Fresh from Wizard World! - View photos of autographed stuff!

[darthsmozers]

I had an incredible time meeting Talbot, Lawson, Berger, Laird, and Dooney this weekend at Wizard World Philly.

http://mason.gmu.edu/~lheld/ww2004_tmntleo.jpg
My very first Leo figure. I was able to find my original raph's belt to put on him. Peter Laird signed the chest.

http://mason.gmu.edu/~lheld/ww2004_tmntnes.jpg
The 1st NES TMNT game. Peter Laird and Michael Dooney signed it.

http://mason.gmu.edu/~lheld/ww2004_tmntmovies.jpg
Peter Laird signed all 3 DVD covers (as well as the old toon dvd cover, not pictured.)

http://mason.gmu.edu/~lheld/ww2004_tmntpuffy.jpg
Each of these cost 50 cents at one vendor's stand. You know you remember these! He threw in an old TMNT pencil (not pictured).

http://mason.gmu.edu/~lheld/ww2004_futureraph.jpg
Jim Lawson was kind enough to pencil AND ink this sketch of the Archie series' future Raph for only ten bucks!

Besides what is pictured, I got some comics signed, too. Let me say right now that this may look like alot, but do not worry, for I was considerate. See, I was there Friday, and their table was very "not busy". They were all talking and sketching. So, I got a few autographs from each of them. On Saturday, I got some more. All 5 (including Peter) were very happy to sign what I had because they said "we're here for you guys, after all." Meeting them was what made me drive 3 hours to Philly in the first place, so I wanted it to be worthwhile.

With that said, I was able to get some of my favorite issues signed. These are mostly from the Archie series, because that's what I grew up reading until only recently when TMNT vol. 4 came out. I had no idea all 5 of them worked on so many issues at one time or another. I also got TMNT vol. 4 #1, 10, and 11 signed, Tales of TMNT vol. 2 #1, as well as some other cool items. For example, I bought 2 prints, each limited to a run of 50 copies. Lawson signed the one he made, and Lairs signed his. So, I mean, they did get some $$$ from me :wink:

Lawson didn't charge much for his sketch. He said it'd be 10 for the sketch and 10 for the inking, but he knocked off the ink fee :D

Finally, they had a limited edition version of TMNT #1, complete with sketches, etc. That cost some more $$$ and Peter signed that as well. So, I don't feel bad about asking for alot of items to be signed because a) they got my money, and b) they weren't busy :wink: But like I said, they laughed, joked, talked, etc. Lawson especially enjoyed looking through an activity book I brought in which he penciled and Berger inked. He was cracking up over the pictures and the little-kid coloring jobs my brother or I must have done years ago. They had quite a laugh, and signed that for me as well :)

I must say, all 5 are very respectible men. They did seem tired at times, especially on Saturday. But all in all, you could just see the chemistry they share after all these years. To meet them was truly a pleasure. Enjoy the photos!

*Note* - Check out my Signed Comics page - click on the bottom right TMNT button. http://mason.gmu.edu/~jsmolins/signedcomics.htm

[Mobius One]

Yeah I went too. Peter Laird was a really nice guy. I was talking to him about some stuff and he seemed pretty cool. What I liked the most was that pretty much every artist there was charging like 5-10 bucks for a quick sketch, but Peter Laird just did them for free. It was cool. I got #1 vol. 4 signed by Dooney and Lawson, vol 4 #15 signed by Peter Laird ( cause my letter was in that one), then I got vol 1 number 50 signed by Peter Laird, then Tales of the TMNT #3 vol 2 signed by Laird, Lawson, Talbot, Dooney, and Berger. I wasn't too impressed with Michael Dooney, because he was kind of acting like a jerk, like he had somewhere more important to be. But everyone else was cool. Peter Laird was the coolest though. Tell me what you guys got signed if you went also.

[darthsmozers]

By the way, with 45 views, won't someone post a reply? :(

[Hyper Metal Sonic]

Puffy Stickers! Woo!

Wow, poor Peter, you must've worn his hand out after all that signing.

By the way, I do hope you had him sign the paper inside of those DVDs rather than the plastic exterior, right?

[darthsmozers]

Oh yes, the paper insides :D haha definitely not the clear part.

Nah, I only gave peter a few at a time. Friday afternoon, Sat. morning, and Sat. afternoon. I didn't want to be a burden.

[HorseTechie]

By the way, with 45 views, won't someone post a reply? :(
No... cause we're too busy being jealous! :P

I would have loved to gone to this, if the timing was better. I never met Laird or Berger before either. But they like announced it barely a month in advance. I hadn't heard of it through the grapevine beforehand. That, and I already had made plans and bought plan tickets to go to the AnimeNEXT con in June. Meh...

Glad you all had a good time. Looked like fun! :)

[darthsmozers]

Heh, it basically went like this. I brought all the issues I had. I looked up on ninjaturtles.com which issues featured which of the 5 guys' work. On friday i chose m favorites and had them signed. On sat morning they weren't busy yet so I asked if they'd mind doing a few more - they didn't. I knew I wasn't going back sunday, so Sat. evening their table was once again empty after a crowd, and they were willing to sign even more and talk to me about the books. So, with that, I didn't feel like I was keeping them from other fans - I definitely wasn't :D

having said that, I'm in the process of scanning the covers of the issues I had signed.

for now, go to http://mason.gmu.edu/~jsmolins/signedcomics.htm and click on "TMNT" :D

[Triceraton]

I really want to go to this one of these years, but this year(just like the last two) I don't think I could've afforded to go... I mean, it's not much to get in, and it'd only be a 2-3 hour drive for me, but once I'm in there, I'm sure I would've wanted to spend way too much. :lol:

I'm hoping next year. I'm hoping I'll have a better job by then. And hopefully they'll all be there next year too, so I can get some TMNT stuff signed. :lol:

[Sparvid]

By the way, with 45 views, won't someone post a reply? :(
No... cause we're too busy being jealous! :PYep, I'm sitting here like this: :teek:, looking at that beautiful (and cheap!) sketch...

