Bristol Comic Expo 2013: The Voyage Home

As the PCG focussed their collective weekend trip allowance for 2013 on the London Super Comic Convention earlier this year it was left to Stewart R to fly the Group flag in a rather last minute trip to the Bristol Comic Expo. Now he’s had a chance to settle back into reality, here are some thoughts on the past weekend's events:

'Artist Alley' Sunday

Stewart R: I made the decision to make my way up to Bristol very late in the day; while it was the weekend of the Expo there were some contributing social factors that made the choice to head to the West Country a definite thing and so I only arranged my travels last Wednesday. That I needed other reasons to cement the deal perhaps speaks a little of how one of the UK’s formally premier comic events has fallen a little from grace in recent times. I myself have only been attending the event for five years (including this year’s trip) while several of the group have been going for a good few years more than that. During my forays up I’ve seen the floor space grow year on year while the number of big name guests, publishers and retailers attending has dropped in equal measure.

Bristol 2012: The Voyage Home

Now we've had a chance to settle back into reality, here are some thoughts on last weekend's events:

Matt C: And we’re back.

First things first, the Bristol Expo is an entirely different beast to the convention I attended over a decade ago when Kev F. Sutherland ran things and it really was the premier comics related event in the country. It’s not even close to being that now, and that became readily apparent during the rather amateurish way access to the Expo was managed on Saturday morning (if you could find it – once the queue dissipated there was barely any exterior evidence that it was taking place!). Bristol has always had a reassuringly ramshackle element to it, but that didn’t bode particularly well. Fortunately, once inside the venue, it felt like things were back to normal again after the split between the Expo proper and the Small Press contingent over the last couple of years. As an aside, I have to say that the Small Press being spread out meant the unique buzz I felt wandering around the Mecure when it was all bunched together wasn’t quite there, but I can’t deny it was good to see things back under one roof again.

There were a lot less people milling about than years gone by, and several dealers were heard mumbling about not being impressed by the attendance. I will say it was a lot easier to get to those back issue boxes during the early hours of Saturday morning than it has been in the past at the venue, but then I can selfishly say it meant I could scoop up plenty of bargains (I went on a bit of nostalgia-triggered ‘80s Marvel miniseries spree!). How this bodes for next year, and whether dealers will turn up if there are more lucrative options elsewhere, remains to be seen, but one thing that is probably an obvious reason for the reduced footfall is the lack of heavyweight creators. Not that the likes of Alan Davis or Ian Churchill are nobodies, but this was the most sparsely attended Expo for the creative community since I first started going. There were a lot of good people selling their wares at the show, but like it or not you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that big names bring in big crowds. If there’s a future for the Bristol Expo (and I do so hope there is) then they really need to work hard on this aspect of their line-up to draw people in, and if it means moving away from the traditional May slot to distance the event from Kapow, so be it. (See the Bleeding Cool article here for more on this side of things).

Put all the arguments and discussions to one side (although feel free to chip in your thoughts in the Comments section below) I had a whale of a time this year. I got to ask Roger Langridge whether he had any work lined up for Marvel, completely oblivious of the internet reaction over his recent statements regarding the Big Two (he still signed Snarked #0 for me, although he wouldn’t reveal what his secret IDW project is), I had a good chat with the thoroughly nice chaps behind Kill Shakespeare, Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col (who should have an exciting announcement for fans of the series soon), and finally picked up my copy of Things to Do In A Retirement Home Trailer Park from Nye Wright (with a nice pic to accompany his signature, resulting from a reoccurring argument across the weekend over Spielberg’s worth as a filmmaker!). So a lot of fun had with old friends and new, and plenty of money spent (including some treasures from the Cinebook catalogue that I’m excited to read!).

Andy H was also in force with his Paradox stall and in between scouring the other dealer's boxes (where one of our number nabbed a copy of Avengers #1… yes, that Avengers #1!) various members of the Paradox Comics Group chipped in to help him flog his goods, giving some of us the chance to see what it was like the other side of the table and remind ourselves what a generally nice bunch of folks comics fans are (as if we didn’t know that already!). If there’s one thing I missed it was the existence of any panels that really appealed to me (except the Kill Shakespeare one which I didn't get to after losing track of time!) and that’s another thing that really needs to be worked on going forward. It seems a long time ago now that Dan Didio was whipping everyone into a frenzy about Blackest Night!

I don’t know what the future holds for the Bristol Comic Expo. There are a lot of people who really want it to succeed but there needs to be a reassessment of what it’s trying to be so the focus can then move onto creating an event that brings in a wide and varied group of people, both creators and fans, who love a wide and varied medium that has a broader appeal than some give it credit for (look at the Avengers movie knocking over box office records for just one piece of evidence for that). I hope to back for the Expo in 2013 but it’s not the dead certainty it used to be.

Watch this space.

The Road To Bristol 2012

You will notice an absence of new reviews this Sunday, but have no fear – we haven’t given up on funny books! No, this weekend you will find us at the annual Comic Expo in Bristol, so the usual mix of back issue hoarding and drunken mayhem means reviewing new books takes a back seat temporarily. Before we leave for the West Country, we look at what’s on the agenda for 2012's Expo…

 

Matt C: And so here we are again. My 12th year in attendance at the Bristol Comic Expo.

But, before we get into what’s in store, it’s probably best to note the most obvious hindrance to the Expo’s success this year: Kapow. Mark Millar’s fledgling convention made a bit of a splash with its debut in April last year but this year the folks behind it appear to be upping their game considerably if the assembled guest list is anything to go by (Quesada, Ellis, Snyder, DiDio, Ross, and so on). Having Kapow in close proximity would always hamper the Bristol Expo’s chances of drawing in a varied selection of creators, but rather than being a month apart like last year, this year Kapow has positioned itself the weekend following the Expo. There are several ‘names’ appearing at both (including Mike Carey and Paul Cornell) but looking through the guestlists of each event, and thinking about who normally makes an appearance at Bristol, there are a fair few creators (mentioning no names), previously mainstays at the Expo, who look like they’ve decided Kapow is the better bet this year. Bob Wayne used to bring a small but important entourage with him from DC each year, but in 2011 he only made an incognito showing on the Sunday afternoon, and this year word is that he’s opted for Kapow too. Whether or not Millar and co decided to go up directly against the Expo is debatable but it’s pretty obvious it’s made an impact.

