r/comiccon • u/Oheyitsfenton • Aug 07 '25

LA Comic Con What am I actually paying for?

Never paid for the photo ops/autographs the past couple years except for walking up to booths. This year, I'm getting my kid the chance to meet David Tennet, but not sure what the experiences are actually like.

Can someone break down the photo ops/8x10 autograph/premium autograph?

Edit: I get the basics of what each means, but wondering what the experience is like for each. How long is the interaction?

Another edit: Thank you to those who described their experiences and helped me decide what was best for me and my teen. Seems like it will always be a luck of the draw, how busy or tired the stars will be. Feel free to share more experiences. I enjoyed reading those. :)

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u/chernygal Aug 07 '25

You get what you pay for. A photo op is just that-a photo opportunity with the celeb. You stand, pose, picture is snapped, and you move on. An autograph is when the celeb will sign an item for you-either an 8x10 or another item (thus being premium). Tennant is incredibly popular so his autographs also move fast but it provides a couple more seconds of interaction than a photo op does.

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u/Oheyitsfenton Aug 07 '25 edited Aug 07 '25

I heard some allow a quick selfie with the autograph. Is that ever a possibility with the big names?

Appreciate the talent, but it seems like a rip-off.

Edit: It's a lot of money for the smallest interaction vs. the smaller names where you get more time.

Also, I understand the selfie fee, but that isn't a option for a lot of the guests so it would be nice to know if it was even an option ahead of time

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u/mcrib Aug 07 '25

It’s not a rip-off. You seem to be under the impression that you’re paying for a meet and greet. You’re not. You’re paying for an autograph and that’s what you get so it’s not a rip off.

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u/Oheyitsfenton Aug 08 '25

I'm not expecting a meet and greet, but if it's a conveyor belt of signing autographs without even looking up at the person paying, I'm not interested, because I don't agree with the price. Obviously, plenty of people do, and I'm happy for those fans. You go Glen Coco, and all that to them. Not trying to insult anyone who chooses to pay, but I wanted to know why I'm paying $30 extra dollars for premium .

Couple people described their experience meeting people, especially David Tennet, which really helped me understand the differences between the choices.

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u/mcrib Aug 08 '25

Tennant is a good guy. You would probably get a hello and 30 seconds max. If there's a kid with you, it gets longer.