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Seattle ComiCard Convention report (long)

Started by lighthouse,

16 posts in this topic

lighthouse

lighthouse

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Despite hearing loads of horror stories from other dealers about the quality of Steve Miner's show, I decided I really didn't have anything better to do this weekend. So I drove up with one of my lackeys on Saturday evening, listening to the Ducks on the radio as they reminded Arizona yet again that the WAC may have an opening for a football team. Or maybe the Mountain West conference would be a better choice... When you lose 12 straight home conference games, your fans have reason to boo, and they did, starting right from the opening coin toss...

 

Setup began at 7am, show started at 10. I only got two tables for the show, so I figured rolling in around 8 would be just fine. It might have been, except that every street anywhere near the Seattle Center (home of the Space Needle, the most over-rated tourist attraction west of Wall Drug) is one-way the wrong way. I circled the complex no less than six times, briefly entertaining the idea of driving the entire van into Puget Sound, before finally reaching the loading area.

 

Of course, it was the wrong loading area. You wouldn't think it would be possible for a show to have a "wrong" loading area. But unlike most shows, which take place in a fairly open environment, this show is the equivalent of having a comic show at your kid's elementary school. Put six dealers each in 21 different rooms and throw the guests in a portable out by the soccer field. Sweet...

 

So instead of being parked in the loading area for Ms. Weiderman's 2nd grade classroom, I am parked in the loading area for Sister Louise's 6th grade history class. My lackey heads off to go tighten her corset (true story) and I start the half-mile trek with the first load of creamy comic goodness. Or maybe the first load was all Manga trades. I can't really remember. Three trips and one slipped verterbra later, I was parking my van in the lot across the street. I pay the parking attendant, at least I think it was a parking attendant. Might have just been a homeless guy in a red shirt.

 

I get back to the booth about 10 minutes to 10, and see that my lackey has been kind enough to move 3 of the 22 boxes for me. She also has collected six phone numbers from other dealers, and taken five requests for Tales of Suspense 49. I arrange the remaining boxes, put up my signs, throw some CGC books on the rack, pull out my Hulk 1 and declare myself open for business. No one notices, as the customers haven't filed in yet and my lackey is still touching up her makeup.

 

The crowds start to pour in, and I get four more requests for TOS 49 in the first seven minutes. If this book was a "secret", it's not any more. I am sorely tempted to bring all 14 of my copies to the next Portland show and set them all up on the display behind me. But I intentionally brought drek to Seattle so drek it is. Takes all of five minutes before someone pulls a book from my boxes and says "Didn't this come out last week?" "Yes." "And you're selling it for $1?" "Yes." "Whoa..." He bought 45 books out of my dollar boxes, including 10 that came out last week. I have a feeling his local shop will be annoyed when he chooses not to empty his box...

 

Bruce Jones is signing at the show, so of course I get a ton of requests for his Hulk books. People who expect them to be in the $1 box. I point out the twelve copies of #47, but once those are gone, it's up to them to find the random issues of Hulk/Wolverine buried in with the Sailor Moons and Azraels. I brought 13 long boxes of $1 stuff that came out in the last year and moved just shy of three boxes worth.

 

Midway through the day I get a guy who asks about the Hulk 1. We chat for a couple minutes while pines for the book. I quote him $500, and really don't have an interest in selling it. He says aloud that he really wishes he had 500 so he could buy it. Then asks if I will be at the Portland show next month because he might be able to scrape up the money by then. A minute later he asks me if I would take a check for it... Hmm... Lemme think about that one...

 

An hour after the show opens, Crazy Charlie from Swan's arrives. His table was diagonally behind mine. Several dealers noticeably winced as he came in grumbling to himself in a language only he and his daughter understand (and his daughter chooses to ignore). I wander by his table after he gets set up and ask about the Batman 4 he has been carrying around for the year that I have known him. He tells me he has another dealer who is very interested, and during the conversation it becomes apparent he is talking about me, but doesn't recognize me with the facial hair. He offers me a better deal than he has before and I wonder if I should try a new disguise next time and see if he goes any lower...

 

I have no less than 8 customers at my tables every moment the first 3 hours, and by 1pm I had already done better than I had expected for the entire show. Lots of bargain hunters, and lots of people buying stuff that no one ever wants. I am not surprised when I sell X-Men and Spideys and JLAs out of my dollar boxes. But I unloaded a ton of overstock of Iron Man, Thor, Flash, Green Lantern, and the like. Tons of customers asking for Red Son, and four different guys asking about Valiants. Beyond that it was a little but of everything.

