To Pay or Not to Pay: An Autograph Tale (revisited and updated)

             


          I can remember as a child seeing my favorite celebrities on television. Whether it was my favorite actors, voice over, or even sports celebrities. Sitting there imaging what it would be like to meet them, talk to them, or who knows maybe even get their autograph. From what I’ve heard, when I was a kid in the eighties, autographs were easier to obtain. If you saw your favorite celebrity, you just walked up and asked for his or her autograph. They would usually go all “Joe Green” on you and say “sure kid” and give you an autograph.

          For me personally, the main celebs that I would have access to were the Dallas Cowboys or the wrestlers of the WCCW. I would get autographs from my favorite players like Randy White, Danny White, or Roger Staubach or some of my favorite wresters the Von Erich family, the Dingo Warrior, or Chris Adams. Fast forward to current times and the game has completely changed. Instead of automatically getting the “sure kid”, you get the “is this going on eBay” question. Even if you say no, you get inevitable “you’re lying” look. It especially happens if you’re not a kid. But I’ve seen it happen to kids as well. In all fairness, I can see it from the celebrities’ point of view. If people are getting their autograph for free, and then sell it, then they believe they are entitled to some of that proverbial cash.

          Sometimes I think the celebrity fails to realize that if it’s the value of their autograph they are worried about, then the more they sign the less their autograph is worth. It’s all supply and demand in the world of collectibles. For example, take former Texas Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson. C.J. would sign for just about anyone who would ask. Now don’t get me wrong C.J. wasn’t the only player that did that. In my opinion, the people who would ask for his autograph were his true fans. He was one of the most fan friendly players at the time.

          It wasn’t until 1998 that I had a chance to meet a “Hollywood” actor. In the mid to late nineties one of my favorite television shows was the X-Files. I watched it every week, read the official magazines, etc. I later found out they were making a movie. This was information that made this X-Phile very happy. To top it all off there was going to be a nationwide promotion tour. The tour would consist of actual props from the television show, exclusive trailers, and actors from the show. The way it worked was you paid for admission and just about everything inside was free (even autographs). Though Mulder & Scully weren’t there, three of my favorites were. Even though autographs weren’t guaranteed, I was able to meet two out of the three actors that was there.

          In 2002 I came across Dallas Comic Con. “Con” was short for convention. I did some research beforehand and found out that some legends from the comic book industry were going to be there along with some great science fiction writers. Most importantly to me I also found out that some actors and actresses were also going to be on hand signing autographs for a price. My wife and I attended this show; little did I know this was going to be a regular thing.

          Up until then I had never paid for an autograph from a celebrity but I understood the reasoning. I didn’t fully agree but I understood. Besides 10 to 20 dollars per autograph wasn’t that bad from someone you truly admire. Plus, you may never get to meet that person again. The choice is pretty fairly simple, if you want to pay, pay. If you don’t, then don’t. It’s just about like everything else in the world. The choice is entirely up to the individual and no one else. No one is forcing you to attend and pay for anything. Like it or not, it is a business. Since that first X-Files Expo, I have attended many conventions over the years. I have met a lot of my favorite celebrities at the conventions I have attended. I have also obtained autographs from most of them. For example, at one show in particular I was able to meet one of my favorite actors, Adam Baldwin. Now it’s not often you see Adam Baldwin walking the streets of Dallas. I know this, which is why it was a no brainer for me to gladly pay for his autograph.

          I have so many fond memories from that first convention, unfortunately there are a few regrets as well. My few fond memories was being able to share this memory with my wife, meeting Carrie Fisher for the first time, and meeting the late great Dave Stevens. Three regrets in particular always stay with me as well. Not meeting veteran actor Ben Chapman (who has since passed away), not getting a sketch or an autograph from the late great Dave Stevens (even though I spoke with him several times throughout the day), and not meeting actor Glen Shadix (also who has since passed away). Now I know you can’t tell who’ll pass away unexpectedly, it’s just something you’ll have to deal with if it happens to you.

          I can honestly say though, the positives far outweigh the negatives when it comes to the convention circuit. So, if you do decide to go to a comic book or science fiction convention, have fun. Will there be things that you don’t like? Maybe. Will there be things you like? Definitely. Just go there with an open mind, the readiness to embrace your inner nerd, have a great time. Be sure to do your own research beforehand. Check the conventions website, read their social media pages, talk to the regulars. Most of them probably know the ins and outs of the circuit better than anyone. They can help you if you have any questions. All you have to do is ask.

