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How to get an SS, for dummies?

Started by He11blazer,

23 posts in this topic

He11blazer

He11blazer

Posted
Posted

Let me see if I've got this straight:

 

1) Identify an event attended by required signatory

2) Identify a witness attending that event

3) Contact witness and strike a deal

4) Ship item/s to be signed to witness

5) Pay witness for time and trouble, fees etc

 

I'd love to get some items signed to order, but being in the UK means a lot of shipping costs!

 

Depending on the situation, do people sometimes skip step 4 and have the witness pick up a suitable item to sign? e.g. if it's just 'the latest issue' of whatever title, there would be no need for me to ship one all the way from the UK! Kinda pointless. But if I wanted an older issue then of course I'd have to supply it myself.

 

Dumb questions, but I haven't approached this subject before and want to see if I understand the game before I jump in :)

 

 

 

EDIT: I'd like to add that I read the entire Q&A thread, which is concerned almost exclusively with the precise definition of what qualifies for SS. The only aspect of SS which I would have thought requires no further explanation! lol

 

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He11blazer

He11blazer

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Thanks for the confirmation!

 

Now, I need to find some Hellblazer creators on the signing circuit. So far the only one I can see coming up is Mark Buckingham. If anyone's likely to bump into Jamie Delano, John Ridgway, Dave McKean, Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison etc etc etc then by all means alert me to the fact :)

 

 

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mudbogger2

mudbogger2

Posted
Posted

Excuse the newb for butting in but :

5) Pay witness for time and trouble, fees etc

 

Why do you have to pay someone to witness the signing?

Can't you just go to the show and have the person sign it without having to pay someone?

 

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Par2ch

Par2ch

Posted
Posted
Excuse the newb for butting in but :

5) Pay witness for time and trouble, fees etc

 

Why do you have to pay someone to witness the signing?

Can't you just go to the show and have the person sign it without having to pay someone?

 

Understand that getting a book signed requires the witness to wait in line (sometimes for an artist they dont have any personal interest in getting signed) and they didnt get into the show for free, or travel there at no cost. Now I know you may say, "well they were going anyway" but if you were to go to a show you would have to pay an entrance fee, gas, parking etc.

 

For example I recently went to the FX show in Orlando. It cost me $20 for admission, $6 for parking, $80 for a hotel room, $100 in gas and over $15 in tolls.

Now I am not a witness but I was able to get a few books sketched for a few board memebers. I charged $10 for a sketch on top of any costs associated by the artist. Some artist will ask for a dontation to sign or sketch a book, some have a flat fee. These are the "fees" that are mentioned in question

 

This $10 per book (I did only two FYU) covers my cost to get in and thats it, but it allows me to cover some of the cost of me going to the show.

 

Would have gone to the show without getting things done for other board memebers SURE, but would they have had access to getting these done at the cost they paid, nope.

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MedicAR

MedicAR

Posted
Posted
For example I recently went to the FX show in Orlando. It cost me $20 for admission, $6 for parking, $80 for a hotel room, $100 in gas and over $15 in tolls.

Now I am not a witness but I was able to get a few books sketched for a few board memebers. I charged $10 for a sketch on top of any costs associated by the artist. Some artist will ask for a dontation to sign or sketch a book, some have a flat fee. These are the "fees" that are mentioned in question

 

:o You robbed me! lol

 

Honestly, I have no problem paying a little over and above. I rarely make it to shows, and I prefer to have someone here get items for me rather than go the eBay route for at least three reasons. One, there is relatively little doubt about authenticity. I trust these people and hope they trust me too. Two, no horse race to get items I want. I'm not bidding needlessly high to get otherwise cheap items. And three, there's a chance to get items customized or personalized. I especially like to get sketches personalized as most artists will go the extra mile when they know it isn't headed directly to eBay, IMO.

 

So extra fees are no big deal to me, in fact I'd rather spend it here than elsewhere.

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Celestial Comics

Celestial Comics

Posted
Posted

Hey Mudbogger2,

 

Just so you have an idea of what a witness day can be like.

 

Several days before a con starts, I prep all of the books sent to me in special signing bags to protect the books while they are signed.

 

The night before the first day of the con, I have to pull all of the books tht will be signed that day and break them up by signer.

