Let's hear your Signature Stories! Here's my John Byrne Signed Experience 3 3

[D2]

So I recently was chatting with a fellow collector and we got on the topic of John Byrne.

I had always heard of people having a tough time with him over the years simply because he is quite particular and since my interaction revived my memory on my story, I thought it would be fun to share.

I have always been a fan of the Claremont/Byrne saga, with emphasis on the DOFP storyline, and I always wanted to get Byrne's signature on my books, even though I know he does not support CGC.

This is my story of how John Byrne lost his mind. It was actually quite frustrating at the time, but now that it's over, it is something my friend and I still laugh about together to this day. 
Byrne attended the Toronto Fan Expo in 2018 because he was promoting his book signing with his idol William Shatner, and they were selling VIP tickets for the event.
If you bought a VIP ticket, for $150 each, you would get a Star Trek hardcover signed by both Shatner and Byrne, along with 2 additional book signings of your choice by Byrne. Being the over achieving insufficiently_thoughtful_person that I am, I bought 3 VIP tickets.

Well, lo and behold, on that day, Byrne was ALSO doing free signings, and I was like, wtf, I just spent 450 bucks for nothing, when I could just get my books signed for free. So I stood in line with my books (and a few others) to get signed, and near the front of the line was a sign: 10 books max, Byrne will only sign in black sharpie, don't hand him the books, don't touch him, keep chat to a minimum.

After seeing the black sharpie comment, I flipped. First off, I usually do not like black sharpie sigs on books.

Anyway, at the front near the sign was his handler, and I said to him, no... I want gold and silver signatures. So a back and forth conversation for 10 minutes, and his handler basically says it's a personal choice by Byrne, he won't do it.
So I said, fine, I bought 3 VIP tickets, I want a refund. They didn't like that. So the handler then says, look, go to Byrne's booth right now and talk to this lady, she is the one in charge of the VIP signing for Byrne. Work it out with her. So I got 4 other books signed, in black, and left towards the booth.

As I arrived, the line up for the VIP signing had already started, and like a jerk, I cut in front to talk to this lady which already made me feel bad. I explain to her, listen I have 3 tickets blah blah blah, and after another 10 minutes of demanding a refund, she says, look, Byrne hates this and is really going to kick up a fight... So I need you to wait until the entire VIP signing is done, and you'll be the last person in line to sign, then I'll get you your colors. I just don't need anyone else causing trouble."

So I waited. 4 hours. And was last in line.

Byrne grabs by books, and literally on instinct, grabs a black sharpie like a ninja, and aims to sign my book.

I threw my hands in front of his face and my book in a panic, yelling no! Stop! 

Byrne looked at me, totally confused, and then turns to the woman. I blurted out that I wanted gold and silver sigs. Byrne says what?! and turns back to the woman. She replies, I'm sorry John, we had an arrangement.

Then John turns back to me with this face... This face of just total absolute pissed, annoyed, and bitter. He looked like an infant who just ate vegetables for the first time... and literally sat there for a solid 10 seconds in silence, pouting.

Then, he takes my gold sharpie and says, which books in gold...

 

By the end he warmed up (in the last 20 seconds), but I knew he was sour.

And I couldn't be happier. He was so upset and my friend and I still laugh about it to this day.

Now I have all these great colorful signed books, raw, that I know don't exist, because Byrne won't sign in colors. No other color sigs exist. He hates them. He hates them with a passion. Lol... Byrne.

Edited November 8, 2020 by D2

[seanfingh]

Those are just excellent. Great story!

The old timers around here have heard most of my sig stories, but I will try to tee up a couple this weekend.

[Ron C.]

[D2]

16 hours ago, Ron C. said:

Hahahah

yes! Amazing!

[Turtle]

If I'm not mistaken, I think Jim Starlin is allergic to the silver portion of silver sharpies, so he will not use them.  I've also found him pretty polite about it.  Seems like a reasonable policy for him.

I guess I don't understand the sour attitude over different colored sharpies when allergies aren't a factor.  I can even understand not wanting to swap markers every 5 seconds in the interest of keeping the line moving...but this was the last person in line.   Some creative types have some weird quirks.  

[Turtle]

Here's a story I posted in General earlier this week.  It applies here, so I'll share it again:

My first comic con was Wizard World Texas in 2008.  I was living in Texas at the time and it was about 30 minutes from my house.  The highlight of the show for me was John Cassaday.  I was reading his run on Astonishing X-Men at the time (which I don't think had quite finished by that point).

He had such a long line that they positioned him out in the hallway outside of the show floor in order to control the crowd of people.  We were waiting in line for an hour or so and they capped the line a little bit behind us.  The guy in front of us had a VERY large stack of books to be signed and he was very chatty.  When that guy was done, some handlers pulled John away for a scheduled panel that he was already running a few minutes late for.  There were only a few of us left in line.  As he's getting pulled away, John looks at the few of us still in line and shouts "I'll be back in an hour.  If you're still here, I'll do sketches!".  

