NYCC: OK, I'm Scared

[Tnerb]

or, How can I get away with not telling my Dad how much I spent?

 

The NYCC was the third major convention I went to this year. I only had a month to save up some kind of funds to go to the show properly. Transportaion, although a minor financial set back was $80. Money I could have spent at the show but money if not spent I never would have been at the show. I am horrendously well erased in creating and recreating a budget. I kept in my mind how much I was spending never bother adding up the final tally.

 

CGC has three invoices and even Desert Winds has one. I heard so many things about them that I wanted to get a first person perspective. It is also the same reason I used a subscription service through Twin City Auctions, I first heard about it by being on his mailing list after winning an item on E-Bay. I wanted to know more and decided on trying it out. Since then I have decided to use him again and I recommend if you are looking for any books that just came out, you should give him a try. I was happy with the books I ordered.

 

So after three invoices sent to CGC, One under the modern submission, the second also modern but fast tracked and the last was the standard Tier. The clock starts today, with day -2. I am giving them a two day variance since they still have to get back to their offices. I sent one in through Desert Winds for the Kirkman autograph, I need to find out more about them. I purchased two artwork pieces through Choice Collectibles. This brought my total to...gulp $2577. That doesn't include the back up charger I bought for my phone or the tickets I mentioned earlier for transportation nor the food I needed to sustain myself, including coffee.

 

How much do you spend? How much is too much? I am curious did anyone else overspend at the NYCC because let's face it, what I spent is only a trickle in a mighty river.

 

Thanks for Reading

 

Tnerb

 

 

PS. Actually not worried at all what my Father thinks of what I spent. He already knows I would never spend what I couldn't afford. Besides I just remind him about the Daredevil #1 I could have purchased for $300 back in the eighties.

 

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[surfer99]

Wow, that is a lot of dough my friend (for me anyway). I just spent about the same amount to take the family to Disneyland for 3 days which included admission to the park for 4, hotel, transportation, food, and souvenirs. When I go to a big con I usually budget myself around $700 for spending on comics...plus whatever it ends up costing for hotel, admission, food, etc.. Of course I would love to drop $2500 on comics, but no way that's in my budget.

 

 

[ThoseBackPages]

Great post!

 

i was willing to spend more, if the deals were there. they werent though.

[ZeroS7]

Hey man I feel the pain I spent about $1800 this year....which was WAY over my budget and could have easily spent more. My Stan Lee autographs alone, after CGC SS grading came out to around $800 for 5 signatures! I think you just have to kind of suck it up and look towards next year. Next time I'll be better prepared to spend the dough this time I was just caught way off guard...sound like you were too.

[Tnerb]

The problem was I went to the Baltimore Comic Con right before this one, this left me a month to save. Mind you, I still paid all my bills first. As far as deals I wasn't looking. I went for the experience of walking around getting signatures for my books. An experience that I will write about at length another time. I am hoping to go to Emerald city Comic con in March but realistically my next con will be wizard World Philadelphia in June. That's more than six full months to save.

 

Tnerb

[Ronnylama]

Mr Lee...If you go to ECCC let me know. We will have a blast...and if you don't have a place to stay....I have a most excellent Mother-in-Law suite at no expense or driving....We will Rock it...plus ya get to meet Lily and awesomeness..

[Buzzetta]

I am in the area so...

 

Avengers v X-Men 12: Jets Cover: $10

Avengers v X-Men 12: Giants Cover: $10

Rocket Raccoon NYCC Exclusive Mug: $12

Lego Chibi NYCC Exclusive Landspeeder in a Tin: $40

Lego Spider-man Key Chain: $5

I got the Pro ticket this year so including shipping it was $20

 

Total: $97

 

No real food expenses since I am in the area. I did use a couple of cabs a few times to go from the subway stop to the Javits a couple of times.

 

It could have become a LOT more expensive but I didn't see anything that I felt really caught my eye at a price that I felt could not have been beat. I spent a lot this year completing the slabbed Spidey run and need to now be a bit more selective with purchases in order to build the bank back up.

 

A light show just means that I will pick a few things up in 2013.

[JollyComics]

That is pretty normal for me. I spent about $1800 to $2200 per convention at C2E2 and Wizard World Chicago Comic Con since 2009. I live closer to both places. I spent on the parking fees only. I always eat first before I get there to save some money. Most of time, I spent more money on Signature Series and some great deals on the key issues.

 

I know going to different conventions in different states are more expensive with the airfares, car rentals, hotels and necessary expenses. Never went to SDCC, Baltimore Comic Con or NYCC. That is why I depend on Desert Wind Comic or Sean McLoughlin of NY Comics for handling my books for the signature series instead of spending on the travel expenses before I could afford the books.

 

Hope you spent wisely as your investement. I spent well myself and got myself a nice collection.

[ItsJustRyan]

Great post buddy!

 

Wish I could have been there with a nice bank roll, but alas it was not meant to be.

 

Glad you had a great time!

 

Ryan

[sirbestow]

All I can say is WOW! If I were to spend as much as you did at NYCC, I'd probably would be in the middle of a divorce by now. All kidding aside I give you kudos to coming up with the money in short order. I too did Baltimore and was scrambling to come up with the funds for NYCC. I know I went over budget at Baltimore - but I think it was a good trade off to get a sketch for John Romita Jr. The $50 I paid for it went to a good cause too, the Hero Initiative.

