Awesome Con 2024 - Part 7: Convention Books, And Prints

As the sun sets on Awesome Con 2024, it does so as often my convention posts end, with the showing of my updated convention book. Well, actually, there really wasn't any sun. It was cold and raining the entire day of the show, and only got worse as the morning turned to day, and then evening.

But I digress.

Not too many new signatures added this time around, and probably not a bad thing. This book is filling up, and people are struggling to find a spot to sign. Most seem to have an aversion to signing on the back. I may need to start a new book.

Signed by Art Adams, Jeph Loeb,
Jim Salicrup, and Joe Rubinstein
at Awesome Con 2024.

Signed by Art Suydam, Jim Shooter,
Mark Waid, Michael Golden, Renee Witterstaetter,
Rick Leonardi, and Ron Marz at Big Lick NOVA 2023.

Signed by Al Milgrom, Alex Saviuk, Bob Hall,
Bob McLeod, Bob Wiacek, Brian Michael Bendis,
Chris Claremont, Howard Chaykin, Jim Starlin,
Jon Bogdanove, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Judy Bogdanove,
Kieth Williams, Klaus Janson, and Walter Simonson
at Baltimore Comic Con 2023.

Signed by Mark Bagley
at Awesome Con 2024.

Signed by Howard Mackie, Jae Lee,
Pop Mhan, and Terry Kavanagh
at Baltimore Comic Con 2023.

Art Adams

Jeph Loeb

Jim Salicrup

Joe Rubinstein

Mark Bagley - Sending away for his Christmas
card assortments.

In addition to my Amazing Fantasy 15 reproduction, I also got a couple more signatures on my Heroes for Hope book, adding Art Adams and Joe Rubinstein to the mix.

Signed by Art Adams and Joe Rubinstein
at Awesome Con 2024.

Signed by Al Milgrom, Bob McLeod,
Chris Claremont, Howard Chaykin, Klaus Janson,
Louise Simonson, and Walter Simonson
at Baltimore Comic Con 2023.

While there are no new signatures on the back, I'm including it here just because.

Signed by Jim Starlin,
at Baltimore Comic Con 2023.

Rounding everything off were a series of prints I picked up, as well as a fantastic commission piece, all of them signed by their respective creators / sellers.

Miles Morales by Mark Bagley

Carnage, Venom, and Spider-Man by Mark Bagley

Mary Jane Watson by Mark Bagley

I guess I have a Mark Bagley wall now

I'm not big on picking up prints of comic covers, but this McFarlane Spider-Man issue one print was nagging at me while I stood at Jim Salicrup's table. Then of course, it's $20.00 for one, or $40.00 for three, so who's going to buy just one?

Initially, I was going to put these going up the stairs to my loft, but decided that I would inevitably bump into them and knock them off the wall if they were there.

They look okay next to my prints purchased
from Art Suydam at Big Lick NOVA 2023.

Look closely at the prints above. Three of the four mirror each other. Art's just happen to be zombie iterations. Hmm...Maybe I should reorganize these to be more symmetrical.

 

I wasn't initially going to grab this print (below) from Jeph Loeb, but when I saw it was also pre-signed by Tim Sale, I figured, why not? Two signatures for the price of one (and a half). Truthfully, the piece is drawn by Sale. As a writer, Loeb had nothing to do with this work other than taking money for it, and adding his signature to it.

When the creator is charging $20.00 per commission, and promises you can come back in an hour to pick it up, and on top of that says to pay him when you get the drawing, it really becomes easy to give in and pick up a commission.

And that's how I ended up with my second piece in my "Peter Parker - Decisions" series. Jim Salicrup's artwork may be "basic" in terms of what one would expect in a commission piece, but at the end of the day, it's a unique style, and it looks great! Especially next to my first one done by Rick Leonardi at Big Lick NOVA 2023. I STILL have not received the commission piece I bought from Jim Shooter at Big Lick NOVA 2023.

You have to enjoy the inside joke as well. At my request (insistence), Jim poked fun at McFarlane by "hiding" one spider on the drawing, and adding the number "1" under his signature. As I've mentioned before, McFarlane would hide spiders in his covers, and though not at first, would eventually start numbering how many were hidden under his signature for readers to find. It was a nice touch to his drawing for the editor who worked hand and hand with McFarlane for many years at Marvel.

Can you spot the hidden spider?

A simplistic piece, but beautiful. I love it!

And with that, my trip to Awesome Con 2024 is wrapped up, and behind me, but Big Lick NOVA 2024 is hot on its heels.

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Awesome Con 2024 - Part 1: Art Adams, Klaus Janson, Jeph Loeb, And Art Suydam

Despite it coming to Washington DC year after year, I never seemed to want to go to Awesome Con. Scratch that. I wanted to go. The location was unappealing. I'm a suburbs guy. I hate the city. I'm not in to jam packed grid living, people and cars everywhere, and nothing being convenient. Don't even get me started on the scam and inconvenience that is paid parking.

However, this year, the guest list was far too appealing to pass up. There were things I wanted to get signed, some I missed at Baltimore Comic Con and Big Lick NOVA that needed to be rectified, and others which were simply too much of an opportunity to pass up.

