Detroit Fanfare 2010

Alright, this weekend was Halloween for many people but for myself, and my good friends Matt, Libby and Arnie we had the first annual Detroit Fanfare Comic Book Convention!
While the show was small it was still bigger than the Motor City Comic Convention we attend in May...or rather USED to attend. See, Fanfare was a COMICBOOK convention, not a Pop Culture Convention. It was focused more on Comics than anything else.
So...what happened?

Well, first and foremost: I MET STAN LEE! Yeah, the guest of honor this year was none other than the legend himself: Stan "The Man" Lee.
Arnie and I went the full nine yards and purchased the $125 VIP tickets which allowed us full access to first a Q & A session with The Man where we got to hear him speak of his life and times. The funniest story he told was of a party he attended with James Cameron. He said there was a picture taken of them and he wanted to put a caption on the picture, a word balloon, coming from Cameron saying "3-D? That's an excellent idea, Stan!" Very funny stuff.
After the Q & A Arnie and I rushed to get out VIP tickets turned in and got the lanyard that said we ruled over all, then got in line for out photo with Stan. Let me tell you, there was a feeling I've never felt before as I neared the front of the line. The fact that, even for a few moments, I would be standing next to the man who wrote many of the stories that I read nightly, the man who co-created some of the characters I hold in high regard...just to stand next to this man for a few moments...I didn't really know what to say.

Stan Lee Exclusives

After the photo we entered another line...this line was to get something signed by The Man himself. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to get signed and had originally settled on a Silver Surfer book he wrote that was drawn by Moebus but Matt then told me a local Halloween store had a Captain America shield and that clinched it. Why get yet another comicbook signed that will be in a box where no one can see when I can get something I can actually display on the wall signed, something I didn't have before? So I ran out, got the shield and proudly offered it for him to sign, right on the star in the center.

It seemed like it when by far to fast. I have pictures and video of Stan and I will watch them over and over again. It was truely a once in a lifetime moment that I'm glad I took advantage of. Stan Lee is truely The Man.

Before I go any further, I should mention the Stan Lee swag we got: A limited print of Stan featuring him and his co-creations, a Stan VIP card, a lanyard and a Detroit Fanfare Carnage #1 Variant (which I later got signed by the cover artist!)

So, beyond meeting the Idol of Millions, which I'm still jazzed about, the show itself was actually pretty good. It was comicbook focused and not 'pop culture' focused. Comics were everywhere and not a single washed up former TV actor in sight!
After walking through the door I noticed it was a fairly small show, but they managed to set it up in a way that it felt bigger. The energy in the room helped with that as well.
The very first table I stopped at was the Arsenic Lullaby table! I've met the series creator, Douglas Paszkiewicz about 4 times before and I've always gotten a sketch and a new book from him. This time I was able to get both of those PLUS the all-new DVD featuring the animated Arsenic! I do recommend it.

This is all I got

After talking with Doug P. and getting my all-new sketch we wondered around for a while, it was hard to gauge time because there was just so much to look at. Rows of comics and more comics. There were t-shirts and toys of course but it was about the comics this time.
The people were very friendly and everyone was having such a good time that the place in general had a great vibe to it!
So, the show was good, it had a good vibe, it was loads of fun and closing time came WAY to soon. If I had to find a bad thing to say about it it would be....let's see...well, how about there wasn't enough time to look around? I mean some might say there wasn't a lot of vendors or something but this is the FIRST show for this promotion and they pulled in STAN LEE along with 70's icon Jim Starlin (which rocked! I got my Infinity Gauntlet #1 signed buy him to go along with the Perez one I got a few years ago!), and the confusion during the Stan Lee event could have been worked out with a bit more planning but even that still went smoothly.
I'm very much looking forward to next year's show and will probably pass on May's Motor City Comic Con because it's just not as exciting anymore.
Good job to everyone who put this together and I cannot wait until the SECOND annual show!