 

My budget was small. The trade off was I got some of my books SS-ed or graded at Baltimore, so there wasn't much left on my book list for this year. I also got my pass for NYCC comped by a friend who was an exhibitor, so that was a few bucks that could be utilized elsewhere. Gas, tolls and parking - I bring others with me so we split that.

 

Most of my budget went to artiest alley and show exclusives. I passed on buying extra exclusive toys to sell online (an endeavor I did last year that provided enough profit that it, at least, paid for the trip) due to not much extra dough to put towards it. I went in on Marvel's Giants and Jets exclusive AvsX 12 covers (didn't get them graded though because I didn't have extra bags and boards on me). I checked into Mid-town about their exclusive Uncanny Avengers cover, but no one at the booth knew if it was the same cover they sold online with two other exclusive books (which I purchased but selected that all three books to be shipped together in December). So i passed on that but got 2 of AvsX 1 baby variant instead. Since that book DID come bagged and boarded I sent that to the CGC - and even though it will come back home WELL after Christmas, I will gift them to my children. The only other exclusive I "really" wanted was the Zucuss and 4-lom Hallmark ornament, but A. the asking price was more than what I was prepared for and B. I had gone over budget on something else.

 

I had some plans for artiest alley and oddly enough, most of my day ended up there. I had 4 sketches planned and budgeted for. I also had a delivery set up for Greg Horn. Something we discussed at Baltimore and through e-mail up to the event. I was ecstatic on how over-joyed he was that I came through on my promise.

 

Next stop was the artiest Franco. Another person I met in Baltimore and kept in touch with over the net for this event. 3rd on the list was Dan Parent (met him in Philly this year) to do a sketch of Archie and Valerie for a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law.

 

Next was Neal Adams. I got a SS book as well as a personal book done by him at Baltimore. The gears got a-rollin on how I would love to have a Joker sketch done for on my wall-o-art. The thing I didn't prepare for was the double the cost in NY vs. Baltimore. Standard sketch fees start around $50. His started at $600! Not complaining, this man is a legend. I just didn't have the funds to do such a thing. Finally his wife pointed out that I could buy a print and get a simple profile sketch for $100. Even though it was double than what I budgeted for I went for it (knocking out the Hallmark ornament). It is a good sketch, but I'm more happy with Franco, Parent and Larson's art.

 

Speaking of Erik Larson. Fans of him on Facebook or know him, might know that he does a "simple" head sketch for free. He did an AWESOME Logan for me at Baltimore. I feel like a heel using his "free" service a second time, but I got a Captain America as a gift for a friend. He seemed down in the dumps and I asked how he was doing. He told me he was getting sick and was under the weather. I offered a donation for his free work and he said he wouldn't turn it down. I gave him $5. I feel like such a jerk for giving him so little (considering what he did for me...twice now), but it was the end of the day and it was all I had TO offer. Hopefully it was enough to get him some Benadryl or something. SIDE NOTE: I had been in touch with him prior to NYCC and do have plans to do a sketch cover to get graded. It is a bit of a chunk of change, but I want to go through with it. Friends and family don't know what to get me for Christmas, I'll ask them to chip in on the cover.

 

GCG stuff. I had two books to get straight up graded. One of those books got forgotten (oops) so I added the AvsX books from Midtown to that list. SS - I had 6 books prepped, forgot one (oops again!). One of the SS books was to be signed by 3 actors of Walking Dead. The 3rd party I used ruled out any celeb autographs (totally understandable considering that place was a mad-house). CGC didn't seem to have any witnesses available plus I didn't find the celeb autographing area until after the fact - so that book didn't get done. I missed Adam Kubert - so the book I had for him I flipped to get a normal grade without the sig. And I also missed out on Jim Lee, but opted for George Perez alone (Justice League 6 - I know Perez didn't do the book, but he was a long term JL artiest.) Hopefully I will get the books back in time to attempt Jim Lee at another time. Again the JL books are a gift to my kids.

 

Personal or non-ss autographs. I discovered a hard-back book on my shelf that I took with me to Baltimore. I figured since I was hunting SS then, the artists may as well sign what art represented their work in the book. It was a fun little side mission and costs very little cash. I decided to take the book to NYCC and my day from 6 on out was getting autographs in that book. I got to chat with a lot of the creators (forcing myself to be less shy and quiet). Top of my list was talking to Chris Claremont and Michael Golden. 6 was an average time. Most artists were doing commissions and refused to sign or talk until after 6. Some cut off was 6 and they wouldn't sign (special shout out to Simone Bilanchi who broke his rule to sign my book. I reciprocated by buying a print. He is a very funny guy FYI). And others seemed to have left after 6.

 

After NYCC I'm probably going to retire the book. It is getting some damage being carried around.

 

All in all most of my budget went to gifts. There was very little I did that was for me and a good chunk was from freebies and such!

 

So back on topic, Tnerb, I'm glad NYCC worked out for you. I hope you don't get burned and do well with one of the vendors on your list. As you know I has a bad experience with them at NYCC last year and afterwards - BUT if it wasn't for that poor experience I wouldn't have found the STELLAR 3rd party service I use now!!! It seems we seem to occupy the same spaces, some day our paths have to cross! Happy hunting and catch ya at Philly.

[Wayne Enterprises]

Went to NYCC with no intention of buying anything and bought this Batman Glicee for $800.