Creature Feature in Gettysburg, Station Unity in Maryland

On a weekend I decided to attend two cons. 

First up, Creature Feature in Gettysburg. I didn't need any of the big names, so I went on a Friday to get what little I needed. The bigger names were all saturday/sunday. I mainly needed Kimberly Beck from F13th fame and a few get if there names. It wasn't too far for me so I thought why not. I also knew someone with consignments so I was able to split combo prices.

First up, I get Nightmare on Elm Street 2 director Jack Sholder. Then actress Kimberly Beck. Then a rare Halloween guest in John Michael Graham. And finally added me some Texas Chain Saw Massacre names in John Dugan and Edwin Neal. Edwin actually offered free ops if you said your name was Murray, and ops were $2500 if you worked for people magazine. It was all stated on his price list. This ended my time at Creature Feature.

Kimberly Beck

Full list of Creature Feature photo ops

The following Sunday I attended Station Unity in Maryland. The con wasn't very well attended which led me to worry if celebs would even be there Sunday, but thankfully everyone was. Plus I also had people to split with.

My main want is Geoffrey Blake from Forrest Gump, Critters 3, Men at Work, and other movies. He was nice as can be. Sadly I don't think I saw anyone go up to his table which sucks cause it might discourage names like him from getting booked. These are half decent names that don't do a lot so it was good to see him here. 

Then I get Taylor Buck from Superman and Lois, Tony Amendola from Mask of Zorro and Once Upon a Time, and Erik Valdez from Superman and Lois.

Ended my time there with actress Crystal Lowe of Final Destination fame.

Geoffrey Blake

Crystal Lowe

Full list of Station Unity photo ops

Meet of the year after many failures

For the last 10-12 years I've been trying for Steve Martin. And he never agrees to do the photo op. Sometimes he signs. Sometimes he does nothing. But never the op. Even worse, I didn't go to a CD signing in NYC where he ended up doing ops. Big mistake (they had said it was no ops). 

The last time I saw Steve Martin was at an event last December. He completely denied everyone while wearing a mask. The time before that pre COVID where I got him after a show he did, he signed wouldn't do ops. When I pleaded him for an op he goes "boring".

Fast forward to the latest Steve Martin and Martin Short tour. I embark to what I believe is a fruitless endeavor to get a photo op with Steve Martin (already have a few ops with Martin Short).

Day 1

Start in the evening for his private flight coming in. He completely declines just like last December (except no mask). Martin short declines someone an op but actually signs for Clint from Pittsburgh. Go to the hotel we don't ask Steve Martin as he has hotel staff escorting him but Martin Short also declines an op.

Day 2

Here we see if we could get them coming from from the show (they were on for 2 nights). We wait and finally the SUV pulls up. Steve Martin, again declines without a mask and does nothing. Martin Short also declines. 

Day 3

At this point we are all battered and bruised. I am on my own and have to decide if I want to try again. It is early evening and I am debating if I want to even try. After some back and forth I think to myself, well let me spend some time there see if I see him leaving for the show.

I arrive and park in position. At this point I am blind. I have no idea if he's still there, if he left for the show, or if he's out sight seeing. Nothing. Just parking there blind and waiting. As I wait, about 40 minutes later I see Steve Martin walking from the nearby restaurant to the hotel. I'm like WTF! But it gets worse, he is wearing a mask. I debate if I should even ask with the mask on but I say fuck it, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Steve Martin just walking by himself, and me waiting here by myself. 

I go "excuse me Mr. Martin may I have a photo with you and maybe an autograph". He looks and goes "no autographs, I'll take a picture, quick". I am floored! I am about to take the op then I ask "do you think you could put the mask down" and he goes "no I'm not...well ok quick". And I snap the money shot right there as I thank him and he continues to walk in!

I can't believe how many things went right there! I waited blindly, caught him as he finished eating at a restaurant, he agreed to a photo with me for the first time ever, AND he agreed to remove the mask? The combo Gods were truly looking out for me! 

Imagine that, I went for DJ Spinderella, she had a mask on and refused to remove it for the op. I went for Steve Martin, he had a mask on and pulled it down for the op. It truly goes to show you the unpredictability of combo hunting. A denial from Spinderella and a compliance from Steve Martin? I'll take that trade!

For those that say it was rude to ask to remove the mask and he could have ended up walking in and denying me altogether, that is fine with me. Mask shots are garbage. So asking him to remove the mask was a risk I had no problem embarking on. Because I had everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Steve Martin

WWE Monday Night RAW Report

WWE RAW is in town. So I prepared for my first WWE trek since COVID seems to be eroding. Which means opportunities to make up for past mask shots! I had a whole bunch of flights coming in the day before the show, sadly half of them got canceled or moved. This included Bobby Lashley (would have been cool to get a 14 year later update), Dominick Mysterio (needed an upgrade), and Austin Theory (only have a mask shot which I don't count). PUNCH! 

