Christian Slater Dallas Fan Day 2016

Another sensational TV show is Mr Robot. I normally don’t watch series that star ‘bad guys’. I also know many people today, would not consider the main character in Mr Robot a bad guy, however, I do. The character and show are compelling and I’m watching despite my preferences.

Christian Slater is one of the characters on the show. Even without that on his resume, how can you omit Christian from your collection? 

As expected, he had a long line. He chatted briefly as people stepped up. Conscience of the long line, he did try to be brief. At this time, brief worked for me as I was going home afterward.

AH

Tori Spelling Dallas Fan Day 2016

Tori Spelling was at Dallas Fan Days. I'm enjoying that more guests are not necessarily genre guests. With the amount of conventions within driving distance, the same guests are ‘everywhere’.  Getting a more mainstream name that is new to the circuit is exciting to me.

Tori was very friendly. The guy in front of me asked her to add a quote to the photo she was signing. She didn’t remember anything from the movie. She paused and went to her phone and searched the internet.  Afterward, she did a table photo with the man.  He was dressed as Superman.  After the photo was done, she noticed lipstick on his check.  She asked about that. He said it was from Lois Lane.  She laughed and had him lean in and she added her lipstick next to Lois’.

She apologized to me for making me wait. I didn’t mind as this was entertaining.  I asked if she been to Dallas before and she said ‘a lot’. Her dad (Aaron Spelling – what TV series did he not produce in the 70’s?) grew up in Dallas.

I took my photo and left.

AH

PS – she had one of her kids with her. He was walking around behind the table and being well behaved.  For some reason, he was one the floor.  Ian Ziering, whose table was next to Tori’s, saw the kid on the floor. He dove to the floor. Hidden from view, I heard some giggling. I’m assuming Ian was tickling or fake wrestling with the little one.   Just a neat observation.

AH

Millie Bobby Brown Dallas Fan Day 2016

While only 8 episodes, Stranger Things has become a sensation.  The child stars are appearing at lots of conventions across the country.  Dallas Fan Days brought in Millie Bobby Brown.

It’s odd to get an autograph from a child. The personality of the person and the signature will change as they grow up. Because the show is so popular it’s also hard to refrain from getting the actors when they come into town. We all know I have an autograph addiction so I stood in line, paid my money, and picked up my autograph.

Millie was quiet. Her hair has grown yet still short. She seemed more relaxed as fellow kids came to her. Understandably, she was subdued with adults. We exchanged a few words (‘Hi, thanks for coming to Dallas.’, ‘It’s nice to be here. Thanks for having me.’)

Then I went my way.

AH

Matthew Lewis Dallas Fan Day 2016

While not a Potter Head, I did enjoy the movies and the books. I must thank the dear wife for that. She had the books lying around and I picked them up to read.

As the actors from the series slowly make their way to Dallas and the convention circuit, I have been getting their autographs.  Matthew Lewis was the latest.

I hadn’t printed off a photo for him to sign. I was limited to what he offered at his table.  At the time, his table selection was this one photo. While some fans were disappointed, I liked it. It’s a question how you look at things. For me, it’s the young man that the character grew into and not the picked upon young nerd.

When he was signing, I mentioned the weather was great for his visit. He looked up and said EVERYBODY was saying how cool it was. He said he was dying from and the heat and humidity. Well, he’s British: Stiff upper lip and all that. So he didn’t say he was ‘dying’. It was more proper and stoic. Like: I find the weather warmer than suggested by the people I’m meeting.  It is somewhat humid, isn’t?

The temperature was mid 80’s and what we think of as normal humidity. While it was nice and outdoor friendly for Dallas, it was not so much fun for the visitors from the UK. It’s all perceptive.

AH

Danielle Panabaker Dallas FanDays 2016

Yes, I promise, one day, I will watch Flash, Arrow, and Gotham. Then I can stop feeling guilty about collecting autographs from shows I don’t watch.

Danielle Panabaker was friendly. I caught her when no one was in line. I asked if she got a chance to see anything but the DFW airport.  She admitted she took a ride by uber and saw some things. Then she told me how much she likes uber and regrets that they are not in Vancouver (where she films).