 

Day 1 of the con, I spend the morning scanning the show floor as best as possible for where everyone is at, then I spend the rest of the day standing in lines getting books signed. And if I am lucky I can take 15 minutes to grab a quick bite to eat. And at the end of the day, back to the hotel room for reorganizing and getting ready for the next day. As well as getting any paperwork ready. And the other days at the con are pretty much the same way. Finally on the last day, I might get a few hours to walk the floor for fun and buying stuff.

 

People don't realize how much time is spent working when acting as a witness. I hope this enlightens you as to what a witness does. SO in closing, what is your time worth getting stuff done for other people?

 

Chandler Rice

Desert Wind Comics

desertwindcomics@hotmail.com

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Pirate

Pirate

Posted
Posted
Hey Mudbogger2,

 

Just so you have an idea of what a witness day can be like.

 

Several days before a con starts, I prep all of the books sent to me in special signing bags to protect the books while they are signed.

 

The night before the first day of the con, I have to pull all of the books tht will be signed that day and break them up by signer.

 

Day 1 of the con, I spend the morning scanning the show floor as best as possible for where everyone is at, then I spend the rest of the day standing in lines getting books signed. And if I am lucky I can take 15 minutes to grab a quick bite to eat. And at the end of the day, back to the hotel room for reorganizing and getting ready for the next day. As well as getting any paperwork ready. And the other days at the con are pretty much the same way. Finally on the last day, I might get a few hours to walk the floor for fun and buying stuff.

 

People don't realize how much time is spent working when acting as a witness. I hope this enlightens you as to what a witness does. SO in closing, what is your time worth getting stuff done for other people?

 

Chandler Rice

Desert Wind Comics

desertwindcomics@hotmail.com

 

amen (worship)

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MedicAR

MedicAR

Posted
Posted
Several days before a con starts, I prep all of the books sent to me in special signing bags to protect the books while they are signed.

 

Just curious, do you make holes in the bags for the signature(s)? I've only attempted it once, and the signer refused to sign at all (it was through the mail), but I had seen it somewhere and don't remember where.

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SignatureSelect

SignatureSelect

Posted
Posted
Hey Mudbogger2,

 

Just so you have an idea of what a witness day can be like.

 

Several days before a con starts, I prep all of the books sent to me in special signing bags to protect the books while they are signed.

The night before the first day of the con, I have to pull all of the books tht will be signed that day and break them up by signer.

 

Day 1 of the con, I spend the morning scanning the show floor as best as possible for where everyone is at, then I spend the rest of the day standing in lines getting books signed. And if I am lucky I can take 15 minutes to grab a quick bite to eat. And at the end of the day, back to the hotel room for reorganizing and getting ready for the next day. As well as getting any paperwork ready. And the other days at the con are pretty much the same way. Finally on the last day, I might get a few hours to walk the floor for fun and buying stuff.

 

People don't realize how much time is spent working when acting as a witness. I hope this enlightens you as to what a witness does. SO in closing, what is your time worth getting stuff done for other people?

 

Chandler Rice

Desert Wind Comics

desertwindcomics@hotmail.com

 

 

Chandler your description is pretty accurate. My cons are spent like that. A few exceptions though, I only get about 5 minutes to eat and U usually trade that time for a cigerette since I don't have time to wash my hands. Oh and you forgot preying to god or who ever you might believe in that the creator signs all the books. This also means that when someone like Jim Lee or Todd Mcfarlane or Frank Miller ect. decides they will sketch, you usually have to forfeit your sketch in order to get customer books are signed.

 

In fact I have forfeited sketches from Jim Lee and Todd Mcfarlane several times in order to make sure all my customers got their books signed. I even forfeited getting a batman sketch from Frank Miller once so he would sign all of my customers books.

 

Oh and then after that you have to explain to people why you charge what you do.

 

Sometimes I wonder if it is worth it.

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Unknownworlds

Unknownworlds

Posted
Posted

Are you saying you guys charge to witness books? Do you mean I've been sitting in Todd McFarlane and Jim Lee lines for hours on end these past years for nothing? lol!

 

Seriously man, besides the hard costs (airfare, hotel, etc.), the time and headache to prep books is well worth paying a few $$.

 

IF you mean, can a witness authenticate a signature while YOU are at a show for no charge? I think we can arrange something but you would have to arrange something with the witness or CGC. Keep in mind that we will not line up for you.

 

Hope this clears things up.

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mudbogger2

mudbogger2

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Posted

I really had no idea. I thought the witness was just there to be sure the book was actually signed by the person signing it as part of the grading process.

Wasn't trying to ruffle any feathers. Thanks for sharing the details guys.

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