Long, boring, Chicago report with very few pictures.

[MCMiles]

I'm not sure if I've ever written a con report before, but I'll give it a shot. It may not be as entertaining or as witty as some but hopefully won’t put you to sleep.

 

Thursday - Part One:

 

This one started interestingly enough when I picked up Joeypost at 5:30 am on Thursday to go to the airport. I pulled in his driveway to see him hunched over holding his back. Apparently he had injured his back the night before. He didn't look very excited to be sitting in various modes of transportation for the next 3 hours or so. I felt pretty bad for the guy and tried to help him out as much as I could, but couldn't help but wonder, as I picked up his luggage and opened doors for him, if people thought he was my sugar daddy or my grand daddy.

 

After meeting KOR at the airport we settled in and arrived ahead of schedule in Chicago, caught the shuttle to the hotel and dumped our stuff where Watson and the boys were staying. Then we all hopped on the shuttle and had a nice quiet lunch at the hotel bar across from the convention center before going over to the show.

 

We were in a few hours before the show actually opened for preview night. For what ever reason, I wasn’t real motivated to start the hunting and dealing. That stayed with me the entire weekend also. Greggy and I headed for Midway comics. Last year I was fortunate to get to them early and did very well. Not much of a secret this year though. As we turned the corner to approach his booth, we saw nothing but boardies, shoulder to shoulder and bumping butts, going at the boxes. Greggy quickly decided to move on rather then join the frenzy. I looked in a few boxes and decided that it looked pretty much like the same inventory we pilfered last year. I'm sure there were still plenty of nice books pulled from there though.

 

From there I had to head straight over to Ted's booth to meet Andy (GACollectibles). We had never met in person, although he has become a very good friend over the last year or so, and I was really looking forward to meeting him. I introduced myself and he had no idea who I was. I had to introduce myself again the next day because he had already forgotten again.

 

From there I wanted to head over to Captain Jack's. I bought a lot of nice BA from those guys last year, and they are pretty likeable too. On the way there I was more or less detained and engaged in a discussion for more than a few minutes. That discussion may have been a costly one. The guys at Captain Jack's had just gotten in a new, mostly BA collection, with a lot of high grade books. I think Brian (Foolkiller) was one of the first, if not the first, people to get in to those and did really well. By the time I got there, George (Jiveturkeymofo) and Joeypost were there going at it, along with some others. I asked Jive if there was anything good in there, and he replied “Not anymore”. It's all good though, I hope they did well. I still stopped and went through the regular inventory where I pulled a few nice BA books and a sharp Cap #100 at a great price. I went back by there much later on in the weekend and they had marked the remainders of the new collection down to 70% off. I stopped and pulled about 50 gems that were still there for 30% of guide.

 

[arexcrooke]

I was there when Kent brought out that new collection they had just got.

 

Lots of nice stuff in there.

 

Arex

[TupennyConan]

This report is long, boring, & with very few pictures.

[Mike Bray]

I was there when Kent brought out that new collection they had just got.

 

Lots of nice stuff in there.

 

Arex

I was standing beside Arex when he was telling us that he was finalizing buying this new collection -- i thought i had time to grab a quick bite -- was I wrong :cry:

[DrWatson]

This report is long short, boring, & with very few no pictures.

Fixed!

[GACollectibles]

From there I had to head straight over to Ted's booth to meet Andy (GACollectibles). We had never met in person, although he has become a very good friend over the last year or so, and I was really looking forward to meeting him. I introduced myself and he had no idea who I was. I had to introduce myself again the next day because he had already forgotten again.

 

 

 

I look forward to meeting you!

[arexcrooke]

[TupennyConan]

From there I had to head straight over to Ted's booth to meet Andy (GACollectibles). We had never met in person, although he has become a very good friend over the last year or so, and I was really looking forward to meeting him. I introduced myself and he had no idea who I was. I had to introduce myself again the next day because he had already forgotten again.

 

 

 

I look forward to meeting you!

 

Why?

[GACollectibles]

From there I had to head straight over to Ted's booth to meet Andy (GACollectibles). We had never met in person, although he has become a very good friend over the last year or so, and I was really looking forward to meeting him. I introduced myself and he had no idea who I was. I had to introduce myself again the next day because he had already forgotten again.

 

 

 

I look forward to meeting you!

 

Why?

 

 

 

[nocutename]

Nice report and I even chuckled twice!

[Wally's Comics]

From there I had to head straight over to Ted's booth to meet Andy (GACollectibles). We had never met in person, although he has become a very good friend over the last year or so, and I was really looking forward to meeting him. I introduced myself and he had no idea who I was. I had to introduce myself again the next day because he had already forgotten again.