Which is a bit of a shame really as, following a few years of reduced floor space in the Ramada Hotel, the Expo is returning to the recently rebranded and refurbished Brunel’s Old Station. With panels still being held in the Ramada, the main dealers and the small press contingent will all be under one roof again, so hopefully the atmosphere that dissipated over the last few years (and was more weighted towards the Small Press side of things) will be back in full force. There’s always going to be things to spend your hard earned cash on, but if your more partial to mainstream comics (the Big Two in particular) the presence of major names isn’t quite what some of us anticipated last year when it was announced the Expo would be returning to the larger venue. Gone are the days where you’d get a handful of creators from the States showing up it seems; Kapow’s had a dent in that, undoubtedly, but the scaling back of the convention recently probably hasn’t made it that enticing for people to want to make a trip across the pond. A recent unfortunate development has amplified this situation – Denny O’Neil, the Expo’s Guest Of Honour, will now not be attending due to health reasons, which will probably disappoint many an old school fan. An interesting, and unexpected, addition to the list of attendees are Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery, the guys behind the splendid Kill Shakespeare - although they’re not A-listers it good to see that they’ve picked Bristol as their UK convention destination for 2012.

So, yeah, Bristol Expo doesn’t look like it’ll be returning to former glories based on the aforementioned evidence but (and this is a very big BUT) you can guarantee they’ll be plenty on offer to distract anyone with a healthy interest in the comic book medium. Old stalwarts like Alan Davis and Mark Buckingham are available for signings, and there will no doubt be plenty of back issue boxes to wade through (and hopefully more dealers so we’re not looking through the same stock we have been over the last few years *ahem*!). Then you’ve got the other ‘publishers’ from Cinebooks (those wonderful translators of Euro-comics) to The Etherington Brothers to friend of Paradox Comic Group Nye Wright who you should be visiting to pick up your copy of Things To Do In A Retirement Home Trailer Park. Something for everyone, I think.

I may be disheartened by the shadow Kapow’s casting over proceedings this year but when you recall you can hang out at the bar and chat to creators for free (or maybe a pint or two) at Bristol, you should note that for the same privilege at Kapow you’ll need to fork out £175 for a VIP ticket. So while the guest list of the competitor may impress there’s always something refreshing about the way things are done at the Expo, where the barrier between fan and creator is brought down to an acceptable level and the genuine love of the medium is always apparent. It may not be the same Expo I went to 10 years ago (which had the likes of Quesada and Morrison in attendance) but it remains a highlight on my calendar, and I’m sure it won’t disappoint for 2012.

See you on the other side.

Bristol 2011: The Voyage Home

Now we've had a chance to settle back into reality, here are some thoughts on last weekend's events:

Matt C: Almost as quickly as it began, Bristol Comic Expo 2011 was over, and while an enjoyable time was had by all, the anticipated twinge of disappointment was definitely in place. Hopefully the problems can be rectified when the Con returns to the large Commonwealth centre next year because the enthusiasm for comics was still rampant all over the place. In fact, that may not be entirely true: the enthusiasm was certainly rampant over at the Mercure Hotel for the Small Press section of the event. That’s where more of the creators placed themselves (from the self-publishing guys to well-known faces like Sean Phillips and Charlie Adlard) and that’s where there was a lot more to see, a lot more people to talk to, and a whole different vibe to the main exhibitor room in the Ramada Hotel. Over there, it felt like once you’d gone through all the boxes in and looked at all the stalls in an hour or two, your work was done.

Additionally, there was a relative lack of high profile guests in attendance. In the past, there’s usually been one of the ‘old guard’ on show from the States (someone like Roy Thomas) along with a couple of younger, fresher and hipper faces (like Joe Casey or Brian K. Vaughan). This year we had Rick Veitch as the lone ‘official’ American guest. Okay, so Bob Wayne was spotted on Sunday afternoon, but he kept an incredibly low profile in comparison to previous years. I’m not saying the Expo should rely on folks from over the pond, but we generally get the same Brits appearing each year so it makes a nice (and important, considering that’s where the real power behind the medium lies in the English-speaking world) addition.

Hopefully, along with bringing the whole event under one roof (that’s the rumour) the organisers will look towards getting some bigger names over from foreign locales in 2012. That also might prompt them to put on a few more panels that would prove more enticing to a wider audience. While I don’t doubt there were good talks on offer, I was only really compelled to attend the final Hypotheticals hosted by Dave Gibbons and Budgie (always good for a laugh, and it will be sorely missed in the future). I toyed with the idea of going to see what Veitch had to say, but not being overly familiar with his work, I gave it a pass. So really, I’m looking to the 2012 Expo to be a return to form and have my fingers crossed that the organisers use the opportunity to put Bristol Comic Expo back on top.

Okay, that’s the grumbling out of the way, because while I may have had problems, overall it was still a great weekend. I came away with a huge haul of comics – much more than planned, but isn’t that always the way? I was looking to pick up a couple of Captain America issues from when Mike Zeck was on art duties, but somehow I kept pulling more comics out of the box, ending up with… 45 issues of the title! Yes, it’s madness, it’s obsession, and it’s questionable whether I’ll ever find the time to read them all (!) but what the hell, I love it! Elsewhere, I tried to avoid the obvious Marvel and DC routes and seek out something new stuff. I’ve been meaning to get some titles from Cinebook (the official UK publishers of many a French graphic novel) and finally made the plunge, taking advantage of their 2-for-1 deal with two volumes of Orbital and the first volume of the wonderfully named The City Of Shifting Waters. Over at the Mercure, I purchased several ‘indie’ titles that caught my eye (which I will look at properly and report on back here over the next few weeks), and tried not to feel guilty when I passed by several tables without checking out the wares on display! I was most pleased to see Roger Langridge in attendance (even though he wasn’t on the published guestlist) and he signed a copy of one of his not-available-in-the-UK-for-some-doubtless-pointless-reason Muppets Show collection for my eldest son (which I will save for when he can read!).

So yeah, I may have laid out my gripes but I think, on balance, the positives far outweighed the negatives. I’ve got lots of great comics to read, met a lot of great people both old and new, had a blast with my Paradox Comics Group colleagues and was denied access to a lift when the doors opened to reveal it was full of Stormtroopers (a priceless moment). It’s no exaggeration to say I’m already looking forward to next year’s event.

The Road To Bristol 2011

You will notice an absence of new reviews this Sunday, but have no fear – we haven’t given up on funny books! No, this weekend you will find us at the annual Comic Expo in Bristol, so the usual mix of back issue hoarding and drunken mayhem means reviewing new books takes a back seat temporarily. Before we leave for the West Country, we look at what’s on the agenda for 2011's Expo…

Matt C: Another year, another Bristol Comic Expo, this being my eleventh visit to the event in a row - can it really be 10 years ago that I first marvelled at the back issue boxes and 'celebrity' guests on offer? Apparently so! It's changed a fair bit since then, and in its current, reduced state it could very well be described as 'not as good as it used to be'. In the smaller venue the amount of merchandise has been scaled back, the panels have even more limited capacity and the number of high profile names appears to have dropped. While this is happening, elsewhere new kid on the block Kapow! along with other cons dotted across the country, are beginning to make more of an impact, stealing the thunder away from what was once the premiere comics convention in Britain. Rumour suggests that next year the Bristol Expo will move back to the far larger Commonwealth centre at Temple Meads, so potentially it can still return to its former glory, but for 2011 we're set for another relatively low key affair. Having said all that, there's still plenty to enjoy - I wouldn't be attending otherwise! Aside from a weekend away with my comrades in the Paradox Comics Group, I get to fritter my hard-earned cash on back issues I hope to read before I die (you should see the size of my pile now!), listen to a bunch of comics professionals talk shop (more of that later!) and generally submerge myself into my lifelong hobby/passion.

