How Much is Too Much?

[matchstick johnny]

Hopefully I will be meeting Ed McGuinness this weekend!

http://www.thecomicshow.com/upcoming/may1st/may1stimages/poster.jpg

I would like to have him sign some comics for me. I don't plan on selling any of them. I just want to have him sign some of my comics. I am sort of new at meeting comic creators and I wasn't sure how many comics I should have him sign for me(How many is too many). I have an extra copy of Superman Batman #1(both covers) and an extra Superman #165. I was thinking of having him sign the Superman Batman hardcover. Should he sign it on the inside?? I am thinking of a lot of comics I have that he did covers for(recent Teen Titans and Majestic). I also have Dead Pool #1 and the Wolverine Annual he did.

Thanks for your help.

[De Carabas]

It's really a subjective answer. Personally, I keep it to under five items and that is my personal max. I would feel awkward with more, but that is just me. You will see people with stacks high enough to hold up the table that the person is sitting at, and they will feel no shame or embarrassment whatsoever in asking for all of them to be signed & personalized. It is all a matter of how comfortable you feel. No, I'm not exaggerating.

Also, do be aware that sometimes, but rarely, there is a signing limit. Depends on the show/store/person.

EM

[Sleeper]

Around five or seven is a good number. If you're eager for more to be signed, line up again and sort out another batch. Gives the other people a chance to shake hands with the artist too.

[Maukingbird]

HOLY CRAP!!!

SO JEALOUS!!!!!!!

And there's a Ed/Dex sketchbook?!!!!

Why is New Hampshire so far away?!!!

I love Ed!!!! I've yet to meet him, but Dexter Vines was very very kind and nice to talk to. He let me look at the DC COMICS PRESENTS: THE FLASH pages tha the and Ed did before the book had even been solicited. VERY cool guy, VERY awesome inker. If you bring your Superman/Batman or Teen Titans stuff, you should have Dex sign 'em too since he inked 'em. I always feel bad when people get autographs from the penciler and talk them up and then totally ignore the inker when they worked just as hard on the book and were a HUGE part in just how good it looks.

SO JEALOUS!

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

I'd go with getting the inside of the hardcover signed. If he has a silver sharpie, there's a nice opening two page black spread in the hardcover. If he only has a black one, there's a white title page right after it.

When novelists sign their books, they usually sign those title pages. This way, you don't rub the autograph off when you pack the book onto your bookshelf - and then take it out - and then put it back on - then take it out again, etc.

-Augie

[pmpknface]

Yeah, 5-7 is about the MOST I'd ask someone to sign. I usually pick the BEST covers of each series an artist / writer might have done. Especially if you're gonna display them.

Some artists will even do a quick sketch in a HC because they know you shelled out the $ for it. I've seen Tim Sale do that.

I've met Ed a few times, and if you get there early he might even do a sketch (w/ pencil & a black sharpie) for you for like $25 or something. I think he lives in Maine now, so if he's late it's most likely because he's got a long drive. :)

[jclaus]

Matchstick - I agree with everyone. 5-10 is usually a good number. Do check first for any signs or ask the line organizer if there is a signing limit. I have been one of those people Eric referenced. At San Diego one year I was first in line for Peter David at the Claypool booth and had a big stack of Hulk comics for him to sign. Since there was no one in line at the time, he agreed to sign them all but I had to buy a couple of Soulsearchers & Company trades. It can also depend on the creator. Chris Claremont seems to max out around 7-10 per person, but Mark Waid has never balked out loud. Grant Morrison was cool two years ago when I had about 15-20 New X-Mens for him to sign and right after I handed him my books the line organizer announced 5 was the limit. I asked if he wanted me to get back in line, but he said not to worry about and finished signing my stack. Also, to Eric's earlier point I try to remain aware of others in line as they are there to meet the creator as well. I have just gone to the back of the line where necessary for multiple signings.

Traci - I definitely try to get the inkers to sign as well if they are available. A couple of years ago I surprised Scott Hanna at a NYC show when I asked him to sign some Thunderbolts comics. He then saw that I had some signed by Art Thibert at the same show. He said that it is very unusual for people to ask inkers for autographs. I just mentioned that I like to get as much of the creative team as possible. To me, it makes the comic more special then someone who only has the writer or artist sign it. Scott was very gracious to talk with as well.

[De Carabas]

Also, to Eric's earlier point I try to remain aware of others in line as they are there to meet the creator as well. I have just gone to the back of the line where necessary for multiple signings.
And that is what makes you a cool guy, John.

When I was younger (16~17), my brother and I must have got John Romita Jr to sign his entire Daredevil run. It was a small con in a Holiday Inn, and he was the only Guest, but we did it by getting back in line. One of the con hosts made a nasty crack about us, but JRjr defended us by saying that he didn't mind in the slightest, because we were giving other people the opportunity to get signatures. A really nice guy.

I'm glad I didn't offend you (or hopefully anyone else) with my post. I wanted to give Matchstick Johnny a clear picture of what to expect, but once I posted it I realized that it could be misconstrued as a shot at Big Stackers.

EM

[De Carabas]

The not-getting-the-inker's signature thing bugs me too. Back when Crossgen used to line up the whole creative team (writer, penciller, inker, colorist) at a table, it pissed me off to see how many people would get the writer's and/or the penciller's signature and then just walk away. Caesar Rodriguez and Laura Martin did such amazing work, and the poor guy/gal might as well have brought a deck of cards with them to play Solitaire for all the signatures they were asked for. :mad:

EM

[jclaus]

I'm glad I didn't offend you (or hopefully anyone else) with my post. I wanted to give Matchstick Johnny a clear picture of what to expect, but once I posted it I realized that it could be misconstrued as a shot at Big Stackers.

