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Zaki Hasan
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 20 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 8105
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 7:11pm | IP Logged | 1
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Scott - I've never met him, but he sounds like a great guy. You're lucky to have what sounds like a fun job!
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Scott Nickel
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 10 July 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 132
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 7:11pm | IP Logged | 2
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Chris,
Never met Perez, but I've heard he's a great guy -- quite gracious to fans.
I know that if I were beseiged by zillions of people wanting my signature (and a piece of me), I don't think I'd be able to pull it off as well.
My hat's off to those who do it with such ease (and style).
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Scott Nickel
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 10 July 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 132
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 7:14pm | IP Logged | 3
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Zaki --
Yeah, I always say I won the "job lottery."
The only downside is that this high-tech, modern studio is out in the middle of a corn field. :)
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Chris Hutton
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 11667
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 7:16pm | IP Logged | 4
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I watched GP sign STACKS of books for individuals. With his hand in a brace! I apologized to him when I handed him 5!
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Robert Last
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 07 February 2006
Posts: 615
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 7:30pm | IP Logged | 5
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This is honestly not an attack on anyone (I thought I'd better add that given the heated nature of some threads today!) but why get more than one copy of an autograph at a con or whatever? I can kinda understand getting another book signed at another con, so you have something as a memory from each, but multiples? Anyone wanna clue me in?
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Brendan Blansett
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 September 2006
Posts: 25
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 7:36pm | IP Logged | 6
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I've been to quite a few conventions and met comic writers, artists, and the stars of movies and television.
I have had maybe one or two what could be called bad experiences, but the good ones far outweigh the bad. Most of the people I have met have been very gracious and thankful for the support.
Two of my favorites are George Perez, who is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. And Terry Brooks, the author of the Shannara books. His line took forever because he took the time to talk to everyone who was seeking an autograph.
Another nice guy is Bruce Campbell. He was doing a signing at a comic shop in a mall in Orlando when the mall management came by to inform them that it was 9 PM and they were closing the mall. He looked up from his table and claimed that he wasn't leaving until everyone waiting in line got an autograph. Since I had not yet received my autograph and I had been waiting in line for about 3 hours I was grateful for this.
It's actions like these that build a fan loyalty.
But on the other hand just because someone is gifted creatively does not have to make them the most gracious people person on earth. Some people are shy, some have poor people skills, and some do just have bad days. Then there are those who are just plain assholes.
A creator or entertainer owes me nothing more than to entertain me with their work. If I get the opportunity to meet them and they are nice to me then that is just icing on the cake. But I have no sense of entitlement. Just because I buy their book, or watch their movies or television show doesn't mean they owe me anything more.
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Chris Hutton
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 11667
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 7:37pm | IP Logged | 7
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I had GP sign my Teen Titans #1, Crisis #1, and the 1st 3 of the JLA/Avengers.
But to answer your question, Robert, I got them for me. For my enjoyment. I'm not selling them. Hell, I had Walter Simonson sign 3 or 4 copies of the same book (!), Way of the Rat, just because I enjoyed the artwork that much. As I told him then, "These won't be showing up on eBay."
Autographs increase the "value" of a book for ME.
Even if I did want to sell them, who in their right mind would purchase an autograph in this day and age without a COA?
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Sean Hollenhors
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 June 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 722
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 8:50pm | IP Logged | 8
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In general, the fetish that fans have for interacting with their "heroes" is an affliction that contributes as much sorrow and ill will as a**hole "creators" not doing what people want at cons or elsewhere.
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Kurt Anderson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 18 November 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 2035
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 9:05pm | IP Logged | 9
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Uh, Sean... aren't you interacting with a comic creator right now? Welcome to our fetish!
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Dave Powell
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 14 November 2006
Posts: 588
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 9:17pm | IP Logged | 10
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Heh, and what a fetish it is... let's see
1.Went to one (horrible) book signing in 1992.
2. Posted a few messages and looked at a lot of comic art on the John Byrne website.
3. Uuuuh. can't think of a third. No conventions, no other book signings, no comic book shop events.
The idea that interacting with an artist whose work you like being a bad thing is silly. This site works because John Byrne shows us his new drawings.
