The Yak Shack Forum

Sorry chaps, i couldn't find anything on theboard about this so i apologise if this is a duplication of someone else thread/posts!!!

Has anyone been checking this out????

http://www.collectormaniagmex.co.uk/

They have a great inital line up(even though February is still 4 months away and things could change)

In Addition to this, any sketch Fans will be glad to hear we have to great Artists coming over from the states. Cynthia cummens and Randy Martinez.

This is gonna be a great new show me thinks and looks like it could be bigger than Memorabilia. We shall see :)

And Cards Inc will be giving away "freebies"

Looks good to me, I haven't been checking out these showls lately but I notice that there's some cool LOST guests creeping in - 'Danielle Rousseau' is at this one (and 'Shannon' is at LFACC). ;D

This is a great new bit of life for the scene IMHO

Roz,

Mira Furlan isn't going to be at Collectormania G-Mex at Menchester in Feb..... she is acctually appearing at Collectormania 9 in Milton Keynes in April!!!

Dreadful mis-distribution of information there ;)

But G-Mex is still looking great though ;)

Damn straight...

Avery Brooks......

Cynthia cummens...

Randy Martinez.....

i wonder if we can get Martineck to show up too???  :o=

Maybe even Czop??

I wouldn't be surprised if Mr Martineck is still having nightmares from the last Memorabilia he came to ;)

Well that looks just fine and dandy to me - it's about time Collectormania came "up north"

The guests look much better than Memorabilia too.

Dont even get me started on Memorabilia Geek-boy..... >:()

Ooh, now this should be interesting.  Why?

Where do i start geek-boy??

I don't think i'm allowed to say half the things i want to about the organisers and organisation of Memorabilia according to Mark's thread above......

Lets just say....

*year in year out, same old guests (most of the times), never any big names  >:()
*reducing/sacking dealers from the show >:()
*Increasing entry prices >:()
*no concessions on parking considering entry fee is ever increasing >:()
theres more but i could get in trouble  >:D


I know im yaking on and will be going anyway, but the organisers don't make it much fun for ya...

I'm going mainly to meet up with fellow card collectors, meet some dealer friends, Card Talk breakfast 8), and in the vain hope i might pick up some great bargains :o=.....

who knows??

I know I know - Memorabilia is parp IMHO, it's never held a candly to Collectormania at Milton Keynes, but there's a lot better card availability and the atmpsphere is rather more relaxed. I also only go to Memo to catch up with friends, pick up the occasional card that's been eluding me for some time, and on this next occasion - a jolly good breakfast ;)

Now that the site is back to being hosted in Great Britain (Canary Wharf no less ;)) I believe you can say anything as long as it is clearly stated as your opinion and not fact - woo hoo - home of the brave, land of the free (no not Scotland ;), England :P

(And by the way - just to clear it up - Mark is "MakTheYak" and Jo a nice lady from Australia is "Ferdinand_The_Yak" ;))

Oooops, sorry about that Mark and Jo!! THanx for clearing that up Roz :-[

Well in my opinion, the organisers of Memorabilia ought to be shot  >:D Ever since these new guys took over its just not been the same!!!

I'm not sure if we're allowed to mention Cardtalk on here (roz or mark or Jo, please delete this sentence if im not) but there was a massively huge discussion about some dealers being banned from Memorabilia this November, the main of which is Cards inc and collectorzone!! It all got a bit out of hand at one point i think.... but u thinnk they really need to reconsider what they are doing with Memorabilia.... and try and brign it backto some of it former glory!!!

Have you all noticed also that the halls they are using keep getting smaller show after show?? Whys that do you think? Because less and less dealers are turning up now!!!

I'm trying not be bitter, but when you have to spend nearly £60 in petrol driving upto Brum, then the 4-5 roundtrip journey of actually driving, the entrance fee, the parking fee etc... its just all a bit too much sometimes!!

