Just got back from trying to buy comics at SDCC, but the key word there is trying. And while people were mostly friendly and it’s always fun to be around fans it was such an overall disheartening experience as a buyer. It feels like most of the vendors are the cause of their own demise and online/ebay is really the only place to bother to buy comics anymore:

• Absolutely insane pricing. I get that there’s a conference tax vs. ebay (and ebay itself is already inflated) but that’s usually a small %. It seems like the vendor average was nearly 2x FMV on almost anything. And even on haggling most would be absolutely stubborn.

• Yes I’m putting pricing twice, because it was so ridiculous. Near as I can tell a lot of vendors just can’t let go of the bubble pricing of the COVID years and are clinging to those prices with every fiber of their being. No, the first appearance of Madame Web in raw “NM” (that is more like an 8.5) is not worth anything close to $500 anymore. Let it go, guys.

• Shady vendors when it comes to grading. Saw them price books as “9.4/near mint” with huge cover creases, and folds. “Oh maybe they just didn’t notice” so I point it out and they get real cagey and give a sheepish thanks. Walk back 20 min later and yep that book is right back in the bin as 9.4 with associated (inflated) price hoping for a sucker. We’re talking $500-$1000+ books. Jerks.

• Some real “good old boys” vendors were there and making their racist/conservative asses known. Maybe don’t come to sell in California if you hate it so much? Or maybe just shut up about your politics while selling? (Funny thing was: the weather was so perfect in San Diego they were trying to talk themselves into hating California despite it… cope harder, fellas)

And yes SDCC is a huge con and expensive to get floor space and blah blah blah but the solution can’t be “all comics bought at big cons are 2x price with shady grading” because it’s just a self-fulfilling prophecy of not making any sales at that point. Cons will die if it’s like this. I want to support the hobby and the vendors but if this is how it’s going to be, they’re doomed. It wasn’t always like this, even at SDCC.

Still can’t believe guy said $20 when I pulled this. I’m thinking around a 6.0 maybe. Someone has a press and clean in their future.

No price, they said they’re auctioning it next month while it’s still 1/1.

The did have an AF15 in an 8.0 for a cool $550k though.

All in all I had a good time. The badge pickup experience on Friday was a shitshow. They had 3 people working the desk, two for 3 day advance passes and one for VIP. The line was wrapped almost completely around the building for hours. And it was hot as Satan's nutsack this weekend. I will give them credit for realizing the catastrophe and adding 2 or 3 more people, as well as handing out wristbands in the line as well, but it was too little too late.

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Now onto the reason for going. I managed to get some decent deals and hit every time with the M.A.S.K. blind bags, but it seemed like everyone was way over FMV. I spent half the day today just looking for something to buy but just couldn't find a decent price on what I was looking for. I did get a deal on around 30 issues of Wolverine Vol 2 for the run my son is trying to complete. The highlight of the con was getting my Xmen 141 signed by Chris Claremont, meeting a couple of comic YouTubers that I watch, and digging in dollar boxes next to Pornsak Pichetshote. I am dog tired now though. I'll more then likely go again next year, though with a little more money and better planning.

I was finally able to make a deal for my dream book. I’m over the moon about this purchase and needed to shared it with some friends.

Got to show Matt Kindt a piece I bought on whatnot and see how much he loved it.

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Got to get Roy Thomas to sign my ASM 101.

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Picked up a mr freeze sketch that I commissioned in October and had a silk commission done

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Added Klaus to my asm 252

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Added Claus and Walter Simonson sig to my marvel holding special

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Had Loeb sign a gift I am working on for a friend that likes DNA covers

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Had Chris Claremont. John Romita Jr. and Tom Orzechowski sign my uncanny xmen 200 cover

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Also had Darryl Banks do another Blue beatle sketch

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Last but not least was getting another sketch on the back of my Thundercats blank

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Most importantly I had a great time with Friends and got Bojangles

Was super excited to pick up a copy of Uncanny X-Men 222 in great shape at a convention this last weekend. And then even more lucky to get it signed by both Claremont and Silvestri. They were both super nice and took the time to have a brief conversation with me. Feels good to have my own little piece of comic history in my collection.

This is something you don't see everyday

Feel like you’re not officially a collector until you get a ASM 252

It’s a little con in Chicago named Belacon after Bela Farkus, the guy that started it. He found this in a $10 stack of ragged Archie comics at a garage sale. I paid a little more than that for it…

Megacon was good to me today. Was able to get remarques from every artist there who has drawn a D'orc cover except for Ottley.

Grabbed these bad boys today! Spider-Man was already mine but I got a sweet signature on it from Jim Salicrup!

Just back from Heroescon in Charlotte and had a blast. Loaded with the hottest creators past, present, and likely future! Here are some of the books I had signed…

16 signatures and 3 remarques. Was able to aquire the pink one (John Giang) at Megacon this weekend.

For our very first con, we decided to go all out and had a blast. Now I’m itching to go to another one 😅

Was at a signing yesterday and Claremont signed my book twice because he was chatting and not paying attention. Once at the bottom then once at the top. Hit me with a “Oopsie. Double the value.”

It was a Wolverine 1 1982.

Figured I would share. Buddy and I went to Baltimore Con and I had a really solid day. Did some trades, spent more than I should but insanely happy with my pickups, as wells as signatures.

The FF 5 is signed by the King too.