Food, drink, comics

Last Tuesday Alex Fitch organised a most pleasant evening of food, beer and chat about comics at the Stockpot. An excellent idea. I hooked up with Richy Tempolush and we headed down to the West End to join Alex, Sean Azzopardi, Dan Lester and Jimi Gherkin and meet some new faces. Dan Berry is launching a BA course in graphic novels in North Wales, and brought along two very talented students, David Procter and Alec Parry Jones. Gemma writes an intriguing fanzine while Sarah Lightman makes diary art and recently curated an exhibition on the theme.

Last night I met someone who told me about new research into brain function that reveals that the frontal lobes which control planning and thinking through the consequences of our actions don't fully finish developing until early adulthood. So I guess teenagers really are acting their age when they keep not thinking ahead.

Oh and Lucy passed her Baccalaureat! With a "mention bien"! School's out forever!

It's a small world

I have joined Smallzone, a new online group that describes itself as the ongoing virtual convention. It's a wonderful idea to be able to keep in touch with the comics brethren, but typically I'm still working out what to do with it. Never having had a facebook I'm not quite as au fait with chatrooms as some.

In between stints of paid work, I'm currently working on my contribution to Jim Medway's Garden Funnies while jotting down some new stuff as it comes out in the raw. One can never have to many ideas lying around. Nothing is wasted in the long run.

I've been extra lovely to Lucy all through her exams and caught the Sex in the City movie with her and Lola. The film doesn't disappoint; it's like a good episode but longer and they haven't all had plastic surgery which is refreshing.
But this month so far seems to have been dominated by various extended family concerns – aged parents and summer and stuff.
Thankfully there are comics... and friends... oh and the sun has been making the odd appearance...

Another event announced

Here's a link to Pens, pencils and photocopiers!- A comics and zine event organised by Jimi Gherkin due to take place on Saturday 19th July 2008 at The Plough in Museum Street WC1

Sign up now for table space.

No barcodes pics

Eagle award-winning
Tom Humberstone
Richy K and "Smurf" Murphy
leering at the ladies

For the rest of Saturday's pics click here

Oli Rocks!

Did you have to eat that kebab, Oliver?
NO BARCODES was a resounding success. Between forty and fifty exhibitors showed up and mingled happily in an atmosphere of bonhommie and camaraderie, meeting old friends and new faces, checking out each others work, and even selling comics to passers by. I shared a table with the charming Marc Ellerby and sparkly Sally Anne Hickman who did very well with her very tactile productions - fur, flock and glitter certainly draw the punters in, there's a lesson for all of us here... Sean and Oli were on our table too but spent the day being mine hosts, introducing people, recording the event and running the regular stall round the corner.
Due to being stuck in the middle of a row, I had to squeeze past Jake H quite a few times as he beavered away inking his magnum opus. He never complained once and put us all to shame with his cheerful industriousness.
I met Paul Rainey whose excellent No Time Like The Present I had picked up in Bristol, I bought a copy of Tom Humberstone's My Fellow Americans, and sweet Mikey made me sing on camera (view the shame here) .

The very low table price meant there was minimal pressure and I imagine everyone will have recouped their costs,and made a profit, unless they travelled a very long way. The weather was clement and the rain held off and we all wandered round to the pub and downed pints by the canal feeling all warm and fuzzy from the good vibes.
And Ned finally got to meet Gary Northfield.