It’s not that she doesn’t like Taxis but uber does have some advantages she enjoys. Another fan walked up and joined the conversation. It was an uber ‘love fest’. We talked about getting out and about in other cities and the challenges faced. 

Such an odd topic but interesting and memorable.

AH

David Ramsey Dallas ComicCon 2016

Yes, I can’t help it. I picked up David Ramsey’s autograph and I haven’t seen Arrow yet. The ton of Arrow autographs I have go with the ton of Gotham autos I have.

The young lady in front of me was ‘fan-girling’ out and David was teasing her about not watching the show.   It was obvious she was a fan.  I teasingly said something about quizzing her.

And he DID!  He asked her something and BOOM she had the answer.  Oh, no! He didn’t ask her some generic question either.  It was episode specific and something specific to his character.

Well, your humble narrator started sweating a bit. I don’t watch the show and I don’t know DC comics. Hell, I was in line getting the autograph because I have a ’problem’.   I was really hoping he didn’t ask me a question.

Once she left, David never paused. He greeted me and signed my photo and then I left. No reenactment of the Bridge of Death scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  I really should keep my mouth shut, no matter how amusing I think I am…or start watching the shows.

AH

Robbie Amell Dallas ComicCon 2016

People were excited to see Robbie Amell because of The Flash. I was happy to see Robbie Amell because of the upcoming X-Files episode (yeah, I got this auto a few months back).  Then he told me he was in not just 1 episode but 2 X-Files episodes.

He was nice. I was one of the few males in line.  While his charming and cute smile was wasted on me, from what I could over here form behind me, it was not wasted on the young females in line.

AH

David Mazouz Dallas ComicCon Fan Days 2016

At times, I see the sickness in me and I say: What am I doing?

Other times, I see the sickness and say: But of course you need this autograph!

I have already admitted I never watched Gotham. I have also admitted I have picked up a lot of autographs from this show.

David Mazouz attended Dallas ComicCon.  He’s young.  He was friendly. I intimidated him.

I walked up and smiled and said: Staying out of trouble?

His head jerked back. He straightened his shoulders.  He replied: Yes, Sir.

Me: Are you enjoying Dallas?

David: Yes, I’m having a great time.

I felt like a school teacher and he was student.  I was smiling but I think he was taking me too seriously. He’s 15. What does he know of silly sarcastic old men? 

I saw that I put him on his heels. I made a few more attempt to ease the situation. It wasn’t going to happen. I took my photo with the cool bat he drew on it and thanked him.

AH

Tom Wopat Dallas ComicCon Fan Days 2016

I never watched the Dukes of Hazzard.  I had no desire to watch the show even with the promise of seeing Catherine Bach in Daisy Dukes.  It just wasn’t’ sci fi and I was a hard core geek. That didn’t prevent me from learning more about the show than I ever wanted.  It was as pervasive as weeds in spring.  It was part of the culture for 7 seasons.

Because it was part of the culture, I have picked up a couple of autographs from the show.  The most recent was Tom Wopat when he was in Dallas. Nice guy. I think he could tell I was one of those snobby ‘The Dukes are beneath me’ types. We didn’t say much.

Now, the wife, she watched the show. She was interested in this photo.  Just like she was interested in the other autographs I got. I wonder if I bought her some Daisy Dukes…

AH

Tom Kenny ComicCon 2015

I printed this photo of Tom Kenny a few years back for SDCC.  That year, he was part of the Thrilling Adventure Hour show I attended and I was hoping he would sign.  While I didn’t get his signature on the photo then, I’m pretty sure I have him on the cast photo from that night.  I also have him on a Brickleberry cast poster but I don’t have a solo signature. Dallas ComicCon gave me that opportunity.  

As I handed over the photo, he looked at it. He shook his head in wonder and asked if I knew where this was taken.  After I said, no, his mentioned it was backstage for the Nerdist.  He said the show was a lot of fun and he had a great time and he remembered it well.

It was nice to bring back a memory as we interacted.

AH

Paul Amos ComicCon 2015

Paul Amos is another cast member from Lost Girl.  This is a series I watch regularly and enjoy.

