Convention disaapointment

[Wildcard]

Hi all,

Spent the day in Toronto today at the Toronto Comic Con. While I did pick up a few comics, I couldn't help but be a little puzzled at how little Alpha Flight stuff is available at the conventions I go to. Ive been to the TO con as mentioned, as well as Niagara and Fan Expo and it always like finding a rare gem when I stumble upon anything Alpha related. I find even locating just the comics to be quite the exercise which is weird because the one place I would think you would be able o find Alpha Flight merchandise is at a Canadian convention.

Is this just me?

[-K-M-]

No I went to the convention today too and saw nothing. Only Alpha related stuff was the commission pieces I got from some artists.

Craig Yeung was selling his pencils of Puck from UXF but that's all I saw. It was just one page, and he was mostly covered by Psylocke so I didn't get it.

[Phil]

AF just isn't a draw these days unfortunately.
When faced with limited table space a dealer has to pick something that has universal appeal and is guaranteed to sell.

[rplass]

I find the exact opposite. I have no problem finding tons of Alpha Flight stuff at conventions. It's the reason I go to them. I have nearly everything there is to have that's Alpha Flight related and I still find stuff to buy without much fuss. Last show I went to I could barely carry all the stuff I got home on the 1st day and had to go back a 2nd day to pick everything else up.

Part of it might be a threshhold of how much of a completist you are: I'll buy an art book by Mark Brooks (http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Ground-Works-Brooks-Comics/dp/B00BXM5AFY)for a Wild Child illustration; others might not consider that an Alpha Flight item.

I'll buy a 2nd or 3rd printing of a tpb (http://www.comiccollectorlive.com/LiveData/CoverTitle_List.aspx?id=984b4ac2-1be2-4db6-a106-eeb69b0093fc) I already have just because it's neato.

And some are more willing to invest in a high end item like original comic art than others.

So you've got to know what you're looking for, be prepared with a well-researched want list and these cons can be a treasure trove of Alpha Flight items.

[Phil]

Oh I get what you mean Rob; I never come away empty-handed or disappointed, but they're Alpha Flight related, or connected as opposed to actual branded/themed AF merchandise, which I think is what Wildcard meant.

[Phil]

I'll buy a 2nd or 3rd printing of a tpb (http://www.comiccollectorlive.com/LiveData/CoverTitle_List.aspx?id=984b4ac2-1be2-4db6-a106-eeb69b0093fc) I already have just because it's neato.

Hmm.. I have a copy with the white/pink logo but it says First Printing inside...

[rplass]

Yeah they all say 1st printing. So on Ebay when you see a listing for a 1st printing, it's technically correct... the seller probably just sees "1st printing" inside the book and puts that in the description. But there were 3 printings of the Asgardian Wars tpb. Check the back cover for the price. What we would call the first printing has a blue/yellow title and says $14.95. 2nd printing has a white/pink title and says $15.95 and the 3rd printing also has a white/pink title but says $18.95.

[Phil]

Hmm... going by that I have the 2nd Print then. Damn.

[Wildcard]

Yes, I was referring to branded/official merchandise - toys, action figures, busts, shirts etc. And I do understand that Alpha isn't a big name anymore but with the multitude of comic fans and comic merchandise sellers, and it being a Canadian con and all that I would find something more than just comics. I didn't think of your point about limited table space and filling it with items that can move easier.

Its shame though as Im always on the lookout and always leave feeling a little disappointed

[Le Messor]

I haven't been to a comic convention for years. I have to drive up to Sydney for them, and there hasn't been a big one specifically about comics in a long time.
(There've been general sci-fi ones, but they're too big. Read: I can't afford them. Yes, I'd love to meet half of Joss Whedon's cast and all those Star Trek actors, but I'm not a millionaire.)


What we would call the first printing has a blue/yellow title and says $14.95.

That would make mine a first printing!
Then again, I also have the hard cover. And the floppies.

~ Le Messor
"Mention money and the whole world is silent."
~ German proverb

[Flightpath07]

Ah yes...I miss floppies.

[Phil]

Oh god yeah, I've got the storyline 6 times now all in all.

