I'd probably be willing to pay that money for Alex Ross to sketch out a full Phantom Stranger piece. Jim Lee's more recent stuff doesn't really do it for me anymore. Jim has like 10 kids to feed from what I recall.

It's crazy how SDCC has tens of thousands coming every year and they are still using that dinky ass Hall H as their main showcase room for the "big announcements" And maybe less than 10% of the people attending are able to get it.

Yet, literally right next door, there is a baseball stadium that seats 42K plus. Has no one there even considered changing the "Big announcement" venue? Unless Comic Con International is too cheap to rent out the stadium?

I assume they want to keep it exclusive. Same reason why pro sports teams keep making smaller and smaller stadiums these days.

Before covid I believe someone did a reveal there but forget who or what it was. Turn out was small though

Yeah, if I'm plunking down that much, it's going to be for Alex Ross. I like browsing his gallery at SDCC every year.

What do you mean? I’m just saying they need a much bigger venue than Hall H. A baseball stadium that’s literally right next door would cover that. They just need to rent it out from the Padres. There is not about exclusivity. You’ll still need your badge and lanyard to get it. That Con has way overgrown the SD convention center.

My badge for Disney’s D23 just arrived today. It’s a 3 day event and all badges sold out in 2 days back in March. I’m only going day 1 on August 9th.

If you don’t know what D23 is, it’s basically the comic con for all Disney IP. It’s held every 2 years at the Anaheim Convention Center.

I got an email from Disney about making a reservation for some activities that will happen on the day I attend D23.

Here are my picks and the order I chose of preference. I think they will randomly pick which ones you get based on popularity and remaining spots left. In 2022, I was only able to get 1 reservation.

I'm hoping to get the Andrew Stanton meet and greet and signing. I would love him to sign a Wall-E 4K disc. I just have to order it. And there is no guarantee that I get any of these.

They will let me know on August 2nd.

So anyone here get signatures while at cons? Take your own pens?
I'm trying to find a set that has bright colors (possibly fluorescent) but can be used for signing. I found a really nice set but unfortunately they are oil based.

I see many CGC signature books signed in pink neon or grey marker. I know that's not an answer to your question but I don't know the brands.

I can't speak from personal experience, but I know the most popular brands among autograph collectors are Molotow, Deco, and Sharpie. It really depends on which particular colors you want, the thickness of the pen, and what's being signed. It can also depend on where you're located and the weather. Heat, humidity, and high altitude can cause problems with metallic and paint pens.

Someone recommended this Molotow to me once. I always liked the color. You can see some autograph results on the review photos.



Also make sure to prep the pen before handing it over. Shake it, burp it, and get the pen flowing smoothly so it doesn't throw up all over your photo.

Most hardcore collectors will get an extra print and test a variety of pens to see what works best. Like this:

What's the opinion on metallic ink pens?

I've heard people say not to use them because they bleed, but I have a number of signed comic books that are signed with those silver and gold pens, and they still look fine despite having been signed thirty years ago.

Wrestler prices have gotten crazy. Here's a price list for the upcoming WrestleCon.

Darby Allen was sitting next to Slaughter at SDCC. Both charging $40 for sig and selfie
Lots other AEW wrestlers but didn't see what they were charging.
Zoey Stark and CM Punk were there for Mattel as well as a meet and greet (lottery portal)
Rousey was there as well to promote her new graphic novel and a meet and greet as well (lottery portal). Bautista was her moderator but not sure he was there as a meet and greet.

Sex trafficking ring discovered during Comic Con weekend. A bunch of disgusting pervs arrested (14 arrested)

https://deadline.com/2024/07/comic-c...ed-1236028274/

Weird how the news is just reporting on this. This has been a thing for years during SDCC
We have a trafficking issue here especially with the trolley system and the border. Not just during SDCC.

This is just some DA looking for publicity under the rubric of "sex trafficking" for maximum media exposure. The scant details about the actual arrests tell me everything I need to know in this case.

Actually, I went and read the actual police press release, and I can't find any evidence of this alleged "human trafficking" (as the press release claims). If you look at the details, the police did stings on both sides. They posed as "buyers" and solicited services from "providers" These are the 10 people they claimed that they "rescued" (9 adults and 1 minor). Then, they also posted fake provider ads and arrested "buyers" who responded to them. If you read further down the press release, you'll see that all 14 people that were arrested were these buyers. So, the buyers obviously aren't trafficking the providers; they were responding to fake police ads. And the providers were characterized as "recovered" or "potential victims". So where is the trafficking? As far as I can tell, no one was arrested for trafficking (like a pimp or something). Most likely, it seems, those women were all there by themselves, of their own free will consensually (the only problematic one being the 16-year old who couldn't consent to any of those activities). And yet every news article just uncritically parrots the police's sensational press release about "human trafficking".

Isn't all prostitution labeled "human trafficking" now?

Just booked my 1 day ticket for Comic Con LA in October. Going on Sunday. It's much less crazy. I went on a Saturday a few years ago and it was a madhouse and a nightmare to find parking.

Here is the current group of guests. I'm thinking about getting Giancarlo Esposito as my 1 big splurge and then possibly Spencer Grammer. I always liked her from Greek years ago and her auto and photo is very affordable.

https://store.epic.leapevent.tech/lo...comic-con/2024

Hopefully they add more people in the next few months.

I must be getting old - I don't recognize half the names on that Comic Con's guest list.

I may not recognize some of the names on the list, but I do recognize the faces as I have seen some of these folks pop up in mostly tv shows and some movies.

One of these days I need to get back to hitting up a comic convention, it has been way too long. Being in the Bay Area I know that there quite a few cons that pop up around me that I can look into. In the meantime, I am a fan of this thread and the Autograph collecting thread being updated on a pretty regular basis.

My entry into the D23 activity lottery just came back a few days ago. This is what they assigned me


Not sure who the Pixar filmmakers are. Andrew Stanton is doing his own signing. But, anyway, still cool regardless to get some free autographs. I'll post who I get later this week after I get back from D23

There are about 17 names of that group that I have no immediate knowledge of who they are.

It is looking good that I will be attending my first con in several years, Collector-Con next weekend in Bakersfield, CA.

Driving down with my brother. The plan is to spend at least 3-4 hours doing some vendor shopping. Should be fun.