Awesome Stories From Cons!

[miraclemet]

OK someone said it would be nice if there were more positivity around here following Dringen-gate, and that its to bad there not a 75 page thread of all the awesome things the Pros do at cons (vs the non-awesome things)

 

So here we go. Post your story. Maybe Sam Keith delivered your kid, maybe Alan Moore gave you fare for the tube, maybe David Finch signed his name and was nice. No story to big, no story to small... all stories to be awesome though! (please?) Be specific! We'll tear someone a new one for looking sideways, so lets be just as enthusiastic in the other direction!

 

 

[MedicAR]

Great idea! I've got a couple...

 

The first came from my first and only SDCC adventure. It might also provide a little insight into the view from the other side of the table.

 

It was 2006 and I leared the John Romita was putting in an appearance at the HERO (it may still have been ACTOR then) booth. He would sign anything for a donation, no minimum. My wife and I got in the rather long line and patiently waited. The guy in front of us had a short box, but I didn't give it much thought. We got up to Mr. Romita and the guy in front of us opened his box and started pulling out every damn book. He dropped a dollar in the jar and waited patiently. My wife was appalled and said something to me, quietly we thought, but Mrs. Romita heard it. She told us it happens more often than you would think and the wives struck up a conversation. Once he finished every book, with a smile no less, I got my turn. I hadn't known he was coming, so I didn't have anything for him. I dropped in $40 and produced a backboard and asked for a quickie sketch. He politely said he didn't have time to sketch but his wife chimed in and told him to "do the eyes." He grinned and drew Spidey eyes above his signature. She goaded him on, "those are too small, draw some webs, draw some Spidey sense!" He kept on and I wound up with a nice little quickie sketch. I've got other items from him, but for obvious reasons, this is my favorite.

 

[miraclemet]

 

Great story!

 

[MagnusX]

 

 

[LloydJBailey]

Not so much Awesome, but Charlie can't spell my name, but you can see by his face that it was an innocent mistake

 

I'm LLYOLD to Charlie.

 

Adi Granov gave me a free print when i first met him I don't know many artists who would do that... He's a great guy.

 

Bob Layton flashed Robert Downey Jr's phone number on his phone to my girlfriend, and she got all girly and excited/embarrassed. Chandler/Sharon (Desert Wind Comics) got us lunch and we all eat together... But you guys all know how big an Iron Man fan I am, so it was incredibly sweet of Chandler and Sharon. That was an evening I'll never forget. I wish I had a picture of us all, but I only have this of me and Bob.

 

 

I know these aren't the best of stories, but they made me smile.

[J DUB]

I drove down with my daughter to Wizard World New Orleans in November. One of the first booths I went to was Sajad Shah. He had great pieces of artwork on display. It was great to finally meet him in person. He was very gracious and easy to talk to. I got another Ewok sketch from him at the show. If you ever have a chance to meet Sajad, take the time to do so. If you ever get a sketch from him, he will deliver.

 

Here is the Teebo he did for me at the show:

 

 

I also met Scott Blair and Jason Sobol at the show. Both were very personable and great artwork as well.

 

 

[miraclemet]

LLyod those are great too!

(the look on Adlard's face is priceless)

[Ryan.]

I watched John Totleben receive his Inkpot Award at SDCC 2004 (I think it was 2004). There were maybe 7 people in attendance, which was kind of depressing, but it was still great watching the presentation and getting to say hello to JTT.

 

At another SDCC (or was it the same one ) I was flipping through a dealer's books, looked to my left and Quentin Tarantino was standing at a long box next to me, flipping through like any other guy. I thought, "Wow! Tarantino," but didn't want to act like One of Those Guys so pretended I didn't see him. It took about 45 seconds for One of Those Guys to spot Tarantino, cover him in fanboy drool and cause a scene that the Q-Man got swallowed up in.

 

No celebrity sightings in Boston last year but I talked to Steve Scott for a good while and he seemed not only excited about talking to fans but was genuinely enthusiastic about the whole CGC/SS/sketch opps world.

[dscott]

awesome story Llyod, I am going to need that number however.

[5ive]

At NYCC 2012 I was checking out some art at the Heroes Initiative table. I walked around to the other side and Joe Rubinsein was doing a sketch. I didnt even know he was going to be at the convention. I asked to get a sketch done but he said he was a bit booked up. Then he asked what I wanted and he said he would fit me in and to come back in 20 minutes. When I came back he did a very cool sketch for me. A nice surprise for a big wolverine fan

[A-DONIS]

At NYCC 2011, I was chatting with Dre at the Marvel Booth. Dre introduced me to Mike, who's the head of the Marvel promotions department. After talking to Mike, he hooked me up with passes for the exclusive Avengers signing.

