[UK convention/other meetups]

Post by **Denyer** » Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:05 pm

pandagork wrote:Well, if you're at a panel and see someone facepalming, muttering (well swearing) under his breath, rolling his eyes or all three at the same time, that'll be me

Could introduce yourself before that point... can all swap numbers nearer the time.

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 12:05 am

I'm perfectly willing to nip to Marston Green for beer runs, or anywhere else relatively close for that matter

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:19 pm

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 2067299289

Rock Out Roll Call have announced their prices as well. Oddly like TFN they're only doing one day tickets for the Sunday, which puts me in the same position as Brend with the Brum Con in that I'd have seriously considered going down for the Saturday but can't do the Sunday.

I'm sure there's some dull practical reason for this (as it's unlikely either con wants to make it impossible for people to go, especially a con in its first year) but it's something both events should reconsider if possible, surely Saturday's are the day one day people are most likely to be able to do?

Post by **Sades** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 7:05 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:I'm sure there's some dull practical reason for this (as it's unlikely either con wants to make it impossible for people to go, especially a con in its first year) but it's something both events should reconsider if possible, surely Saturday's are the day one day people are most likely to be able to do?

I'd assume they're trying to even out the attendance for the weekend by eliminating the Saturday single tickets/selling Sunday single tickets because, you're right- I think most people would opt for just the Saturday if they could.

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 7:14 pm

The question is, if most people who want to go only for one day and that's the Saturday, who'd buy weekend tickets?

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 7:17 pm

@Sades: They'd still have to plan on the basis of weekend ticket people plus additional people on the Sunday, though.

I think it'd make sense to share whatever dull practical reasons there are and avoid coming across as too unfriendly for it.

@pandagork: It boils down to that other cons make it work, including apparently AA even with a relatively unusual business model that the ticket price includes autographs.

Post by **Sades** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 7:22 pm

I am also assuming that they think that they know they would lose some attendance but that the loss would be worth it on some level. I dunno, doing tickets this way might make it more attractive to vendors who can only do one day- if they can only do one day, they'll want it to be Saturday and not everyone is going to get a vendor's spot for the Saturday.

edit: Iwenttopostandthenpostinghappened.jpg

Denyer wrote: I think it'd make sense to share whatever dull practical reasons there are and avoid coming across as too unfriendly for it.

I dunno, I'm enjoying wild speculation.

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 8:04 pm

Denyer wrote:@Sades: They'd still have to plan on the basis of weekend ticket people plus additional people on the Sunday, though.

I think it'd make sense to share whatever dull practical reasons there are and avoid coming across as too unfriendly for it.

@pandagork: It boils down to that other cons make it work, including apparently AA even with a relatively unusual business model that the ticket price includes autographs.

oh I just have my cynical hat on. Though if it was the following weekend it would make more sense for Sunday tickets to be prime ones, what with the Monday being a bank holiday

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 10:46 pm

Sure those get booked years in advance.

Sades wrote:more attractive to vendors

Never got the impression they make much out of that, or that there's massive competition for space, or that vendors rake it in, TBH. Always a few things in short supply that sell quickly, but it's not big business and either having loads of boxes of bagged items you can't find things amongst or loads of loose items getting increasingly mauled... it's okay for impulse purchases. May be slightly jaded as I don't really collect vintage. But the margins on 3P aren't great either.

Post by **Sades** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 12:04 am

Denyer wrote:Never got the impression they make much out of that, or that there's massive competition for space, or that vendors rake it in, TBH. Always a few things in short supply that sell quickly, but it's not big business and either having loads of boxes of bagged items you can't find things amongst or loads of loose items getting increasingly mauled... it's okay for impulse purchases. May be slightly jaded as I don't really collect vintage. But the margins on 3P aren't great either.

