With most conventions shut down for the foreseeable future, autograph hunters are having no choice but to switch to mail-in signings. 

IN-PERSON VERSUS MAIL-IN

Nothing replaces the excitement of meeting your favorite comic creators or celebrities in person. I stood in line for a solid two hours to meet Stan Lee in 2017. When I say “meet,” I mean I handed my comics to a facilitator, walked by Stan as he signed the books, I said “Thank you,” and he said, “You’re welcome.” What else could I have expected, considering I was one of two or three hundred people waiting in line?

Was it worth it? Absolutely. With COVID-19 shutting down conventions everywhere, those days of being up close and personal at autograph sessions feel more like a distant memory every day. Enter: mail-in signings. 

MAIL-IN TIME SAVERS

By no stretch are mail-in signings new. Over the years, I have participated in several with no major complaints. Certainly, I prefer the in-person experience, but something is to be said about not waiting in line for sometimes hours to get a comic signed. Even better, you don’t have to wait at the CGC or CBCS grading booths, which can be a considerable amount of time. 

For those of you new to the game, CGC and CBCS generally have booths at the major conventions. You can drop off comics to be graded (and avoid the trouble and fees from shipping to their offices), and, more importantly, have a witness verify the signature. If you think you will ever sell your comic, this is the way to go, no question. Keep in mind, you pay for that service with both your money and your time.

At a large-scale convention with a stacked guest lineup, those lines at the grading booths can be lengthy. Before the last Megacon Orlando in 2019, I bought a Transformers #1 specifically for the Peter Cullen and Frank Welker signing. My sons and I waited at least an hour if not more for a witness. By the time Mr. Red Shirt (because, you know, the CGC witnesses wear matching red shirts) escorted us to the autograph area, Cullen and Welker were packing up. 

With mail-in signings, you avoid that risk, and the facilitator takes care of the witnessing and grading for you.

THE RISKS

While there are several benefits to mail-in signings, it is not without its risks. Before you send a comic, do your due diligence and be sure you’re dealing with a reputable facilitator. As mail-in signings become more frequent, I expect to see more scammers. The safest bets are the signings conducted at the CGC and CBCS offices.

Keep in mind that even the most organized facilitators have the occasional mishaps. I have shipped a comic for a signing only to have it lost. Fortunately for me, I was dealing with an established company that took responsibility and made things right by offering me a refund plus the current fair market value of the comic.

THE FUTURE OF SIGNINGS

The longer the pandemic stretches, the more mail-in signings we’re going to see. If you want a witnessed autograph, this is your only option at the moment. It doesn’t replace the convention experience by any stretch, but it does give you a chance to add more signatures to your collection.