Like Roz and I said... we're going to meet friends and other collectors and hopefully pick up a bargain if we're lucky!! :o=

Not forgetting ofcourse a mighty fine breeakfast at the Hilton at the ungodly hour of 7.30am :))) :o

Yea you can mention what you like. I know that several UK shows have been dissappointing for dealers recently *cough - Fellowship Festival cough*, I hope the hall size trimming and depleting attendance at shows is remedied by forthcoming movies like Narnia, the introduction of LOST actors and actresses to the UK con scene, and obviously other interesting shows too (just cos I don't watch Alias, Charmed, Buffy etc, I tend to underestimate them).

The scene does need something good to boost it but I have to say I have only ever ONCE been to a Memo looking forward to meeting a guest - and that was Warren Martineck rather than a tv/film star.

Luckily I'm only about an hour and a half's drive from Birmingham (well there's not going to be anything else on the road at 5.00 on a Saturday morning is there?) and I do like to pick up items that I prefer to buy in person (9 pocket pages, deck boxes, cases of cards if possible  - shame about the LOST delay and all that sort of thing), but just buying that sort of thing isn't going to keep the show going.

Hi all,
 In amonst all the piles of "To Be Finished" sketch cards, comic pages, commisions, and whatever else I've forgotten I need to do, I've been sitting here considering what shows to hit for the 2006 season. ...and yes, I am thinking about the UK. Reading these posts and hearing, let's say dissatisfaction in other areas about the Memoribilia show, maybe you guys can help.
**Not that I have any problems with Memoribilia, but If I were to come to the UK in 2006, is there a better show to do or one you would rather see me at? 
Details are good, if they have more than 1 show a year, which is better...etc. Keeping in mind I don't necessarily need a "busier" show, Memoribilia is busy enough for me. I'm just interested in what may be more to the benefit of the fans. If it's a principle thing with Memo, let me know... Though I don't know the details and would like to, I'm perfectly willing to turn down a show on principle because they may have banned one of my employers.
Any feedback is most appreciated.

Thanks
WM

To be honest I think any show in the UK you can go to would be much appreciated  ;D  Of course shows down south, near London, would be even better  >:D  (the fact that I am from down south hasn't affected by opinion of course  ::) ).

Hey Warren,

Super to hear you're thiniking about doing shows in the UK next year  8)

I know Cards inc were one of your employers for at least Thunderbirds right??? And they've been banned from Memorabilia!!

Shows next year include the following

G-Mex colllectormania (feb 06)
Collectormania 9 (april 06) and probably Collectormania 10 (oct 06)
London Film And Comic-Con (july 06)
London Expo (may 06 and oct 06)
Memorablilia (april, august and november 06)

Personally i would like to see you at G-mex in February as we as fans would be getting a pretty good "artists Alley" if you sign up along with Cynthia Cummens and Randy Martinez. I couldn't tell you how busy it would be as it will be the first G-mex show ever, but i've heard the venue is as big as Memorabilia (if not bigger).

I can imagine there will be a really good turn out at G-Mex cos its new and its sister shows London Film and comic Con And Collectormania in Milton Keynes have a steady fan and attendance base!!

If you want to knwo the details of why dealers were banned, you best to speak to Darren at Cards Inc as he will give you a straight story... if i try... it'll probably be like chinese whispers!!!

Drop me an email if you need anymore info matey :)

Rupesh

Sharon, i'm a londoner and we have a few shows down here....

London Expo
London Film and Comic Con
Collecotrmania (not too far form london)
smaller shows like Card Mart @ Royal National Hotel

Phew!  And Cards Inc have been BANNED?????  I know they're not the most popular people out there but still...

I agree that Memo has gotten less attractive over the last few years.  What bugs me though is the 15 minute hike from the parking area to the halls!  They never have the parking close to the actual venue!  Carrying stuff to and from the car is a pain to say the least.

But if Mr. Martineck would like to attend G-Mex Collectormania in February I'm sure we will all go along to say hi...  Then I can show him all my Thunderbirds sketch cards  :rofl:    er, maybe not.

