Twin cities 2008 con report

[Dr.J.]

Starting to check out the local comic cons after many years of not going to them.I miss the old cons,they had loads of cheap comics,as well as rare films and toons shown late into the night.Anyway,I spend a lot of time checking out the books on ebay.IF a con dealer,can have a book I crave,in a matching price and condition, I'll buy it. Otherwise,some dealer on ebay gets my cash.Sadly,on the key books, more and more,I go that route.I find that I can still get key books,in the very same shape,anywhere from 1/3 to 3/4 of the price! The books i seen, were few top notch keys,and the prices, higher then what on ebay,would get me a MUCH better copy.Lots of NM shape mid 70s books,as much as 70% off .The dealer who i went with(helpers get in free),only made about 300.00 when he used to make 1,000 or more.Another dealer,who owns a well known store in mpls,wasn't too happy with what he pulled in,and was very,VERY aprehensive about the economy.One fellow wasn't concerned. He was cashing out,but,to buy a fine sterio system.I came prepared for deals,with over 500.,but spent just 87.00,and half of that for 1990's spidy books(the parents saga),that also came with fine used mylar and acid free boards. At 1.00 a book, I came out ahead on them!Then sold the spidys to my bro,at same price,so the con cost me just 67.00 Now my korak,son of tarzan's, have fine protection! Most I paid for any book, was 5.00 each,for.Korak 15, avengers 119. Got a pile of NM daredevels from 74-75 for about 21.00,so, IF its NM 70s stuff you want at a great price,hit the cons.LOADS and loads of 80s and 90s at .50 to 1.00. I dont think that my brother who now ONLY buys his comics this way,is the only person out there doing so.

[Aaron King]

I was there bumming around for a bit... the convention seemed really full this year. I barely had room to wander around let alone cratedive for comics. Jostling abound.

Also, there weren't any draws as far as the artist tables went this year, either. It was the same line-up of past conventions without any new special guests.

I did manage some nice hauls, but it was mostly in TPBs and also from a great guy I met on my way out, set up right next to the exit, with tons of '70s books for one dollar each. See the Classic Comics I've Purchased thread for details.

[dan bailey]

Also, there weren't any draws as far as the artist tables went this year, either. It was the same line-up of past conventions without any new special guests.

Somebody just might be the teensiest bit spoiled (or so at least it seems from the standpoint of someone else who's mired in a morass of mediocrity that for all I know has never been the site of a con in its history) ...

[Aaron King]

I'm definitely spoiled. It's just that MCBA, the organization that runs these conventions, has gotten Steve Englehart, Marshall Rogers, Terry Austin, Gene Ha, Tony DeZuniga...

The artists at Microcon this year were the artists that have been there every year. Yeah, I'm a whiner.

[dan bailey]

I'm definitely spoiled. It's just that MCBA, the organization that runs these conventions, has gotten Steve Englehart, Marshall Rogers, Terry Austin, Gene Ha, Tony DeZuniga...


Of those names, up until a couple of weeks ago I wouldn't have recognized Ha's. Since then, of course, I've read -- make that devoured -- Top 10 & Smax. He's brilliant!

[Aaron King]

He's a pretty interesting artist. Just don't read his recent 2-issue Authority "run" unless you want to see his art smeared with dirt and cheap digital effects.