Thursday, September 23, 2021
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
The return to the Big Apple after 18 months!
Last I was in NYC, it was March 2020, shortly before apocalyptic times hit us. Then things started coming back, but I still refrained from NYC due to mask ops. Then I saw masks dwindling, and there was a week with a lot of events, so I thought what the hell, time to make my return.
Day 1
I arrive in the evening, and I catch the tail end of an event. I got G-Eazy, actress Madison Pettis, among other things.
Day 2
This day would start with WWE flights at the airport. Sadly I screwed up cause I should have been at another spot earlier where I heard actor Simu Liu stopped. The WWE trek was a disaster mainly because none of them would remove masks.
Shotzi and Nox came through and were nice as can be but despite my pleas would not remove masks. I got the dual op but I don't count mask ops. I got them to sign the inside cover of my WWE_E V4 (the one released in 2020).
Apparently at one point Rick Boogs came through but I never noticed him. He is one that may have removed the mask.
Most everyone else I saw I already had and did not even bother to ask them to remove masks. But I salvaged a little by getting autographs on two WWE_Es. This is a summary of autographs.
WWE_E V3
Big E (single entry)
Finn Balor
Sami Zayn
WWE_E V4
Shotzi and Nox (inside cover)
Big E (single entry)
Big E (New Day entry)
Cesaro
Finn Balor
Baron Corbin
Kevin Owens
Nakamura
Liv Morgan
Sami Zayn
Tamina
Edge (single entry)
Edge (tag team entry)
Beth Phoenix
Went to another spot which was letting out, but didn't get anything good. Then to another spot where we got blown off by tennis players, and that was about it.
Day 3
For this day I go to a spot to try to redeem Simu Liu, but sadly never see him. Could have gone to WWE spots but everyone had masks anyway. I guess I could have gotten autographs.
Then to the evening spot where I get some successes, like singer actress Tinashe, singer Julia Michaels, among others.
Day 4
Start at a spot and would get some results. Got fresh names in actor Laura Harrier, singer Charli XCX, actor Andre Royo, singer Addison Rae. Got repeats in actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse and singer Rita Ora. Also got trans actor Tommy Dorfman.
Got a shot with Eiza González where I had to wear a mask, but that's ok cause I have her from before. Also singer Saweetie who I never heard of did mask ops.
Went to a spot for tennis player Emma Raducanu but she blew everyone off. Got another shot with model Winnie Harlow. Went to another spot but it was a dud.
Day 5
Start the day at the same spot I started the prior day. Cause actress Sofia Boutella and possibly Pom Klementieff were there. I get country singer Maren Morris, actor Joseph Sikora, among others.
Nicky Hilton is walking the street with her daughter. I then run up to her as she is getting papped and ask for the photo op. She is nice as can be.
Finally after hours of waiting I see Sofia and manage to score a combo. Never see Pam (spoiler alert, I would see her somewhere else another day).
Go to another spot with Ben Platt and Amandla Stenberg. I have Ben need Amandla. I stupidly leave that spot and forgo Amandla to go to another spot with quantity. And that spot was a bust.
Go to another spot for the evening, and get some actors from Gilmore Girls. Then the last spot with some rappers. I stupidly miss French Montana cause I was waffling around. Not a name I'm a fan of but would have gotten if there. Got other names I never heard of.
Day 6
I start the day at a spot with singer Avril Lavigne. She did photos the night before when I was a block away, so I wanted to remedy that. Sadly I would find out the photos she had been doing were mask shots. I failed to get the op cause I wasn't aggressive enough as it was a mask shot. I did get autographs though.
While in the same spot I got fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and Melissa Gorga. Saw Audra McDonald and Lili Reinhart who didn't stop but I have them.
Now for the evening there were two spots, both a block or two from one another. I stand at one of them. I actually score Pom Klementieff there and Elon Musk's wife and singer Grimes.
Also get a Korean rapper CL, Kim Petras in a horuse outfit (repeat), and a mask shot with Lee Pace (whom I have no mask). Singer Rihanna did 2 ops and blanked everyone else.
Sadly in the other spot people get Taika Waititi, Simu Lui, and Billie Eilish! Guess I should have been there. This was the biggest blunder of my week.
Move to another spot where I find out Billie did combos not long before I got there. That spot was done so I leave. Then a block away where I score a slew of names including actress Laura Harrier no shades, actress Julia Garner, Adam Sevani, among others.
Day 7
Start at around noon, and I score a Hailee Steinfeld shot. Not the greatest shot, but no mask and better than what I had (which was nothing). Get some other shots like Leslie Grace and Storm Reid before giving up.
My final stand for my time at NYCC would be an evening spot with Jessica Chastain. Already have her but other people could show up (and they did). I got Richard Kind (repeat) and Jessica Chastain (repeat, but she looks much nicer as she is dressed up). Maggie Gyllenhaal shows up but sadly doesn't stop. Peter Sarsgaard (who I have) is with her too. I see actress Cherry Jones who I need and she stops, but sadly a mask shot. I redeem this spot by chance as young and upcoming actress Rachel Zegler is walking around and is nice as can be. Try out one more spot for the evening but it was a dud. This ended my time in NYC.
