Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Mission Monitor Board Every 10 Years Forum Motor City Comic Con 2006

I didn't know where to put it, i hope here is the right place.

I am preparing my trip to this convention. I already ordered my tickets for the 3 days on the website by paypal and i am waiting to receive them.
http://www.motorcityconventions.com/motor_city_comic_con/index.html

As you may or may not know, i am french and this convention will be my first one here, so i don't know what to expect.

What should i take with me? How does it work? What is the best way to see an artist? to have a sketch?

Is it better to have some cash or can i go with my card?

I'm looking at the guests list and i am trying to see what books i have with me of these authors because my collection stayed in France.

I would take any advice you have.

Thank you very much.

what you should take with you to the average con:
1. cash - few folks usually take credit cards and ATMs will probably charge fees (pas de euros!)
2. a list of comic books you're looking for/already have
3. drinks/snacks - food usually isn't readily available, cheap, or good
4. comic books you want to get signed
5. a sketchbook - i personally like keep my sketches together but you can also bring regular sheets of paper or sometimes get sketches on the artists' paper
6. a schedule & map of what panels/artists/events you want to go to - if you plan ahead you can get more done
7. camera - for fun

how does it work:
um, you can get there a little early, wait in line with you tickets, eventually get in to the main event hall and then wander freely down the aisles of artists, vendors, etc.

best way to see an artist:
some artists will only sign at certain places at certain times. others will have a table or booth that they stay at for most of the convention. check the convention website for signing times and table assignments. also check the artist's personal website for information. finally, check out the 'program' that is usually given to you when you first enter the convetion.

to have a sketch:
depending on the artist and depending on if they are paying to be there or being paid to be there (conventions sometimes sponsor an artist to come to their convention by paying for their flight or hotel), they might sketch for free or charge for it. look for signs, look for people ahead of you in line, and or just ask politely. i find bringing something to get signed and talking about their work is a great way to start a conversation.

sometimes they'll only do quick sketches for free, sometimes only do detailed sketches for $ (or $$$), sometimes they'll do both or none. i'd say if you don't mind paying for some sketches, determine who's art you most want and budget for that.

one more thing: artists will often sketch for comic charities like "CBLDF" and "ACTOR" for a small donation.

hope that helped...
-kevin

Querl,

Enjoy the con.

Monkey Eater Lad gave a good run down. One thing that lots of people do is to take an initial walk through of the convention floor and the various dealers before buying anything. Sunday (especially in the afternoon) you can sometimes get some good deals from dealers who don't want to lug everything back home. (Beagz remembers the dealer in Dallas yelling "Two Turds off" actually "two thirds off")

I don't know if DC has a booth at the con, but if they do, usually the DC artists do there sketches there and for free. Although you have to wait in line and the line can get cut off. Just don't walk off with the previews they have there, like someone we know.

Also I am going to sticky this thread so that if other Legion Worlders are going, you can possibly meet (if you want to)

Thank you very much MEL and Quislet. That's great.

Too bad with some cancellations:

- Sergio Aragones - Due to a double booking Sergio must rejoin us in May 2007 and watch for something special regarding this...

- Greg Horn - Motor City Comics wishes Greg and his wife a safe and happy arrival of the birth of their twins!

- Mark Waid - We wish Mark a speedy recover from his recent illness that prevents him from joining us this year.

- Mark Verheiden - Marks newest movie has reccently started filming in Vancover, good luck to you Mark.

I was looking forward to see Mark Waid and talk about the Legion. Maybe another time.

There isn't much information on the website of the convention, only an alphabetical list of names of people who will be there. I don't know if there is a booth, when or where will they be there.

I will try to look on the website of each one of them.

Thanks for the advice, i will try to do all that before the convention, i want to make the most of it.

Above all have fun.

According to the website of Guy Davis, he will be at a table in the artist alley.

You're absolutely right, Quislet.

I may be attending, so if I do, I'll be sure to post so we can say hi.

Motor City is a mid-size con. None of the major publishers, toy companies, movie studios or anyone like that will be there. There will be lots of Penthouse models, low-grade wrestlers and has-been movie and TV stars.