[Dane E5R]

Y'know, that Lawson sketch actually looks pretty good.. Maybe he should just start inking all of his own work.

[darthsmozers]

I know! He told me he wouldn't ink it because he's terrible at it. Now, whether or not he did it, or someone else like Dooney did it, I'm not sure, but I definitely got the impression he did it himself, and wanted it to look good, too. He was so happy to draw a 'future turtle' as opposed to some of the regular stuff. I like it :D

[jeff the cheff]

Thats awesome that you got to meet them and everything...next time they sign anywhere I'm gonna try and be there.

[impetus]

i'm really diggin that lawson sketch! great to hear that you got such a nice "payoff"

[darthsmozers]

I know most of you are probably pro-mirage, anti-archie series. but for me, i grew up with the TMNT Adventures - from 3rd grade until when the series ended. and those future turtle storylines were my favorites. So, to have him sketch 'future raph' was such an honor. jim lawson is an awesome guy!

[MikesPizzaShack]

...its no fair y cant they come to wizard world chicago? grrr

[Kid Icarus]

...its no fair y cant they come to wizard world chicago? grrrForget that, I want them at Gencon! :lol:

[Buslady]

Looks like ya had fun! That' so good of them to do all that. And I like their attitude about the fans, we're here for you..we are the ones who pay their bills!
I hope to get a Raph sketch out of Peter someday...Something to frame and stick on the wall!

[Jephael]

Awesome pictures, dude. I'm glad you got to meet those guys! I kinda wish I had made plans to go to that convention over the weekend since I love near Philly.

[darthsmozers]

More comic book covers are up on my comics site:

http://mason.gmu.edu/~jsmolins/signedcomics.htm

[HorseTechie]

...its no fair y cant they come to wizard world chicago? grrr
The short story... Laird doesn't like to travel much. *sai*

[Mobius One]

Jeez, you did gt a lotta stuff signed. Im jealous of your Lawson sketch too. I didn't have a lot of money so I couldn't get any of their cool sketches like that. All I have to say though is that I HOPE that they are going to be there next year, and I hope is is or near Philly again.

[darthsmozers]

for the TMNT crew, its the fans who make it happen. Mirage isn't a huge company. so i imagine the only way they'd come back is if fans wanted it, and we made it known. By the way, the dates are up for next year. i think Wizard World is June 3-5 in 2005.

PS - ive finally added all the photos of singed comics to the link I lsited previously. haha, i guess it is alot, isn't it? But that's over the course of two days :D

[Triceraton]

Good, it's a little later next year. I'll have to plan ahead one of these years, just save up some money and go.

and I hope is is or near Philly again.

It's in Philly every year now, since they started Wizard World East. It's in the same place every year, just like the other Wizard World shows(WW Chicago, WW L.A., etc.)

[Usagi'sChick]

YAY!
I missed Philly, when I emailed them about 5 weeks or so, they didnt get confirmation, so they werent even sure about it...

anyhoo I was sad to see they did go and I didnt! But they are going to be in Toronto at the end of August!!!!!!!
:D

I'm actually going to meet Kevin before I meet Peter! lol

[darthsmozers]

Whereareya gonna meet Kevin? Isn't he out of the comic biz?

[BigApple3AM]

...its no fair y cant they come to wizard world chicago? grrr

You going to WW Chicago? Maybe I'll run into you there. I actually have to work the con because I work at a comic store which will be there + I live 10 minutes away from the convention center...

PUFFY STICKERS!!!!!! I need to find myself some of those, I've had this Michelangelo puffy sticker for like 16 years, most of the time it was on my dresser, now it's on my monitor... So awesome to see someone else has it! (It's the one in the far left pic)

I actaully bought a tmnt vol 1 #1 2nd print which has peter's and kevin's autograph in it, but I'm not the one that actually got the autographs so idk if it really counts lol

[Ninjatron]

But they are going to be in Toronto at the end of August!!!!!!!
:D
Holy cow! I didn't know that! I go to that show every year! Wow, that's awesome.

Sayonara.

[kicknz]

Yeah, those are definitely Jim Lawson's own inks on his pencils. The current series would look tighter if he were inking himself. God, I would love to have a piece of original art by Jim Lawson done by request.

I have a question for those that attended the con about a couple of things in the following picture . . .

<img src="http://img77.photobucket.com/albums/v233/kicknz/wizardworld_01.jpg" border="0" />

See the rack to the right of Jim Lawson, it looks like it has a bunch of books or comics with a character or two drawn in b+w on a white background with some blue-ish writing at the top? Did you notice them and can you tell me what they were? Thanks!

[kicknz]

Well, I can't get the photo to link cuz I'm retarded, perhaps?

But it's the first photo in the May 27th update on the Ninja Turtles site.

http://www.ninjaturtles.com/html/new.htm

[darthsmozers]

Not sure ... i actually forget. If I can find the original version of the photo that I took, Ill see if I can make it out.

Edit: Its called Mecha Zone, but I can't tell if its part of his table or the table next to the TMNT dudes.

[kicknz]

Weird! I gotta find out what that is. If it's a Lawson comic I GOTTA have it.