Stewart R: This will mark my ‘tri’-umphant return to the Bristol Comics Expo, being my third straight year in attendance, and I’ll admit that I’m not filled with the excitement I had for those previous outings. I now know how the whole thing works in terms of being a ‘punter’ on the floor getting through the van loads of longboxes with elbows out as well as getting prime placement for the various panels and signings, and so the glitz and bewilderment of the show has disappeared somewhat. It’s also apparent this year that for once Bristol has competition out there from the other conventions that are either growing or newer affairs that have popped up with a huge weight of industry backing while one of the UK’s longest running and much loved conventions seems to be in retreat. That is of course not to say that this coming weekend will be anything less than great fun and a terrific opportunity to once again immerse myself in a celebration of the industry that forms a huge part of my life.

Matt C: While I have just about finished compiling my list (a list is essential if you don't want to end up with a stack of duplicates - believe me!) to plug those gaps in my Thor and Fantastic Four collections, I've also had a chance to look over the various panels being staged over the weekend, and to be honest, I'm not exactly thrilled by what's on offer. Marvel haven't had any major presence since Joe Quesada came over in 2002, but you can always rely on DC’s Senior Vice President of Sales Bob Wayne to show up, and it’s good to see he's on the guest list again this year. Unfortunately, no one seems to have had the good sense to offer Bob his own DC panel (which he's had every time I've attended), which is frankly bizarre as it's always been one of the most popular and funniest each year. Hopefully this is all a mistake and we'll see Bob employing his sardonic wit on the assembled fanboy throng. I guess I may check out the Rick Veitch panel as, even though I'm not overly familiar with his work, the older guys usually have some great stories to hand. I'm a bit disappointed to see Ron Marz removed from the guestlist without any reason as to why, but this is something that happens a lot at Bristol, particularly when it comes to American guests. I'm very happy to see the return of (for the last time, apparently) Hypotheticals, Lee 'Budgie' Barnett and Dave Gibbons' highly amusing panel where various industry bods are provided with hypothetical scenarios occurring on 'Earth Dave' and asked how they would respond. I'm sure I'll find something else to keep me distracted for an hour or two, but my first impression is that this isn't the best line-up I've seen at Bristol.

Stewart R: While Matt has his list sorted I’m in that troublesome predicament of not having my collection catalogued yet so am a little lost at present when it comes to gaps that need filling and specific runs in need of picking up if they raise their heads in the myriad of boxes on display. I know I’ve a couple of holes to plug in the recent Nova series and in order for me to give Jason Aaron’s Scalped a proper go having picked up a dozen or so early random back issues last year after Matt kindly pointed out their bargain price. I’ve been meaning to pick up some old 1980s Silver Surfer back issues from Ron Lim’s run as an aunt passed on a few random editions back when I was knee high to a grasshopper and I’ve always remembered the bizarre space-faring tales fondly. In terms of the various panels being put on across the two sites - the Ramada’s ‘mainstream’ exhibitions and Mercure’s Independent and Small Press exhibitions - I’d say there’s less to entice me this year with there appearing to (currently) be a lack of a DC panel - which was my favourite the past two years running - and obviously no major Marvel presence. I’ll probably stick my head into the Dave Gibbons Hypotheticals as I hear good things about it from fellow Paradoxers, and depending on whether I’ve exhausted the search for comic bargains may give the Just a Comic-Pickin’ Minute gameshow-style panel Sunday morning a go, but that’s about all that’s catching the eye there at the moment.

Matt C: You may have noticed a whiff of negativity so far, and while I won't deny that's been present, nor will I deny that I'm thoroughly looking forward to attending the Bristol Comics Expo once again. It may have a changed a lot in the last decade, and perhaps other Cons in the UK may be stealing its thunder (and obviously it can't contend with the giant US Cons) but it still holds (and will forever hold) a place in my heart. I popped my convention cherry at Bristol, I've met a lot of great folk over the years, and while the ramshackle nature may infuriate at times, generally it's rather endearing and, I would like to think, unique. The atmosphere is always charged with a genuine love of the medium by all those who attend, and it's an intoxicating feeling, something I wouldn't like to miss out on. Plus, it gets me out of the house for a weekend and my wife is forever grateful for that!

Stewart R: At the end of the day it’s good to see that in a country somewhat overlooked by the big American publishers despite a large fanbase - thanks to Mr Bob Wayne of DC for recognising us each year - conventions of this nature continue to do well and attract talented contributors from the industry including homegrown creators. I’ll certainly be making greater efforts to check out the Small Press and Independent tables this year for hidden wonders and ‘diamonds in the rough’ that could signal the comic book stars of the future having felt a little out of my depth in that area last year. And of course this is an opportunity to spend a concerted and concentrated amount of time in the awesome presence of the Paradox Comic Group who really do know how to make a proper event of our annual jaunt to Bristol. It’s always a great crack to meet up while wandering around the hall, seeing what bargains or historic tomes everyone’s managed to pick up, comparing various stories - some may or may not involve regular attendee Simon Bisley - and then attacking the Bristol nightlife with a vengeance at the end of a busy elbows-out day. Haha, I’m all excited now!

The Indie Club: Bristol Small Press Expo

The Indie Club is an irregular feature where we take a closer look at any small press or self-published books that have crossed our path.

Matt C: The Bristol Comic Expo isn’t all about buying back issues or listening to various creators who work for one of the big US publishers pimp their latest projects. It also encompasses the Small Press Expo which, following the downsizing of the event last year, now takes place concurrently round the corner from the Ramada at the Mecure Hotel. It’s certainly worth the short journey, and I’m really glad I made the trip this year. Previously I’ve spent too much time hovering up back issue bargains to pay much attention to the indie publishers flogging their wares. It’s been a mistake on my part, because having now sampled a few offerings on sale I can say without a doubt I’ll be returning for more in 2011.

West: Distance #1 (Andrew Cheverton & Tim Keable, Angry Candy, £2.50) is set amidst the American Civil War and focuses on a soldier haunted by his past. A sombre, reflective script and some evocative use of silhouettes for the battle scenes ensure this take on conflict (both internal and external) has real grit. 8/10. Travelling back further through time, The Cattle Raid Of Cooley #1 (Patrick Brown, paddybrown.co.uk, £2.00) deposits us in Ireland during the Stone Age for a comic book translation of an old Irish legend. It’s enlightening, the contemporization of the language doesn’t jar, and the scratchy linework conveys the emotional content of the story well. 7/10.