I opted for buying only a Saturday pass at first, one for me, and one for my buddy / line place holder / driver, Dave Braun. However, as the convention drew closer, I added on the Comic Collector Pack, which provided a slew of additional amenities, the most important to me being the thirty minute early access to the exhibit hall, as well as access through the premium entrance to the building. The early access really only serves one purpose, and that is to allow attendees to get in line as quickly as possible for the "celebrities" they were there for.

The two people I kept hearing repeated in line over and over were Hayden Christensen, and Sponge Bob (I don't know the actor's name). This was great news to me, as I was there for comic  creators. The more people that headed back to the section where the actors were equated to less people I had to personally deal with.

My goal was to hit the hall at 9:30 AM, and immediately get in line for Art Adams and Klaus Janson, then wait for them to arrive at the convention start time of 10:00 AM. These were the two comic creators from Baltimore where the first I couldn't meet because he left, and the latter because I missed key books in my collection I wanted signed.

There was just one problem. Much like Baltimore, when I got to Mr. Adam's table (and being first), I was told by his assistant, "Oh, he probably won't get here until eleven or twelve." Sigh...I don't understand how these folks can schedule to be at conventions, but then essentially do so liberally. People are paying a lot of money for this experience, in addition to more money for the autographs. Is it really that hard for you to be on time and sit there all day? It's kind of disrespectful.

Klaus Janson's table was literally right next to Adams, so I left my buddy in line to hold my place, with the instructions to call me as soon as either of them showed up, and then went off to see if I could get some autographs elsewhere. Big success, but more on that in another set of posts. When I got the phone call for Mr. Adams, I headed back, and finally got the opportunity to check off my items with him.

Art Adams holding my signed convention book

I regaled him with the tale of Baltimore, and how I stood in his line for two hours at an empty table hoping he would come back to sign my stuff, but never did. He actually apologized, and said he wasn't feeling well that day, and had to go back to his room. When we were done, he even laughed, and said, "I feel like you and I had a moment together. Thank you."

Also signed by Jim Shooter, and
Rick Leonardi at Big Lick Nova 2023

In my ongoing pursuit to get my entire symbiote story arc signed, I needed to get Marvel Team-Up 141 signed. This is the first appearance of the black costume in the Marvel Team-Up title. I got more signed by Mr. Adams, but a bit more on that below.

Art Adams: $15.00 per signature

Klaus Janon still hadn't arrived, so I again left my buddy to stand in line, and took off for more autographs. After about an hour, the call came in, and back to the table I went.

Klaus Janson after signing my AMS 252

When I first went to Baltimore Comic Con, I had a ton of stuff for Mr. Janson to sign. Unfortunately, one of the things that flew completely off of my radar was that he did the cover for The Amazing Spider-Man issue 252. This iconic story featured the first appearance of the black suit in that title. After learning that in hindsight, I never really got over the missed opportunity. As I said above, seeing him (and Art Adams) coming to this convention, pretty much solidified my desire to go.

Also signed by Jim Shooter at
Big Lick Nova 2023

Also signed by Brett Breeding, and
John Romita Jr. at Galaxy Con Richmond,
as well as by Jim Shooter, and
Rick Leonardi at Big Lick Nova 2023

Klaus Janson: $10.00 per signature

In addition to the above comics, I got Mr. Adams and Mr. Janson to autograph my black suit Spider-Man figure.

Also signed by Jim Shooter, and
Rick Leonardi at Big Lick Nova 2023,
and Al Milgrom at Baltimore Comic Con 2023

Art Adams

Klaus Janson

There are still a few signatures I'd like to get on this cardback, and hopefully that opportunity will come soon.

Fast forwarding to the very last table I went to, which was Jeph Loeb. I had packed a few things for him to sign, but these were really just there as a contingency if I really felt the need. Mainly, I just wanted to get my convention book signed by him. However, at the end of the day, I was under budget, and decided to go through with the additional items I brought.

Jeph Loeb doodling on my Spider-Man: Blue issue 1

When he first started signing, Mr. Loeb asked if Tim Sales had signed, because he liked to sign under his name. I said, "No, never met him, but if you want to go get him, I'll wait here." Tim was not at the show, so Jeph just laughed at the notion.

In hindsight, I really regret dropping the ten dollars (extra) for a doodle by Mr. Loeb. Overall, I just felt like there was no value in it.

Jeph Loeb: $20.00 per signature / $10.00 per doodle

Another item I had with me was one I initially missed getting signed at Big Lick NOVA 2023. This one by Art Suydam.

Art Suydam signing my Amazing Heroes 51

When I initially got my Echos of Future Past signed at Big Lick NOVA 2023, I completely missed getting my preview issue of Amazing Heroes 51 signed. This was despite me having it with me, and getting it signed by Michael Golden that same day.

Also signed by Michael Golden at
Big Lick NOVA 2023

Mr. Suydam also gives a signed print with each book, so I grabbed one of Ash from Army of Darkness for my buddy, Dave. I also showed Art my convention book, saying, "I'm sure you don't remember, but you were the first person to sign this for me." He took a moment to look at all the signatures, smiling at it, but he never really said if he remembered or not. I doubt it.

Art Suydam: $20.00, but includes your comic, an art print of your choice, and a COA, all signed by him

Many more books got signed while I was at the show, but for now, that wraps up this post. Check back next week for part 2!

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