 

 

 

I look forward to meeting you!

 

Why?

 

 

 

[MCMiles]

Apparently I don’t need to be funny in my report. My friends and fellow boardies have that covered.

 

Thursday – Part Two:

 

I wondered around bumping just getting a quick look at the different dealers and getting an idea of where everyone was located. I had two goals for the show. One, to find some nicer quality books to add to inventory, and two, find one or two GA books that fit my collecting parameters, which are Schomburg Nedors, GA Caps or titles with Cap, DCs with Jack Burnley covers in the 6.0 to 8.0 range and/or the $500 to $2000 range. Unfortunately, those seemed to be in the lowest supply. There was quite a bit to choose from in lower grades, and some in price ranges higher then I wanted to go. There also seemed to be quite a bit that were way over priced.

 

At one point I came across the BSD feeding frenzy at the Dave Kapelka’s (sp?) booth. I guess when he gets a new collection the BSDs draw numbers to see who goes first. Seems equitable enough to me, but am always amazed at the pouting that goes on from those that draw high numbers and go last. This time I was even more surprised to see a few folks that don’t make the totem pole at all, standing back with pouted lips and folded arms waiting to get the go ahead. As I said, the system seems fair enough to the dealers that always purchase, but it doesn’t allow for new blood that just may spend more money, ask for less of a discount, and complain less to get involved. And those people are definitely out there. I for one only end up buying a few leftovers once the elite have devoured the best cuts. Which, I did this time. For all of the comic knowledge in that elite group, they always leave something behind.

 

A short time later several of us headed to back to the Hotel to check in to our rooms and get a shower before heading out to the Greektown dinner. We were at the Courtyard by Marriot, which would be a real long walk to the convention center, but always has a shuttle ready to drop you off and pick you up. I don’t think we ever waited more than ten minutes for the shuttle. I guess some folks got a really great rate at the Hyatt through priceline.com, but the $109 a night, extremely spacious suite we were in at the Marriot seemed like a bargain. Three to room was more than confortable, and we weren’t tripping over comics and suite cases all weekend.

 

About a group of us met at the train station to go in to town for the Greektown dinner. The group included. Joeypost, Greggy, CGCworld and Barb, KOR, wasonff, Timmay, Jiveturkeymofo, Dr. Watson, and ArexCrooke. While waiting, we encountered some awesome crack. The train was crowded with people coming from the airport. We road it last year and it was sort of an adventure since it was my first time in Chicago. This year it was just hot, loud, and uncomfortable. Luckily a great group of friends offset all of that.

 

Many were already seated and eating when we arrived at the restaurant. The atmosphere seemed a little less rambunctious this year. I can imagine it was because many of had the sudden passing of Nik on our minds. As the dinner wrapped up, Angelo (TheWatcher) got everyone’s attention, and made a very appropriate toast in honor our good friend Nik.

Thanks again for organizing a great dinner Angelo.

 

Shortly afterward we headed back to the train for what seemed like a long ride back to Rosemont. We had also picked a couple of Andies. (Thirdgreenham and GAcollectibles) I could barely keep my eyes open. As we pulled in to our stop, I opened my eyes just in time to see Timmay exiting the doors and looking back to see if going to wake up or not. I think we all went straight to our rooms and passed out.

 

[Forbush-Man]

Boy! You were right; without pictures it really is long & boring.

[MCMiles]

I tried to warn you.

[capt_comics]

I tried to warn you.

 

Too late

 

 

Good report though...........but you need more pictures

 

What did you pickup?

 

 

 

 

[DrWatson]

I tried to warn you.

 

Too late

 

 

Good report though...........but you need more pictures

 

What did you pickup?

 

 

 

 

[MCMiles]

I tried to warn you.

 

Too late

 

 

Good report though...........but you need more pictures

 

What did you pickup?

 

 

 

 

A bad attitude.

 

I'll post a few pick ups a bit later. I haven't had time to scan anything. It takes a while to compose a mastrerpiece such as this report.

[MCMiles]

Ok, here are a couple of pictures taken on my phone.

These are the two rooms from the hotel suite. Gives you an idea of how spacious it was. The living room had a pull out sofa. which is to the left of the picture.

 

 

[capt_comics]

 

GREAT.....a picture of your hotel room...........

 

The con............and books

 

 

 

[MCMiles]

Shuttle to the train station. Notice: Joey is slepping in both pictures. It's a good thing Drew is a firefighter and knows how to handle an unconscious person.

 

 

A group shot waiting for the train.