Day One #1 (Clare Lowe & Nuala G. Murphy, dayonecomix.blogspot.com, £1.00) is a rather creepy and disturbing look at one woman’s struggle to come to terms with her new life following a severe physical trauma. Out of all the books I picked up, this was obviously the one that lacked any significant financial input (access to a photocopier was as far as the budget stretched it seems) but there’s a definite passion for the potency of the medium that shines through. 7/10.

Brown Bottle Bear #1 (Kristian Griffiths, Fallen Angel Media, £1.00) is a bit of an oddity. It seems like we only get fragments of the overall story featuring this beer-swilling teddy bear. There are many elements that show potential, but it’s too early to get a real handle on where it might be headed. 6/10.

Last Bus #2 (Patrick Lynch, Cardboard Press, £2.50) is collection of slice-of-life pieces of varying length that aim, with some measure of success, to put their finger on some emotional truths regarding the human condition. Even the witty one-pager, 'Paddy And The Giant Robot', manages to make an astute comment on the modern world. 7/10. Also from Cardboard Press, The Elephant & The Top Hat (Katie Blackwood, Cardboard Press, £2.00) is a quirky, two-page tale in an appealing foldout format that highlights, in an amusing manner, the consequences of selfishness. 7/10.

Lots of great stuff so far, but I’ve left the best discovery until last. I’m not sure who Lando is (I’m betting he’s got nothing to do with Cloud City!) but based on the two books of his I picked up at Bristol I am sure he’s something of a unique talent. Untranslated #1 (Lando, Decadence Comics, £1.50) is a freaky sci-fi short that seems to encompass the entire lifespan of an alien being during its brief existence: from birth, to knowledge, to coupling, and finally onto death. It’s dialogue-free so Lando’s simple but extraordinary imagery does all the talking. 8/10. There are no words in Last Drink (Lando, Decadence Comics £2.50) either, just more striking visuals. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, our lone protagonist must journey through intense heat to find the last drop of liquid he stashed away some time beforehand. 9/10. Lando’s art in both these books depicts worlds of desolation and isolation and his panel composition - especially those images of lonely figures wandering across the barren landscapes - really brings those feelings across. I think I’ll be seeking out more of his work in the not too distant future.

As I mentioned earlier, the Small Press Expo is back again next year. If you make it up to the Bristol Expo in 2011 be sure to head over there – there’s some fantastic stuff being published, and it really shows the depth of untapped creative talent there is in this country.

Bristol 2010: The Voyage Home

Now we've had a chance to settle back into reality, here are our thoughts on last weekend's events:

Matt T: Three days, two nights, four panels attended, a few hundred pounds spent and 52 comics bought. Bristol Comic Expo by the numbers sounds pretty straightforward, but this weekend was pretty much the opposite of that. The convention centre (or, hotel) was all the better for the expanded floor space, making far more room for back issues. This was the main focus for myself as, with few gaps to fill, I was after some new blood to fill my comic boxes. In the end I left with far, far more than I intended but still pretty happy. A huge stack of John Ostrander's Suicide Squad, some Steve Niles titles, a few issues of Criminal and some mid-Nineties Spider-Man amongst others. There was a fair amount on offer for those wanting to root through the boxes for it, and in spite of the warm weather the crowd was of good nature. There were a several people playing a touch of dress up, the majority of which were teenagers out for a little more than a bit of attention, and a couple of familiar faces floating/waddling around.

In terms of comic book creators Kieron Gillen and Paul Cornell were both engaging and humorous on their panels, as was David Hine. Bob Wayne was as entertaining as ever leading the DC panel, giving little away without being annoyingly evasive. The MMMS (excuse me if I forget what it stood for!) collected Marvel creators old and new making it just about the closest thing we'd get to an official Marvel panel, even if we didn't get a whole lot of insight into how Marvel is run. Chris Claremont provided the odd look into how he crafted one of the classic X-Men runs, coming across as an American equivalent of Victor Meldrew, showing how a long-running contract with a publisher can sometimes be a blessing and a curse as he revealed the only reason he got to do X-Men Forever was because he had two years left to run on his contract. Finally the Vertigo panel, which could have been interesting, were it not for the obnoxious, arrogant and frankly childish presence of Simon Bisley trying his hardest to get himself fired. While the rest of the panel, with varying degrees of success, attempted to carry on in a professional manner, he attempted to hijack every answer or statement with a spurious, often offensive comment seemingly for his own amusement.

To end on a positive note I really enjoyed seeing some old friends, grabbing some comics and generally drinking in the impressively geektastic atmosphere of Bristol once more. Till next year!

Stewart R: And let the post-holiday blues commence! Nah, I'm just kidding, I'm still buzzing from what was an intriguing and entertaining weekend away with the many members of the Paradox Comics Group. In best road trip fashion there was an unfortunate mechanical mishap - hope the car's feeling better Brett! - to start the proceedings but being a fairly practical bunch we were soon speeding westwards to Bristol's welcoming arms.

Friday night is usually a time for checking in, grabbing a meal and then heading to the Ramada bar for a brief spot of talent-spotting (not the luscious lady type I'll add) as the various guests mingle on the eve of the convention. A keen eye had me spotting Chris Claremont wandering about the bar area and thus began the geek-fest that was the Bristol Comic Expo. Once the tickets were in hand Saturday morning it was a leisurely dash to the longboxes to grab those precious bargains or must-haves before any other sticky fingers found their way to them. I managed to snap up seven of the eight issues of The Sentry mini, the first eight instalments of the '80s Power Pack series and a dozen or so issues of Scalped, all for less than £3, and that was just in the first two hours worth of 'thumbing'!

Of course it's not all about the longboxes, and there were plenty of panels, signings and indie presentations scattered across the two sites. I actually did manage to get into the Claremont panel which was certainly interesting but revealed just how weary Mr Claremont seemed with the industry after many years of forging his career. The DC panel, chock full of talent, seemed a slightly quieter affair without the ball of energy that is Dan Didio, but Bob Wayne compared things with a sense of friendly fun, even having a poke at yours truly when I asked him whether he missed being able to read through a DC comic without already knowing what the reveal or surprise is going to be. Apparently the word 'crikey' doesn't tend to form part of the regular vocabulary of DC's Vice President of Sales!

Saturday also included a platoon of various Stormtroopers acting as security to an ever so slightly misshapen Darth Vader, and also a bizarre introduction to Simon Bisley at the bar as he tried to order a shot, any shot, from the barmaid at 11.45 in the morning. Of course there was more Bisley to come the following day when he appeared to be committing career suicide in the Vertigo panel as Shelly Bond and company looked on in bemusement as he interrupted, bumbled and swore his way through the hour even when politely prompted to shut up. A big 'well done' goes to Shelly as she managed to remain composed throughout.

