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View Full Version : The Grand Prize-A Journey Unfolds



Matt
03-24-2009, 07:16 AM
I figured I would put up a history of the Grand Prize so that people can read where we are now and also keep track of it's future movements. It still has a lot of miles to cover. :rock:

I will start by giving my deepest thanks to wizardsrainbow for helping me out with this, as you will soon see, he is much of the reason why we have it at all.

Right after our Vegas Gathering, my thoughts were free to turn towards the Fund Raiser. I don't have to tell anyone here that getting an actual King signature on an item outside his normal routine is almost impossible. I think everyone should take a moment to reflect on how incredible LUCKY we are that Sai King will sign our Grand Prize this year and also what a wonderfully generous man he is for doing it.

So my first step was to contact Ms. Mod on The Stephen King Message board. Obviously we need a moment of consideration for her as well. Ms. Mod does not have to help us with this and gets 1000's of requests for this kind of thing. She trusted us last year and is trusting us again this year. Her help and support on this fundraiser has been more than I could ever imagine. So when we are thanking Sai King and all the powers that be, we need to keep her in mind as well.

I think we can honor them both by protecting this amazing gift and hoping that whoever wins it will take it as the cherished collectible it is, then be buried with it. :lol:

Ms. Mod was open to helping us again so the question became "what" the prize should be. My experience at the Gathering had made me realize many of these people (like Jae Lee) were very approachable. That's when I noticed my Long Road Home Omnibus and had an idea. :ninja:

Why not get everyone involved in that thing to sign? Is it possible?

I knew something like that would create a very unique collectible that would only exist for our fundraiser so it fit that bill, it is also a current thing happening with Sai King so that is even better. I asked Dora, Aaron and Hannah what they thought. We were all in.

Then the logistics nightmare began. How to contact these people? Obviously we had SK and I felt very good about Jae Lee. Turtlex clued us in on the NYC Con and the fact that Peter David and Robin Furth would be there. wizardsrainbow bought a ticket and went for me even though he had never been to a comic con before. I'll let him tell that side of the story.

Once the book came back, he was able to get it to Jae Lee who signed it. Pressure was on for Richard I. as he is hard to get a hold of but at the last minute, wizardsrainbow received word from him that he would sign it. The book is now on it's way too him.

We missed Robin Furth at the con and she lives over seas. Ms Mod was able to contact her for us and she graciously agreed to sign the item for us. Once it's back from Richard I. --we will send it across the pond and when it returns, Ms. Mod will get it for SK's signature. Thus creating one of the most amazing collectibles in the world.

Jae Lee put in a sketch--we may get more of that. :rock:

Watch this thread for more information on the books travels and I would LOVE it if wizardsrainbow had a minute and could tell his part of the story.

http://www.thedarktower.org/2009f/TLRH%20GP.jpghttp://www.thedarktower.org/2009f/Grand%20Prize%201.JPG

turtlex
03-24-2009, 07:21 AM
A-May-Zing!!! Such a wonderful Grand Prize, and a great provenance to go along with it.

ETA: I found the post that David made over in the Comic Tower about his first ever comic convention. Here's what he wrote : http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showpost.php?p=334278&postcount=42

Daghain
03-24-2009, 08:01 AM
That's an awesome story. :D

Matt
03-24-2009, 08:12 AM
Thanks you guys. I feel like an item like that is even more special with an idea of what went into getting it.

jayson
03-24-2009, 08:15 AM
Exceptionally cool prize Matt. :thumbsup:

mia/susannah
03-24-2009, 08:17 AM
That is great. Big thanks go out to Ms. Mod, Wizardsrainbow, and everyone

Nerak
03-24-2009, 08:17 AM
way cool!

Ari_Racing
03-24-2009, 08:24 AM
That's what I see as a work of love :)

I'm really amazed and kept on smiling while reading the chronicle, Matt. What you all people did it's amazing!

Hannah
03-24-2009, 09:41 AM
My huge thanks to David and Matt for all their hard work on making the grand prize possible. :huglove: It's really cool to see Matt's awesome idea come together like this.

Sam
03-24-2009, 02:06 PM
That's a very cool thing y'all did guys. Very cool indeed.