As I stepped up to his table, I noticed he didn’t really have his iconic tattoo under the eye.  With the prevalence of ink on people nowadays, I was actually surprised that wasn’t real.  As he signed I did ask about the tattoo.  He said the show did want him visibly inked.  They wanted something a little larger but he did have some say in what he wore.  They provided several choses and he found one he liked. He mentioned there was backstories for the choices he had.

AH

Drew Powell and Robin Lord Taylor Dallas ComicCon 2015

Two more autographs from the cast of Gotham. For a show I have never watched, I certainly have picked up a lot of signatures.  Can you hear the wife in the background?  She is saying I have a problem…

Drew Powell and Robin Lord Taylor almost sat next to each other. It made it easy for them to chat as they signed.  The people in either of the lines were going to get both of them.  Both actors were friendly and did photo ops at their tables. At times they both joined in for a photo for a lucky fan.

AH

Lennie James Dallas ComicCon 2015

Lennie James was one of the autographs I was most excited about getting at this show.

I want to brag for a second. I got him twice before in San Diego.  Once for The Prisoner and once for Jericho. Both items had other signatures on them. This was the first time it was going to be a solo signature.

Lennie was very open and he talked with everyone. Everyone was talking about Walking Dead. People were showing him Walking Dead fan art, tattoos, and huge posters. He wasn’t rushing any one.

When I made my way to the front I picked up a Walking Dead photo but I started talking about Jericho.  I mentioned seeing the last panel they did at SDCC (back when I did panels). He looked up and leaned back. I was talking fast as I knew there was a line behind me.  I said I loved the story about the peanuts being sent to the studio.  I also mentioned how he asked the writers to mention big bouncy strippers next time so they could be sent to the studio.  He laughed and corrected me. He said it wasn’t strippers, it was bimbos. He wanted big bouncy bimbos written into the script.  I just didn’t get my alliteration correct.

I think he enjoyed that trip through memory lane.  I picked up my photo and left.

AH

Jeri Ryan Dallas ComicCon 2015

I remember when Jeri Ryan joined the cast of Voyager. I had given up on the shows years before. Her joining the cast did not make me start watching.  

It wasn’t until years after the show was off the air and TiVo decided to record a couple of episodes of Voyager that I ever saw her as 7 of 9.  The two episodes I watched were much better than the first season.  I gave series another chance. 

Since I have a lot of Trek autographs, I needed to add this to the collection.  Jeri Ryan was friendly. I didn’t said much other than a 'thank you'.  In my opinion, I think she was prettier now than when she was in Star Trek. 

(Smack! Ouch. A hand to the back of my head.  The wife muttering about how I can’t say things like that. It objectifies women. Okay, I won’t say she looked better now.

But it’s true.)

AH

I Dream of Jeannie Dallas ComicCon 2015

After school, I always watched I Dream of Jeannie. It was a staple as I grew up. Hearing that Barbara Eden and Bill Daily were coming to town was exciting and getting their autos was a no brainer. It was also bittersweet to have them both at the show as you could not help but think about Larry Hagman.

Barbara had a very nice selection of photos. Bill’s selection was lacking. Both were friendly and patient as everyone had a story to tell.

AH

Charles Martinet Dallas ComicCon 2015

This was one of the most entertaining autographs I gotten in a long time.  Charles Martinet is a dynamo of energy. For every person he saw he was charged and interactive and fun.

From the photo, you can he see he signed all over the place.  He doodled next to the characters he voiced and as he marked the page he voiced the characters or made sound effects from the game. He didn’t just do this for me, he did for everyone. Or he picked up a person’s phone and left a voice mail greeting with the same energy.  He was tireless.

I love the smiley face.  Instead of a nose, it’s a moustache to coincide with the ones the Mario Brothers wore. A neat detail to add.

AH

Billie Piper Dallas ComicCon 2015

While Dallas ComicCon has helped me get some Dr Who autographs, they seem snake bit and have a lot of DR Who cancellations.  I was holding my breath whether Billie Piper would really show.  She did show.

I got her on Friday night.  As you can see, I did not get a photo from Dr Who.  My choice comes from the show Secret Diaries of a Call Girl.

For me, it was a tough choice.  Her character in Dr Who was almost iconic and she is near the top of my list of favorite companies. However, everyone has her to sign a Dr Who photo.  There were some pretty cool photos of her out there on Google.  This one caught my eye and I decided to print it out.  At the time, I really thought it was unique.  When I got to the front of the table, she had a stack of them there.