The Merry Marvel Marching Society (there you go, Matt T!) was a tremendous amount of fun as Rob Williams, Kieron Gillen, Paul Cornell and Neil Edwards proceeded to discuss everything from Mary Poppins becoming a Thor villain to sending Daredevil - "leave him alone, he's blind!" - into space, and I dare say that that hour sits proudly atop the panel leaderboard for me. The sheen of my first visit has certainly worn off but what has remained is a darn fun weekend away and glimpse into the inner workings of the comic industry.

Matt C: It wasn’t a vintage Bristol Expo, but even a below par Bristol Expo is nothing less than enjoyable. How can a weekend surrounded by comics goodness be anything but fun? I guess, following Dan Didio’s enthusiastic presence last year, there was a definite lack of anyone matching his infectious energy. Chris Claremont was the ‘Guest of Honour’ for 2010, and while his panel was interesting there was a noticeable undercurrent of bitterness (for whatever reasons), and he was more engaging when talking about the state of the comic industry rather than his work on X-Men Forever. In fact, talking about where comics are at now, in 2010, often provided the most enlightening discussions on all the panels I attended. For example, it was a bit revelatory to hear the creators in the DC panel (Lee Garbett, Paul Cornell, David Hine) say that they’d previously never believed they’d read comics in any other format other than monthlies or TPBs until they got a look at the iPad. It was a sentiment echoed throughout the weekend – whether you like the idea or not, it seems the iPad has changed a lot of minds and will dramatically alter the way we consume comics.

The best panel for me was the sparsely-attended Elephantmen talk headed by Richard Starkings, with Ian Churchill and Boo Cook as his wingmen. Starkings was thoroughly engrossing with his topics ranging from the Elephentmen comic to his past in the industry to what he saw in the future. Great stuff! The most disappointingly panel was, sadly, the Vertigo panel, although I must stress that Shelly Bond struggled valiantly to keep things on track. Unfortunately, Simon Bisley felt it necessary to derail the talk by constant interruptions, puerile jokes and what seemed like a general disregard for what his fellow panellists had to say. A grand shame considering how excellent the panel was last year, and how much extraordinary work the imprint is currently putting out.

Spending wise, I achieved my aim by keeping the number of back issues I picked up to a minimum. Several Thor and Thing comics from the ‘80s and a couple of miscellaneous bits and pieces kept my total under twenty quid. I did venture over to the Small Press Expo over at the Mercure Hotel and picked up several indie books that I’ll be taking a more in depth look at soon. It’s a part of the Expo I’ve sort of neglected before, but I’m glad that I had a proper look around this year.

James and Ross from Creeping With Armstrong were making their presence known, trusty microphone always to hand, so keep your eyes, or ears, peeled for their forthcoming podcast on the Expo. Let’s hope they keep the drunken ramblings of certain people (ahem) on the cutting room floor!

That’s it for 2010 then. The dates are booked in for 2011’s Expo (thankfully putting those ‘last one ever’ rumours to bed) so it’s time to start counting down the days until then!

The Road To Bristol 2010

You will notice an absence of new reviews this coming weekend, but have no fear – we haven’t given up on funny books! No, this weekend you will find us at the annual Comic Expo in Bristol, so the usual mix of back issue hoarding and drunken mayhem means reviewing new books takes a back seat for once. Expect a bumper selection of reviews the following weekend. In the meantime, we look at what’s on the agenda for 2010's Expo…

Matt C: Can it really be my 10th time at the Bristol Comic Expo? Am I really that old?! These are questions I’d prefer to leave unanswered for the time being (!), and instead focus on the anticipated highlights of the forthcoming weekend. For me it’s all about over-indulging in my lifelong hobby, which comes in the form of purchasing stacks of back issues, meeting creators and general chinwagging about comics.

This year I’m intending to reign in my spending on back issues due to financial constraints, as well as the pile of unread comics I’ve accumulated over the last few years. It’s always nice to have something to hand to read, but as my wife likes to remind me, it has got a little bit out of control. If I can, I’ll plug the gaps in my Invaders and Howard The Duck collections, and maybe pick up some Silver and Bronze Age Thor issues I’m missing. But that’s it. Honest.

As unusual, a few previously announced guests have dropped out, the main disappointment being Image publisher Eric Stephenson. I was looking forward to asking him what happened to War Heroes, Gutsville, Pretty Baby Machine, Infinite Horizon, and all those other Image books that went AWOL before their conclusions! Oh well. Maybe next time. The major draw this year is undoubtedly Chris Claremont. He may not command the attention he once did, but there’s no denying his the industry-changing impact of his seminal work on Uncanny X-Men throughout the 1980s. There’s a good argument to be made that superhero comics would look a lot different today (for good or bad, depending on where you sit) if he hadn’t been steering the mutant ship throughout that decade.

A look at the official website reveals there’ll be plenty going on, and even though it’s the second year of operating on a reduced scale (making it even smaller than the US cons we dream of going to) it’s still the best comics-based gathering in England at the moment, so I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

Matt T: Another year, another con. After last year’s downsized, reduced and thoroughly shrunken-down effort I’m at the very least going to be less disappointed with the floor space of the Expo. Instead of aiming to fill in all my gaps and massively expand my amount of back issues I’m going to be aiming more at completely new runs, such as John Ostrander’s take on the Suicide Squad. It’s been recommended to me in the past, and I’m a big fan of any series that takes minor characters out of the background and gives them something more interesting to do. I might start picking up a few issues of Astro City as well, as it’s one of those classic books I seem to have completely missed out on in spite of the various good reviews. My long standing search for both Moon Knight and Ragman books will also continue, although I’m not expecting to find anything I haven’t already got, and I'll be keeping my eye out for as some mid-Nineties' Spidey books too. I’m also looking to grab some EC titles and maybe some issues of Creepy and Eeire issues, as they’re always good for a giggle.

The panels look pretty interesting this year, especially ‘Comic Writing for Dummies’ at the Mecure Hotel and obviously Chris Claremont at the Ramada. The DC Universe panel is always good for some new info, and Bob Wayne is an entertaining fella when in charge of proceedings. There’s another Claremont panel on Sunday involving Alan Davis as well, which will certainly be a must, and the Vertigo session will be worth it just to watch Matt C corner the panel again.

I’m going to try and get Mike Carey to sign my Unwritten # 1, and Chris Claremont to squiggle on a few old X-men for me. Of course I’m also looking forward to a few beers with the Paradox posse, as well as some old friends I’ve not seen for a while.

Stewart R: This is just my second visit to Bristol International Comic and Small Press Expo (to give it its full title!) and after last year's grand weekend of geek fun with the Paradox Group I'm looking forward to a second bite of the cherry. Last year's events seemed to zoom past as I tried to get to grips with the etiquette of the Expo longboxes - 'elbows out and if there's a sliver of space make it yours' seems to be a winning tactic - and work the queues for the various panels.

