Let's talk shortly about Godzilla.
As I've stated in earlier blog posts... I'm a fan. So, the past May 16th, I took the day off to see Godzilla, directed by Gareth Edwards... for a second time! Yep, I caught the first showing the Thursday night before and I had to see it again!
See, I kept that short and sweet. I could've gone on and on about it but I chose not to.
That same weekend was Dallas Comic-Con which had a long (make that "looooooooooong") list of guests from William Shatner and a large portion of the cast from Star Trek: TNG to an, almost, complete full cast reunion of Firefly to and major cast members of Walking Dead. But my goal was to get two autographs from two guests that were also there...
The Master of all things Marvel, Stan Lee and Godzilla (1954) starring actor Akira Takarada...
Anything after that was bonus!
I'll start with what was the longest line and the longest wait, Stan Lee. This would be my second signature from Stan (I can't find the first, it's on one of those old collector cards that's of a painting of his face melded into various Marvel characters) but I wanted this one in something special.
This book was given to me as a birthday/Christmas gift from one of my bestest (yeah, I said "bestest") friends. I'd almost forgotten about it while searching for something "Spider-manish" to take with me for Stan Lee to sign.
So, after a wait that me and my friend had smartly decided to NOT time once we got into the line I got mission #1 accomplished!
After that, it was off to find Akira Takarada who on the other side of the convention hall. Once we got to the table at his booth we was leaving for his first break and then off to a Q&A session. Since we had just gotten there right at the moment of him leaving we were told that we would be among the first group in line when he returned and the twenty of us there were given numbers for the line.
Two hours and many a mile walked in the convention hall and a complete scoping of booths to buy more cool, unneeded but, adamantly, wanted stuff, Mr. Takarada returned!
One of the things he did for fans was, on a blank, white ink board was write Gojira in Japanese (ゴジラ), with Japanese calligraphy brushes. Had I more money I would've purchased one of these pieces as well. I opted for a signed 8x10 as well as having another item I had brought with me... A copy of Gojira 50th Anniversary Special Edition DVD!
While most of the "big name" guests were charging extra for photos (or NOT allowing photos at all) Mr. Takarada insisted on having me take a picture with him, free of charge. I posed for two photos with him and then he insisted that my friend Todd, that was there with me, had over his smartphone to his assistant and take a few pics with him in them as well! (Dear other famous people... Take notes!) "Thee gentlemen" he said just before the photo was taken!
After that I showed him my iPod case that I had had one of my Godzilla pencil sketches printed on. He told me that he was very impressed by it and handed it over to one of his translators to look at. Asked a few questions as to how I had it made and told me to "keep up the great work and thanked me for coming out to meet him!
"No, thank you for coming all the way here to Texas to meet your fans" and during opening weekend of the new Godzilla movie, no doubt!
This was, by far, one of the coolest moments of my 44 year life!
 |
| Darth Vader is a Texas Longhorns fan... Now I know what that "bad feeling" Luke was getting is all about. |
That's it for now! Had a great time out at Dallas Comic-Con spending an insane amount of money and reducing myself to consume baloney and cereal for the next four weeks... But it was well worth it!