Actually, the G-Mex show got me really excited.  The guests so far look wonderful.  And for me, it's only a half hours drive (I live in Warrington) so I'm definitely heading on over there.  It is a pretty big venue but it's a while since I last went.  They have an underground car park and it's across the road from the Bridgewater Hall concert venue.  I saw Tony Bennett there earlier in the year.  He was great  :)

Well, if i can swing it for Feb and if by chance Im there, any of the thunderbird sketches with my name on it..... I've seen them already ;)
WM

Ha ha - best pack the Bleathman ones then GeekBoy ;) Now THERE's someone I'd like to see in more sketch sets, but he loves his T-birds.

CI just packed up a little early at the last Memo and the organisers have got the ump over it ::) show politics ::)

Well I've got plenty of those too!  I think I might have the single biggest collection of Tbirds sketch cards.  Over 90 at last count  :P

ooh I don't know - That Graham Bleathman has a stunning collection himself. He's a big fan as well as really one of the main t-birds artists. He was talking about whether it would be worth him getting a stall at Memorabilia (he's actually been to Memo a few times as a guest), he had a stall at the Bristol Comic Expo - great chap, but then again it's local to him. stunning artwork, and whilst we were having a chatter he drew the most amazing A4 picture ( I daren't call it a sketch in case they get me under the descriptions act ;)) of Thunderbird 2 for me.... what a guy *

Maybe it doesn't count as a colllection if you can draw them yourself ;D but it was very awesome to see



*Red Dwarf Quote Alert

New guests announced yesterday:-

Ian Somerhalder, Boone - Lost

Robert Llewellyn, Kryten - Red Dwarf

Julie Caitlin Brown - Na'Toth, Babylon 5 (hopefully this means she will have to stay in one place and not be prowling around terrorizing the paying public)

Kenneth Cope, Marty Hopkirk - Randel & Hopkirk Deceased

John Reppion and Leah Moore - Albion Comic Writers

Boone?? How cool is that? Thanks for letting us know.

Here is the full guest list so far


PAUL DARROW   Blakes 7
IAN SOMERHALDER   Boone - Lost
JULIE CAITLIN BROWN   Na'Toth, Babylon 5
KENNETH COPE   Marty Hopkirk - Randel & Hopkirk Deceased

DANNY JOHN JULES   Cat - Red Dwarf, Asad - Blade II
ROBERT LLEWELLYN   Kryten - Red Dwarf

TOLGA SAFER   HP & The Goblet of Fire
MATTHEW LEWIS   Harry Potter movies
STANISLAV IANEVSKI   Viktor - Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
ROBERT PATTINSON   Cedric - Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire

KATEE SACKHOFF   Starbuck- Battlestar Galactica
JAMES CALLIS   Gaius Baltar - Battlestar Galactica

MICHAEL SHANKS   Daniel Jackson - Stargate SG-1
CHRIS JUDGE   Teal'C - Stargate: SG1   His only U.K. appearance for 2006

RAY PARK   Darth Maul - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Toad - X-Men
DAVE PROWSE   Star Wars IV-VI
KENNY BAKER   Star Wars I-VI
JAY LAGA'AIA   Star Wars II-III

JOHN RHYS DAVIES   Gimli - Lord of the Rings trilogy, Salah - Indiana Jones trilogy, Prof. Arturo - Sliders, Pushkin - James Bond: The Living Daylights
ANDY SERKIS   Kong and Lumpy the Cook - King Kong, Gollum - Lord of the Rings
SALA BAKER   Sauron / Uruk Hai - Lord of the Rings trilogy, Centaur - Chronicles of Narnia
SHANE RANGI   General Otman - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Harad Leader, Witch King of Agmar - Lord of the Rings

ANNALISE MORRIS   Boggle - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
REUBEN DEJONG   Giant - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
SEAN FRANCIS   Cyclops - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

MICHAEL DORN   Star Trek: DS9 / TNG, CHiPS
AVERY BROOKS   Star Trek: DS9 / TNG, American History X

WALTER HOWARTH   Annual cover artist Signing at the Pure Nostalgia stand
JOHN REPPION and LEAH MOORE   Albion Comic Writers

for further updates click
http://showmastersonline.com/forums/index.php?showforum=57

Hello everyone,
I just wanted to introduce myself here. I'm Cynthia Cummens and will be attending Collectormania in February along with fellow artist Randy Martinez.  For those who don't know, we are both approved Star Wars illustrators and have been busy throughout 2004 and 2005 working on various sketch card sets such as:

Topps: Star Wars Heritage
Topps: Star Wars Revenge of the Sith
Topps: The Lord of the Rings Evolution (we are currently sketching madly away at these!)