With the foresight to have looked at the panel line-up and timings I feel I'm now prepped to get the best out of the two days. I'll possibly stick my nose in for the Chris Claremont panel but suspect there'll be a throng of fans far more determined to get a seat. With The Losers motion picture hitting UK cinemas next weekend I'll certainly be interested to see what Jock and Andy Diggle have to say in their panel, not least because Jock seemed very excited about the adaptation when he appeared last year. Minus the enthusiastic energy of Dan Didio and the easy sells of Blackest Night and Wednesday Comics I'll certainly be looking for Bob Wayne to bring some saliva-inducing news items and guests to the DC Universe panel this time, and the inclusion of Batgirl artist Lee Garbett has me locked in for a fight for a seat. A year ago I certainly wouldn't have been queuing to get into a Vertigo panel but their body of work has been so strong these past 12 months that I dare say that that hour on the Sunday is possibly the panel I'm looking forward to most of all.

After last year's random and unorganised purchasing of back issues - I was young(er), naive and new to the game - I've had a few titles written down for the past 6 months or so that may need to be dug out and purchased for a bargain price if I can find them. High on the list is Green Lantern Corps Vol 2 as I've loved Tomasi and Gleason's work through the Blackest Night tie-in and I'm expecting to be able to pick up several issues here and there for a snip. I'll also be aiming to pick up some of Ron Lim's work on Silver Surfer Vol 3 as I was given a few copies by an Aunt back when I was 8 or 9 years old and they're some of my favourite comics of all time.

Am I excited? Does Thanos like being dead?!

Matt C: As it’s not been mentioned already, this year sees the debut appearance of podcasters extraordinaire, James and Ross, aka Creeping With Armstrong, who will be out and about looking for ‘celebs’ to interview/interrogate. We mention this as CWA’s James is none other than reviewer James R from the Paradox Group, so don’t be surprised if several other Paradox lend their (possibly inebriated) dulcet tones to a future CWA episode.

See you on the other side!

Bristol 2009: The Voyage Home

Now we've had a chance to settle back into reality, here are our thoughts on last weekend's events:

Andy H: We came. We saw. We had a great time! The Bristol Comics Expo is the one show I will always try to get too and despite some early reservations about the reduced size this year, I had a lot of fun.

Matt T: The Saturday didn’t start particularly well though, as the much-feared bottleneck at the Ramada Hotel entrance seemed to become a reality with the queue barely moving for the first 10-20 minutes. Fortunately the blockage was then removed and the group breached the hall!

Stewart R: This was my first convention of any kind, let alone a comic convention, so diving into the boxes early Saturday morning was something of a daunting task; I hadn’t prepared a list of any back issues that I required and also there are some individuals out there who go at the task with the intensity of a starving squirrel looking for last years' nut harvest! Once I had figured out the correct protocol I got stuck in with some gusto and managed to find some bargains.

Matt C: Sometimes even the trusted list can fail you: I managed to pick up a run of the 1980s Ka-Zar The Savage series only to discover when I returned home that I’d bought many of the same issues last year. Oops! Still, a passing Green Lantern family sure cheered me up!

Matt T: I found a fair few back issues - some superb EC stuff and the Marvel MAX run of Terror Inc - but my lack of an actual list meant I didn’t really fill in any gaps. To be honest there wasn’t really enough stock there to manage as much as previous years, so I think I chose correctly by just seeing what took my fancy.

Andy H: I did find it easier to navigate the dealer tables this year meaning there was more of a chance to compare prices and remember where you had seen the better deals. I generally forget where I’ve seen what in a bigger venue!

James R: But while the reduction to the one venue made for a much-reduced amount of dealer space - and it certainly felt the poorer for that - on the other hand this year's panels and guests were outstanding; special praise goes to Dan DiDio of DC who was a whirlwind of information & enthusiasm and answered all questions with insight and candour.

Stewart R: DiDio and Bob Wayne were terrific at promoting DC's forthcoming projects during their presentations, asking almost as many questions of the eager audience as we did of them. DiDio in particular exudes such infectious zeal for his company's properties that even I, a dedicated Marvel reader for the most part, will be looking at DC's catalogue with a keener eye this coming summer.

Matt C: Both Saturday’s DC Nation and Sunday’s DC Universe panels were made memorable by DiDio’s extraordinary passion for the company and their characters. He was certainly far more animated than his prior appearance a few years ago and Stewart R probably wasn’t the only Marvelite who came away ready to add several DC titles (and not just Blackest Night) to his pull-list.

James R: We were also treated to a great Vertigo panel with Mike Carey talking about his upcoming series The Unwritten, and without giving too much away, I have to enthuse - YOU MUST GET THIS BOOK! From the ashcan edition that was distributed, and from Carey's own comments about what to expect, I firmly believe that this is going to be the next landmark series from Vertigo.

Matt T: Matt C virtually commandeered the Vertigo Q & A session, asking some very valid questions, not just randomly rushing the stage and shouting down the mic…

Matt C: Surely I’m far too reserved for that?! I did indeed feel compelled to ask a few questions (it’s the only chance I get each year and there wasn’t exactly a sea of hands in the air!) and one of those questions did prompt one of the panel to reveal that Jason Aaron had been meeting with someone in Hollywood (they couldn’t remember who, unfortunately) about turning Scalped into an HBO show! (I won’t reveal who said this, but if I tell you the panel consisted of Bob Wayne, Jock, Mark Buckingham and Mike Carey you can probably hazard a guess).

James R: My personal highlight was the Sunday Who Watched The Watchmen panel – it was an enthralling hour with Dave Gibbons & colourist John Higgins taking us through the construction of the comic, and then giving us an insider's peek into the making of the movie - I was in fanboy heaven!

Stewart R: Meeting the 'talent' is something I've never really experienced before but the number of recognisable names dotted around various signing and sketch tables meant it was likely that I would be able to let the inner fanboy out briefly. Into the story steps Mike Carey, writer of my favourite X-Men stories of the past several years and, as James R said earlier, of the promising new title in The Unwritten. A quick trip to a back issue box later and I returned with the appropriate X title (X-Men #190 for those interested - a great cover and a great read) for a signing and brief conversation.

It makes a big difference to see the individuals responsible for creative output in person and explaining their drives, motivations and hopes for their respective works. I've come away from this exciting and educational weekend with a broader view of what the comic industry entails and has to offer, as well as a renewed passion for seeing what else there is to discover.

Matt C: What’s great about the Bristol Expo is that not only is there an opportunity to talk to artists, writers and editors during the day but there’s also the option of the hotel bar in the Ramada: this is where both fans and creators congregate in the evenings, meaning you may just end up chatting away (drunkenly in my case!) to folk who work on the books you buy every week…..

Andy H: Somehow a small group of us ended up talking with Dan DiDio until the wee hours of Sunday morning and what a cool way to spend the evening it was! We spoke about all the things you would expect too (no he didn't give us any spoilers, which I think is a good thing) and considering how often he must talk to people about the same things he was never anything less than enthusiastic. He spoke with such pride and confidence about the comics DC produce that I was definitely impressed. I think Dan has had some negative press in the past but the man I met came across as a top bloke who made an effort to meet the people that buy the books. A very entertaining evening and I'm sure I will bore people with it for some time to come!

