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Gap Con -- Mount Bethel, PA -- November 4, 2018
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8 posts in this topic

This Sunday from 10 to 4 (remember, it's time to turn the clocks back, so don't come early), is a small, regional con on the PA/Jersey border, just off I-80. I had nothing else going on this weekend, so I'm setting up. I've never done it before, and I haven't spoken to anyone who has (so I can't vouch for its quality), but it's comics and it's a Sunday and that means a mini-con is the place to be.

Gap Con
Mt. Bethel Fire Company Hall
2341 N Delaware Rd (Rt 611)
Mt. Bethel, PA

http://www.jerseyshorecomicbookshow.com/gap-con-mt.bethel.html

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I bet you were probably disappointed, turnout seemed very light. First time I ever went to a show at opening time and was the only one standing in line to get in. I did very well with the one dealer I bought from, but didn't see anything else of interest.

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17 hours ago, Brother J said:

I bet you were probably disappointed, turnout seemed very light. First time I ever went to a show at opening time and was the only one standing in line to get in. I did very well with the one dealer I bought from, but didn't see anything else of interest.

I actually didn't do that bad all things considered. There were only 5 comic dealers there. There was the one guy with just 50 cent books (and I wish I had more time to buy stuff from him, as he had decent stuff if you searched), one guy who had a ton of books but they looked like they were bagged in 1994, another guy with decent stuff but a little high priced for this type of show, and the guy next to me who was just doing his second show and also had things priced really high (but he's just learning). 

But I hustled and handed out business cards and talked comics (which I love to do). 

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I attended the show because of the couple with the 50 cent books, they do a lot of the local shows and I have often come up with really good deals. I pulled 100 books, which gets the price down to .40 a book. Spent 3 hours looking at his stuff, then took a look around the room and was very disappointed. The guy with the junky bagged books I've seen at the Philly show. The funny thing to me about him is he puts no effort into selling books, doesn't sort them, doesn't bag them in decent bags. To look at his setup, you would think they were bargain books, but I think he charges full price for most of what he has. Since I go to this kind of show looking for bargain books, there wasn't much else for me there.

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this is probably the worst convention you could ever go to.  I went twice, first time was a mess but I never give up on something after one experience as things can always change.  well second time I went it was even worse so will never return ever.  they don't have more than a handful of dealers and its the same people every time.  the older couple selling junk 50 cent books are just that, 50 cent junk books.  sorry don't need those for my collection, that's the junk I just want to get rid of.  and the guy who sells the older hodge podge books he pulls from his basement show after show and never sorts is soooooo over priced.  the grades of his books are terrible and he sells them at VF to NM prices.  complete waste. im sure your stuff was better, not like that would be hard, but I don't see how its even profitable to go there cause both times I was there I don't know if 50 people total walked through the door.

 

with that said anyone hitting up the Allentown comic con next weekend.  wont be the best but will def be better than this.

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3 hours ago, classicaaron said:

 im sure your stuff was better, not like that would be hard, but I don't see how its even profitable to go there cause both times I was there I don't know if 50 people total walked through the door.

 

with that said anyone hitting up the Allentown comic con next weekend.  wont be the best but will def be better than this.

Well, many people came and told me that I had the best set-up in the room. The thing is, I don't have that great of stuff. I mean, I focus on Bronze and Copper, so there's no AF #15 on my wall. And if I have the best set-up in the room, then you know it's not a great show.

I'm not doing Allentown. They announced it three or four weeks ago, and I (and most every dealer) already has their dates filled. It also being the weekend before Thanksgiving makes it a tough one. I'm not willing to set up for two days to have nobody show, because as bad as Gap Con was (and it was bad), it was just one day. This one is 10-7 on Saturday and 10-5 on Sunday. That's just brutal.

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6 hours ago, classicaaron said:

the older couple selling junk 50 cent books are just that, 50 cent junk books.  sorry don't need those for my collection, that's the junk I just want to get rid of. 

Plenty of good stuff in those boxes, but you have to be willing to put in the time to go through them.  At other shows (Lehigh Valley) I almost have to wrestle with other fans just to get through their boxes there are so many people trying to go through them. So that was one nice thing about this show, not as many people in the way. You do have to go through and double check condition as there are a lot of stinkers. There was one book in those boxes that is currently selling for about $30 on eBay, but it was so beat up, I put it back for someone who might not mind a beat up copy.

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13 hours ago, Brother J said:

Plenty of good stuff in those boxes, but you have to be willing to put in the time to go through them.  At other shows (Lehigh Valley) I almost have to wrestle with other fans just to get through their boxes there are so many people trying to go through them. So that was one nice thing about this show, not as many people in the way. You do have to go through and double check condition as there are a lot of stinkers. There was one book in those boxes that is currently selling for about $30 on eBay, but it was so beat up, I put it back for someone who might not mind a beat up copy.

ive been through his stuff a few times at Lehigh valley comic con and just never found anything remotely worth while.  I did see maybe a book or two that would have been good but like you said the condition took it back down to being worthless. 

I have had much better luck with the people who run the show in their 50 cent boxes.  I have pulled plenty of $50 to $100 books out of there and can walk away with a stack of $20 books every time.  so for my time vested id rather just give them a look rather than try to pull a single book from the old guy. 

I also checked his stuff at the last gap con and didn't find anything. now I don't bother looking at his stuff.  he also does a flea market I visit and I just don't bother.  im sure its good for run fillers on newer stuff but I already have all that stuff I need.  maybe ill give it one more chance based on your experience.

Edited by classicaaron
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