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Steve Coates
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Posted: 25 April 2018 at 5:26pm | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Starts tomorrow! Anyone else going? 

I'll be in on Friday for a panel and will stop to see Don Rosa and Tom Grummett.  Also Ty Templeton, who will be at the CLLDF booth, manned by my buddies Leonard and Jay. And if there is no great line up I'll say hello to Neal Adams. Plus, I'll make a strong effort to check in with all the local artists friends. I hope it is a good show for them all.
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Karl Wiebe
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Posted: 25 April 2018 at 10:37pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply

I have passed on this for the past 10 years because I keep hearing stories about how the line ups are super long and it is not very well organized.  I heard the fire marshall even got involved one year (apparently the event was oversold).  Not trying to sound negative, I know that the event is a victim of its own success.  Or maybe all comic book conventions are like that?  (I don't know, I have only been to very rinky dink local comic book shows.)

I am very interested in hearing how your experience is, I hope it is a good one.  Is it even possible that the Neal Adams line won't be 4 km long? 
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Phil Kreisel
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Posted: 26 April 2018 at 1:47pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply

I'll be at the event for the first time since 2014.  The main reason for not attending in 2015-2017 were either other commitments or a lack of guests that I was interested in seeing. This year, my son and I are making the trek up to Calgary.

I'm going to do my tour of the artists on Friday, and do the vendor's floor on Saturday, mixed with panels.  Sunday is primarily a panel day.  Its just the way the schedule worked out. 
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Christopher Frost
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Posted: 27 April 2018 at 6:31am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

I've gone to it every year since it started and this year will be no exception. With FanExpo taking it over this year, they've made a number of changes to the layout and it will be interesting to see how the new setup is going to workout in the media guest area. It already looks poorly thought out with a large open area in the middle of it that seems to serve no particular purpose other than wasting valuable space.   
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Karl Wiebe
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Posted: 27 April 2018 at 3:05pm | IP Logged | 5 post reply

I would love to attend sometime—when it is over, any tips you would be willing to share on how to have a great experience, I would be interested in hearing!  I fear I would spend the entire time standing in line so will gladly learn from those who have ventured in!
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Phil Kreisel
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Posted: 30 April 2018 at 3:35pm | IP Logged | 6 post reply

Karl, you asked "Is it even possible that the Neal Adams line won't be 4 km long?"

The answer is "No."  I was in the Artist area at some point in time on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and Neal was never overly busy.  The main reason is that his stuff for purchase (while plentiful), was way too pricey compared to when he was last here.  His prints went from $20 to $40.  To get a picture with Neal, he was charging $50.  I think he was also charging $50 for signing something you brought (but I'm not sure of that).  He would sign the posters you bought from him at the Expo for free.  Commissions from Neal are ultra expensive, but mind you, he's always been really expensive for the original stuff, and I dont begrudge him for that.  I did chat with him briefly though I didn't buy anything from him this time around (I had done so at previous Expos).

I just think that Neal has priced himself out of the market.  Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti (who recently collaborated on Harley Quinn, though they've done tons of other work) charged $5 each for signatures on pieces you brought (but would sign prints that they had available at their table for free).  Amanda Conner's prints were $10 each.

Don't even get me started on what Rob Liefeld and Jim Lee charged for signatures.  I didn't even bother bringing things for them to sign.  Ty Templeton and  Tom Grummett didn't charge anything for their signatures (I only brought 4 comics for Tom and 2 comics for Ty).  No point in being greedy.

To avoid excessive lines with the artists, I deliberately did all my main art purchases and signatures on the second day (first day for me) of the Expo, as the Friday afternoon is considerably less busy.


Edited by Phil Kreisel on 30 April 2018 at 3:37pm
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Rebecca Jansen
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Posted: 30 April 2018 at 3:53pm | IP Logged | 7 post reply

That's quite a change from conventions 'back in the day' of the '80s. Charging for signatures I mean... but then if people are reselling them for more because of that etc. etc. Good for Ty Templeton and Tom Grummett not charging, nice to see some goodwill! I've never been into it... I usually prefer to have a comic that's not signed if it's going to be some big art obscuring marker affair, but then I actually read them. I did find some John Byrne signatures on things (nice basic blue pen signatures that aren't ruining anything) from when he briefly lived here, but back then I think nobody would add more than a $1 to the price for something like that.
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Phil Kreisel
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Posted: 30 April 2018 at 4:07pm | IP Logged | 8 post reply

Rebecca, the excuse that Rob Leifeld gave (what I read online, anyway) was that people who got his signature were flipping the books on Ebay for big bucks.  So to that effect, he wanted a piece of the action (though he also stated that the high price would discourage speculators).  The books I would have liked him to sign were the Hawk and Dove mini-series from the 90s.  The writer/inker (Karl Kessel) signed my books some time ago, so it would have been nice - just not at that price!

The books that people were flipping on the market were early appearances of Deadpool and Cable.  I don't think Hawk and Dove fit into that category.

Some other artists that I had seen charging for their signatures were Ron Wilson and Keith Pollard.  They were good artists that aren't getting work anymore, so I felt they actually needed the money! 

I had Amanda Conner sign her book "The Art of Amanda Conner Conner" and she wrote a very nice message inside along with the signature.  I asked her to personalize it to me as I have no intention of "flipping" that book on Ebay.  
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Steve Coates
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Posted: 30 April 2018 at 5:10pm | IP Logged | 9 post reply

Lot easier for me, because I didn't exhibit this year. I went Friday and went through Artist Alley and said hello to all my friends and acquaintances. Did my panel with the help of my friend Gregory with a surprising number of panel attendees. Did a little comic book shopping and back over to Artist Alley to drop my sketch book off with Ty Templeton because he wanted to work on it overnight. 

Ty was there supporting the CLLDF (Comics Legends Legal Defence Fund) and doing a great job. Hey, JB. Do you remember the Comics Legends store, which was in Calgary? I really like Ty, he is about my age so we share life influences and he has some very funny stories, smart as well!

I talked to Don Rosa for a good spell. Don recognized I was not the correct age to be one of his fans, but he warmed considerably, when I started naming the artists and covers of which he does spoofs and homages. He even pulled out a photo book, a European Photographer did, with Don as the subject matter. It was impressive.

More later...





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