Matt T: The only real negatives for me during the weekend were the space confines - as the busier periods made the main foyer feel like a busy nightclub (with less music!) -, the aforementioned lack of dealers and a frightening amount of people dressed a Pikachu. By no means a disaster, but a return to a bigger venue is surely needed to make the Expo worthwhile long-term.

James R: Would it be better with more dealers? Definitely. Would it be better with more panels of the calibre that we experienced? Undoubtedly. But was it a great weekend away with some very good friends? Always. Roll on next year and we'll hopefully see you there.

The Road To Bristol 2009

You will notice an absence of new reviews this coming weekend, but have no fear – we haven’t given up on funny books! No, this weekend you will find us at the annual Comic Expo in Bristol, so the usual mix of back issue hoarding and drunken mayhem means reviewing new books takes a back seat for once. Expect a bumper selection of reviews the following weekend. In the meantime, we look at what’s on the agenda for 2009's Expo…

Matt C: Has it really been 12 months since the last Bristol Comic Expo? Apparently so, as members of the Paradox Comics Group ready themselves to once more make the journey to what is still arguably the premier comics convention in the UK. It remains a definite highlight in my calendar each year but 2009’s Expo has been dramatically scaled back from the norm - the regular venue of the Commonwealth Centre is “currently unavailable” and the organisers decided not to seek out an alternative, instead cramming everything into the Ramada Hotel (usually the place to find the various panels). That leaves a limited amount of space available so there’s obviously going to be a severe lack of boxes full of cheap comics that always cause my wallet to become a little lighter after every visit. Looking at the piles of unread back issues I still have from previous years I’m not as gutted as I might have been in the past, but there’s always a thrill in finding a genuine bargain so it’s a shame that option isn’t available this time around. On top of that, the transatlantic guest list has all but evaporated for 2009: there’s the obligatory appearance of Bob Wayne (a fixture at each Bristol for as long as I’ve been going) and this years also sees the return of DC’s Executive Editor, Dan Didio….. but that’s your lot, which is a bit disappointing seeing as last year’s programme promised a visit from Darwyn Cooke for the 2009 Expo. Bummer.

This may sound like I’m a bit down on things this year – not at all! Purse strings are tight all round at the moment so maybe it’s a good thing the temptation to splash out won’t be there in full force this coming weekend, and there’s bound to be plenty of stuff to see and do (the Dave Gibbons/John Higgins Who Watched The Watchmen? being a must-see) so it’s not like I won’t be keeping myself occupied. And really, the Comics Expo is always a great excuse to have a fun weekend catching up with old friends, meeting new people and generally having a fantastic time with a bunch of like-minded folk. In other words, even a reduction in size won’t prevent it from being a guaranteed blast!


James R: Well, it’s that time of year again, a time to savour the sights, sounds, and yes – the smells of British comicdom once more. It’s Bristol time! Having read Matt C’s perceptive comments above, I’ve had a bit of a think as to what I can say prior to the event, and all I can add is some personal highs and lows. It’s a bizarre couple of days really – the first year I went there it certainly felt far more heavyweight, with the event spread over a number of venues (including an art exhibition at Bristol’s Riverside) and the centrepiece of the weekend being the Eagle Awards that had been presented over the prior two years by Jonathan Ross and Simon Pegg. Phew.

Since then, a strange transformation has taken place – the number of us geeks who turn up has steadily increased; every year I’m impressed by the volume of teenagers who are there in full costume. Comics are often characterised as a medium that has a readership of men in their mid-20s and up, and whereas that may be true worldwide, Bristol definitely shows this isn’t the case over here.

However, despite the fact that the numbers swell every year, the concept of it as an American style ‘con’ shrinks in inverse proportion. The Eagles are no more, and are now token awards for which the recipients are seldom there to pick up. “Unfortunately creator X can’t be here tonight…” remains the longest running joke at the ceremony. And in scope, the event is shrinking – it’s now down to one Hotel.

One thing that Bristol reigns supreme at though is allowing you access to people who - if you’re a comic fan - are tantamount to rock stars. Over the years I’ve been very lucky to have spoken to (assumes ultra-geek voice) Dave Gibbons, Brian K Vaughan, Andy Diggle & Jock, Geoff Johns, Dave Lloyd, Sean Phillips, Mike Avon Oeming, Boo Cook, Walt Simonson… the list goes on. I can’t think of another medium which allows you such amazing access to people that are, 99% of the time, delighted to talk to you about their work. But every year, the list of who will be in attendance seems to gets smaller and smaller.

DC always send a small group over, but Marvel steer well clear of the event – since Joe Quesada put in an appearance a few years back, it’s been a Marvel-free zone. There is the occasional panel that purports to be ‘Marvel’ but it’s usually someone who answered the phones at Marvel UK once going through the Previews.

The other highpoint is an obvious one for us geeks: the joy of ‘working the boxes’, spending hours going through longboxes of comics in a quixotic quest to find that one missing issue to complete your run, or uncovering a hidden gem (check out Matt C’s recent Silver Age Superman article!).

This is tempered by, I’m sad to say, the ‘robust’ scent of many a fanboy, (for whom showering and deodorant are foreign concepts) but it’s something you’ll have to deal with, as is the incredible deficit of manners shown by some - it seems an elbow in the ribs is preferable to the quaint tradition of saying “Excuse me, can I just check out that box next to you please.” Bah, I’m sounding like an old man!

But I leave the best for last – Bristol is above all else a great laugh! I’ve been lucky enough to go with my friends from this here blog over the years, and we’ve never failed to thump into hilarity. Either in the convention itself, or at one of the bars or pubs when the sun goes down, it is an excuse to revel in a passion. Whatever happens this year, I guarantee I’ll have something top-notch to report back with next week. Until then, it’s off to the Wild West once more!


Matt T: I've not quite been to the same amount of Bristol Cons as Matt and James, but the two I have visited are remembered fondly. It's like a microcosm of comic fans, some costuming up for the weekend regardless of how hot or packed the hall is. Being restricted to a smaller, singular venue this time doesn't fill me with confidence that the back issues on offer are going to be a plentiful as normal, but that'll just mean my wallet won't suffer quite as much!

There are always a few disappointments when heading to Bristol, mostly due to the lack of Marvel presence, but this year I'm confident that we're going to have a cracker. The Paradox posse is plentiful, and for once everyone can partake in a shandy or three, so chances are some mad happenings will occur before the weekend is out. Personally I'm looking forward to seeing some people I met last year and seeing how their 2009 has been up till now, as well as grabbing some classic EC comics. I wouldn't mind taking a fair few of those Superman comics from the 60s in which he marries a monkey or throws Lois into the sun.

