• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

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

78 posts in this topic

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

So Stan was/is at Megacon Orlando this weekend.  I went yesterday.  A few thoughts/observations:

1)   I wish they would have just had numbered tickets for people who were not VIP, or Stan Lee Express ticket holders.  Us schleps who didn't pay the extra $$ got to stand in line for about 4 hours while VIP's & Express holders kept filtering in.  I 'get' that they paid extra money for their ticket.  That is the bonus.  But would it have killed them to filter in a few regular line standers in-between the others VIP's to keep the line moving?!   Maybe let them wait 5 minutes, so somebody waiting 4 hours can get a crack at it?! At least if they numbered tickets, we could have shopped and SPENT MONEY with some of the vendors, instead of having a fear of being shut out, which is why we felt the need to stand in line.  Then we could check back at the entrance and see what numbers they might be serving.   This is all hindsight since this is his last Florida Appearance (until next year). 

2) I still am amazed at what people have him sign.  Hey it's your money.  Whatever makes you happy.  But from a New Mutants 98, to signing the cellophane on a Funko Pop Figure, to a Silver Age Fantastic Four #1, to a Bronze Age #1 Godzilla, whatever floats your boat.  One thing is for sure-  there will be no shortage of Stan Lee Signatures when he passes, (including the item I got signed).  I don't ever plan on selling it.  But those that do, will be in for a rude awakening.  

3)  He didn't seem into it.  Hell, at 94 who would.   I've gotten his signature at 2 other shows over the years, and this time he just seemed tired, barely looked up, barely exchanged words with anybody, and quite frankly, I don't blame him.   His signature was pretty muddy.  He was tired.  Time to retire Stan.  Nobody would blame you.    

Just personal observations.  Nothing more.   Excelsior. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1) No. I pay VIP for no lines at cons, don't wanna wait in line? then cough up the dough.  IMHO no one is worth waiting 4 hours in line for tho. 

2) I watched a guy have stan sign a deadpool dvd cover lol I don't get it either but to each their own.

3) I'm not sure Stan even knows whats happening anymore. It's really sad. His handlers push people along so quickly that stan quite litterally won't even lift his head to look at you, let alone repspond to a greeting. I don't like Stan's handlers at all. They don't handle your books very nicely and often drag them across the table.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1) Gotta agree with TheRealVenom, money talks. Pay the money and get VIP. My trick with Stan is to get to his line 30-60min before he starts signing so A) the line is usually shorter and B) he is not tired. He is friendlier and his signature is not lazy/tired by then. Im sure some of you know the story, but at Nerd Years Eve, it was so dead, you could walk up to Stan and get his signature. It was odd. There were times he sat there waiting for people to come get signatures. His signatures looked great that day!

2) Yeah, lots of Stan signatures. The rare/desirable combinations are what will make his signature valuable or not. When he passes, obviously the ability to get him to sign something will be gone, so finding a specific item with his signature will be key. So, I don't think his signature will be worth much, but finding "valuable item A + stan's signature" could bring the value up. That said, the person who got a DC comic signed by Stan won't be getting any offers.

3) As I said above, I think its when you get his signature. When I attended the breakfast with him in Dallas last year, he was super friendly and chatty. But, that was first thing in the morning. When I got stuff signed at ECCC after standing in line a long time, he didn't hardly talk and it was like an assembly line. He looked tired. Im sure he just wears out. Hell, anybody would and he is f'ng 94.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, TheRealVenom said:

1) No. I pay VIP for no lines at cons, don't wanna wait in line? then cough up the dough.  IMHO no one is worth waiting 4 hours in line for tho. 

2) I watched a guy have stan sign a deadpool dvd cover lol I don't get it either but to each their own.

3) I'm not sure Stan even knows whats happening anymore. It's really sad. His handlers push people along so quickly that stan quite litterally won't even lift his head to look at you, let alone repspond to a greeting. I don't like Stan's handlers at all. They don't handle your books very nicely and often drag them across the table.

1) I get it.  Don't get me wrong.  But for every 50 people that stroll in through VIP, we seriously can't squeeze in 5-10 people in between?!

2) Yeah just light your Benjamins on fire. 

3) I agree.  I saw some 'dealer', pull out every Silver Age Key you can name (withe the exception of AF 15, and ASM 1), and the one handler took the stack, patted them down on the table, none bagged, boarded, (in fact, I saw no window cut outs for signatures, I am wondering if they banned them this round),  and shoved them over to Stan, while the other handler on the left, grabbed them and shoved them over to the side. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The very first Con I attended was mainly just to meet Stan. I mean its stan freaking lee! My childhood hero!

The first day he signed I went to his line up about an hour before the signing to my dismay there were already about 500 people in it!

The next day I decided just to line up for him as soon as the con opened. 9am. His signing was at noon. Waited 3 hours, then an extra 45 mins as he was late. I was 3rd in line! So excited! Stan busted thru the curtain and greeted people with Excelsior! and we went nuts, I had my book ready to be signed and cellphone in hand ready to take a pic!

Thats when the BS started...

Had to wait for about 100 VIPS who just strolled down the vip lane not having to wait 5 mins, watch them get all the books signed and even get a smile out of stan. That took about 45 mins to an hour of more waiting..

Finally us regular noobs got our shot. First thing I saw was some dumb security guy yell at me NO PICTURES OF STAN!!! NO CELLPHONES!!  That was a kick in the butt. then as i stated before my book was pretty much snatched out of my hand and thrown on the table, then dragged infront of stan. While he signed I managed to mutter thank you for my childhood stan! And he couldn't even look up or respond to me, my book was already slid across to the next handler and he was signing someone elses.

My book was handed back to me and i was told to proceed out of the signing area.