 

I was able to bet Chris Evans and Tom Hiddleston sigs.

 

That was an amazing experience.

 

 

 

Another one was:

 

I've always been a fan of Bart Sears' work. I enjoyed his run on X-O back in the early 90s. I was able to find him on facebook and he agreed to do several sketch covers for me and other boardies. What I didn't know is that Bart lives ten minutes from me. He was so happy to meet a local fan, that he did an extra sketch for me, for free.

 

 

[miraclemet]

OK time for my tale...

 

David Peterson, a Michigan guy, was always at Motor City Comicon, but was never the toast of the show (which I never understood).

 

One year, after the first Volume of Mouse Guard had come out I stopped at his booth to thank him for the work, and to get him to sign my HC (which he also sketched in, and thus spoiled me for the rest of my con life always wanting artists to doodle in my HCs).

 

Since he had no line, no crowd, no nothing we talk for 20 minutes about his process, he pulled out his laptop and showed me his photo references from around Michigan that appeared in his books (flipping thru my book showing me the panel, and then the photo). Then he showed me some photos of his models he built when he wanted to "block" his scenes in a story. It was all fascinating.

 

[A year later I stood in the spot where he took a photo on Mackinack Island and held up the comic page, I love it, my wife was not as excited]

 

I pre-ordered the Oversized B&W edition of Mouse Guard that fall and waited for it to be released, but due to many production problems it took 2 years to actually come out. Every con or even that I'd see him at I'd ask him about his latest models (or about his puppets, or Jim Henson love) and ask about the book. It literally got to the point that one con I walked up to him (this would have been our 4th time meeting) and he looked at me and said "Dont ask! Its being shipped from China in 2 weeks I dont want to jinx it!"

 

Great guy, great to talk with and a guy who is really passionate about his craft. He's one of the talents in comic books that I consider a craftsman more than just an artist.

 

[along those lines, the Michigan Art crew: Peterson, Jeremey Bastian, & Katie Cook, are all awesome people to chat with at cons they have a real community up there]

[KTerrell]

I haven't been to many cons but some good experiences I've had were at the Image Expo which I got to attend with my oldest son Austin (his first con). We got to meet Norman Reedus and Steve Yeun:

and Todd McFarlane:

 

Another was at SDCC 2012. I had tried for 2 years to get badges for San Diego and finally was able to get them for Thursday and Sunday. Thanks to a great boardie,Julio (FIREFLY), turning me onto the Cursed Pirate Girl I became a rabid Jeremy Bastian fan and had accumulated 2 CGC boxes worth of comics and other stuff that I wanted Jeremy to sign. He was the main reason I was going as he doesn't get up to any Nor Cal cons and I didn't know what to expect being the big con but after just waiting in line to get in Thursday morning I knew carrying my boxes across the con floor to the Century Guild table was not happening. I didn't know what to do, luckily Tom (his art rep) and Jeremy are very nice guys and we set something up for Saturday night after the con for me to bring all my stuff to Jeremy's hotel lobby for him to sign. I couldn't believe it Tom was all ready nice enough to bring the CPG stamp for Jeremy to personally stamp one of my unstamped trades and now this a private signing. Since Jeremy was also sharing a room with David Petersen, he was nice enough to come down and sign and doodle my Mouse Guard and Snowy Valentine hardcovers I had for him. It was really cool talking and hanging a little with both of them.

 

I wish I would have taken pictures of the hotel signing but I was so scatter brained trying to keep my stuff organized, not ruin my stuff, and not keep Jeremy and David spending more time outside the con then they were all ready doing for me. So here's some pics of some stuff that got signed and one of Jeremy and I.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brentio]

While I was at ECCC I sadly dropped a $100 somewhere and only found out while I was waiting in the huge celebrity photo op lines. After finishing up with the opps I was in a desperate search for that money so I did as anyone would do and backtracked but with the attendance being as high as it was I wasn't super hopeful. I kept my head down searching the floor as I went from Brooks, Dodson, Crystal, etc asking all of them if anyone had turned in a $100 bill all saying no. I had one last artist to ask (Ben Dewey), so I go over to him and say "I have a funny question to ask, has anyone turned a hundred dollar bill to you" his response " as a matter of fact I saw one lying on the ground and here it is." I was over joyed, I mean how likely are you to find your lost money at a convention that big.

I'll have to get something from Ben Dewey everytime I see him now, that's how gratful I am.

For the ones who haven't seen it, here is what I got from Ben Dewey.

