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.

Thank you so much! Had to borrow the money as pay day is not til next week but I actually have a photoshoot confirmed now. Yay!

Would like to know this too, as Saturday photoshoots have now sold out with Stan.

Wil Wheaton, please. No, not because of Star Trek. Because I want him to sign some board games.

I'm hoping to get my hands on one of the huge Marvel Omnibuses, like Mighty Thor Vol.1, X-Men Vol.1 etc to get signed as that's where you can see his impact the most. Those are expensive and hard to come by books, though they're far cheaper than buying one of the individual issues (Stan only wrote issues #1 - 19 of X-Men, for example). In addition to that, I'd feel obligated to pay for any comic I had signed to be CGC slabbed and that's another large amount of money on top. He did write one of the short stories in the recent X-Men Gold one-shot for the 50 year anniversary of X-Men, however, so that's an option and for anyone else umming and arring you should be able to find a copy of that at your local comic book store without too much trouble. You can find all his credits on comicbookdb.com, though keep in mind a lot of those will be just credits as Editor and not necessarily Writer. I was also considering buying something like a Captain America shield replica and getting as many Marvel signatures on it as possible going forward. Kind of like how I've seen people getting loads of Star Wars signatures on Stormtrooper helmets or Star Trek autographs on a bat'leth. I'll probably get a photo with him and have that signed as well. Shame he won't be personalizing though!

Hahaha. Nice one.

Skottie Young - Artist: "Baby" variant covers for Marvel Now! series, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, New X-Men, Venom, Cable & Deadpool Jonathan Hickman - Writer: Fantastic Four, Infinity, Avengers/New Avengers, East of West, God is Dead Matt Fraction - Writer: Hawkeye (Marvel Now!), The Invincible Iron Man, The Mighty Thor, Uncanny X-Men, Fantastic Four (Marvel Now!) Kieron Gillen - Writer: Thor/Journey Into Mystery, Uncanny X-Men, Iron Man Jason Aaron - Writer: Thor - God of Thunder, Wolverine, Ghost Wrider, Punisher Esad Ribic - Artist: Thor - God of Thunder, Uncanny X-Force, Loki Stuart Immonen - Artist: All-New X-Men, Fear Itself, Ultimate X-Men Terry & Rachel Dodson - Artist/Inker: Uncanny X-Men, Harley Quinn, Defenders Jerome Opeña - Artist: Uncanny X-Force, Avengers, Punisher Bryan Lee O'Malley - Writer/Artist: Scott Pilgrim Mark Millar - Writer: Kick-Ass, Wanted, Marvel Civil War, Wolverine, The Ultimates Andy Diggle - Writer: Daredevil, Shadowland, Thunderbolts, 2000 AD To name but a few.

One of the best writers in comics at the moment without question. You need look no further than Uncanny X-Force to see what I mean.

That's correct. Thanks. I'll bring along my Simic Undying Aggro deck in case I have time to play. :) EDIT: Hmm, need a better deck name. Simic Yo Face? Simic Gimmicks? I'm Simic, Not Bulimic? I think it may need a bit of work..

Hi, what format will the Magic tournament be? Standard?

I'm not a huge fan of his artwork personally, but the more comic guests the better!