This year is especially good for the latter, actually. There's a big "Dukes of Hazzard" presence (a former co-worker of mine is signing copies of her new episode guide book), and the big draw this year is a celebration of the "Batman" TV series with lots of original props and stars. Batman, Robin, Batgirl and two Catwomen will be there. I think even the band that did the theme song will be there. They're doing a concert at the official con hotel one night.

All the artists in Artists Alley are usually pretty friendly, and you shouldn't have any problem getting sketches. But since none of them are there on the company dollar, you may want to take a few extra bucks just in case. Keeping this in mind, the con actually gets a good number of pros. I know a couple who come because they say Detroit fans are among the nicest and free-est with their wallets.

There will also be lots of regional indy creators with booths, and you can find some fun stuff.

The dealer's area is pretty good. I haven't been in four or five years (once you've been to San Diego, you're spoiled for all other cons), so I don't know if the mix has changed, but you should find something from every era, plus toys, Japanese stuff, artwork and other goodies, just not as many competitors.

I hope you have fun. I'm not sure there's really enough to keep you busy for all three days, but it's a decent show for your first con experience.

Hey, thanks for all those informations! i will keep that in mind.

As for if there will be enough to keep me busy for three days, i'm sure i will find something. I'm pretty excited to go for the first time here, and if i have some free time there, it's cool, i can look and go around and enjoy.

Besides, i already have some things to do for some friends in France, so with what i want to do, associated with what they will want ( i'm sure some others will wake up as the first day of the convention approach...) and i will have my camera to take some pictures and do my report of the convention for the french website on comics i'm on.

my brother is coming from France the week after the convention so if i can find some of the things he's looking for, it would be great too. And i have my search list to complete as well.

So i think for a first time, it will be good.

But i hope to go to San Diego one day like you, and meet more Legion Worlders there.

T'amuses-tu bien, mon ami!

Querl,

Let us know how the con went for you. A special Legion World report as it were.

The convention is on friday and my tickets still weren't in the mail today. I'm starting to feel nervous about it.

So i sent an e-mail asking about it to the adress they gave me for that when i ordered by paypal.

Querl,

I hope you got your tickets. They should have something in place for these type of situations.

Enjoy the con.

Police raided Comic Con on Friday!

Maybe I'm just spreading rumor because I didn't see it in my newspaper today, but someone on one of my message groups said they shut down 7 booths for allegedly selling bootleg stuff.

Unfortunately, that means they probably shut down the anime booths because they're always selling bootleg CDs, and I was going to go look for a couple things and actual anime stuff I can't get from the stores here.

I hope you're enjoying yourself, Querl. I'd try to hook up with you, but with my to-do list for this weekend, I have no idea when I'll get over there or how long I'll be able to stay.

How did it go guys? I want to see sketches!!!

Not a rumor! CBG covered the raid and has pics.

Yeah, one of my creator friends told me all about it when I finally got to go Saturday afternoon.

It was a good con. Like I said earlier, I haven't been to Motor City Comic Con in several years. The overabundance of Penthouse models and wrestlers was annoying (at least at Toledo, the Penthouse faction gets a special room), the dealers were always the same (and never had the indy stuff I was looking for), and the major publishers weren't there. It pretty much sucked, especially after visiting Chicago and San Diego.

But its spiffy new location gave it more breathing room, so there was actually room for two-way traffic in most aisles. The dealer area also seemed to have a lot more people in it than last time I was there, but Artist's Alley seemed to have fewer people. There were fewer Penthouse models and no wrestlers that I saw.

The one celeb autograph I wanted was John Wesley Shipp, but I didn't get it. I did see him signing, and he looks like he could put the suit right back on, but he was charging for autographs. Nobody's that hot. I wish all the cons had the one-free-autograph rule San Diego has.

I was so ticked that I realized about half way there that I had forgotten my camera. There was a fantastic group of Batman TV show-inspired costumes -- the three heroes and a bunch of villains, even Bookworm and Mad Hatter. King Tut looked great. Plus I could have gotten JWS from afar. Oh, well.

The bathrooms smelled really funny, though. I can't speak for the ladies' rooms, but the men's room had those new waterless urinals -- and it was kinda icky in there.

Other than that, I give the con a good thumbs up.

I am going to unsticky this thread now.

I still hope Querl Dox does give us his report on the convention.

I'd like to see another attendee's opinion, too. And he went with an agenda. I hope it all panned out.