captainkibble

No I very much appreciate it! Thank you :) Feel free to smack me upside the head if you ever see me at an event. I'll be easy to spot, I'll be the nervous locking chap avoid the crew. Again, apologies for my behaviour. I'll now go watch some TV before I get myself in more trouble.

This I will apologise for. I honestly thought you were a man and I now understand I got the wrong impression from your avatar. Which is frankly no excuse anyway. It was deeply inappropriate turn of phrase and I apologise completely. It was not my intention to talk down to you because of your gender. I hope you accept this apology because it is sincere but I understand if you don't wish to hear it. Leigh

I was going to respond to the various excuses but as per 1of2's request I'll knock it on the head.

I'm sorry but we really don't care about you crew members who feel the need to cover your collective backsides. Your denials and excuses do not change what was actually happening. VQ tickets were frequently not taken and sometimes not checked. Some of us still have our tickets so obviously some crew were not taking the tickets. And it wasn't a rare thing either, just look at Tony's picture. The photo collection on Sunday afternoon was a joke and many people were visibly upset and annoyed. Especially when photos were still missing when MK Dons stadium was being shut. Like I said on this topic the crew are now closing ranks and pointing the finger at attendees. Which isn't cool.

As someone who has been attending these events for 7 years I have NEVER seen these clarified. However I don't often frequent the forums (I lurk even when I do) or take photos so maybe there are gaps in my knowledge. However considering other long term attendees are also a bit confused I'm guessing not. If those are Showmaster's official definitions then all 3 are being enforced completely inconsistently. If you claim otherwise then you are, in so many words, calling the posters here idiots and/or liars. What I am seeing here and in the feedback thread is a crew member defence action. You all know you are going to cop some flack (or at least you should) because you haven't been doing your jobs (the crew collectively not you specifically before you get you panties in a bunch) so you are closing ranks and deflecting blame back on to the customers.

What we've got here is failure to communicate. Showmasters needs to clarify what types or photos are/aren't allowed. Put it in black and white with definitions and get the crew to enforce it properly (also politely, we don't need some guy bellowing out like a drill sergeant that no photos are allowed) and reasonable people won't get the hump. Simples. I don't bother any of the guests for any photos when they are signing so I really have no dog in this fight. Well, except when TonyTheCylon tricks me into it.

There was just a general air of comedic chaos about the event on Sunday. Almost like an episode of The Brittas Empire. Thankfully nothing that was occurring affected me too badly so I just got to enjoy the Schadenfreude. I really liked the party tickets with 'Lena Headey' scrawled on the back in Sharpie that made a stand in for the photo shoot tickets on Sunday. Professional and classy. I also didn't have any of my virtual queue tickets even checked let alone taken off me. I still have a couple in my jacket pocket.

Technically the pre-paid and on the day tickets are the same. However people who over look an obvious inequity because it benefits them and hide behind a technicality to do so are pretty base individuals. I won't be pre-paying again until this is sorted. I suggest everyone else do the same. Those defending this because it means they get in earlier will soon change theit tune when their queue becomes 5 times as long. [Edit] No confusion here either. I know what I paid for. However as someone who already handed over my money I don't expect to be sidelined for people who have yet to pay. When I pay for a burger in McDonalds and have to wait for it to be prepared I don't expect the next 3 of what I paid for to be given to others who just walked in. Whether they pay to or not.

How about some of the cast of Rome? Kevin McKidd was just in the brilliant but short lived Journeyman, Ray Stevenson has the Punisher film to promote, Polly Walker is going to be in Caprica, James Purefoy has Soloman Kane coming out at some point and Indira Varma would add nicely to my Torchwood collection.

Seeing as their seems to be a big demand for dead people perhaps one of the guests this time should be Derek Acorah?

Some comic book writers/artists at Collectormania would be nice. I see you have a couple at the London show but I don't go near the place. How about Garth Ennis. Hell I'd lug all my Preacher trades down to MK if he was signing. Probably some of Punisher comics too. Actually don't try and get him, his presence would bankrupt me.

Add me to the '2 days is probably enough' crowd too.

Dude it is an event with a high geek quotient of course 'a few' people go on their own. I include myself in both of those groups before anyone thinks me a hater.

Snap! I was bed ridden yesterday and I'm house bound today. I suspect I am nearing the end of the infection now but I thought that on Wednesday. Hope everyone else feels better soon.

For those feeling the sore throat going away and think the end is in sight think again. I was starting to feel better towards lunch but I've had the shivers, a wicked headache and the lead in the bones feeling most of the afternoon. Though I am recovering again now. Showmasters should issue face masks and alcohol rub at the door. :)

A bad throat seems to be my primary symptom too. Now of course we must start a witch hunt to find out who was patient 0 so we can wag our fingers at them.

Anyone else wake up yesterday morning with a dose of the con flu? I felt terrible yesterday but luckily I had booked a day off work. I still feeling rubbish today mind.

Party was pretty good. Kai and Paul where a hoot. Once the arranged entertainment came to an end I kinda lost interest. At 32 I felt a bit out of place once the pop music started up and the booze was too expensive for me to get drunk enough not to care.

Tell me about it! I've been a regular visitor for going on 10 years and I still can't find my way around the place. Your computer analogy is spot on.

I found Teryl Rothery to be really nice and chatty. Eve Myles seemed genuinely gob-smacked by the the number of people she was seeing but did her best to have a little bit of a chat while she was rushing through her autos.

I got autographs from Teryl Rothery, Tawny Cypress, Eve Myles, Amy Manson and Heather Craney. Missed out a John Barrowman because even though I have been to Milton Keynes umpteen times in the last 10 years (I had a girlfriend from there and I go at least once a year for Collectormania) I still cannot navigate the damn place and ended up being late. I got a virtual ticket of 1250 and seeing as after lunch he was still on 1-250 I gave up and slipped to my backups instead. If they opened up the queue later one don't tell me I don't want to know. I finally managed to get a Punisher skull t-shirt in large after trying since Collectormania 8. They always seemed to be sold out of large by the time I found the dealer selling them. I grabbed an X-Men t-shirt while I was there. I also got some space putty as gifts for friends and family. I just can't go somewhere and not buy gifts for people. After all that the autos and the plaques for them and all the money I spent in 'Lets Eat' and 'Costas' I'm broke.

Bump! Offer still open if anyone is interested.

I'll take about £100 cash for the day but with the hotel, petrol, pre-purchased tickets it will cost me about £200 all in. Damn I never totalled it up before. It works out a bit pricey!

Hi back at ya. I live in Newport which is kinda near Telford. :)

I've done 7,8,11 in MK. I keep meaning to go to more but my traveling companions can be a bit unreliable so I have decided to just start going on my own. :)