I think over time the Pokemon TCG evolves in many fans’ eyes from a cool, weird card game with flashy art and big attack numbers, HP, etc., to something more nostalgic and artistic in nature. This is a generalization, but as the COVID boom died down we saw a transition of more finance-based collectors exit the hobby, and what was left was a smaller group of passionate individuals who value the actual artwork on the card more than the pull rate, playability, or species of the Pokemon in question growing steadily in numbers.
OP is going about explaining their point in a not-so-tender or eloquent way, but I do think their comments have some merit. For the huge majority of Pokemon fans, the artwork is more or less completely irrelevant to their enjoyment of the game. This may be because a majority of fans are still in grade school, a large number of players don’t think about the card art at all, and another group of people are simply in this hobby for monetary gains. All of these subgroups of collectors, hobbyists, and players are valid in their reasons for enjoying the Pokemon TCG. It’s easy to say artist signings are the pinnacle of rarity, artistry, community and collecting for people in their 20s and 30s who have disposable income, can travel across the country with less than two months notice, and can afford to keep these cards in their collection or their bookshelf for the rest of their lives. But, for someone not in that position, I can see how a defeatist mentality creeps in, they dismiss the possibility of ever being able to attain an artist autograph, and reframe their mindset to accommodate collection goals or dreams that might actually be possible in the future. I don’t think this was the OP’s point at all, but I’m taking a little detour and expanding.
@lookaclara sums it up perfectly when she says the autos you get personalized and drawn on right in front of you completely change the idea of an autograph or sketch in that single moment. Did I have an interest in signatures before attending my first artist signing? Sure, a little bit I guess. But once I got into the room with one of the literal visual architects of so many distinct illustrations from my childhood it was legitimately an emotional experience. I’ll never forget it, and can’t wait to tell my kids about it and get the inevitable eyeroll because no one will ever truly understand that feeling until they experience something similar themselves. There’s also something to be said about meeting people with similar interests and/or obsessions as you, and making that memory together. To me personally, meeting people I had grown to love and admire online in person for the first time in Baltimore was even more irreplaceable.
@pokebuffet I do want to add just this small aside: You’ve created this thread, and titled it with a question. You’re acting on the defense because people are understandingly frustrated with the dismissiveness in the original post’s tone. Do I think you have any maliciousness behind the question and opinions you’ve shared? Absolutely not. But I do think you don’t fully grasp the value a lot of people here just on E4, one of the most outspoken and passionate collector fanbases, put into the event itself and not just the card that has some extra ink on it. While saying “collecting autographs” literally means acquiring these kids playing cards with some extra scribbles on them, in 2023, “collecting autographs” has now taken on a bigger, more meaningful definition to a large subsection of this community. It might be weird, but it is very real.
As a whole, I think there’s been a huge shift in the attitude and focus that many people who grew up with Pokemon have about their collecting. The number of collectors who purely focus on One Artist, One Pokemon Species, One Artistic Theme, is growing exponentially. I think this is inherently good and beneficial for the community and good for the Pokemon TCG. Even 5 years ago there weren’t nearly as many immediate discussions all across social media about the artwork itself when a new set leaked. I think that’s a shift that has been long overdue. One of my absolute favorite members of this community is @koala because they put so much passion, value and merit into the artwork itself, and have made the artistry of Pokemon Cards that much more apparent and valuable to me in my own life. If you’ve had the privilege of meeting or talking to an artist firsthand you can, for the most part, see their passion and love for Pokemon in so many ways. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to hunt autographs of all of my favorite artists because it just isn’t feasible. But to dismiss autos as unneeded because they’re just black ink signatures on a children’s card game is completely missing the mark. It’s okay if you don’t share the same value in that card, but I hope one day everyone with this sort of mentality can begin to understand the impact that the artists themselves have had on so many of us since we were rugrats!
This
I understand now that you didn’t create the thread so that’s my mistake - All the best,
. If you don’t stand by the sentiment then why post it in the first place?
No hard feelings. Each to their own.
I put my thread at the top:
Sorry if this is a long response.
I kid… maybe? 
)
…. This thread is getting closed soon 
That I’m referring to.