 

I finally get away around 2 to do some shopping. I wander over to forumite davidking623's table and ask him if he has any books suitable for Bugaboo. He gives me a blank stare for a moment, then realizes I must be 'house. He gives me a great deal on a reader copy of DD 158 for a customer of mine, and I watch him try to negotiate with another dealer about a TTA 42. Book was beat but complete, had tears and creases and tape, but a complete reader copy. Dealer offers him $2 for it, I laugh and say I would pay more than that. DK counters with $5 and the guy thinks about it for three minutes and then passes. Yeah, a complete reader copy of a book that guides for 26 in Good, and it's worth $2 to him but not $5... okay...

 

Across the way I find a book I just never see. It's not a $5000 book by any means, but it never comes in the door of my shop and I rarely see it at shows. It has a drink ring, and some corner damage, but very structurally sound. I was pretty pleased to pick it up for $25.

 

stann1.jpg

 

At the same booth, I find a bunch of cheap pre-Code romances. I am a sucker for these, especially if I can find some cheesy covers... So I was ecstatic to pick this one up for $4. Am I the only one that see Superman punching out Jimmy Olsen on this cover? I mean, he's got the spitcurl and everything! One of the back-up stories features a bright blue horse named Mr Dot that wins race after race while his owner neglects his wife to spend time with the horse. No one seems to notice that the horse is bluer than the sky...

 

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Later on in the day I listen to a BSD ramble on and on about how much he hates CGC. Says he went down to San Diego and met "those guys" and he knew right away what a-holes they were. I smiled the smile of all those in customer service, and raised the price on the Lois Lane 16 he was buying by $5. I don't have any problem with folks who think CGC is bad for the industry or that 3rd party grading in general is a bad idea, but having met Steve and Mark in San Diego, I just can't see reaching the conclusion that he did... Unless maybe Steve was on a bender after losing out on a piece of Cherry art in the Heritage auction... 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

After selling 23 more copies of Daredevil: Yellow #2, I went and found some more dealer friends of mine. Bought a copy of Love Romances 25, and a Young Love 75. I noticed a copy of Birds of Prey 8 in the boxes next to me, and asked how much. As soon as I saw the dealer reach for Overstreet I started smiling. $4 later I was happily strolling back to my table.

 

David Hahn (Private Beach) came by and we chatted for a while as he went through the dollar boxes. He bought four copies of his own stuff to resell at his table, and then picked up some other independents. He seemed stunned that anyone carried as many independents as I do, and happily snatched up copies of My Monkey's Name is Jennifer. We talked about whether Ken would be able to match that insanity with his next series, and then he found my stash of Patrick The Wolf Boy and he was lost in a Patrick-induced daze...

 

Near the end of the day I decided I could afford to spend a little more cash and headed out looking for bargains. Came across this book, and was very pleased with the price. Best part was I also picked up a Good+ copy of X-Men 94 for $40 and he knocked $20 off the combined total. Bottom staple has light rub, but does not poke through...

 

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All in all, a pretty decent show. I will likely be doing Steve's next one in November, although several dealers told me this one was better than normal and not to expect the next one to be as good. Biggest complaint (other than the strange building layout) was the lack of concessions. I like a $4 Polish Dog as much as the next guy and a show just isn't right if I can't pay $12 for two dogs and a coke... Had to send my lackey across the street to a convenience store to get something to drink. You'd think Steve would be smart enough to rent a cooler from his local cola bottler. Easy money...

 

No real buzz on 1602, Supreme Power or JLA/Avengers. I talked to eight other shop owners and it seemed like each of them was completely sold out of one of the three titles, but had plenty of the other two. Several customers did ask for them, but I'm not selling them for $1... Might bring some to Portland in four weeks and see what happens..

 

'House

 

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lighthouse

lighthouse

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Nice links to your pictures dork!

 

So...how many multiples of a certain 1970s book did Crazy Charlie have this time? hi.gif

 

He was in rare form... was mostly trying to sell his Four Color 9, again... and the Batman 4, again...

 

I looked through his older stuff for a while, but I can't stay at his booth for too long... He gives me the creeps.

 

I overheard him making arrangements with a guy to sell him 40,000 books... I get the feeling that if you're willing to put in the time and the aggravation there is money to be made from the old coot. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif But it's a heckuva lot of time and aggravation. frown.gif

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lighthouse

lighthouse

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I decided I really didn't have anything better to do this weekend. So I drove up with one of my lackeys on Saturday evening....

 

Eh, you could mail my TPB's. hi.gif

 

What? And ruin my rep? Besides, I haven't finished reading them yet. tongue.gif

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greggy

greggy

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But it's a heckuva lot of time and aggravation.
Yep...someone in the early 90s spent like a whole day with the guy working out a trade for some of his overstocked post-Batman 1 movie crapola books for some less popular early 1970s stuff. Greggy did well by buying up a lot of those books. hi.gif
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