I also worked on Breygent Three Stooges and John Wayne sketch cards and am about to begin working on 3 more sets to released in early 2006 (for Rittenhouse, Inkworks & Artbox). I  can't mention them just yet but I promise you they're VERY cool! I know you all are saving your money for those yummy autographs (Boone -whoa!:) but we will be taking orders for sketch cards and commissions all weekend! I've heard lots of great things about UK shows and I'm really excited to be attending especially since this is my first trip to England. So stop by our table and introduce yourselves!

Happy Autograph-Getting,
Cynthia & Randy
http://www.cynthiacummensart.com
http://www.randymartinez.net :)

Fantastic news Cynthia. I look forward to seeing you both there!!!

Better start exercising those sketching wrists  :rofl:

not long to go now.......

I cannot believe how quickly time has flown! Hope to see many of you there:)

Cynthia

New guest and one for the HP fans

Katie Leung   Cho Chang

Has the Yak Shak got a table?

Not an official table although there will be some Shackers there.  Bogleg will be wandering around with an impossible shopping list (I usually give this to him the day before just to keep him busy  ;) ).  Chris Chidgey (Gimli) usually has a table at the shows and has lovely cards as does Richard (Card Vault).  Hammer (from Card Talk) and Rupt will also be going  :)

Ian Somerhalder - Boone in Lost has jumped ship until the next Collectormania in Milton Keynes but they have managed to get Jorge Garcia - Hurley in his place  ;D

Well I'll be after a couple of the Transformers Cybertron 12" figures and a few cards I need to plug some gaps.

Control, control, I must learn control!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See y'all there chaps... can't wait!! Hope the show is as good as i'm hyping it up in my mind to be :)

PS: I don't know what any of you chaps look like, but if you know me then say "Hi' if you see me  8)

Beware anyone looking for Rup - that is not his picture in the avatar  :rofl:

So did anyone go then?  I went for about 3 hours today.  I thought it was a little disappointing.  They make such a song and dance about the shows in the south but Manchester was a lot smaller than I expected.  Memorabilia seems much bigger.  I made a point of saying hello to Cynthia Cummens though, she was very nice and her artwork is stunning.  The LOTR Evolution sketches were wonderful, I shall definitely be keeping an eye out for those.

It was hard to see some of the guests who attended, they were all across the back of the hall with the queues in front.  But I saw Michael Shanks, Brent Spiner, Jorge Garcia, Roger Lloyd Pack, Avery Brooks and a few others.

Bought a few bits and pieces, plugged some gaps.  Got some more ideas for card framing.  There were one or two stalls with similar items to the ones I had done but a bit more intricate.  No Transformers Cybertron though.  Sniff.

Roll on the next Memo at the end of March then  ;D

I went to G-Mex today (Sunday) and I have to say it was a lot quieter than the Milton Keynes and London shows. Chatting to a couple of dealers, and overhearing a few conversations while browsing, I got the impression that quite a few found the show poor. I thought there were a few more card dealers than usual for a Showmasters event but the lack of any big release (ie a Buffy or Stargate set) this side of the new year meant the only cards I picked up were a couple of Stargate Season 8 promos.

As for the guests when you say you saw them do you mean you paid for the autographs or were you just wishing to catch a glimpse of them? I ask because the layout is designed for the paying punter and I have to say it worked very well. I got Michael Shank, Chris Judge, James Callis and Andy Serkis autographs and  posed photographs with ease.

And if you want more from the event may I suggest you try the guest talks. I never bothered with them before but attended the Battlestar Galactica (James Callis and Katee Sackhoff) and the Andy Serkis talks. Both were very entertaining and informative and made me regret not going before.

