I have a cousin in the business called show. He’s working on a project that involves Stan Lee.
We were reminiscing about old comics and I mentioned that I still have the very first Marvel comic I ever bought. He said that he could get Stan to autograph it.
So I sent it out to him along with a nice letter telling Stan how amazing I thought his Marvel work was in the 1960s.
Well, not only did I receive back a signed 8x10 picture and my tattered and torn Fantastic Four #8 with a signature across the front, but the news that Stan framed my letter and added it to his “wall of fame” in his office.
I was missing two issues of the original run of Usagi Yojimbo awhile back and couldn’t find them anywhere. I checked all the comic book stores and used bookstores in town, ebay, online shops, Dave’s Comics, Mile-High, etc. Finally I asked on the official UY message board and Stan Sakai himself (owner/creator/writer/artist) mailed me the issues - signed, with a little hand-drawn Usagi on them - for free! He already had a fan for life but that just re-confirmed it right there.
Not up there with Stan Lee, but a while back I bought the sound track to The Wizard of Speed and Time off eBay.
The listing (at that time) said I could have it autographed by John Massari and Mike Jittlov if I wished. I wished.
I got an e mail back that from John Massari would he be seeing Mike Jitlov soon and would get it signed.
About two weeks pass and one day a package appears in my mailbox.
It’s the soundtrack signed by both, and a second CD, the time tripper score as thank you for being so patient.
Triva for WoSaT fans, you know that scene in Mike’s bedroom where you see a yellow legal pad with what look like little tiny squiggly lines on it? That is an actual sample of Mike Jitlov’s handwriting. The smallest, neatest handwriting I have ever seen.
Damn, I have something I’d love for Stan to sign. I’m envious that you had a way to get it to him; I don’t think I’ll ever get my little autograph project completely finished. His is definitely the most difficult on the list to get.
All due respect to Exapno Mapcase’s cousin, I doubt he’s the reason Stan signed the comic. Have you tried sending him a nice letter saying how amazing you thought his Marvel work was in the 1960s?
I have an autographed (and addressed to my first name) Orson Scott Card novel from about 15 years ago. A friend who goes to all the Sci-fi cons gave it to me. My brush with fame.
If only there was any way i could even find out how to get in contact with him.
If only i even knew anyone who knew anyone who could help me. Too bad for me i guess, that there’s no one out there that would even know where to begin.
I’ve got a few comics signed by him from nearly twenty years ago when he was still going around on the con circuit. Nothing really special (my moment like the OP was getting George Perez and Marv Wolfman to sign the copy of Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 that was the first comic I bought with my own money; ironically despite being at the same con when Wolfman signed it was over ten years between their signatures…). As I recall in person he was exactly like the showman persona he puts on television. Sure he may have been “on” for the con but it was a memorable thing for me.
Years ago, long before most people had ever heard of Mike Littlov (and pre-VHS), a friend bought a copy of Jittlov’s “audition” film Animato on 16mm film. The envelope it came in was plastered all over with weird little sayings by Jittlov, in his handwriting (“Deliver by Warp Speed!”)
Oh, and while I’m at it, I’d like some advice. When you have two goals (to express appreciation for a creator’s work and get an autograph on an item), how should you go about it? Do the former first in just a letter with a request for the latter, (hopefully) get a reply in the affirmative, then do the latter? Both at the same time? What’s the usual/most polite way?
You should put the request and praise in the same letter. Takes up less of the person’s time to read one letter than two.
It’s best to put a stamped, addressed return envelope in with the letter. These requests can add up to real money. Of course, this is multiply true if you’re sending something to be autographed like a comic book. Sending an item to be autographed is fair, BTW, as long as it doesn’t look like something that will be auctioned off on eBay as soon as you get it.
I don’t know what Stan’s normal autographing policies are like. As I said, I didn’t have to go through any of this because I had someone working directly with him and he covered all costs at the California end. [Cisco, I doubt the letter made a difference because I had the autograph guaranteed. The letter wasn’t expected; I added one because I genuinely admire what Stan did to create Marvel.]
(Leaper - I don’t think this changes things. If you’re really a fan, and you really want an autograph, send the letter. Do what Exapno said and make it in one.)
My item is a comic trade paperback, so it’ll require some more postage. How much will depend how thick the self-addressed “stamped” return envelope will have to be. I guess I’ll ask at the UPS store.
I’ll get to composing a letter, and we’ll see what happens!