Fair enough. During my own short experience vendoring at small shows locally, Saturdays tended to be "the" day if you have to choose just one. But then the hobby spectrum of local shows is more broad than Transformers, more people interested, etc. I suspect that vendor fees on our end cover a bit of the venue rental as well, always many, many vendors. That was 7-ish years ago, but business still seems pretty brisk... well, tables appear to sell quickly, anyway. And yeah. It's fun, but you don't get rich selling secondhand toys at shows (least, I sure as hell didn't, dammit.

).

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 2:05 pm

Yeah, hopefully there'll be some clarification on the thinking behind the days thing from both cons soon.

I didn't realise it till it was mentioned on twitter, but Rhinox from offa Beast Wars was the motel owner in last week's X-Files. Meaning that by meeting him I will only be one degree of separation from Gillian Anderson!

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 2:41 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:Yeah, hopefully there'll be some clarification on the thinking behind the days thing from both cons soon.

I didn't realise it till it was mentioned on twitter, but Rhinox from offa Beast Wars was the motel owner in last week's X-Files. Meaning that by meeting him I will only be one degree of separation from Gillian Anderson!

I think Gillian would like to keep it that way

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:59 pm

Oh, and Simon Furman will be at TFNation. Time to dig out my -ation TPBs! Oh and question him about certain things

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Mar 04, 2016 1:33 pm

So thanks to having a long suffering friend who lives there I was able to go to the James Roberts signing in Manchester last weekend. Really nice friendly atmosphere and James was on fine form (when signing one of my comics "What should I have Grimlock say?...Best nothing that can be misinterpreted") and had some great chats with people in the queue, including a former Underbase host turned TFNation organiser (yes, JRob is going to be there as well).

As a bonus it was also a little Podcast Maximus reunion as Marian was there as well. Though Knightdramon was apparently too cool to come hang out despite also living in nearby York.

There's a similar signing in London's Orbital Comics on the 12th from 5-7 (with a ticket only event afterwards), with the added bonus of actual MTMTE 50 present. Because I am insanely going to be in London every weekend in March for different reasons (that day it's for the Cosmonaut exhibition at the Science Museum) I will probably pop in to get the actual anniversary comic.

Some pictures!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... da4217083b

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Fri Mar 04, 2016 6:21 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:"What should I have Grimlock say?...Best nothing that can be misinterpreted"

I want to marry this man and have this on a t-shirt. In that order

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Fri Mar 04, 2016 8:12 pm

Ha, love the look of total disinterest on the two non-TF fans faces.

I also like your hat.

...I wish I could wear hats. My head is too small for hats. I look like a child doing dress up.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:52 am

Skyquake87 wrote:Ha, love the look of total disinterest on the two non-TF fans faces.

Ha, whilst we were waiting for Marian at the station we genuinely had this conversation:

Wig: So what does your friend look like?

Me: Red hair.

Wig: Is that her?

Me: No, about thirty years younger and a quarter of the weight.

Wig: Her?

Me: No.

Wig: Her?

Me: No.

Wig: What sort of red hair? Natural?

Me: How would I know?!

Wig: Wait... is that her?

Me: Where?

Wig: Talking to that guy you stalk on twitter. I would imagine he's the Transformers writer doing the signing?

Me: Well... yes. Though stalk is not the word I'd use. And I'm sure he won't think anything odd about not being able to get off a train without running into fans.

Worse than that, the route Wig took us to the pub we went to before the signing meant we were walking three paces behind James as he was escorted to the comic shop. The poor man will have a complex by now.

Patapsco · Post by **Patapsco** » Sun Mar 06, 2016 12:08 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:Me: Well... yes. Though stalk is not the word I'd use. And I'm sure he won't think anything odd about not being able to get off a train without running into fans.

you realise that this is the exact same justification stalkers in real life use, right?

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:10 pm

"talking to that guy you stalk on Twitter"

...brilliant

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sun Mar 13, 2016 9:01 pm

Popped into the Saturday signing after a day of history science and culture with my mother.

Who for some reason thought it was a bit of a come down.

Still, I got James to pose with the Missfire and Getaway that by strange coincidence they were selling in the entrance to the shop...

(Relevant pics right at the end of the album, scroll down!]

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 8132e3ed69