Contributed by collector and Overstreet Advisor Art Cloos
Photos by Alice Cloos

The New Jersey Collectorfest was held on Saturday, November 19, 2022. The show is run by Ken Lawrence, a longtime promoter and dealer whose shows are known for a top notch media and comic creator guest list. Lawrence has been running shows since 1995, starting with a Secaucus, New Jersey event, then shows in Newark, New Jersey, and the Super Mega Fest in Boston. He started hosting the Collectorfest in 2018.

The current location in Wayne, NJ at the Wayne PAL building is well suited for a comic convention, offering space for two large dealer rooms, wide aisles, and the Wolf’s Den Cafe which offers a wide variety of meal options. The parking lot is long and wide with plenty of spaces.

Many of the top regional comic and toy dealers set up there including Mike Carbonaro, Bret Putnam of Fantasy Unlimited Comics, Hooked On Comics, Robin and Branden Faulkner, Ron Prager, Mike Blatherwick Toys and Collectibles, Silver Age Frank, Carolyn, Jimmy and Dean, and many other returning and new dealers.

The comic creators list was a strong one, headlined by Roy Thomas. In addition, Rudy Nebres, Mike DeCarlo, Bob Sharen, Dan Khanna, Scott Hanna, Trevor Von Eeden, Dave DeVries, Pete Scanlan, Enrique Lopez, and Christian Espiritusanto were also set up at the show.

Allie was impressed by the number of media stars in attendance and how enthusiastic the fans were to meet them. Guests included Michael Winslow, Michael Wright, Uncle Floyd, Tony Ganios, Rochelle Davis, Terry Michos, Thomas Waites, Dee Dee Benrey, Apache Ramos, Beatrice Boepple, Tonyu Daniels, and others.

In terms of the dealer’s room, it’s very much a multimedia show with a wide variety of items for sale from Golden to Modern Age comics. Both vintage and modern toys were offered, and pinbacks, clothing, and many other items. There was a surprising selection of vintage lunch boxes, which is something I do not see that often at shows. Most dealers reported good sales. Some dealer walls showed more of a selection of DC over Marvel titles, which reflects a trend that I have noticed.

As we walked into the dealer’s room we found ourselves at the end of a very long line for Roy Thomas. It took quite a while to get to his table but it was worth it. He was kind and gracious to everyone and when it was my turn, all I could think was what a treat to talk to a legend from the first generation of comic fandom. A special celebration for his 82nd birthday was held at the Baymont by Wyndham, just a short distance from the PAL.

The attendee turnout was large, and since this is a regional show, we ran into several friends who also enjoy the hobby. We saw longtime friend Andrew Heller, comic art and book dealer Anthony Snyder, Batman collector Stuart Greenberg, who introduced us to his friend Shawn Serafin, comic collector Pat Dunne, who introduced us to his friend Michael Stein, and dealers and longtime friends Robin and Branden Faulkner and Ron Prager.

One of the nice things about the show’s location is there are a number of places to eat nearby including Italian eateries and steak houses. We had lunch with some friends at our favorite local place, the Irish Pub Grasshoppers Too, which is a short walk or drive from the PAL. As we left, both Allie and I agreed that we would return for the first show of 2023.

The 2023 Collectorfest show schedule has not been released yet, but it will be held at the Wayne Pal located on 1 Pal Drive in Wayne, NJ.

More photos from New Jersey Collectorfest are featured in this week’s issue of Scoop.