[rplass]

I found a better link to the aforementioned art book by Mark Brooks:

http://brandstudiopress.myshopify.com/products/groundworks

Brand new for $24.99 - it has original art from Uncanny X-Force #11 and #12 featuring AoA Wild Child

[rplass]

Oh god yeah, I've got the storyline 6 times now all in all.

Seven times now if you count the TPB which came out today. I didn't get it... yet .... but I'm wondering if there's anything new included.

[rplass]

Found another non-disappointment today: a copy volume 3 of the Marvel Bound Set from 1992 which was a retailer giveaway at the 1992 Diamond Summit . It contains Alpha Flight issue #110. It's very hard to find and even harder to find as a singleton because usually they are found in sets of all 3 volumes. It's an amazing book very thick and bound together with no covers, but all the ads. It is 1/3 of the titles that came out in Jun/Jul 1992.
Reprints The Adventures of the Thing # 3; Wonder Man #10; Bill & Ted’s Excellent Comic Book # 7; Alpha Flight #110; Ghost Rider Vol. 2, # 26; The Pirates of Dark Water #7; The Punisher: War Zone #4; Silver Sable and The Wild Pack #1; Silver Surfer Vol. 3, # 66; Moon Knight: Divided We Fall # 1; Marvel Age #113; The Avengers # 348; Clive Barkers Nigh Breed # 16; Conan The Barbarian #257; Marvel Tales Featuring Spider-Mam # 262; Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #42; Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.Vol.2 #37; Epic # 1; Defenders of Dynatron City #5; Terror Inc. # 1; The Original Ghost Rider #1; Cage # 4, The Punisher War Journal # 44.
4764

[Le Messor]

Cool find, Rob!
Is it in colour?

[rplass]

Yeah, the actual comics are collected. It's not really a re-print - it's more like a thick softcover binding. As you flip through it, you see the difference in paper quality from the pulp to the high gloss used on the Epic #1 issue. Also some of those issues were the kind where you flip over the book, so many of the pages are upside down. It's completely wacky and I love it.

[rplass]

Picked up a great piece at Special Edition: NYC yesterday. It's page 5 of Deadpool #60, which came out in 2001. This is the actual pencil and ink artwork used to make the page in the comic book. It's 11x17 and the only one of its kind in existence, so it's a very neat collectible. It features a guest appearance of Wild Child from Alpha Flight.


I had never seen this piece before online, and found out why: it was labeled "Gargoyle attacks Deadpool" by the art dealer, not "Wild Child attacks Deadpool" which is what I had been searching. For Deadpool original art, it was very reasonably priced, likely because Deadpool barely appears. But you've got it all there: the fastball special from Sauron, the speed lines on Wild Child's feet, a great view of a new costume for Wild Child and a self-contained "throw, land, bite, toss" sequence all on one page.


Collectors of original comic art know to flip over the art to see if there's any additional sketches or notes and I did find a very nice bonus! The artist had done a preliminary sketch of that prominent clawed hand that leaps out at the reader. Here's images of the piece I picked up, the final version as published, and the clawed hand sketch.


476747654766

[Le Messor]

Rob, NYC must be an amazing place to live as a comic collector! Amazing finds!

[-K-M-]

I've been to a lot of comic expos even in Toronto and never found stuff like that :(

[Tawmis]

Hi all,

Spent the day in Toronto today at the Toronto Comic Con. While I did pick up a few comics, I couldn't help but be a little puzzled at how little Alpha Flight stuff is available at the conventions I go to. Ive been to the TO con as mentioned, as well as Niagara and Fan Expo and it always like finding a rare gem when I stumble upon anything Alpha related. I find even locating just the comics to be quite the exercise which is weird because the one place I would think you would be able o find Alpha Flight merchandise is at a Canadian convention.

Is this just me?

I think a lot of it has to do with - despite how much WE may love Alpha Flight - they're simply not popular, and thus don't bring in money, and thus comic vendors rarely haul them.

