Fitzlock

As a comic collector this will be the first Showmasters event where I have paid for either a photoshoot or an autograph. I attend these events for the dealers and the comic creators (and all the other creators sign for free and don't do photoshoots) so this is really a one off thing for me and probably not something I'll pay for again.

Subjective indeed. I couldn't comprehend going to a convention with as little as £100! As a somewhat serious comic collector I try to attend events like this with many times that amount, as conventions are some of the best places to pick up key books at good prices. As I am approaching the "end" of my X-Men collection, individual books can run in the hundreds of pounds each (and frequently do so). Last year I spent upwards of £400 on a combination of artist sketches, comic books and graphic novels with the biggest single purchase being around £70 for one issue of Uncanny X-Men (first appearance of Gambit, in immaculate condition!). From conversations with the dealers over the past couple of years, though, I suspect attendees like myself are in the minority as far as comics are concerned.

Should be mentioned that Paul is also the current writer on the Wolverine comic book.

This is amazing! Can't wait to get my copy of Watchmen signed.

Allowed myself to get excited thinking it was Peter Cullen. Imagine my dismay when I read it was just the Michael Bay reimagined Optimus Prime truck. I am now sad.

He did last year. Had him sign my V For Vendetta TPB as well as do me a nice sketch of V himself. He was a very busy guest last year, there was quite a line forming for him.

May actually take my Firefly box set along and start collecting autographs on it...

Stan himself wrote the early issues (varying from first 20 to first hundred!) of each of the main Marvel series: X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, Journey Into Mystery/Thor etc. You'll likely be able to find the first few volumes of a series in graphic novel form in somewhere as convenient as Waterstones and WH Smith. :)

UV resistant glass may cost a fortune, but if I get a comic signed by Stan I'm absolutely getting it framed appropriately. It'll end up being the centerpiece of my collection, probably, and I'll want it displayed on the wall in all its glory without me having to worry about fading etc.

Going by the footage on the special features for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Christopher Lee is not in the best of health. Hardly surprising, given his age, but there we go.

Mentioned it before but I think it's worth restating, Stan wrote one of the short stories in the recent X-Men anniversary one shot issue "X-Men Gold". Most comic stores should still have copies available and it should be easy to find on eBay too for only a few quid. It's certainly the most recent Marvel comic that he's written and probably the easiest for people to get their hands on without breaking the bank. It's an anniversary issue as well, so it has that added milestone-y-ness to it.

Simon is already attending which is excellent! The anniversary is mentioned in the opening post, the whole thing is 30 this year. I'm a G1 fan, but I couldn't hate the movies if I tried. I couldn't remember when the first film came out. Could have been ten years since. Fair enough, though. The first movie was watchable, I guess, but they went downhill after that. Just not the Transformers for me. Really because I like the third one Transformers the dark side of the moon. The third one is probably the worst. Was about half an hour too long, cast Leonard Nemoy as a character that says a copy (though reversed) of one of Mr Spock's most famous lines: "The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many," (the original had "many" and "few" reversed), killed principle characters for no reason and didn't even try to give their deaths any impact and laughably brushed aside Megan Fox's character with a single line of weak dialogue. Not that I missed Fox at all, she was never anything more than a token shapely body and her replacement in Rosie Huntington-Whitely filled that role admirably. Whole movie was just groanworthy, although John Malkovich's small role was excellent and had me crying with laughter. But as I've said, I am just a cynical Gen1 fan that refuses to acknowledge the blockbuster movies as legitimate Transformers films. :) Good for you that you enjoyed it!

The anniversary is mentioned in the opening post, the whole thing is 30 this year. I'm a G1 fan, but I couldn't hate the movies if I tried. I couldn't remember when the first film came out. Could have been ten years since. Fair enough, though. The first movie was watchable, I guess, but they went downhill after that. Just not the Transformers for me.

Also David Kaye, Beast Wars' Megatron. Ah-yeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssss....

By "Transformers" do you mean the cartoon series and line of toys that captured the imaginations of a generation, or the abomination that is the blockbuster film franchise? That said, Peter Cullen would be an amazing guest. If you got Frank Welker as well that'd be incredible as all us Gen1 nerds could get stuff signed by both Prime and Megatron. They have the added bonus of having voiced many other major characters between them as well (Eeyore, Voltron, Ironhide, Slimer, Fred from Scooby Doo etc). I could frankly give a rats ass about any of the film cast (above voice actors aside) but there's no accounting for taste and I appreciate they're a major Hollywood franchise now.