Heather19
03-24-2009, 02:16 PM
Wonderful story! Thank you Matt & Wizardsrainbow, for everything you guys have done to get this prize for the site. Whoever wins that, will be one very lucky person.

sleeplessdwarf
03-24-2009, 02:56 PM
:clap:Very nice. After reading that story I can easily see how this would be one item that the lucky person would never part with. I would go a step further and say that I would throw it into my will the moment it arrived and then see which kid I trust the most to leave it to. :clap:

Brice
03-24-2009, 02:58 PM
I would not be buried with it. :nope: I'd take it with me. :D

gsvec
03-24-2009, 04:41 PM
Thank you Matt and David and Ms. Mod and SK and Robin and Jae and Peter and Richard! What a phenominal story and prize. Can't wait to see who the lucky winner is! :hopehopehopehope:

herbertwest
03-25-2009, 01:36 AM
that will be a truely unique item, that's brilliant !!!

alinda
03-25-2009, 05:28 AM
WOW! Amazing is putting it mildly, so this prize is actually still on the road as it were gathering signatures? Thanks seems shallow to all the effort to create this grand prize, it truly will be one of a kind wont it? :rock:

wizardsrainbow
03-25-2009, 05:31 AM
Thanks Matt for those kind words, and I thank "senior management" on this site for supporting you on this "grand" prize that you thought up. Where would we be without you Matt! :huglove:

As for my role in this project, I can only say that I was most happy to help. This is the kind of thing I absolutely ADORE doing. So, I am having a great time helping on this project.

I'll give a little background on my small contribution to this awesome prize.

It is no secret that I befriended Jae Lee a couple years back, just before the premier of Gunslinger Born, when he still lived in New York City. He is such a nice, quiet, gifted artist and we have developed a good relationship over the past couple of years. He has always been willing to take a few moments to converse with me and sign my Dark Tower comics. He's just a peach of a guy, let me tell you.

Well, almost exactly a year ago, he moved to Las Vegas and I was pretty bummed to lose the proximity to my artist friend. Well, then the group here on the site organized the gathering last fall in Vegas, and I convinced Jae to join us for a couple hours and meet the "gang" and sign some comics. That event is chronicled elsewhere, but it was totally amazing. I don't think anyone wasn't knocked out (who wasn't already drunk) as he previewed some of his original pencils for the next arc! But I digress (bad habit, say sorry).

So when Matt approached me to help with the Grand prize, I said sure, Jae Lee will be easy. Well, as the project started to roll, turtlex pointed out that Peter David and Robin Furth would be at the NY ComicCon in NYC in early February, so my roll in this project increased. Unfortunately, while I was at the Con and talking to Peter David as he signed the Prize, he said that Robin was not there, because if she were, he was vsure Marvel would have done a special seminar and signing. Well, I took him at his word and he had bad information. I should have checked at the Marvel table...so I missed getting Robin's sig.

So, I contacted Jae and he said to ship the book to him which I did. At the last minute, I slipped in a note to him saying he could give Matt a coronary if he did a small sketch, but only if he was willing, no pressure. While I was waiting for the book to come back, I e-mailed him and asked if he could make an introduction for me to Richard Isanove. He gave me Richard's e-mail and said he had not been in contact with Richard recently. So I sent an e-mail to Richard outlining my relationship with Jae and the scope of this project. Got nothing, got nothing, got nothing back, and I started to worry. Then I told Matt I would try one more time, so I resent a mail to him and ka prevailed. He responded positively within 5 minutes of my sending him the mail. I quickly told Matt and we did separate happy dances, knowing that he had sai King and Robin on board, so the Prize was GONNA happen!!!! We were pumped!

So the book comes back from Jae and I held my breath opening it. He indeed drew a sketch (of the Crimson King) above his signature...about the size of the palm of my hand. :rock: I will let Matt unveil the image, but it is kick-ass cool.

I then immediately packed the book off yet again and it is now in the hands of Richard Isanove. Again, I planted a seed with him about doing a sketch of his own (since he is doing the pencils for the upcoming arc), but we'll see what happens. I told Matt, I would drop dead if Richard did a Roland sketch opposite Jae's Crimson King, but that's just a pipe dream. :drool:

So, now I await the return of the book from Richard and am thrilled that I could account for 3 signatures and one sketch. After I get the book, it will be in Matt's capable hand to finish it off.

That's my story and I am thrilled to have played my part. Thanks to Dags for donating the book in the first place. :huglove:

This has been a group effort :grouphug: and this is a most special prize. I envy the winner but will be extremely happy for them.

AlishaRiley
03-25-2009, 05:48 AM
Oh. My. Goodness.

Matt
03-25-2009, 06:10 AM
Wow! What a great story, I had heard most of it but the retelling was so well done.

And as he said, I am going to unveil the current pic of the sig page very soon. :rock:

turtlex
03-25-2009, 06:11 AM
Gosh, I would have given anything to see pictures of the Matt and David "happy dances"....

.... way to go, folks.

Such an impressive accomplishment.