When he returned, he seemed genuinely flattered that we'd wait for him and happily did a few quick sketches for us.  Here's one that I consider a memento of not only my first con, but also my first time interacting with CGC Signature Series stuff in person (shout out to Frank who still helps CGC out at shows from time to time).  The book evokes a lot of positive memories.  

[seanfingh]

Great story Adam. One of my favorite Con memories of you was the first time that you and your wife brought your little man to either Gem City or Mid-Ohio. If I recall correctly, it was quite some time before he warmed up to ol' Fingh. He kept looking at you two like you should be running away in fear.  Those years - 2008-2013 - were probably my favorite collecting years.  

[Turtle]

3 hours ago, seanfingh said:

Great story Adam. One of my favorite Con memories of you was the first time that you and your wife brought your little man to either Gem City or Mid-Ohio. If I recall correctly, it was quite some time before he warmed up to ol' Fingh. He kept looking at you two like you should be running away in fear.  Those years - 2008-2013 - were probably my favorite collecting years.  

Good times!  

That was the Gem City show.  Our son was less than a year old and he was VERY unsure what to make of you.  But it was a very good time.  I lived in Fairborn/Dayton for a few years as a kid and it was a trip going back there with a son of my own.  We even ate at the same Bob Evans I used to visit as a kid.  Plus Kevin Eastman was there...so the TMNT nostalgia was in full force as well.

And don't take it personally.  My wife and I did everything for that kid and it took us seven months to get a smile out of him.    

It'd be great to see you at a show again sometime, Sean.

[D2]

On 11/20/2020 at 9:43 AM, Turtle said:

Here's a story I posted in General earlier this week.  It applies here, so I'll share it again:

My first comic con was Wizard World Texas in 2008.  I was living in Texas at the time and it was about 30 minutes from my house.  The highlight of the show for me was John Cassaday.  I was reading his run on Astonishing X-Men at the time (which I don't think had quite finished by that point).

He had such a long line that they positioned him out in the hallway outside of the show floor in order to control the crowd of people.  We were waiting in line for an hour or so and they capped the line a little bit behind us.  The guy in front of us had a VERY large stack of books to be signed and he was very chatty.  When that guy was done, some handlers pulled John away for a scheduled panel that he was already running a few minutes late for.  There were only a few of us left in line.  As he's getting pulled away, John looks at the few of us still in line and shouts "I'll be back in an hour.  If you're still here, I'll do sketches!".  

When he returned, he seemed genuinely flattered that we'd wait for him and happily did a few quick sketches for us.  Here's one that I consider a memento of not only my first con, but also my first time interacting with CGC Signature Series stuff in person (shout out to Frank who still helps CGC out at shows from time to time).  The book evokes a lot of positive memories.  

 

Wow... what a stand up guy. I have a true respect for John Cassaday to do that. Especially considering he had no obligation to do that. 

It's always nice to hear when a creator goes above and beyond, and understand his fans. Amazing!

[mr_highgrade]

Here are my Byrne stash from 1984.

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by mr_highgrade

[mr_highgrade]

[mr_highgrade]

[mr_highgrade]

Here's a Byrne & Lee that I picked up here on the boards a while back.

I would love to send it in to CBCS for verification,  but I don't want to wait 6 months to get the book back.

@Timely

 

[seanfingh]

OK - here are some of my favorite sig stories.

Joe Kubert -  one of Joe’s last shows that he did CGC for was in Chicago. I used to go to both regularly and would help witness whenever I could. Joe had a lot of subs that weekend - not Jim Lee or JSC a lot, but enough to have to coordinate. He was donating all of his signing fees to Hero Initiative, otherwise, he never would have taken a dime. He was so friendly and so affable, and he really cared about his fans.  So we decided that we would divide Joe’s books into stacks of 15 or so and get them done whenever we could because he moved around a lot and didn’t stay all day.  I had done maybe 60 that day, and saw the opportunity to do my last stack.  He recognized me and we picked up where we left off - it was Hawkman or the Unknown Soldier or whatever. He did the signing, and I gave his daughter in law the $150 for HI. I was closing everything up and realized that one of the window bags had not been cut and he signed the bag. So I asked him to quick sign the book. As he picked up his pen, his daughter in law said “Wait I have to talk to the Hero people, I think we need to get another fee.” He smiled and nodded. When she turned the corner, he grabbed the book, picked a beautiful place, as he always did. He said “she is a wonderful girl, and pretty protective. If you don’t tell, I won’t either.” We shook hands, he put his hand on my shoulder and said “thanks for reading!” And that was the last time I saw him. I still have that window bag.