The independents are always there in full force, and I'm particularly looking forward to shaking the hand of Kevin O'Neill - who illustrated League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - and giving Dave Gibbons an Indian Burn till he promises there won't be a Watchmen sequel! And of course there're the likes of the always entertaining Boo Cook and the Bisley, who will doubtless be hovering by the bar from Friday till Sunday.

In all it should be a cracking weekend, not only because of the opportunity to get hilariously drunk in a whole new city but also to buy some comics too!

Bristol 2008: The Voyage Home

Now we've had a chance to settle back into reality, here are our thoughts on last weekend's events:


Matt C: As always, the Bristol Comic Expo seemed like it was over before it began, zipping on by in a semi-drunken haze as the old wallet took a battering. But, while the bank balance may have lost a few digits, I did return with a great selection of comics and more than a few fond memories. There are still a few organizational issues with the running of the Expo itself, especially when it comes to the much-anticipated panels (yet again, the absence of a laptop scuppered the DC panel slightly – is it that difficult to sort these things out ahead of time?) but usually the people involved overcome the obstacles and work with what they’ve got in a generally good-humoured and approachable manner. Still, what was possibly my favourite panel with Walt & Louise Simonson could have done with a bit more preparation on the interviewer’s part as it didn’t really move the couple past their experiences in the 70s (which, meant of course, no mention of Walt’s seminal run on Thor!). Luckily it was still all fascinating stuff and I made it my mission to rectify the lack of insight on the Norse God Of Thunder personally – more on that later!

Matt T: This year did seem to whip by at a furious pace. Maybe because I had a list, which I barely managed to touch, but also because there was plenty to see and do around the main exhibition hall. As ever the panels were occasionally disappointing, mostly due to who wasn’t there rather than who was, but there were some excellent highpoints. Walt & “Weezie” were enchanting, with Mr Simonson being particularly entertaining on the DC panel (he and Mike Ploog need a radio show!), and Dave Gibbons and Budgie’s Hypotheticals panel was a laugh. My eyes were opened to a fair few smaller titles and independent publishers, mainly due to them spotting my name badge and dragging me over to their respective tables in the hall. Still, I got free comics so no complaints there! Met some cool people, had a fair few beers and got significantly weirded out by the amount of people in costumes. I spent a wedge of cash, but my stack of classic comics is now growing to a more impressive size. And the Eagle Awards were…..well, did anyone go?

Matt C: From what I hear the Awards overran terribly and they didn’t get to announce all of them (although the results are now up at the official site). A few brews in a public house down the road meant we didn’t get to see any of the “ceremony” (I use the term lightly!) this year – by the time we got across to the venue it was all over, people standing around chatting and beginning to disperse. Two of those people were the ones I promised myself I would try and talk to this year: Walt & Louise Simonson! It took a while to pluck up the (Dutch) courage, and I probably embarrassed myself by showering them with praise, but the absolute highlight of the weekend for me (and I suspect, a few others) was being sat round a table with the rest of the Paradox Comics Group (and friends!) while the Simonson’s held court. Walt even graciously went back to his hotel room so he could grab some pages of artwork for his forthcoming 96-page hardcover, The Judas Coin, which – based on what we saw - looks like it will be something very special indeed. I made up for the fact we never got to hear Walt talking about Thor during his panel by personally asking the man himself – and then probably embarrassed myself once more enthusiastically thanking him for one of my childhood favourites! (And, yes, he signed my copy of #380!) The nicest couple in comics, methinks!

Matt T: The Simonson’s talking to a table of us mere geeks was one of those crazy moments that probably wouldn’t happen at another con, expo or convention. Walt needed the slightest invitation to start spinning a yarns about the old days, and how little they knew of the comics industry that would grow around them. The way he talked about Stan Lee and other legends completely humanised the people I’ve worshipped growing up. And seeing the aforementioned artwork first hand in such an early stage proves just how much work goes into a page before it even sees colour or text. The fact that Walt still does his own lettering is superb, and so indicative of his old school roots. Watching Matt C gather up the gumption to go and talk to Walt was one of the highlights, although I have to confess to a couple of visits to both the bar and the men’s room before I wandered over! Saturday night was - as it always is - a completely unpredictable and unforgettable evening of madness and many, many beers. The Paradox Group was in full form, with even the new additions to the fold doing themselves proud amongst some of the luminaries of comicdom. Sunday was a lot quieter than the day before, and thank God for that - the sheer heat of the room on Saturday was enough to scare even the most hardened fanboy away. While sat outside breathing some fresh air, I overheard one female fan queuing up saying she had just popped out on her lunch break only for a member of staff to announce that a one-in-one-out policy was in effect!

Matt C: “Enough to scare even the most hardened fanboy away”?! I must be made of stern stuff then because no matter how hot it was inside the exhibition hall (and, boy, was it hot!), nothing could keep me away from the boxes! I kept within my budget this year (baby on the way and all that!), so while I did resist temptation to keep on picking up more comics, I was very happy with what I came away with. The entire run of Camelot 3000 for under four quid, Barry Windsor Smith’s Machine Man miniseries, the Armour Wars Story arc from Iron Man, to name but a few. One thing I’m kicking myself over is the treasury-sized adaptation of 2001: A Space Odyssey by Jack Kirby– if I had snapped it up when I first saw it instead of mulling over a potential purchase for five minutes only to find out someone else had nabbed it, it would’ve taken its rightful place in my collection. Oh well, I did get some of those Silver Age DC books with the bonkers covers, and I’m particularly happy to have picked up the first appearance of Super-Fatso (see pic)! As to when I’m going to get around to reading all these comics, well, that’s another matter entirely!

Matt T: Like Matt C, I missed out on a couple of important comics, including the first issue of the Streets of Poison arc in Captain America due my own poor memory. Jay Faerber’s little known Iron Fist/Wolverine mini should be a good read, and I picked up a few odd books here and there including a reprint of EC’s Vault of Horror #5, which is very odd indeed I filled out my Amazing Spider-Man collection too, getting issues around the same era as #350, books I used to pick up on very rare occasions at Plymouth train station (my only source of comics growing up!). This is one of the major advantages of a weekend at Bristol; revisiting childhood memories by rediscovering lost stories and classic comics. My wallet may be worse off, but I’ve got stacks of nostalgia to enjoy!

As for Bristol Comic Expo 2009, well it already looks like it’ll be too good to be true. The legend that is Darwyn Cooke will be gracing us with his presence, and I’m sure that will make both James R and Matt C geek-out big time! The man behind The New Frontier and the recent relaunch of The Spirit has shown his impressive skills in both art and writing, making him a real standout talent. Hopefully he won’t “pull a Shooter!” (might have to trademark that) and drop out, as I’m already looking forward to next year!

A big thanks to event organizer Mike Allwood for being so accommodating and getting me my press pass so late in the day, the Paradox group (Andrew B, Andy H, Mike S, Simon M, James R, Matt C and the mighty Rob N) for keeping me amused and entertained, and all the various folks I met during a fantastic weekend. See you guys next year!