Brice
03-25-2009, 06:13 AM
Gosh, I would have given anything to see pictures of the Matt and David "happy dances"....

.... way to go, folks.

Such an impressive accomplishment.

Well then there's the 25th prize: Matt and David come to your house to do the happy dance. :lol:

Darkthoughts
03-25-2009, 06:23 AM
:lol: I want that one!

This is really, really amazing! I'm also very happy and warm and fuzzy that everyone, no matter who they are, can come together over a project like this :grouphug:

Daghain
03-25-2009, 07:42 AM
I touched the same book? :panic: Awesome!

Thanks David, for all your hard work on this! :wub:

wizardsrainbow
03-25-2009, 07:46 AM
Taking requests to do "personalized happy dances" in the privacy of your own home. Women only need apply. :wtf: Just kidding, of course.

Brice
03-25-2009, 07:46 AM
:lol:




I touched the same book? :panic: Awesome!

Thanks David, for all your hard work on this! :wub:

If Stephen, Jae, Richard, Peter, etc. knew you had touched it they'd be reacting the same way. :huglove:

Matt
03-25-2009, 07:48 AM
Taking requests to do "personalized happy dances" in the privacy of your own home. Women only need apply. :wtf: Just kidding, of course.

I'm on board with this, I even have some bells we could put on!

And yes Daggers, that was your Omnibus we sent. :wub:

Daghain
03-25-2009, 07:51 AM
Awwwww. :wub:

Matt
03-25-2009, 08:43 AM
As promised, here is the current image of the sig page. Obviously this is going to change as time goes on.

I'll also add it to the giveaway list post and the first post in this thread

Beautiful, isn't it?

http://www.thedarktower.org/2009f/Grand%20Prize%201.JPG

Heather19
03-25-2009, 08:45 AM
yes it is!

Daghain
03-25-2009, 08:51 AM
:o

Nice!

gsvec
03-25-2009, 10:35 AM
Wow. Just wow.

turtlex
03-25-2009, 12:10 PM
Oh. Sooooooo cool.

Sam
03-25-2009, 12:34 PM
*faints*

Guys, you have worked so hard for this wonderful prize. You deserve a prize yourselves.

herbertwest
03-25-2009, 01:04 PM
btw... not that i complain or anything but... will Steve sign it "only" or personnalize iit to the winner once again?

Matt
03-25-2009, 01:14 PM
I did not ask for a personalization this year as he will be signing it before the drawing.

herbertwest
03-25-2009, 01:20 PM
ne bother. just wanted to know :-)

Matt
03-25-2009, 01:37 PM
You never know though, if we miss him in Maine and he can't sign till after the drawing...very possible we can get it done.

Patrick
03-27-2009, 11:12 PM
I already commented in the Big Give prize list thread, but I'll distill that post into two words: You guys ROCK!!!





I never was good at math.

Woofer
03-30-2009, 04:45 AM
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/562/th_2476700.png

The Lady of Shadows
04-05-2009, 03:28 PM
:thumbsup:
a very nice grand prize again this year guys. kudos to all involved.


just out of curiosity. . . where is the thread to sign up for the "matt and wiz come over and do the happy dance for us thread?" just, you know, in case i wanted to see who had signed up already. . . . :wtf:

Ari_Racing
04-05-2009, 07:22 PM
SPAM! Don't hit.

Patrick
04-05-2009, 09:11 PM
SPAM! Don't hit.
Thanks, Ari. That member has been now deleted along with all 8 of their spam posts.

wizardsrainbow
05-15-2009, 03:05 PM
At long last, I have received the Grand Prize back from Richard Isanove. I was starting to worry because it was taking Sooooooooo long (7 weeks), but I picked it up today and I was thrilled that he agreed to do a sketch in the book to go with the one that Jae did.

Tomorrow, the books gets shipped to Matt who in turn gets it to Ms. Mod. She will obtain the final two signatures for the book, Robin Furth and the King himself. Some lucky persin will get drawn for this GREAT prize tomorrow night.

Here is the sig page so far with both sketches:

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/519/medium/Grand_Prize.jpg

Ari_Racing
05-15-2009, 03:11 PM
I'm speechless. :drool:

Outstanding job the ones involved! THANK YOU!!

turtlex
05-15-2009, 03:21 PM
Awesome, David, just awesome!

A true one-of-a-kind !

Sam
05-15-2009, 04:03 PM
Any chances for a personalization for the winner since Matt will know who the winner is before King and Furth receive the book?

Nerak
05-15-2009, 06:47 PM
:panic::panic::panic: it just gets betterer and betterer!!!! :panic::panic: