signed my ASM 1 (I bought VIP there though). But, that was about it. Its been really interesting getting things signed. When I saw Bernthal from a distance, he was dressed in black, wearing a hoodie with the hood up. He looked pissed and unapproachable. I was apprehensive to get his signature just because I figured he would be a tool. But, he was EXTREMELY nice. One of the nicest guys Ive met at a con. Rooker was nice, Anthony Daniels and I even found Adam West really nice and talkative, though others have found him opposite. Its really fun to have these experiences (even the bad ones. I had a really bad experience with Nichelle Nichols).

Edited May 29, 2017 by kevhtx

[TheRealVenom]

Totally agree Kev. Having Vip just makes my life so much easier to get all my sigs done in a couple trips Leaves me more time to enjoy the con and take in some pannels or hunt deals.

I did breakfast with stan last year and it was the meeting I hoped it would be. Got to thank him for everything and he was genuinely nice and thanked me for the kind words and told me how much he enjoyed being in Canada.

As for some of the other better celebs, Mark Hamill was really cool, shook my hand and everything. Charlie Cox was probably the best celeb iv'e met tho. Super humble, shook my hand and gave me one of those half bro hugs  chatted with me for a solid 4-5 mins and even took a couple selfies with me. Awesome dude!

Norman Reedus was by far the WORST celeb iv'e dealt with. Not only will he not take off his hat or glasses  in photo ops (Blew 200$) on a walking dead photo op with him and others,  But when I went to get his sig he was busy flirting with 2 girls in line ahead of me for a solid 10 mins, gave them an awesome signature and everything, When I got up he ignored my greeting, scribbled an N and R right on his face of the magazine I had given him, and handed it back to me. Total tool.

[Robert_L]

I got a VIP pass, simply for earlier access to the floor and panels.  VIP passes helped for anybody in the Signature area; Stan Lee, Actors, etc. 

The VIP passes did not help for any of the other autographs like Scottie Young, JSC, Amanda/Jimmy. You had to wait in line just like everybody else. I still had to wait to get onto the floor with other VIPs and sometimes wait in line with Exhbitors for access to sales items. Even still it was much better than waiting in line with the thousands.

I got my Stan Lee autograph last year on my ASM #300 and waited for 45 min for him to arrive and get through the line. I had VIP pass then too, since it was supposed to be his 'last tour' of the cons. I would not mind at all if they would sprinkle in another non-VIP person for every 5 VIPs. You're gonna wait for other VIPs ahead of you anyway. New York Comics were running it last year and it went smoothly.

The tickets were $400, and you got a goody bag with about $100 of stuff, a lounge to wait in, and free bag check which is more useful than you think.

Fortunately, CGC did have private signing with Adam Hughes and JSC which made things easier. Drop them off, let them take care of it, and go on your way.

[kevhtx]

14 hours ago, TheRealVenom said:

Norman Reedus was by far the WORST celeb iv'e dealt with. Not only will he not take off his hat or glasses  in photo ops (Blew 200$) on a walking dead photo op with him and others,  But when I went to get his sig he was busy flirting with 2 girls in line ahead of me for a solid 10 mins, gave them an awesome signature and everything, When I got up he ignored my greeting, scribbled an N and R right on his face of the magazine I had given him, and handed it back to me. Total tool.

I had heard he was a total D from someone else and I worked at a company who dealt with celebrities and we had a big issue with him being really high maintenance. When I met Rooker, he was flirting with the lady in line in front of us and was almost making out with her. It was actually funny and he was laughing and joking it up. Everyone in line loved him. His line moves so slow because he has fun with almost everyone. I think the people with an entourage (like Stan) usually are the ones who don't interact since their people usually don't let them. If you pay extra, their people know you are paying extra so they let more slide otherwise, it feels like inmate lunch line. 

I loved the panel with Todd McFarlane and Stan Lee (not sure how often they do that, but they did it in Dallas and at ECCC). In Dallas last year, after Shatner's solo, self-centered panel, I thought he would be a pr1ck too, but he was actually kinda cool to me as well. I was surprised.

[kevhtx]

4 hours ago, Robert_L said:

Fortunately, CGC did have private signing with Adam Hughes and JSC which made things easier. Drop them off, let them take care of it, and go on your way.

Yeah, this is another good idea if you don't care about actually meeting the creator. Ive done it or use facilitators. Costs a little more, but in the end, time+effort+money, facilitators can be a good deal.

[BeachBum]

14 hours ago, kevhtx said:

Yeah, this is another good idea if you don't care about actually meeting the creator. Ive done it or use facilitators. Costs a little more, but in the end, time+effort+money, facilitators can be a good deal.

Adam actually sat and signed at the CGC booth in MegaCon for some time as well as just signing the books that were dropped off.

