Guess who's going to the National??

Not me.  I've been reading all these posts of all you guys heading to the National this week and well I'm jealous. Mainly because if life hadn't led me to Alaska, I'd still probably be in Wisconsin and heading to the National this week.  I've had my fun in Chicago.  As seen from some posts earlier this year, but in college I drew comics with a group and we headed down for the Chicago Comic Con, this was back in 1997 and the first year Wizard took it over.  I have to say for a star eyed comic lover it was geekdom probably only surpassed by the San Diego ComicCon.  You hear stories about the fat nerds who cart around a long box full of comics to get autographed strapped to a luggage cart slurping a jolt cola, but until you see hundreds of them all walking around and staring at the one hot girl dressed as Princess Leia in a slave girl costume, well you get the idea.  It was here that we set up our table and tried to sell our independently made comics to the masses, and you know what.  No one wanted any.  They were all there for Todd McFarlane, Alex Ross and all the other big names back then.  I have to admit once I realized I probably wasn't going to sell any of my, now looking back, shoddily made comic, I ventured out and embraced the geekdom.  I found Kurt Busiek sitting all by himself at the Claypool Comics stand with no line and proceeded to have him autograph a couple issues of Marvels and then make a complete ass of myself.  I also discovered Terry Moore and his awesome comic Strangers in Paradise. A hell of a nice guy and a great artist and writer all rolled into one.

Sorry I'm rambling, what I'm trying to say is that that experience is what I image the National would be only with sports cards.  I'd probably be the one with a monster box strapped to my back and notebook full of want lists  combing the quarter and common boxes filling holes and longingly looking at autograph pavilion wishing I could afford a couple of autos hoping to catch Bart Starr coming out of the bathroom.  A slew of my favorite athletes will be signing this year, two have the same last name, Jackson, Bo and Reggie and one rhymes with mount. Actually after looking at the Tristar ticket page most of the Packers signing were on the Superbowl XXXI team and all are pretty affordable, and Paulie Mo is going to be there.  I think the best part about looking at the auto line up is what the stars WON'T sign.  If I were an evil man I'd have to see if I could had to that list.   Mr. Blyleven will not sign "Where's Ernie"
I couldn't find a great itinerary for the show other than the Tristar auto schedule, I'm sure it's on the website if I dug deeper, but I didn't.  What occurred to me was it would be hard to go to the show everyday.  5 days walking around would get old.  I would think the last two days of the show would be the days to go to get the good deals. Although there are great signers all week. I realize they are the weekend days, but it got me thinking.  Here in Anchorage we have a 2 day beerfest and the second day is usually the day to go because the vendors fill you glasses up fuller to make sure they get rid of all their product.  So would that same mentality transfer over and would dealers give better deals on the last couple of days so they didn't have so much stuff to haul back to their shops?  I'll let you experts who have gone to multiple Nationals and who go to this one shout it out.

Well I'm off to finally take my folks to the airport, it's been a long two weeks and hopefully write a trade post before I fly out for work tomorrow. 

On a completely different side note. I swore I wasn't going to buy anymore A & G but one of my LCS's just posted a coupon for a box of A & G for under 80 bucks and well I think I'm going to have to get me one.  I realize that it's highly unlikely I'll be able to beat my first box and that's ok.  I figure I'll hopefully be able to whittle down my need list and the SP to a reasonable amount and maybe pick up a few cool hits.

Well until next time CB out