[seanfingh]

Jackson Bostwick - This guy played the live action Captain Marvel / Shazam from the 70’s. It was a hotel show in Louisville (same one where I met Margot Kidder who was quite a handful). Bostwick had a hand made sign on his table that said “ALL AUTOGRAPHS $20.”  Pretty simple and easy to understand, think I.  I hand him a couple of Shazam #1 and $40. He goes - “Oh, no, those are $50 each.”  I said what about “all autographs $20?” He goes, “that doesn’t mean for collectibles. Those are separate.” So I’m standing there, slack-jawed, trying to imagine what type of SNL “The Californians” style logic gymnastics must be going on in his bag of cats mind to allow this. The irresistible force of my stunned incredulity smashed against the immovable object of his illogical avarice until finally he spoke “I have to do it because of EBay, man.”  He got his $100.

[CardiacKid1]

2 hours ago, seanfingh said:

OK - here are some of my favorite sig stories.

Joe Kubert -  one of Joe’s last shows that he did CGC for was in Chicago. I used to go to both regularly and would help witness whenever I could. Joe had a lot of subs that weekend - not Jim Lee or JSC a lot, but enough to have to coordinate. He was donating all of his signing fees to Hero Initiative, otherwise, he never would have taken a dime. He was so friendly and so affable, and he really cared about his fans.  So we decided that we would divide Joe’s books into stacks of 15 or so and get them done whenever we could because he moved around a lot and didn’t stay all day.  I had done maybe 60 that day, and saw the opportunity to do my last stack.  He recognized me and we picked up where we left off - it was Hawkman or the Unknown Soldier or whatever. He did the signing, and I gave his daughter in law the $150 for HI. I was closing everything up and realized that one of the window bags had not been cut and he signed the bag. So I asked him to quick sign the book. As he picked up his pen, his daughter in law said “Wait I have to talk to the Hero people, I think we need to get another fee.” He smiled and nodded. When she turned the corner, he grabbed the book, picked a beautiful place, as he always did. He said “she is a wonderful girl, and pretty protective. If you don’t tell, I won’t either.” We shook hands, he put his hand on my shoulder and said “thanks for reading!” And that was the last time I saw him. I still have that window bag.

That scene in Field of Dreams, where an elderly Moonlight Graham tells Ray that he has to go home or his wife will think he has a girlfriend . . . that was immediately what popped into my mind when I heard this story.  What a class act.

[devilsrain]

2 hours ago, seanfingh said:

Jackson Bostwick - This guy played the live action Captain Marvel / Shazam from the 70’s. It was a hotel show in Louisville (same one where I met Margot Kidder who was quite a handful). Bostwick had a hand made sign on his table that said “ALL AUTOGRAPHS $20.”  Pretty simple and easy to understand, think I.  I hand him a couple of Shazam #1 and $40. He goes - “Oh, no, those are $50 each.”  I said what about “all autographs $20?” He goes, “that doesn’t mean for collectibles. Those are separate.” So I’m standing there, slack-jawed, trying to imagine what type of SNL “The Californians” style logic gymnastics must be going on in his bag of cats mind to allow this. The irresistible force of my stunned incredulity smashed against the immovable object of his illogical avarice until finally he spoke “I have to do it because of EBay, man.”  He got his $100.

 

I imagine you walking around the conventions wearing an Ebay T-shirt.

I've only been accused of that with Good Ol' Walt Simonson. NYCC 2011 Hero Initiative booth.  Walt was doing sketches for $200.

Everyone seemed to be getting busts.  Thor holding the hammer, Thor chucking the hammer etc.  I walk up and say "make my Thor angry"..... Now of course, there's the mistake.  I wasn't specific. I should've said "I want Thor, arm extended into the air standing on a cliff with lightning coming out of Mjolnir"  I hadn't learned to be greedy with my sketch cover requests yet.  He proceeds to draw Thor's head similar to what you would normally get for free from him, maybe slightly worse.  Now (even then) I didn't really mind because I love supporting the Hero Initiative but I had seen him personalizing sketches.  So for $200, I don't want to see my stupid name on the artwork so I politely requested not to personalize it.   He looks me up and down * pauses * then says "ahhhhh, Ebay huh?"  I said No of course not (in my mind I was like.... well now yea)

Surprisingly, I still have the sketch!  

[HotKey]

I have the worst John Byrne autograph story.

I won this in an online auction. I don't know if it's real. The end. 😁

[Jeffro.]

I went to a show at the Westchester County Center in White Plains NY back in 2000. It was a very warm and humid weekend with no air conditioning in the venue. I walked up to where Barry Windsor Smith was sitting and he said hello to me and asked me how I was doing. I mentioned something about being too hot but otherwise okay and he offers me his bottle of water. I said I couldn't take his water but he insisted and said he could get another one so I got my comics signed and Barry gave me his water. Such an odd moment  

[s-man]

1 hour ago, HotKey said:

I have the worst John Byrne autograph story.

I won this in an online auction. I don't know if it's real. The end. 😁

Eh, close enough!