[rplass]

NYCC was fun, and I got a pretty nice thing: my first Byrne piece. It's a beaut, and a heck of a lot cheaper than I expected. It's Alpha Flight #4 page 4, and it came with both Byrnes original art with light pencil text, and a photocopy of the art with the final lettering. Here's both of them with the published page. The Byrne art page has the dealer's watermark on it because I lifted the image from his website. The actual page has more distinct pencilled letters and marking:

492349244925


It's my first Byrne piece and my first piece from AF v1! So it was really exciting to get these!

[Le Messor]

Gah! You suck!

(Teasing! Teasing!)
Congratulations, Rob. :)

~ Le Messor
"Chance favors the prepared mind."
~ Louis Pasteur

[Phil]

Congrats!
I'm glad it's in the hands of an actual AF fan!


my first piece from AF v1!
Now that came as a surprise!

[Le Messor]

I'm glad it's in the hands of an actual AF fan!

Yes, me too. :)

[rplass]

The funny part about the actual buying experience was that as I was about to pay, Jim Lee came over to the booth! The art dealer who I bought the Byrne piece from is the official rep for Jim Lee, and they were discussing a double page spread because a customer had asked for a portion of the page to be modified by Jim Lee so they could be displayed together seamlessly. The dealer just shrugged at me and said, "Listen, hold on, I have to take care of this." I said, "OK I know who that is. No problem." I was kept waiting an unusually long time on the sale but honestly, I kind of got a kick out of being there and watching Jim Lee discuss the art and how to get the seams to match up on the edges. It was really cool, and an unforgettable little side story to how I acquired the piece.

[Le Messor]

That is a cool story!

I don't know if I'd recognise Jim Lee if I saw him. I've seen pictures, but that gives me only a vague idea of what he looks like. (I'd be wishing I had some of his Alpha Flight on me, to get an autograph, of course!)

[Mekko Hotvle]

I been looking at various cons in my area and now I am wondering how did cosplay become such a big thing that now there are "big time" cosplay people who are now becoming special guest to comic con's these days. just rambling on today. sorry

[Tawmis]

I been looking at various cons in my area and now I am wondering how did cosplay become such a big thing that now there are "big time" cosplay people who are now becoming special guest to comic con's these days. just rambling on today. sorry

I don't know what caused Cosplay to become the thing that it is now.

But... you can probably blame social media. Especially InstaGram and Facebook. Some of these cosplayers (99.999999999% female) have like thousands to millions of followers (the more scantly dressed, the more {male} followers).

There's also shows, like King of the Nerds, where they have brought on DoomDoomKitty or whatever her name is - which brought Cosplayers a lot of attention (but the movement had happened before that show took off).

I will say, it's _very_ expensive to do proper cosplay. So kudos to those that go full out.

I have a pirate cosplay that I have upgraded over time and dumped a lot of money on... and recently pieced together a Starlord cosplay (but still need a better mask compared to the plastic one I have now).

And those are still expensive; but pretty basic. So there's some cosplay out there that ranges into the thousands of dollars. (And an insane amount of time customizing).

[Mekko Hotvle]

I applaud those people who go all out and do the cosplay thing. I seen some great ones before that I enjoyed looking at it all. I applaud those who enjoy using the wonderful world of imagination and their mindset to create characters/costumes to come alive. I didn't mean nothing bad by my comment, I just seen a couple cons promoting cosplayers as special guests and it just throws me off. grant it, they didn't have the best guests showing up in the first place. Who knows, maybe I will dress up as Puck, or as Red Wolf, or Bibleman one day.

[Tawmis]

I applaud those people who go all out and do the cosplay thing. I seen some great ones before that I enjoyed looking at it all. I applaud those who enjoy using the wonderful world of imagination and their mindset to create characters/costumes to come alive. I didn't mean nothing bad by my comment, I just seen a couple cons promoting cosplayers as special guests and it just throws me off. grant it, they didn't have the best guests showing up in the first place. Who knows, maybe I will dress up as Puck, or as Red Wolf, or Bibleman one day.

Aren't you a little tall to be a Puck?

(Star Wars reference, naturally).

[Mekko Hotvle]

I would dress as Puck and pray I can get a part on Big Bang Theory at somepoint. Time to hit the gym and bars....