This was truly heartbreaking. But the Omos flight was still good and I only have a mask shot with him. So I still went. Akira Tozawa was on the same flight but I didn't need him as I met him many times.

So I go to the airport and wait. From a distance I see someone wearing a Superman shirt that looks like a wrestler. Turns out it is Damian Priest who I never met! He was on the same flight and I didn't even know it! I guess the combo Gods wanted to make up for the punches. And they did good on that front! He is super nice. Get him on an 8x10 and the WWE_E V4. 

Next up, there he is, the colossal Omos. Was super nice and did a combo per person. Didn't have a mask on or anything. Never saw Tozawa turns out he didn't have luggage so he must have slipped out. Missed someone I didn't need, got someone I needed in Damian. I'll take it. Two fresh wrestling names for such a short time at the airport is a treat for me these days (I consider Omos fresh since my original shot is a mask one).

I go to another airport to see who I see. I see Finn Balor so I get an update. After I left Io Sky did mask ops but I have her. I then go check out hotels and I see Byron Saxton and Io Sky checking in. Byron Saxton knows me so I go up to him tell him hello. I also tell him that I could get him on the WWE_E V4 which he says he is happy to do. I go on the side and wait for him to be done checking in. While waiting Corey Graves declines me. Byron finally approaches me, I get the autograph and an updated shot. 

Io Sky is wearing a mask as she checks in. I get her on her entry in the same book. She asks me what book it is and that she's never seen it. How cool is that? This ended my evening.

Damian Priest

Omos

Full list of Day 1 photo ops

Wait at the hotel the next day and first person I see is The Miz coming back from his signing. I get an update and Miz is cool as always. Also get him on the WWE_E V4. I seek Kevin Patrick. Fresh name alert! So I approach him and he is very cool. Then see and get Dexter Lumas and Tamina, both updates. Doudrop pops up and all of us gang up on her. She signs my 8x10s and does photos. Super nice lady. At this point the hotel asks us to only ask outside and we are welcome to hang out inside as long as we don't ask. So we go outside.

Outside we see Dakota Kai and Io Sky. Get updates with both and Dakota on the WWE_E V4. Get a Mike Rome update and then see Usos and Angelo Dawkins. Jimmy (I think) outright declines and Angelo ignores but Jey (I think) comes over. I have them all from before anyway.

Come back at night and I get Kevin Patrick and Dexter Lumas on the inside cover of the WWE_E V4, and Mike Rome and Corey graves on their entries.

Doudrop

Kevin Patrick

Full list of Day 2 photo ops

Last day of WWE, we start with the airport. Austin Theory is my main one, but he's leaving from the airport most people don't use. A big let down cause that means we will miss a ton of people going for him. But we start in the main airport to see who we see. See referee Rod Zapata and get an update. Angelo Dawkins shows up. We get ready to ask but he lies down on a chair with a hat on his face as if sleeping. SMH. Can't believe this guy became a dick. Guess hanging with the Usos rubbed off on him.

Wait a bit more then see Montez Ford and Bianca Belair wearing masks. I have them so I didn't bother to try for ops but Bianca did a mask shot. I got them both on the WWE_E V4. At this time we had to leave to the next airport. I knew Doudrop was coming soon but thankfully got her the day before and didn't have to wait for her. 

On the next airport I knew two flights for sure, Austin Theory and Rey Mysterio. First person we see is Asuka. She is her usual friendly self. Get her on the WWE_E V4. Spot Ciampa from a distance. Get a combo on the WWE_E V4. Then finally Austin Theory shows up and is cool. Get the op and his auto on the WWE_E V4.

Next up Rey Mysterio shows up and his is usual friendly self. Update and auto on the WWE_E V4. In all the excitement I forgot to get Austin Theory on my 8x10s. But no worries he isn't going anywhere for a while. Track him down and get the photos signed. Also see Omos again and get him on an 8x10. He remembered us from 2 days ago. Get updates with Akira Tozawa, Kevin Owens, and Adam Pearce. And get Pearce to sign the inside cover of the WWE_E V4. I told him he has no entry he said I must have an old edition, but I pointed out it's the newest one.

Austin Theory

Full list of Day 3 photo ops

Now to showcase autographs

Full list of autographs part 1

Full list of autographs part 2

WWE_E V4

Damian Priest
Byron Saxton
Io Sky
The Miz
Dakota Kai
Kevin Patrick (inside cover)
Dexter Lumas (inside cover)
Mike Rome
Corey graves
Montez Ford (Streets Profits entry)
Bianca Belair 
Asuka
Ciampa
Austin Theory
Rey Mysterio
Adam Pearce (inside cover)