[Jordysnordy]

I met Stan at a signing a few years ago and he was nothing but friendly - although it was a short conversation. I was very glad to have him sign my ASM 1. He get lots of heat for signing everything under the moon and stars and many object to him pimping himself out, but why shouldn't he cash in? I'm sure I can speak for many on the boards and say that he has brought us all thousands of hours of fun by creating such enduring characters that we still love today.

 

[AC813]

I've been to Mega Con 3 times prior to meet/get a signature and photo with Stan and I choose to sat this one out as it was his "last FL appearance" I figured it would be a madhouse and last year the lines weren't managed very well so I wasn't eager to spend big $$ on going back. The longer I am in this hobby the more disenchanted I become with the larger shows.

[flikhype]

3 hours ago, Jordysnordy said:

I met Stan at a signing a few years ago and he was nothing but friendly - although it was a short conversation. I was very glad to have him sign my ASM 1. He get lots of heat for signing everything under the moon and stars and many object to him pimping himself out, but why shouldn't he cash in? I'm sure I can speak for many on the boards and say that he has brought us all thousands of hours of fun by creating such enduring characters that we still love today.

 

migod....that's a mighty beautiful signature placing you got there......

[Jordysnordy]

24 minutes ago, flikhype said:

migod....that's a mighty beautiful signature placing you got there......

Thanks. I made a cut out box so he was able to sign exactly where I wanted.

[mschmidt]

On 5/28/2017 at 9:37 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

They "say" Anastasia Collectibles has exclusiveness, but I was able to drop mine off to CGC before! Sometimes I guess they have private signings with Stan.... idk, but I've never paid for VIP...... I have enough lines to stand in for such as photo-op's with my brother and looking for artist's doing sketches; getting my name first day of the con for a sketch and picking up sketch on last day...

I've been working shows for CGC for like 8 years now - I have never seen CGC do a private signing with Stan Lee, nor seen them allow people to drop off books for Stan Lee at the CGC booth. Stan Lee has pretty much always been handled by 3rd party facilitators.

Not saying it didn't happen - just saying it definitely isn't happening these days.

[ADAMANTIUM]

3 minutes ago, mschmidt said:

I've been working shows for CGC for like 8 years now - I have never seen CGC do a private signing with Stan Lee, nor seen them allow people to drop off books for Stan Lee at the CGC booth. Stan Lee has pretty much always been handled by 3rd party facilitators.

Not saying it didn't happen - just saying it definitely isn't happening these days.

I think your right the facilitator was handling Frank Miller and some others and I don't think that it was the "cgc booth" per se, I'm still new to all this and don't want to spread mis-information. Thanks for being polite, I might have just mispoke. After talking to the facillitator on these boards and looking for him at the con I get confused. I've looked for the CGC booth several times but always find the facillitator I talk to on the boards first....and usually he is happy to take my books.

[mschmidt]

2 minutes ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

I think your right the facilitator was handling Frank Miller and some others and I don't think that it was the "cgc booth" per se, I'm still new to all this and don't want to spread mis-information. Thanks for being polite, I might have just mispoke. After talking to the facillitator on these boards and looking for him at the con I get confused. I've looked for the CGC booth several times but always find the facillitator I talk to on the boards first....and usually he is happy to take my books.

If you don't want to stand in line (and don't care about meeting the person who's signing your books), using a facilitator is really the way to go 

[Mercury Man]

I am really just disappointed in the flow of things.  I left pretty much with a full wallet, after standing in line for 4 hours.

I wanted to shop, but by the time they finally started letting the peasants in, I was too tired/hungry to properly look at stuff.   So I left.   This is all hindsight 20/20 now, but they could have done a better job of getting the VIPS/Experience/Nobodies (who still dropped $120 per signature) thru.  Not going in 2018 for his LAST WE REALLY MEAN IT THIS TIME FLORIDA APPEARANCE.  

[ADAMANTIUM]

45 minutes ago, Mercury Man said:

I am really just disappointed in the flow of things.  I left pretty much with a full wallet, after standing in line for 4 hours.

I wanted to shop, but by the time they finally started letting the peasants in, I was too tired/hungry to properly look at stuff.   So I left.   This is all hindsight 20/20 now, but they could have done a better job of getting the VIPS/Experience/Nobodies (who still dropped $120 per signature) thru.  Not going in 2018 for his LAST WE REALLY MEAN IT THIS TIME FLORIDA APPEARANCE.  

I wonder if they're going to pull the "we meant last appearance that year" shtick.....I mean I really think if he feels up to it, he's going to do it, IMHO

[Mercury Man]

3 hours ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

I wonder if they're going to pull the "we meant last appearance that year" shtick.....I mean I really think if he feels up to it, he's going to do it, IMHO

Fool me twice.........