            There are good conventions and there are some conventions that will just nickel and dime you without delivering the goods. On the other side though, there are some that are as much for the fans as they are for the money. You just have to look for them. Word of mouth is the best type of advertising, so researching a convention beforehand will make the good ones easier to find. I personally don’t go to many conventions anymore. As stated in the beginning, Dallas Comic Con was the convention I visited the most. But that has completely changed. I do not go to their shows anymore for a multitude of reasons. But I know a lot of people that do. And that’s cool. You have that choice.

          Long story short, if you decide to go, remember the most important thing is to HAVE FUN.

Do conventions ruin celebrities for fans?

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Hello everyone, I hope all is well. I’ll start this for those who might not be as familiar with conventions as others. There are Sci-Fi, Comic Book, Horror, and really any genre of convention, usually held in or around major cities across the country and abroad.

What a Convention Actually Looks Like

The most popular (in my opinion) is the Sci-Fi/Comic Book convention. It’s usually held at a location that has at least a few large rooms:

• The Vendor Room: This is like a merchandise market where various vendors have tables set up selling their goods. If there is something you are looking for from the science fiction or comic book world, you can most likely find it here. Just as at any other open market, you need to be aware of who you’re purchasing from. Not everyone is there to sell quality goods at a fair price, so be wary of possible bootleg products and overpriced items.
• Artist Alley: Comic book artists, writers, inkers, and other creators are set up here. There is usually some awesome local talent alongside more mainstream comic book creators. Here you can get your favorite books signed, buy original art, or just stop by for a handshake and a hello.
• The Media Room: This is usually where the celebrities are. A lot of times, conventions will bring in celebrities to help boost admission sales.

Now, this isn’t the baseline for every convention, as there are variations. Sometimes there are additional rooms for Q&As, gaming, demos, cosplay contests, and more. Hopefully, this gives the uninitiated a general idea.

The Good Old Days: When Autographs Were Free

It seems that lately more and more conventions are popping up all over the place. Some are small, some are large. Some are extremely costly, and some are fairly priced. I came into the convention scene a little later than some of the seasoned veterans did. Some remember when all convention celebrity attendees didn't charge for autographs—or if you did have to pay, they were relatively cheap.

My first convention was The X-Files Expo in Dallas in '98. There were three celebrities there from the show, and all three signed for free. The downside was that you had to stand in line a long time to meet them. Unfortunately, I was only able to meet two of them, though they were two of my favorites outside of Mulder and Scully: Mitch Pileggi and Dean Haglund (aka Skinner and Langly).

I didn’t attend another convention for four years. That next show was the first Dallas Comic Con. I had researched the convention a little beforehand and noticed something different going on: celebrities were charging a fee for their autographs. I understood the reasoning behind the charges. Of course, I would rather pay nothing, but who wouldn’t?

Fortunately, the fees weren’t too bad, so it wasn’t a total surprise. Since I didn’t know the exact prices prior to the show, I had to figure out who I really wanted to meet just in case the costs were high. Things were good—well, to me at least. I got to meet some of my favorite celebrities and artists (like Dave Stevens), make some new friends (some of the best friends I have had are people I’ve met at a convention), and call it a day.

Were there some negatives? Sure. (Corn chips, anyone?) But the positives far outweighed the negatives. Still, to quote the legendary Bob Dylan, “The times they are a-changin’.”

Enter the Corporations: The "Cattle Call" Era

Now, I can only personally speak from my own experiences, though I’ve heard from plenty of people who have had similar ones. In their eyes, as well as mine, things are going great until the local, fan-friendly convention gets bought out by a corporation. Corporations only see one thing: dollar signs.

The one-on-one interaction with your favorite celebrity is replaced by the "cattle call." You are just herded through the line like cattle with basically no interaction with the celebrity. Just pay your money, collect your autograph, and move along. Don’t even think about eye contact. (Okay, that was a stretch, but it happens.)

Customer service goes down, and prices go up. Instead of a small handful of celebs being brought in, a plethora (to quote Three Amigos) of celebrities are now booked at double—or sometimes triple—the price for their autograph. Because they have corporate financial backing, they can afford to bring in bigger names from television and movies, not just the science fiction world.

When it used to feel like celebrities loved meeting their fans, now a lot of them seem to consider it just an easy paycheck. Comic cons have turned into "media cons." They rush you through the line and nickel-and-dime you for everything. Don’t even think about pulling your camera out and taking a photo of the celebrity signing your item. You now have to pay an additional fee (anywhere from $30 to $125) for an "Olan Mills" style photo op. At the bigger conventions—and this seems to be bleeding over to the smaller ones—you often aren’t allowed to take your camera or phone out at all.

Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing a variety of celebrities at a convention. But when there are so many to choose from, how do you decide? If you have five to ten (or more) headlining guests charging $40 to $150 (yes, I said $150) an autograph, plus various other guests at considerably lower price tags, someone is getting the short end. If there were only a small handful of guests—let’s say five to ten total—the playing field would be a bit more level, and everyone would go away satisfied.

Who Is Actually Setting These Prices?

I’ve seen a growing trend at conventions as of late. A lot of people think it started with The Walking Dead actors charging their fans high prices for autographs, though I believe it started way before that with the Creation conventions. Those drastic price increases are making other celebrities—who wouldn’t normally charge as much—start raising their rates too.

I don’t like it, of course, but I understand how it happens. Imagine a celeb sitting at a table charging $25 for their autograph, while two other celebs to their left and right are charging $40. All three have a steady line, so the one charging $25 thinks, “I could charge $40 and get more money for doing the same thing.” They raise their price to $40, and so it begins.

Most (if not all) of the celebrities who go to conventions are there for the money and therefore don’t mind the price increases. Some may be oblivious to the prices—I doubt it, but I guess it’s possible. I’ve had the "pricing" conversation with many people, including some of the celebrities themselves. Celebs say they don’t set the prices, the promoters do. Promoters say it’s the celebs who set the prices. Either way, the rates continue to climb, and it’s the fans' wallets that suffer.

I know no one is forcing you to go or to pay these prices, and I know costs go up on everything, not just autographs. Still, they shouldn’t jump this drastically. Gas went up over four dollars here in Texas one year, and it’s not that high anymore. Prices can come down. Maybe not back to what they used to be, but they can come down. Of course, that’s just my opinion.

The Outsider Perspective

I have also had conversations with people who have zero knowledge of the convention world. They’ve seen the photos I’ve taken and the autographs I’ve gotten, so they ask me how it all "works." Once I get to the pricing part of the autographs, they are completely dumbfounded.

“You have to pay for their autographs?” they ask. After thinking about it, they might understand a little, though not fully. Their view of the celebrity quickly turns from positive to negative, saying things like, “If they really cared for their fans, they wouldn’t charge.”

Things get even more heated when they hear about the high-priced autographs and photo ops. Some go as far as saying they are no longer a fan, even though they’ve never met the actor or attended a convention: “If all they care about is ripping people off at these conventions, then they won’t see another dime from me.” I didn’t always understand how those conversations got so heated, but it happened with quite a few people.

How Conventions Are Hurting Through-the-Mail (TTM) Collectors

I also know people who can’t attend conventions because the shows are either too far away or too expensive, so they are strictly TTM collectors. TTM means “Through the Mail.” A collector finds an address for a specific celebrity (usually through a manager or agent) and writes to them asking for an autograph. Generally, a TTM request includes three things: a letter of request, an item for them to sign, and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).

With the recent growth spurt of celebrities appearing on the convention circuit, many who used to sign for their fans for free via TTM now refuse because they aren’t getting paid like they would at a show. Some have even launched official online stores to sell their autographs instead. Sometimes if you write to them, you will get a standard "return to sender." Worse, some will actually keep the items you sent and mail back a pre-print autograph (a photographic copy of a signature) or a letter requesting payment.

Recommended TTM & Convention Supplies:
Whether you are sending items through the mail or braving the lines at a convention, having the right gear makes a big difference in keeping your autographs safe:

• Autograph Pens: Pick up acid-free Sharpies or DecoColor paint pens—these are the gold standard among collectors for bold, smudge-free signatures on glossy photos and comics.
• Photo Protection: Use 8x10 rigid photo top-loaders to keep your signed prints from bending in the mail or getting crushed in a crowded convention bag.
• Comic Book Care: Grab archival comic book backing boards and Mylites sleeves so your books stay flat and protected while waiting in Artist Alley.

 Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, conventions are still a great place to meet fellow fans and celebrate the shows and movies we love—especially if you spend your time in Artist Alley. Indie creators like Quinn McGowan (creator of Project: WILDFIRE and founder of Legends Press Comics) are a great reminder of what makes these shows special in the first place, offering genuine passion, original storytelling, and real conversations with fans without the corporate price tag. Still, when the big-budget "cattle call" and sky-high autograph fees replace that personal connection in the media room, it’s hard not to feel like something important is being lost.

So, my question to you is this: Do conventions have the possibility of ruining a fan/celebrity relationship, especially with the ever-rising ticket, autograph, and photo op prices? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear if you still find the convention experience worth the price of admission.

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