 

Also, lession learned to keep all money in wallet.

[king100]

I had a few alas being a CGC witness at San Diego and New York.

 

The fact that Robert Kirkham after day 3 of San Diego, this was when WD 100 came out. I would come over with some comics to sign and he would look up at me, smile and say something along of the lines of " Morning Dom, how many have we got today" knowing full well I had a massive sack of comics for CGC. Luckily with organisation I can get them signed in minutes.

 

Talking with Bridget. Marc S wife at San Diego and she said go a grab a book from top cow booth and Marc will sign it. I wondered over where a massive Q had started to see Marc and proceeded to the front, only to be asked by the guy in the front what I was doing q jumping as he was 1st in line. I politely asked him if he knew this lady, that being Bridget to which he responded no. My reply was well that's Bridget Marc S wife, she told me to come and see Marc to get something signed now. So you do you think is 1st in line. His reply was short You.

 

Meeting adenine clems outside a hotel whilst smoking a cigarette, didn't know who she was, minding my own business when she came out. It was cold and I just advised her it was warmer standing under the heaters. We had a chat for maybe 10 mins about things and as I was waiting for people to take up to meet Stan lee, so still had NYCC badge topic got onto that. Then she said who she was. Think she enjoyed the chat as didn't go all fanboy on her.

 

Many many more stories

[NYComics]

Great idea! I've got a couple...

 

The first came from my first and only SDCC adventure. It might also provide a little insight into the view from the other side of the table.

 

It was 2006 and I leared the John Romita was putting in an appearance at the HERO (it may still have been ACTOR then) booth. He would sign anything for a donation, no minimum. My wife and I got in the rather long line and patiently waited. The guy in front of us had a short box, but I didn't give it much thought. We got up to Mr. Romita and the guy in front of us opened his box and started pulling out every damn book. He dropped a dollar in the jar and waited patiently. My wife was appalled and said something to me, quietly we thought, but Mrs. Romita heard it. She told us it happens more often than you would think and the wives struck up a conversation. Once he finished every book, with a smile no less, I got my turn. I hadn't known he was coming, so I didn't have anything for him. I dropped in $40 and produced a backboard and asked for a quickie sketch. He politely said he didn't have time to sketch but his wife chimed in and told him to "do the eyes." He grinned and drew Spidey eyes above his signature. She goaded him on, "those are too small, draw some webs, draw some Spidey sense!" He kept on and I wound up with a nice little quickie sketch. I've got other items from him, but for obvious reasons, this is my favorite.

 

 

 

Mrs. Romita is one of my favorite people in the world!

[wolvie3579]

Last year was my first time going to SDCC. My biggest goal was to meet Matt Groening, hopefully get a sketch or something. I decided to dress up saturday (yeah, yeah I know), which was a ton of fun.

 

I go by the Bongo booth and Groening was behind the counter doing some signings. Big crowd formed and I couldn't get through. I figured I would be happy with just a picture then. Groening comes out for pictures and the crowd just SWARMS him. A little kid cuts in front of me and I just give up. I'll wait on the side lines until he leaves.

 

Groening poses for a few pictures before announcing, "ok, I have to go now. But before I do..." He points directly at me, walks over and says "I need to take a picture with you before I go." We take a few shots, and Groening compliments me on my costume before saying "I'm going to post this on facebook" Absolutely one of the best memories from a con I've ever had!

 

Here's a pic. Of course, I look like a person_having_a_hard_time_understanding_my_point:

[Ryan.]

I like Groening's Two-Face costume. It was cool how he made the light do that.

[Pirate]

Was eating with Barry Kitson and few others. Waitress went to pick up a salad bowl with fork in it. Fork fell and hit the floor shooting white salad dressing in the air and all over John Higashi. There was a stunned silence. I thought I would get through it without laughing until John reached up and nonchalantly touched his hair in an attempt to remove the dressing.

 

Everyone was dying at that point. Was funny because it was all over his hair, glasses etc and he was trying to be coy removing it.

[Richard Oh]

My favorite con story was one of the very first cons I ever went to. I was (am) a huge Michael Turner fan and it was my first time meeting him! I had a stack of books for him to sign. I stood in line, and he was eyeing my stack. He asked me to stick around and he would sign after everyone since I had a lot of books. No problem I said, and he and I chatted a bit, and I was just watching him being friendly with everyone that came up. Finally, I was the last one and as he signed my books, I asked if he could draw me a sketch. He said he couldn't, but he kept looking around, signing my books, and then he said, quick, give me your sketchbook. He sketched Supergirl underneath the table and gave it back to me. To this day, that moment was probably my favorite con moment ever.