When I used to go to conventions, I was always amazed by how few of the fans in attendence knew much about the history of comics and how few of them "cared" that some very important people in the history of comics were there. I suppose it worked in my favor though. I was at one con where the entire place made a mass pilgrimage to stand in line to meet McFarlane, which gave me the chance to have a very nice conversation with Julius Schwartz and to meet Martin Nodell.

   I wonder if there was a noticable increase in "obnoxious fan behavior" during the speculator boom when there was a large influx of people who were not really around for enjoyment of the comics.    

The speculator boom gave us a huge rise in the number of "fans" who treated the artists, writers, etc as if they were autograph-robots. Unfortunately, since the speculator boom also shattered the fan base and drove away most of the casual readers, the fans who come in with assumptions of rights and priviledges have maintained a higher proportion in the mix that was formerly the case. It one of the many reasons I have stopped doing cons.

What Wallace said.

And we don't pay JB's paycheck just because we read a comic of his. The company he does the comic for provides the paycheck for him in anticipation of profit from the product.

The only ones one the forum who can say they pay his paycheck are those buying artwork directly from JB.

To add a little clarification...

If there had been a line of people, all I would have expected was a "Hello" and maybe a "How do you want this signed?"   In no way am I a "gushing" anything.  My wife often says she's going to take my pulse to see if I'm still alive.  Since there was no line, I figured it might be one of those "I gots no place else to be" moments. In particular, I didn't create the situation, and didn't offer myself for interaction with people, the author did.  I didn't corral him at a restaurant, bar, sporting event, or even on the street, I went to an event of his own making.  I don't think that in such a situation, eye contact is too much to expect.

What happened seemed rude to me, but I know that I am applying my standards to someone else.  I tend to thank cashiers, and smile at them on my way through a line at stores.  I know this is because of my midwestern US upbringing.  I grew up waving at people driving by my house, whether I knew them or not.  Now I live in NY State, about 50 miles from the city, waving at cars is NOT what people do here, unless your count one fingered waves. 

I do enjoy this forum though.  There is a nice level of blunt around here.  That seems to come from JB's rules, and I really do appreciate being able to participate.  Thanks for the thought out answers and debate.

Edit to say:  This is not a "bad story"  the author's name intentionally has not been mentioned . 

I work for Jim Davis, creator of the GARFIELD strip, and I've been to a few book conventions with him. He is, hands-down, the nicest and most pleasant guy I've ever encountered (and I'm not brown-nosing). He's gracious, pleasant and really makes the fans feel special. He's also a signing machine, autographing nearly 600 books in about an hour. I think he feeds off the energy of the fans; what should tire out a normal person, he thrives on. Just watching him exhausts me.

I don't think anyone has a story about a bad encounter with Jim, because I doubt there's ever been one.

He's also a great guy (even when he's not in public) and a wonderful boss.