JBL and Aliyah Autograph Signing Report (11/03/2024)

Very cool!

The annual Niagara Falls Comic Con takes place this weekend Friday through Sunday.



Originally included in the lineup were the Bella Twins, Daniel Bryan, Goldust, and The One Man Gang. I had planned to get all of these names; however, a few weeks ago, the Bellas and Daniel Bryan had canceled. A last minute replacement would be Chris Jericho.



In addition, the convention announced yesterday that Goldust also canceled his appearance. My want list had dwindled from 5 guests to 2. Ryan, his friend, and myself would be venturing to this con together.

After less than a couple of hours of being picked up, we arrive at the convention at 9:15am. The line stretched around the building, but people were already being let in despite the official con start time being 10am. After a bag search, admission ticket redemption, and more lines, we are finally inside the con right at 10am. The organizers changed the set up of the convention and had all of the celebrities in a separate room from the vendors. We go straight to this room and the lighting was dimmer than what we were used to. It seems that the guests also thought this as well because some had their own special lighting for their table photo-ops, including Ryan’s first want, Lea Thompson who we went to first. For Ryan’s guests, I simply took pictures in most cases and so not much of an experience for me as I’m not familiar with their work. After Thompson, we made our way to One Man Gang who only had a few people in line. I ask the handler for two autographs and pay him. When it is my turn to meet Gang, he shakes my hand using both of his. We exchange pleasantries and I ask him to sign a magazine. He does so and while signing, I tell him that I met him at the Hamilton Comic Con 7 years ago and that I remember he was the guest I was most excited to meet. He thanked me for that and said he appreciated it. He said he appreciates the fact that people still remember him. He also signed my Classic figure in yellow.



After he signed my figure, we thank each other and find a place to let our stuff dry for a few minutes. At this point, it is 11am which meant that there were still two hours until Jericho would come out as he was signing only 1-4pm. We check out his line and it is not crazy long at about 30 people. Fearing that the line would grow longer, Ryan’s friend, who did not need Jericho, offered to join the line and save a spot for me while I go help take pictures for Ryan while he gets the other guests he wants to meet.

About 45 minutes later, I replace Ryan’s friend in Jericho’s line and the waiting game really begins. Although scheduled to appear at 1, he finally showed up at 1:15. Once he arrived, any speed pass ticket holders got to skip the line and meet him first, which meant that although there was only about 30 people in front of me, it took longer because of the speed pass privilege. It is just before 2pm when it is my turn to meet Jericho. When it is my turn, he turns to the security guard to his left who had a big ring on his finger, asking what it was for. After he answers, he apologies to me then offers his fist for a fistbump and we exchange pleasantries. He first signs my Epic Moments set in red, then my Defining Moments figure in blue. I ask him “were you at the Stones concert last night?” Not hearing me properly, he asks me to repeat “what was that?”. He also stopped signing and gave me eye contact to make sure he heard me. I appreciated this because his line grew decently, was at capacity, and he was only slated to appear for a few hours. I repeat the question and he says “yeah!”. I ask him, “how was it?!”. He replies, “great!”.



Once he signed, I thanked him and he held onto my marker, seemingly forgetting it was mine. I politely ask if I can have my marker back. He laughs and apologizes. Both Jericho and Gang were in great spirits and very friendly. No photo-ops were needed as I already have photos with both. I rejoin Ryan who at the time is meeting Lou Diamond Philips and shortly after run into ARUN - great seeing you! Ryan got some more guests he needed during which I left him for a short time to peruse the vendors and grab lunch.

Overall, a successful day. Thanks for reading!

Jericho & One Man Gang ... living legends

My WiFi was moving slow so it cut out my final words lol

Your wifi must move slow all the time

Very detailed, I'm loving it.

Kane, Mick Foley, Rikishi, and Sgt. Slaughter were in Buffalo today. Sting and RVD will be there tomorrow.



I wanted to meet all these names appearing today but Kane being the only fresh name and someone I’ve wanted to meet for a while, I decided to allocate my entire con budget to him. Kane, along with Sting who is appearing tomorrow, had a limited time frame for signing.



Ryan and I, as well as another friend would be tag teaming this con. I get picked up at 5:15 and despite the rain, we made good time and was at the border just past 7. The con was to open at 10 so we squeezed in some figure hunting before. After six stores and minimal finds, we arrive at the con at 9:45. Doors were already open and we walk right in. Our friend holds our place in line for Kane while Ryan and I meet his biggest want of the con in James Tolkan. Once we meet Tolkan, I replace our friend in the Kane line while he and Ryan knock out some of their other wants. Shortly after, Ryan joins me in the Kane line. Kane was to start signing at noon so there was about a 100 minute wait. We were fifth in line so it wasn’t too bad as the line gradually grew. At 11:53, Kane shows up a few minutes early.



Before he signs, he combs the hair on his mask and puts it on. After a few minutes, he then starts signing. A few VIPs trickle through as they get front of line access. Despite this, it only took about 10 minutes until it is my turn to meet Kane.

We start off with a handshake where his hand engulfed mine and exchange pleasantries. I ask him to sign two figures first. I tell him that it is nice to finally meet him as I’ve been a fan for a long time and that we came from Toronto for this. He thanks me and says that I’m the second person he’s met from Toronto so far. He asks what other plans we have in Buffalo and I tell him that I really am just here to meet you. He tells me that he appreciates it. He added the HOF inscriptions without me asking which was a cool touch.



I tell him that the first time I heard his pyro, it scared the hell out of me. He smiles and asks when that was. I tell him it was Survivor Series 2016. He stops to think about it and I tell him he wrestled in a dark match. He then asks where it was and I answer it was the Scotiabank Arena. Midway through my response, he asks “Air Canada Centre?” He apologizes and says he forgot they changed the name and I tell him that they always do. We then move onto the encyclopedia where I open to the Isaac Yankem entry, asking him to sign it if it’s okay with him. He jokingly sighs and says “okay…” before signing it. Lastly, he signs his individual Kane entry, asking if I want the same blue sharpie for it, to which I said yes.



After he signed, I tell him that I have a pro photo-op with him so I’ll see him again at 2pm. He thanks me and tells me to have a good time. Ryan then meets Kane after me, who was getting an 8x10 signed. The marker Kane was using had exploded which was the second time it apparently happened already. I joke, the marker must be scared of you. He replies “that might be it!” After Ryan meets Kane, we get a few more of his actor wants.

Fast forward another hour and a half later, we go to the photo op area for Kane. I usually opt for table photos but I wanted Kane’s stature to be evident in the photo. He was sitting for his table photos and the pro photo ops would have him standing so I opted for that this time. Once the photos started, the line moved pretty quickly despite a decent turnout. It only took a few minutes to get the photo. As I approached Kane, we shake hands and he says “there he is!”. We take the photo then thank each other again to end the day.



Kane was definitely very cool. He was asking everyone for their names and making conversations despite the short timeframe and long line. After the photo op we perused the vendors and noticed that Kane’s line was still overflowing. A successful day overall.

Thanks for reading!

Very cool. Kane must be cursed with markers. He did a signing at a collectibles store near me & the same thing happened.
Great read!

Great read man, thanks for posting.

Kane always seems like a real class act.