And the Autographs obtained.
Overall I didn't do as well as I had hoped, and I had blunders and misses, but I'm glad to have gotten a taste of how things were before the virus hit, getting some new street photo ops again, and seeing and hanging out with the NYC graphers whom I hadn't seen in over 18 months. It was good to catch up with so many of them again.
Monday, September 20, 2021
Some scattered meets in August and September
In early September I would go for the band Fifth Dimension, best known for the song The Age of Aquarius. Sadly only one original member, Florence LaRue. The rest are barely valid. I arrive at the venue just in time as the band is signing. I get in line and get ops with the barely valids just so I'm not out of place. Then get the Florence combo no issue.
Couple of days later I would go for the female group En Vogue. Unfortunately they didn't stop at the venue, but then THEIR car drove to OUR car and they said they couldn't do ops but would sign. A bit of a let down but at least I got my CD covers signed by 2 of the original members as we handed them stuff in the car.
Next up, the end of August, comedian and actor Michael Blackson (Coming 2 America). He did a meet and greet after his comedy show.
Start off September with politician Ron Paul. I met him before but this was very close to my house so I thought why not try for some autographs. While so many young actors and politicians wear masks, after the event there was the 86 year old Ron Paul doing a meet and greet and taking maskless photo ops.
While waiting I go to one of the tables and see a burger untouched. So naturally I grab it and eat it.
Go up to Ron and get an 8x10 and a program signed. Also get another op. After his meet and greet I get another photo signed.
I saw someone doing an interview. Asked who that was and apparently it's Gerald Celente. I get the op.
Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Show and Fanboy Expo Orlando
In August I would attend two cons within the same week. Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Show in Hunt Valley, MD and Fanboy Expo in Orlando. Initially there were many rare names at Fanboy Expo, but sadly they dropped like flies. I was upset and stuck with the plane ticket. So I ended up going.
First up, Mid Atlantic. My main want there was Louis Gossett Jr. I botched meeting him at NYCC in 2019, so it was good to finally be able to make that up. While there I also got to hang with my good buddy Troy B from Richmond.
First up I go for actress Jo Ann Harris who was in a movie with Clint Eastwood. She had a face shield on but took it off for ops and did over the table photos (fine by me).
Next up, child actress Mary Badham. She was virus phobic but did FREE no mask shots socially distant across the table. Sounds good to me.
Then get Louis Gossett and opt for the full combo since he is looking frail. Then Mariel Hemingway who was in Superman IV. And end my time with soap star John James.
Now to Fanboy Expo. I arrive at Orlando, rent a car, and that would also double as my sleeping quarters. I would end up putting about $2 worth of gas in the car as I would hardly end up driving it during my time in Orlando. Essentially airport to the con and back. Thankfully I found a spot in the shade to park in or the Florida sun would have killed me.
Despite the heavy cancellations, I would get some good rare names. And I split almost everyone which made things more affordable.
First off, Renee Jacobs who voiced April O'Neil in the original TMNT. You had to stand a couple of feet away for the photo op, but that's fine by me. Next up ops with Peter Behn and Donnie Dunagan from the original Bambi.
Then I get Bret Iwan who is the current voice of Mickey Mouse. His op was over the table distant. Doesn't look too good but at least it was a split. I then get an op with Lee Arenberg from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Then I get a cool music name, Bob Berryhill from the The Surfaris. They are best known for the iconic tune Wipe Out. He also co wrote the song. Most everyone else from the band is dead.
On the the "creator" side I get Tim Jacobus (Goosebumps), Tony Isabella (comics), and Nik Ranieri who was an animator for Who Framed Roger Rabbit and a lot of Disney stuff.
I wanted to get Dog the Bounty Hunter, but he was doing distant ops from TWO tables away. I didn't want to pay for that. So that was heartbreaking. This marks my first ever con photo op pass due to the virus.
My final guest for this con would be Dante Basco from Hook fame.
He was coming around the table for ops, but only with a mask (and people were paying for it!). If you wanted no mask, he would stand behind the table behind the glass (but the glass was on the table so his torso and up would be above the glass).
Then I saw that in the pro op he did normal photos. No glass and no mask and multiple people huddled together with him. My mind was just baffled.
So I started pleading/suggesting to go with him behind the glass and against the wall with no mask. I got my way. Score!
Scares that Care in Williamsburg
Towards the end of July I attended Scares that Care in Williamsburg, VA. My wants there were limited. In the con you were required to wear a mask, but you could remove them for photo ops (a setup that I'm fine with).
First up I get Al Leong from Big Trouble in Little China, Lethal Weapon, Genghis Khan in Bill and Ted, among others. Sadly no photo op only price so I get the full combo.
Next actor Ed O'Ross from Full Metal Jacket, Dicky Tracy, Red Heat starring Arnold, among others. Get the op. Then get Jeff Kober. Not a huge want but I figure not much I'm getting anyway.
I end my time at this con with Michael Pare. He is in one of my favorite Christopher Reeves movies besides Superman. Namely Village of the Damned. I get the full combo since there's no op price.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)