Billie was interacting with the crowd. She was giving a couple of little ones in front of me some extra attention when I stepped up. She signed and I mumbled something about her current series, Penny Dreadful.  Before she even said a word, the volunteers were rushing me through like I was the one slowing up the line.  We both reacted to the volunteer. I moved and Billie quickly picked up another photo to sign.
Jawohl herr commandant freiwillgen! Mach Schnell!

AH

Mitch Pileggi Dallas ComicCon 2015

X-Files started when I was watching very little TV.  Even though it was sci fi, I wasn’t watching it. I had low expectations from any show on the Fox Network.  Yes, very snobby of me.  We can be our own worst enemies at times.  Keep in mind that Simpsons and Married with Children were the big hits on Fox at the time.

One Friday night I was sick. As I lay in bed with a fever, I turned on the TV and I watched my first episode.  It was a good.  It had potential.  I started watching X-Files each week ever since.

Over the years, Deputy Director Skinner became part of the family. We trusted him. We knew he had our back. We would help in whatever way he could because we all knew the Truth was out There.

Since the end of X-Files, I have seen Mitch Pileggi in a few different series but he’ll always be Skinner to me.  As he signed, we exchanged a few words.   I told him I enjoyed his character in Supernatural.  I told him my wife still lamented the end of Dallas.  He was gracious and upbeat. He mentioned he loves Texas and actually lives out here.

AH

Cosplayers Dallas ComicCon 2015

Yes yes  yes yes… I have a weakness for cosplayers.

Riddle

This last Dallas ComicCon had some of high caliber names.  All were nice and friendly.

Kristen

Of the three, Riddle is my favorite.  We talked San Diego ComicCon (yeah, what else do I talk about, huh?).  While I also saw her in San Diego a month ago, I didn’t get to say hi. She always had a crowd around her and she kept pretty busy.  That is the nice thing about having the cosplayers come locally, not as large of a crowd and you get a chance to talk.

Nicole

Kristen Hughey had some new photos and one was as Yeoman Rand from Star Trek.  Being a big Trekkie, it was very tempting to pick that up to. Since my wife and fellow hounds think I’m silly already getting cosplayer signatures, I just limited myself to the 1 I had planned on getting.

Lastly was Nicole Marie Jean.  While I have seen her a few times at other shows but this was the first time I got a photo signed.

AH

Nathan Fillion #DCC 2014

Nathan Fillion has been on my want list for years. I enjoyed his work in Two Guys, a Girl, and a pizza shop. The wife, Kae, enjoyed him in some soap she watched in high school or college.  Firefly and Castle are just the sprinkles on top.

Nathan doesn’t do a lot of shows and even though he does attend SDCC most years.  I haven’t tracked him down for an autograph, although I have bumped into him twice. Once literally.

The first time I saw him at SDCC was close to 11PM or maybe later at the convention center. I was leaving from a showing of Stargate or Eureka and he was walking in to attend the Dr Horrible’s Sing along Blog showing. I politely nodded and said hello. He smile and continued on is way.

The second time, I was walking through a crowded hall that was bumper to bumper with people. A side door opened and security started parting the crowd. Their assignment was to get Nathan across the hall into another room that had just opened their door. As with crowds, you get separated. He was no longer really getting escorted through the hall. I was bumped by someone and that knocked me into someone else.  I hit that someone else harder than the ‘normal’ incidental contact so I turned to apologize.  It was Nathan. I mumbled a ‘sorry’ before I saw him and then added a ‘sorry Mr. Fillion’.  He had also turned and just nodded back an acknowledgement.

Last year, Nathan was scheduled for the Dallas ComicCon but cancelled at the last minute. It was disappointing as the wife also wanted to see him.  It’s always nice when she is interested in one of the graphs I’m getting.

Nathan arrived this year on a Saturday. We didn’t get to the convention early enough to get his signature that day.  But we did attend his panel and had a great time. He was entertaining. He seemed to know he has a cult following and is appreciative of that. He also mentioned he was shy and there are boundaries.

Since we didn’t get the very last signature needed for the Firefly collection (on separate photos, not a poster or group photo) we were back on Sunday.