 

I left kinda devistated.. Couldn't believe I spent 200$ on con tickets, 400$ on a airfare, $500 on a hotel and another 100$ for stan lee's sig. and all it got me was 8 seconds infront of the top of his head.... 

I do believe Anastasias collectables handles for stan. From the bottom of my fanboy heart YOU GUYS SUCK and you'll never get a dime of my money again. 

 

As Kev stated here if you can get special tickets to one of his personal events I highly suggest it! I spend extra for VIP now and if Stan's doing the Breakfast thing, you get to actually talk to him, take a selfie with him and get his sig....

 

Anyways just my little stan story/rant haha

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And it was a good rant.  I empathize.

This was my 3rd time to Orlando to get Stan's sig, and quite frankly, it was the worst of the 3.  They could take some of the pain away, if they simply numbered their general signature tickets.  "You have 1-50, come back between 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm.  You have 51-100,come back between 1:30 and 2:00 pm" etc. etc.  

I was so burned out, back hurting from standing in place for 4 hours etc., that I literally did not shop as much as I wanted, to.   I left  a few hundred dollars in my wallet, and not with the vendors, because I just wanted to take a leak, eat something, and go home. 

If by some miracle he comes back next year, I am tapping out, no more, I'm done, not worth it.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems crazy to me to wait 4 hours for someone who has so many sigs out there for purchase already. Were you getting something very unique signed that you couldn't purchase elsewhere?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Easy to say "pay the money and get the VIP," but those things are limited and usually sell out long before the show.  To me they should do like they do at airport security between "priority" and those that are not when there is only one person checking credentials--alternate between the two lines.  It doesn't have to alternate evenly, but it should alternate.  Hard to imagine VIP pass holders getting bent out of shape because a few people from the regular line are getting let through before them, and if they do, they need to get a life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, somewhereintexas said:

Easy to say "pay the money and get the VIP," but those things are limited and usually sell out long before the show.  To me they should do like they do at airport security between "priority" and those that are not when there is only one person checking credentials--alternate between the two lines.  It doesn't have to alternate evenly, but it should alternate.  Hard to imagine VIP pass holders getting bent out of shape because a few people from the regular line are getting let through before them, and if they do, they need to get a life.

Ofcourse they will... If I pay 570$ for VIP tickets which mean no lines anywhere then I expect NO LINES. Why would I want to wait for a bunch of people who paid 80$ for a ticket?  For the most part VIP is great for getting all your cgc sig needs done in one fell swoop. I grab a witness from cgc and walk around for about 20 mins and get all my sigs done at once. It's pretty great.

I'm not even being douchey but if you don't want to wait, then pony up. Also as you even said vip tickets are Limited. usually 300 or less. Out of those 300 maybe 100 would be there at any given time for Stan. If that.

Ok maybe I am being a little douchey haha sorry! It was kinda fun last year to walk past a line of 500 angry people who had been there for hours, right up to Mark Hamill and get my books signed :devil:

So many looks of death haha

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are being a more than a little douchey.  Even if you're a VIP, you still have stand in line with other VIPs.  So you're always going to be standing in a line.  Even if you walk up in the middle of a signing you don't go straight to whoever is signing.  You have to queue up with whoever is already at the table.  So would it be so bad if you had to wait a few extra minutes because they let a handful of people go through who had been in line for hours?  Seriously.  The sense of entitlement these days. :screwy:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, wombat said:

Seems crazy to me to wait 4 hours for someone who has so many sigs out there for purchase already. Were you getting something very unique signed that you couldn't purchase elsewhere?

I don't get comics signed.  Signature Series doesn't interest me either.  

I got a 12" x 12" print signed last year of Spiderman, and this year I bought the same style print of Iron Man.  So they are unique in that sense, and will be going on my wall.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, somewhereintexas said:

You are being a more than a little douchey.  Even if you're a VIP, you still have stand in line with other VIPs.  So you're always going to be standing in a line.  Even if you walk up in the middle of a signing you don't go straight to whoever is signing.  You have to queue up with whoever is already at the table.  So would it be so bad if you had to wait a few extra minutes because they let a handful of people go through who had been in line for hours?  Seriously.  The sense of entitlement these days. :screwy:

Who's being entitled? The guy who spends 570$ to not have to wait in line or the guy who spends 80$ and expects to get in ahead of these people? :pullhair:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, TheRealVenom said:

The sense of entitlement these days. :screwy:

The purchase of a VIP pass actually does entitle you to not wait in line (at least in most cases.) It is not a sense of entitlement, it is actual entitlement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I keep hoping the pendulum will swing away from SS and back to Uni slabs since the market is flooded with Stan's sig.  I used to think once he passes SS slabs will rise in value, but only a few of them AF15s, AS1s in low grades.  But people keep paying for them so (shrug)

 

Jerome

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Bird said:

The purchase of a VIP pass actually does entitle you to not wait in line (at least in most cases.) It is not a sense of entitlement, it is actual entitlement.

Huge difference between not having to mix in with the regular line and causing the regular line not to move at all.  Of course a VIP is entitled to a separate line that feeds in to the front of the table.  But it's not slighting VIPs to have a system that gives VIPs uber priority and yet allows the line with the peons to not have to wait for every single VIP to get their items signed (some of them multiple times) before a single peon gets anything signed.  Kind of like the fast pass system at theme parks.  Patrons with a fast pass don't have to wait nearly as long as everyone else, but the world doesn't stop for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, somewhereintexas said:

Kind of like the fast pass system at theme parks.

That is exactly what I was thinking.  Disney World has a Fast Pass.  Basically it allows you to jump the line, but they are still shuffling in the peasant line onto the ride.  

Pretty sure Disney has forgotten more about how to move a crowd than Megacon will ever know. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
0