No offense taken EM. In the past unfortunately, I was a little inconsiderate. My second year at San Diego after I realized how many creators attend, I brought a whole stack of X-Men for Claremont to sign. He gave a sigh when he saw the stack I was holding (maybe 30 or more) and I realized that not only do the attendees in line have patience limits, but so do the creators.

The flip side as well is I have been upset with people requesting sketches in signing lines. Depending on the creator, the sketches can take some time and if I only have a small handful of books to sign it gets frustrating. But then I realize I have done the same to others so I just grin and bear it. Although watching artists like Perez, Cassaday and John Paul Leon is not a bad thing.

JRjr defended us by saying that he didn't mind in the slightest, because we were giving other people the opportunity to get signatures. A really nice guy.

JR and his dad are great guys. Something similar happened to me in San Diego. JRjr had signed my first stack of books and I got back in line. I ended up being the last person in line as they closed it down. There was a limit at the time for number of items to be signed and my second batch exceeded that. The organizers mentioned the limit again, but JRjr and his dad said they did not mind as I was already there and had let others sign ahead of me. Very cool talking with them.

Back when Crossgen used to line up the whole creative team
Yes, I had Frank D'Armata the colorist sign a number of Ruse, Crux, etc. I always felt bad for them too as to Traci's point, they are very critical to the overall process. Very interesting to get their perspective on the creative process as well. Where they come in. What input they give.

[Scott Beeler]

Personally I don't really have the desire to get a whole stack of things signed; I'll bring maybe 3, no more than 5 things. Having something personally signed by the creator(s) is really cool, it serves as a memory of having met them (if only briefly). But I don't need multiple things for that purpose, so I get a serious case of diminishing returns from further signed items.

If other people want to bring a stack, that's fine as long as they go by the rules the creator and/or convention have set -- a maximum number, or go stand in line again if you want to go over that number, or whatever.

[pmpknface]

If you bring a stack of stuff, that means you also have to lug it around all day! That's th worst! You're back is broken before you even buy anything! :eek:

[dancj]

I'm not sure I really understand the point of getting more than one comic or book signed. When they sign one thing you've got a souvenier of when you met them. When you've got loads signed, you still only met them once. For the same reason I don't understand the appeal of having a signed comic when you weren't there at the signing

Dan

[pmpknface]

I don't understand the appeal of having a signed comic when you weren't there at the signing

Dan

For the most part, I agree with you there. But there are a few people that rarely do shows, if at all, and it's just another manner of collecting. I had a friend get me a Neal Adams autograph at Midtown once. Warren Ellis hardly comes to the US (although he's in Toronto this weekend) so when he did a signing back in 1999 at Jim Hanely's I bought a book from them that he signed. Alan Moore rarely leaves his damn castle, let alone do shows, so I jumped at the special edition of Promethia #32 signed by both him and JH Williams III.

[matchstick johnny]

Hello,
I met Ed McGuiness today. He was a really nice guy. I had him sign some comics but I am most pleased with the Superman Batman hardcover. Ed was cool enough to do a little Batman head shot. Dexter Vines did Lex! On the right is a little exclusive sketchbook just for the show.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/steveviggy/Picture9472.jpg


It was a great day!

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. You are all the best! It was a small show and unlike the bigger cons there were no limits on how much they would sign.

[Deathstroke]

I have a question about signings, is it a good idea to bring a marker pen to have the creator sign the book(s) you bring to have signed or do they usually bring their own assortment.

I'm ignorant on this topic since WWPhilly will be my first real Con.

[Sleeper]

From the times I've seen, when you're on the toilets with them they usually prefer you not flashing a marker and comic under their noses while they were offloading. But, at the tables, they often have an assortment of pens to scratch your books with. Sometimes they'll only bring a blackie, so if you want some of that metallic shint, you'd best bring your own just in case.

[Deathstroke]

From the times I've seen, when you're on the toilets with them they usually prefer you not flashing a marker and comic under their noses while they were offloading. But, at the tables, they often have an assortment of pens to scratch your books with. Sometimes they'll only bring a blackie, so if you want some of that metallic shint, you'd best bring your own just in case.

Okay, first, ewww to the idea of trying to get them to sign in the john. Not just tacky, but unsanitary.

As for the table signings, thanks.

[Maukingbird]

HOLY CATS!!!

That sketchbook cover looks AWESOME!!! I hope they have those (or something like them) with them at SDCC!

[pmpknface]

Other than the sig's, get anything good at the show?

[Sabrina_Fried]

When I attend signings, I never have more than three things with me. I just don't want to carry around more than that all day, and it's really inconsiderate of your fellow fan to bring hundreds of pieces with you to ONE signing (i've seen it happen).

Sabrina

[kevhines]

HOLY CATS!!!


I am saying Holy Cats outloud to see how it sounds. It sounds funny coming out of my mouth (maybe that is just because I am talking to myself).

I wonder how people will react if that is how I start exclaiming. I want to find out.

[matchstick johnny]

I will try out the HOLY CATS exclamation tonight at work.

The EdEx sketchbook was a nice little bonus. They also had a small print of the same image made along with Spider-Man, Batgirl and others. You could buy them at the table and get them signed.

In addition to the hardcover I was lucky enough to have Ed sign Superman #154(his 1st Superman),#155,#165,#166,#168,#172 and the Superman Batman Secret Files #1. I got Ed and Dexter's signatures on Superman Batman #1(both covers) and #5. I had a total of 10 but there was some kid that must have had his entire Superman run with him. Ed didn't seem to mind. Again, he was really nice.

I didn't buy anything else at the show. I was just there to meet Ed. I have never been to any of the big cons but recently the local shows have been getting some well known talent. So far I've met Ethan Van Sciver and Ron Garney. Those guys are OK but I am a big fan of Ed McGuinness!