EAST COAST COMICON - MEADOWLANDS, NJ - APRIL 16 & 17, 2016

[Paul_Maul]

Not a great show from the standpoint of quality dealers. Most of the dealers there were blowing out $2 books. Gary Platt and a few others were worth visiting, but I would have been disappointed had I paid $30 to get in (which thankfully I did not have to).

[thecopperagekids]

I'm going, its like 5 minutes from my house

 

I bailed on going today, was going to use a dealer pass I got from a dealer buddy to go there today and scour tables at 7AM....buuuut, ......I've got too many books to get prepped for shows I'm setting at........and to send into CGC this week...then more prep for my planned Wizard Philly onsite grading bonanza

 

I'll go tomorrow to get some books I have for Adams, Bisley and Nocenti, CGC SS'd.

 

While you're there, stop by my friend's booth, Plunderpalace, they're at booth # 304...

 

Joe& Mark Walsh are their names....Tell 'em Colin sent ya They take care of their buyers aaaaand their prices are already *very* competitive, across the board,

 

They both have been breaking their balls adding new inventory the past 2 weeks....got affordably priced GA,SA,BA keys on their walls *and* their priced as marked boxes are full of similar types of books....their other boxes are all done by price point...guessing $3, $5 and $10 boxes.

 

All of which are alphabetacilay/numerically organized and priced on the low end...lower than MY PRICES on my show stock, actually.

 

Just got off the phone with one of the 2 brothers, Mark...he said he just bought a NM 98 and a Dark Knight Returns 1 from the guy he gave his other dealer pass to...he said he put them on the wall, for now, though...I am sure his sticker would be lower than mine, on either book, to be perfectly honest.

 

They are both reasonable to deal with, wether buying, selling or trading....and ********NEITHER ONE OF THEM PRESSES THEIR BOOKS, everything they sell is unpressed*********

 

I know both of these guys personally...I have been friends with both of them for almost 20 years, have set up at countless shows with them over the years....and I vouch for them, entirely

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, I just pulled the trigger and bought my weekend pass. I started going to cons for artists, sketches and OA and rarely bought in a comic book in 20 years of con going. Seriously, 3-5 books a day at most and those often only to obtain a sketch from artists who would not otherwise draw such as Eddie Campbell and Eric Shanower.

 

That period of my life is over. I still live and love the OA but have shifted my comic hobby time into buying comic collections and modern comics spec/flipping. I toss a few bucks at it each week and it keeps me in the hobby whereas buying OA now means 4 figures for me and I cannot afford to do that on a regular basis. (I am still hovering at high 4 but looking into 5 figures soon enough! Bill Everett will likely be the impetus, although it could easily be Moebius or Barry Smith as well).

 

So it was a real eye-opener for me to complete the East Coast questionnaire they had. I put comic books as the reason I am going! I couldn't believe it myself. Even last year at this show my goals were OA related. (I set up a sweet sweet Art Adams commission that should be here end of this year maybe. No money down. $3500.) But this year I have lists of books to look for and am ready to have some fun haggling and maybe trading some things to dealers.

 

And tonight I take my first Lunesta, so I hoping for extended sleep for the first time a looooong time.

 

 

Sean, ya brudda.....

See my response about this show in my post to Eclipse, got some tips for ya above

 

P.S.

I bailed on the show today, so you didn't get my second pickings, at all

 

Maybe I'll run into ya tomorrow, at the show

 

Ha! You missed the scores then. Actually, my best score ended up being a free lesson learned from a negative experience. I may go back tomorrow and find out the names of the guys involved but am not going to give it more mental energy by going into a story.

 

I was in and out in a few hours. I talked to Ulises Farinas and Joe Jusko, one about past commissions and one about a painting later this year. (Guess which is which. Hint, go by Ulises' table and he is selling a print of Dr. Strange with an image that you might see in my CAF! Ulises is a unique talent, check out his stuff everyone!) I got a few nice comics and 10 or so nice trades. Good deals and I scouted some things for tomorrow. One dealer remembered me from last year. As I looked over his layout I remembered him as well. I bought a few ASM 4s, the modern one, and an Omega Men 3 from him last year. He still has those ASM 4s this year!

 

 

 

As far as the story, if you got ripped off in some way, go back tomorrow and get their names.

 

There is a guy hitting shows and walking off with thousands worth in books.The dude who stole a Hulk 1 at Big Apple.

 

One of the 2 friends of mine I mentioned earlier got hit by him..and HARD....at the NJ Comic Expo Center show....a few grand worth of SA keys.I won't publically state which books of my friend's got stolen

 

I might go tomorrow, depends on wether or not I feel like pressing a few books today/tonight for sigs.The time to snap up 9.8 candidates of Boys #1 for ten bucks...or Preacher 1's for a buck fiddy, was probably gone by Friday night.And considering a lot of dealers don't set up til Sat morning, I'd have to get a hotel or drive 90 miles back home.That reality snuck in on me, last night

 

If I had set up at the show, I;d definitely have did the Friday night & Saturday morning snooping.

 

I've been buying a ton of books lately...and I have literally TWO desks, that have stacks of books, that have small stacks of books all over them...... all of which need to be pressed.And I haven't pressed a single book in weeks...ugh.

 

Wizard Philly onsite grading & a few sigs I plan on some of the books....is going to run me 2 to 3 thousand effing dollars.

 

Still, I want to buy more

 

 

 

 

[Bird]

Not a great show from the standpoint of quality dealers. Most of the dealers there were blowing out $2 books. Gary Platt and a few others were worth visiting, but I would have been disappointed had I paid $30 to get in (which thankfully I did not have to).

 

I paid $57 for a weekend pass, and it is disappointing. But not the end of the world. Yes, there were very few well stocked dealers there. I have fun at shows and got other things done, but the comic buying part was sketchy today. I made some notes and might do some buying tomorrow if the books are still there but nothing major.

 

 

[CryptoDave]

I went and thought it was great!

 

Met and bought a custom piece from both Neal Adams and Allen Bellman.

 

[AnkurJ]

I didn't see any great deals in terms of comics. There were quite a few artists and some big names. I ended up obtaining multiple commissions and was was happy with them. And it was great to chat with other collectors and meet up with friends.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Went yesterday with a stack of money, went home with a stack of books. Plenty of deals to be had, lots of dealers I don't know. All in all, I made out.

[Bird]

Went yesterday with a stack of money, went home with a stack of books. Plenty of deals to be had, lots of dealers I don't know. All in all, I made out.

 

 

 

I got a few trades today for good prices. I can't complain.

 

HA! texting aweandlorder just now about the show and he threw me an ebay bone! Thanks aweandlorder!

 

 

[NelsonAI]

I attended the show on Saturday. Better organized than last year in regards to directing people where to line up so that was good. The doors opened about 15 minutes late but everything else was fine.

 

Artists alley was twice the size as last year. Popular artists were already pre-booked in terms of commissions but they were all very fan friendly and spent time chatting. Something you don't get to experience at a large show.

 

Comics were mostly bronze to modern. If you were looking for golden or silver age, you may have been disappointed. However, it's a great show for trade paperbacks and reading copies. Eventually a larger golden and silver age dealer will exhibit at this show and clean up.

 

This really is a great local show for newbies to experience a mix of vendors ( t-shirts, statues, craft beer, 3 different batmobiles, artists and writers). Plenty of cosplayers in a good way. Just an all around nice show to meet up with other collectors and avoid the over crowded shows like NYCC and SDCC.

 

I enjoy this show and look forward to next year.

Cheers!

N.