I would agree that Memorabilia is bigger but I would suggest Collectormania is aimed at a slightly different market. When I go to this type of event I am primarily attracted by the guest signings and the stalls are almost there for something to do while waiting for my ticket number to come up. However when I attend Memorabilia, usually in November, I go for the stalls.
I think you will have to give this event time to ‘bed down’, the first London show Showmasters did is supposed to have made a hefty loss and Collectormania did not really take off until the fourth show.

Just wanting a glimpse of the stars!  I thought the queuing system was excellent, a bit like the system they have at theme parks for all the major rides.  Get a ticket, go off and do something then come back when you number is on the board.  It's a bit haphazard at Memorabilia with people pushing in and what not but I like the fact that many of them are dotted about all over the floor so you can get to "see" them more easily.

I prefer to collect autograph trading cards and I have virtually all of the actors who were there this weekend.  Jorge Garcia will probably sign for Lost Season 2 or 3 and Katee Sackhoff and James Callis are either signing for Season 1 or will probably sign for season 2 so I can wait for those.  All the rest I already have.  I like collecting the cards rather than signed photos because they do so many of them at so many events.  That said, some of the actors had signs up saying "no posed photos" (Michael Shanks was one of them if I remember rightly) which must be disappointing if you've gone all the way to see your favourite.  I couldn't stay for any of the talks, limited time this weekend but that was also a case of no photos or videos.

I guess if people found the show poor, it doesn't bode well for future events at the GMEX.  I hope they give it a chance, it's a lot easier to get to (for me anyway) and with Manchester right on the doorstep, there's plenty to do afterwards.

Okey dokey... well i got back London about 12.30am on sunday morning after my train from manchester got delayed about an hour near Rugby... was really happy about that (NOT).... but anyway, on to happier things...

I got into Manchester late Friday afternoon, checked into my hotel and then in the evening my friend and I met up with Cynthia and Randy for dinner. These two guys are extremely cool people and very friendly. Cynthia is as friendly in person as she is online and Randy is a good laugh!!

The next morning we arrived early to see huge queues outside the G-Mex for the earlybirders, and once the doors opened, there was a mad rush for every single early birder to get virtual queing tickets for the stars that were signing.

Well i got in line to see Avery Brooks (who even though he wasn't allowing posed photos - this is becoming more and more frequent now with stars) was really cool and took time to at least shake hands say hi and have a very quick chat!!

I also got auto's for a friend in the states and in doing so got to meet Katie Leung and Robert Pattinson, both very nice people...

most of the stars were very busy all day, and i think Michael Shanks was the only other star not allowing posed photos.. Chris Judge seemed to be allowing which was cool!!

After that I went to see Cynthia from whom i picked up my commissions.. and they're awesome... (Cynthia i really cannot thank you enough for these) I've been looking at one of them again today, and i'm thinking any other artist i get to commish this character is gonna have a tough time to beat it!!

Also went over and placed a couple of commissions with Randy... who was totally accomadating to my requests (and was honouring the trade ins as per his website which was nice)and i am really looking forward to seeing the finished results on these!! they were both displaying some awesome artwork and pre-done sketch cards on both topps stock and they own cards for people to see and buy. (also got a sneek at the back of a Topps LOTR EVo Sketch card - the design is awesome!!)

Then i went over to see James Hodgkins and John McCrea (both really great guys) and placed a couple of sketch card commish's with them also... can't wait to see these too

The rest of the day was spent milling around meeting and catching up with dealers. I bought myself a few more sketch cards (my first thunderbirds ones and some HEritage cards) and an Erica Durance P/work for £8 which was cool!!

didn't get to see any yakshackers unfortunately... except maybe Bogleg (graham??)

Collectormania G-mex is a good show, its about the same size as LFCC in Earls Court but its set in what looks like an old train station (very cool - pictures to follow soon) It was busy for the most part of the day, but seemed to die down a lot after about 2.30pm. compared to size, it is no way bigger than Memorabilia but it was only the first and then had partitioned off part of the arena as not all the space was being used.

I would be hard pressed to travel all the way to MAnchester again for this Collectormania unless there were really good signers making an appearance... but we'll see.. you never know!!