UserFormerlyKnownAsMondasant63

I do think that one of the main problems, both from an organisational and attending standpoint is that we really do have so many great shows organised by SM that even before the so-called credit crunch most of us have seriously had to think about which events to attend. I'm not short of money myself but now I have to consider if there are enough guests to make it worthwhile for myself or if I'll just have to live with the disappointment of not meeting one or two guests if it means that I can meet five or six at another venue. I have been impressed with all of the Manchester shows, both with the guest list and with the general atmosphere, but with petrol prices as they are the 60+ mile journey can prove to be too much to shell out for.

The same as above can be said of the Midlands events, I live in Derby about 45 minutes away from both Birmingham and Coventry, having attended both of the Midlands shows there were surprisingly few people at either event, especially the last one where for the Sunday early bird entrants there were seven of us with pre-paid tickets and about a dozen waiting to purchase early entry on the day. I wasn't the only one left wondering where all of the locals were who'd complained about not being able to travel to the further events.

Although I'd be disappointed if he cannot make it, his health is the most important consideration. I too wish him well and look forward to meeting him if he feels able to attend.

Thanks for looking after him, I'm looking forward to seeing him again. I'll maybe get a couple of SJA pics signed if he's got them.

I hope he'll be well enough following his recent stroke. I hear he is recovering but still needs to rest.

I thought I was watching a trailer for Pitch Black for a little while.

My mother normally orders our tickets, we just turn up on the morning of the first day and tell them our name. We are then offered a choiced of early queue tickets if we require them.

Very sad news, he was one of the sweetest paople on the circuit and always took extra time when meeting fans. I'll remember him most for the times he wandered away from his signing area when he got bored so he could look around the shops in MK, due to his ADHD. A sad loss to all of his family, friends and fans.

As I've said on a previous post, I met Leonard Nimoy at another event four years ago, and although there were a huge number of people attending wanting to meet him (so many that on the Saturday the event was almost closed down due to health and safety worries), everyone was seen and everyone got at least one signature. I managed to get half a dozen items signed and although it only took a minute or so, Leonard still had time to speak with everyone. As SM have been organising these events for so long, they will have worked out by now exactly how to ensure that the maximum number of people get a signature. Maybe they could do like they did with James Marsters a couple of years back and have some photos pre-signed for those people who want an autograph but don't feel like waiting in line.

At an unrelated event four years ago his price was £25 so I'd expect it to be the same here. My only request is that they get some really sharp photographs, as some of the ones they had for William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols were really grainy.

- Edited - Please don't refer to other events and their guest lists, even if it's not by name. That was fairly easy to work out. Thanks.

I've already met him once at a less-well organised event, but I have to say the man deserves his legend status. He has plenty of time for fans no matter what the show they are interested in and I am looking forward to meeting him again. Damn the credit crunch, I'm spending everything.

Thanks for the info.

How is the entry charge going to work for those of us buying a gold pass to Autographica? Will we still have to purchase an early entry programme for Collectormania Midlands 3 or will we get entry through the pass?

I met her back in October 2005 and she was a lovely lady. I'm glad she was able to complete her work on the Trek reboot and am looking forward to seeing what, if any, tribute they attach to the project.

I wasted almost two hours waiting for Sunday's replacement free guest Roger Limb to arrive, only for him to not show up due to the now classic Unforeseen Circumstances, and this after the original choice for Sunday had already cancelled on the Saturday. In the end it was Keith Hodiak who was the free guest which must have really P****d off anyone who'd previously paid £10 to meet him.

It would be nice to get some who actually turn up on the day.

I don't know if it has been posted elsewhere, but it does seem that CM Midlands is moving to the Hilton Metropole Hotel at the NEC Birmingham for next Marches event. I have attended a couple of events at this venue think it's a great decision. Maybe SM can confirm that this is the case?

Brilliant, one for my Doctor Who collection and definitely worth the price of admission for me. Thank you Showmasters and apologies for any negativity proffered towards you recently.

I too have been a little negative on some posts recently, but overall I still say that these events are the best organised and they are the only ones I ever recommend to friends and acquaintances. Let's hope that next year sees all CM's back on top where they should be, but even if they aren't I'll still be there, for one reason only. There's always someone or something of interest to see.

She should be forced to use her English accent all weekend, it's really sexy!

I wasn't really a fan of his until I met him on behalf of a couple of friends at Autographica 11, and I couldn't have hoped for a nicer, more normal man. Not at all like his legend status, just down to earth. What really impressed me was when he made a point of stopping while being removed from the room to have a photograph taken with two children.

I'm off to autographica this weekend and have decided to liberate all of the trapped celebrities from the Big Yellow Storage warehouse.

The other point to mention about this appearance by him at CE was that it was, in his words or thereabouts, his first and ONLY Star Wars convention appearance. I too travelled down to London to meet him and once he had turned up on the first day a few hours late, and after a near-riot when some idiot on security said that all of his tickets had sold out and there wouldn't be any more available (before someone else pointed out that this was an error supposedly) for my £85 I had a choice of three photos, one from each of the original trilogy, and less than a minute with Mark Hamill while he sigend the picture. Yes, I've met the guy who plays Luke Skywalker, but from what a number of us were told before we met him, that he enjoys taking time with fans, would write a personal message, would have a photo taken etc, it was a little disappointing. It was generally agreed by those I spoke to afterwards that most of the problems were caused because Show Masters weren't in charge of organising the autograph room. If, and the chance of it happening is small, they were to get him for any event, I would make the effort to go along and see him again, no matter what the price. Just to see him at somewhere where the organisers know how to cater for fans and not just treat the event as a gigantic cash cow.

Glad to be able to help and thanks for the offer of the loan of Dave or Nicola but I'll pass on that for now. I was thinking along the lines of re-enacting the scenario of Starbuck rescuing damsel in distress (that's me, just in case you were wondering) from some invisible but never the less dangerous monsters. I've only just noticed you live over the border in Nottingham. You can stick Dirk on the Black Cat bus every Saturday morning and I'll return him in the evening, just like a weekend dad. I'll even pay his bus fare into Derby. What, and give some stranger the chance to get their grubby mitts on him? Not a chance. I'll happily drive him over to you and pick him up later. At my own expense, of course. I think he's old enough to travel by himself now. We have to let him make his own way in the world sometime, we can't always be around to keep an eye on him. Just give him the standard Don't Talk To Strangers speech and hope he's sensible. Failing that, there's always the possibility of a disguise . He probably is old enough to travel by himself now, I just don't want him to. And I don't want him to be too sensible - at least when he's with me. I don't do sensible. I'm just hoping he doesn't cancel for the event now that his best buddy's not going to be there. I agree, he is a great guest and I hope he's still on the site next week.