Awesome Con 2024 - Part 4: Mark Bagley (Part 1)

Though it was Art Adams and Klaus Janson that initially drew me to Awesome Con 2024, Mark Bagley was where I intended to spend most of my time, and subsequently, money. I brought so many books with me that when he started signing, he actually stopped, and said, "And you're okay with $10.00 per book?" To which I responded, "I would have brought more with me if I had the space in my bag." He was shocked at the overall volume I had with me.

Mark Bagley after signing my convention book

I first got the opportunity to meet Mr. Bagley at Galaxy Con Richmond 2023, and ever since then, I had been hoping he would make his way back to the area for future conventions. I would love to get his entire run of The Amazing Spider-Man signed, but that's going to take (at minimum) one more appearance in the area. It's just simply too much to carry, and too much to drop the cash on in one fell swoop. With only thirty-four issues to go, it's very doable. Like I said, I would have done it now if I had the space to take them along.

In fact, I may very well could have, had I cut back some of the items I did bring. However, these were a bit more important to me (pause for gasp).

Nightmask! You heard of it? Probably not. Issue nine is the first Mark Bagley work for Marvel Comics. Thus, why I asked him to write in obnoxiously large letters, "The First!" before signing his name.

He also worked on issues ten and twelve, with the latter being the final in the series.

Though he also did further work on a few more obscure titles for Marvel, one that I personally wanted signed was my complete six issue run of Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light. Jim Salicrup was also the editor of the first couple issues. However, when it comes to Mark Bagley books, I'm really only interested in his signature being on them (with very few exceptions being granted).

Mark frowned at his work in issue six, saying how ugly it was. He admitted he rushed through it because he was gearing up to begin his work on Spider-Man.

After first pulling it to take with me, I actually put my Spider-Man: Life Story set away. However, it kept nagging in the back of my mind, so I pulled it again. For those of you keeping track, with those included, that was space for sixteen more AMS issues I could have brought with me.

Life Story is the history of Spider-Man, condensed by decade, but showing the character age throughout that time. It's quite an interesting perspective to see the major events that have unfolded in the wall crawler's fictional career over the course of an average life span.

Something I absolutely, without question, wanted signed was my Ultimate Fallout: Spider-Man No More issues that Bagley worked on with Brian Michael Bendis.

I brought two of issue number one!

 

 

Mark shared with me a couple Easter eggs hidden within issue 1. Turns out, he put his daughter, granddaughter, and ex-son-in-law in a couple panels. This is why I like getting books signed. Yes, the signatures are awesome to have, but it's the behind the scene's stories that really make it worth while.

 

People would pay a lot of money for the below issue signed by both Bendis and Bagley. Mine, of course, isn't for sale. I'm still kicking myself for not buying the entire run at Baltimore Comic Con 2023, and getting Bendis to sign all of them. STUPID ME!

 

FIRST APPEARANCE OF MILES MORALES
Also signed by Brian Michael Bendis
at Baltimore Comic Con 2023

 

I also brought with me a select few Annuals from the various titles of Spider-Man which he contributed to.

First and foremost was The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 22. This is actually the first Spider-Man book Bagley worked on, as well as being a key for the first appearance for Speedball. I got Jim Salicrup to sign this as well, but in hindsight, I kind of wish I had just stuck with Bagley. Jim's signature (respectfully) detracts from the cover, as well as Mark's signature.

Also signed by Jim Salicrup
at Awesome Con 2024

I brought two of these as well!

Also signed by Jim Salicrup
at Awesome Con 2024

Of all the extra stuff I wanted to bring with me, it would have been the entire cross over series of Atlantis Attacks. Bagley actually contributed to the entire run. Space constraints hindered this. I opted for Annual 23 because it not only fell consecutively with the above, but featured a retelling of Spider-Man's origin, drawn by Mark.

The last Annuals I wanted signed were three (of the four) which featured the crossover The Hero Killers story. This set of books features a side tale of Venom, which retcons the alleged mysterious female character tormenting Peter Parker in the pages of Web Of Spider-Man 18 and 24, to be Eddie Brock instead. It also tells a great story of how the symbiote and he met, and bonded to become Venom.

One of the last single / random issue I brought was Spider-Man 24. Not only is this one of the few keys in the 90's series, but I just dig that cover.

Then there's the mountain of Amazing Spider-Man issues I brought with me, but let's hold off on those for next week. Otherwise, this post would be bloated with Mark Bagley goodness. Not a bad thing, in my humble opinion.

Mark Bagley: $10.00 per signature / free if personalized

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