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Your narrator, the Leader
The Leader attended the Williamsburg Nostalgia Fest 6, 7 and 8 November 2019. This is one of his favorite shows since it is close to his home in Virginia Beach and he gets to see lots of memorabalia not seen at the usual comic book shows he attends. The Leader was pleased to see his traveling companion Jim Frost who always visits this show to do business with the Leader's favorite comic book dealer Gene Carpenter. The Leader was especially pleased this year to see Jim with Richard Delmer who has been a mutual friend of Jim and the Leader for over 26 years but whom the Leader has not seen in over two years. The Leader was also pleased to see his dealer friends who always attend this show: Sam Austill, C.P. Lockhart, Gary "Bubba" Williams, Martin Grams and the space cadets of the Solar Guard. The Leader did lament the absence of verteran autograph dealer Keith Hurd who couldn't make it this year.

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Dealer Setup Day Wednesday 6 November 2019
Gene Carpenter, Matt McKenzie, Wayne Zeno, Billy Dean
Here’s the Leader’s favorite comic book dealer Gene Carpenter talking with neighboring dealer Matt McKenzie before beginning to fill in his display wall with the Golden and Silver Age comic books that he famous for. Matt’s hardcover movie and TV adaptation books are at far left. Sitting at the table behind Gene is Wayne Zeno of Zeno’s Books in Chesapeake, Virginia where I’ve been buying all my comic book related hardcover books and magazines for the last 26 years. Wayne has never setup at this show before and only attended after today on the last day Saturday. His partner Billy Dean in the black shirt on the ramp behind Wayne is unloading their merchandise. On the back wall is Robert Fuller’s autograph table which will see plenty of action starting tomorrow.
Gene Carpenter
Gene continuing with his 40 year tradition of filling in his 30” display wall with his fabulous inventory of Golden and Silver Age comic books.
Steve Babineau, Gene Carpenter
Gene took a break from setting up his display wall to talk with dealer Steve Babineau from Medford, Massachusetts. Steve is holding one of Gene’s hardcover movie / TV books which Gene doesn’t bring to regular comic book shows. Let’s check out in the next photo Steve’s table.
Steve Babineau
Steve had this nice set of figurines of actors from early 1960s TV Western shows. From left to right the figurines are Robert Fuller Laramie, Will Hutchins Sugarfoot, John Smith Laramie, Jack Kelly Maverick, Ty Hardin Bronco, Clint Walker Cheyenne. In the foreground are several photos of Laramie and Wagon Train actor Robert Fuller. The dealers always bring as much Robert Fuller merchandise as possible when Mr. Fuller attends this show since he is usually the most popular guest with the longest line of fans with merchandise for him to sign.
Dot Gaylen, Jim Gaylen
Jim Gaylen and his wife Dot from Hopkinsville, Kentucky always attend this show. This year they were setup in DVD dealer Bob Carman’s spot near Gene Carpenter since Bob couldn’t make it to the show this year. Jim had a lot of his interesting Western memorabilia for sale as shown here. I was intrigued by his autographs for Gunsmoke’s Dennis Weaver and James Arness. I didn’t ask the price. You know the old saying: If you have to ask you can’t afford it.
Jim Gaylen
Jim Gaylen with a rare Zorro lunchbox and thermos from the late 1950s when the TV show was on the air. Price for both is $100. The lunchbox shows Zorro (Guy Williams) carving his characteristic “Z” in Sgt. Garcia’s chest.
Sam Austill, C.P. Lockhart
Sam Austill and C.P. Lockhart enjoying talking about old times late Wednesday afternoon. A poster of William F. Cody aka Buffalo Bill advertising Stetson hats is in the background. Sam is a Western memorabilia dealer from Calhoun, Kentucky. His friend C.P. always joins him at his table at this show. These cowboy old-timers have the most delightful weatherbeaten faces and I never miss a chance to photograph them.
Thursday 7 November 2019
Gene Carpenter, Richard Delmer, Jim Frost
Richard Delmer, Jim Frost and I have been friends for about 26 years. We frequently went to the quarterly VA Comicon in Richmond together and other shows. Two years ago Richard moved several miles away from Jim and even further from me so this is the first time in those two years that I’ve seen Richard. Jim always tries to attend this show for a few hours each year to do more business with Gene Carpenter.
Richard Delmer, Jim Frost, Gene Carpenter
The next time Jim, Gene and I will be together will probably be at Brett Carreras’s VA Comicon in Richmond but the 2020 dates haven’t been announced yet.
Gary Williams, Dick Nelson
Dick Nelson had a large selection of DVD movies and different types of military hats and belts for sale. Let’s take a closer look at that shadowy character behind Dick.
Gary Williams
Why it’s the Marshall of Williamsburg - Gary Williams aka Bubba. As usual Bubba is festooned with examples of his 19th Century Colt and Remington weaponry. If you want to shoot it out with Bubba, bring plenty of ammunition. Looks like you’re going to need it.
Gary Williams
Here’s a closer look at the replicas of Colt and Remington pistols and holsters Bubba is offering for sale. Most people have to settle for replicas since 19th Century original pistols are too expensive. Gary makes these replica pistols himself. I didn’t ask him if he makes how own Bowie knives.
Leon Vincent
Leon Vincent is the owner of Artistic Soul Studios which is a movie poster and memorabilia store in Lexington, Kentucky. I first met him at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Con in Maryland two years ago and this is the first time he has attended this show in Williamsburg. Here’s Leon presiding over his large collection of vintage movie posters. The illustration of Jennifer Jones standing in the backlit doorway from Ruby Gentry is from a scene in the movie - when actor Karl Malden and the new Yankee doctor arrive at Ruby’s house in the swamp and see her framed in the doorway, Malden says to the doctor “Don’t let it shake you Doc. It’s only anatomy.”
Leon Vincent
Leon posing with some of his movie star autographs including Lex Barker who played in the Tarzan movies in the late 1940s and 1950s after Johnny Weissmuller quit the role. Also, a Maureen O’Sullivan autograph with a movie still photo of her and Weissmuller when they were playing Tarzan and Jane in the M.G.M. series of movies in the 1930s. They were the best Tarzan and Jane combination up to that time. They are still the best today and will always be the best.
Leon Vincent
Leon with a standard one-sheet size poster of the 1959 Italian sword and sandal movie Goliath And The Barbarians starring Steve Reeves and Chelo Alonso. When I was a kid in the early 1960s I liked these kind of movies. This one was always my favorite and I’m hoping (probably in vain) one day to see it released on Blu-Ray disc.
Sam Austill, C.P. Lockhart
My favorite cowboys Sam and C.P. having a good time at the show. The man in the cowboy hat and plaid shirt standing behind Sam with his back turned from the camera is Wyatt McCrea, the grandson of one of the greatest Western movie stars, Joel McCrea.
Sam Austill, C.P. Lockhart
See you guys next year!
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