[Le Messor]

I would dress as Puck and pray I can get a part on Big Bang Theory at somepoint. Time to hit the gym and bars....

Big Bang Theory? I don't get it...? (I know the show, just not the connection.)

~ Le Messor
"He who has no fire in himself cannot warm others."
~ Anonymous

[Mekko Hotvle]

No connection. I just like the show.

[Le Messor]

I feel better now. :)

[Tawmis]

I feel better now. :)

Is that because you cruelly took out Witchfire from the game? :D

[Le Messor]

That part makes me feel worse... :( She was dying I tells ya! She was in pain!

[Tawmis]

That part makes me feel worse... :( She was dying I tells ya! She was in pain!

LOL! I actually enjoyed that whole thing. Made the game fun! Me, trying to save her, everyone else trying to take her out. :D

[Mekko Hotvle]

The next person that Tawmis tries to save, a bounty will be placed and whoever does the kill-shot wins a prize!

[Tawmis]

The next person that Tawmis tries to save, a bounty will be placed and whoever does the kill-shot wins a prize!

5262

[Le Messor]

Who shoots first?

[Phil]

I like the majority of cosplay.
It's nice to see people passionate about their fandoms.

However, I don't agree with the ones that don't pay to actually come into cons and just hang around outside, or that come and don't do anything but pose for photos; Embrace the entirety of what a con has to offer - buy some small press comics, get some art, try something new.
And the ones with GIANT props that continually knock into people or stalls/booths.

[Tawmis]

I like the majority of cosplay.
It's nice to see people passionate about their fandoms.
However, I don't agree with the ones that don't pay to actually come into cons and just hang around outside, or that come and don't do anything but pose for photos; Embrace the entirety of what a con has to offer - buy some small press comics, get some art, try something new.
And the ones with GIANT props that continually knock into people or stalls/booths.

It's a double edged sword. (Not the prop)

A lot of cosplayers spend a lot - and I mean, a LOT - of money on their costumes. We're talking into the thousands of dollars. So when they go to a show - a few things happen. First, they're stopped, every five feet, by people to ask and take a photo. So their ability to actually go out and "enjoy the con for what it has to offer" is very difficult. (Photos I have taken with them, I always say, "If you have a moment, can I take a photo with you? If you're busy, I completely understand." - this gives them the option to bow out, and I am completely understanding when they do). The second problem is, as I said, a cosplayer can spend into the thousands of dollars for creating their costume. And for the most part, that's where most of their money sinks into. Because most of the "professional" (for lack of a better word) cosplayers, typically have more than one costume, and will go to the cons as a different character for each day. (Which is more than some male con goers, who don't change any of their clothes for the 4 days - or at least smell that way).

Now, I've only gone to one con and "dressed up" as a pirate (at DragonCon, many years ago). I was stopped about 20 times, and asked if someone could take a photo with me. (I wasn't dressed up as any particular pirate character - just a pirate - but PotC movie was popular at the time). I dumped about, in total, $400 on my costume (having upgraded it over time). And I absolutely loved when someone asked if they wanted a photo with me. I felt honored, that someone thought I looked cool enough to want to snap a photo with.

So, that may be also - exactly - what the cosplayers are going for. That's their enjoyment - knowing that their costume encourages people to want to take a photo with them. Each person pays their own ticket for the convention - they should enjoy it how they see fit, as long as they're not disrupting anyone else's enjoyment (say, with giant props that hit people - those people need to section them off in a less populated area - or out front - for photos).

And there's also the issue of...

How do I say it?

A lot (not all, by any means) of the "big" cosplayers suffer from "vanity" - for lack of a better word. They have their instagram accounts with 324.1K followers, who are, for the most part, male, who are salivating over posted photos, and throwing an endless barrage of comments about their beauty (the more skin, the better), and there ends up being 1.3K comments on these photos (why do these people comment, is beyond me, because do these people sincerely believe these female cosplayers read the comments?). So you get these cosplayers (again, I don't mean to say they're all female; but the female cosplayers tend to have the biggest fan bases, because comics, despite every company's attempt, is still primarily a male driven fan base).