I draw for myself, but I know when I draw a picture I'm going to show people. I take the criticism as well as I can, and soak in praise. Drawing something and hiding it in a closet is no fun, unless you're a social misfit.
As for the rest of the site, the side topics, the arguements... that mostly seems like bored intelligent people looking for stimulation.
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Brian Floyd
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 07 July 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 8649
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 9:33pm | IP Logged | 11
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The whole speculator market situation temporarily dampened my enjoyment of comics and pretty much ruined the industry as a whole for a while, so I can see why JB and other creators had problems with it.
I've always felt that there are two ways to deal with jerks who are after autographs only for their resale value:
1. Put a limit of anywhere from 1 to 3 autographs per person, and no getting back in line to get more.
2. Personalize EVERY autograph; no exceptions.
I've only met a handful of celebrities, and I realize their time is valuable so I don't approach them unless I feel it would be an appropriate time to do so. And I've never had what I would call a bad encounter with any of them. For example:
At a comics convention shortly before Spawn was released, I was getting Todd McFarlane's autograph and as I was leaving his table I told him I enjoyed his work on the issues he did of the Batman Year 2 storyline. He thanked me, and that was the entire encounter.
At a racing convention when Richard Petty was celebrating his anniversary in racing and was using different paint schemes from the past on his car (this was after he retired, so he was just the owner, not the driver) while getting his autograph I asked him which paint scheme he was going to have on the car next, and he answered me and seemed to appreciate being asked the question. (He actually patted my best friend on the shoulder because he had brought a die cast of one of Mr. Petty's favorite cars to get autographed)
At a gaming convention, Jim Ward overheard me asking one of the people running the convention about autograph sessions because I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to stay for it and asked me on the spot if if I wanted an autograph and signed my copy of one of the AD&D 2nd edition Complete Handbooks. (I hadn't noticed Mr. Ward standing nearby at the time, and wouldn't have recognized him anyway, because I'd never seen a picture of him before) I talked to him for about 2 to 3 minutes afterward and sat in on a game he ran later that night and it was the most fun I had at that convention (which was 3 days long).
I have never run into a celebrity in public beyond a former college football coach I passed by at a high school graduation dinner at a local country club and news reporters I have seen out eating or at the grocery store and haven't spoken to them because I felt those would have been inappropriate times to do so.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty much screwed when it comes to getting autographs from people in the comics and gaming industries, as the comics and gaming conventions I used to go to are no longer being held. And the racing convention they hold here every year has been stocked mostly with drivers no one really cares about or has ever heard of the last few years; they send all the good drivers to another county to do signings. I finally broke down and bought a George Perez autographed print off eBay a few months back, and it looks like that is what I'm going to have to do with a lot of other creators since it looks like I am going to be unable to attend any good conventions (such as Dragoncon in Atlanta) any time soon....
Edited by Brian Floyd on 28 December 2006 at 9:38pm
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Roger A Ott II
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 29 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 5371
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 10:10pm | IP Logged | 12
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Robert Last: This is honestly not an attack on anyone (I thought I'd better add that given the heated nature of some threads today!) but why get more than one copy of an autograph at a con or whatever?
In the case of JB, while I didn't fill up his 15 per day limit, I did bring quite a few different books along to have him sign at MOC 2004. One reason was because it was JB's last convention. The other reason was that the books I brought along meant something to me, personally: The issue of FF that hooked me in as a reader, the first issue of his stellar IRON MAN run, the #0 issue of NEXT MEN, etc. I also asked him to personalize a piece of original art that I bought that day.
To me, I get things signed that are important to me as a comic reader. John Romita Jr signed my favorite IRON MAN issue that he had drawn, and the first AMAZING SPIDER-MAN issues with the Hobgoblin because that's my favorite villain. Jim Shooter signed my SECRET WARS #12 while we had a lengthy discussion about how that series opened up the Marvel Universe to me.
Now then, I've never had multiple copies of the same comic signed. That just seems strange.
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