Bristol Comics Expo 2016
THE BRISTOL Comics Expo returned on a warm and sunny Saturday with a laidback general feel-good vibe permeating throughout the day.
Once upon a time comic conventions were different creatures to what we witness today. Not least because there weren’t many of them. Back in the day, as they say (or said, because no doubt that terminology’s become outdated now), there was basically one regular convention, UKCAC. This was based in London with a satellite operation later developing in Glasgow, and what delightful cornucopias of delight they were with the likes of Alan Moore, Will Eisner, Moebius all as guests.
To that for historical accuracy we should also add the Birmingham Comics Art Shows that were similarly memorable events with the likes of Brian Bolland sketching in a marquee and Bryan Talbot giving an excellent slide show (high technology for the time!) on the history of comics, but they weren’t always held annually. Fortunately, when UKCAC closed its doors Bristol opened her bodice and invited us in.
There was some initial scepticism towards Bristol (any show outside London was considered treading into heathen territory). However, the UK’s comic book creators had discovered they liked to get out of the house once a year, meet up, network, bitch and drink – Boy could the British comics industry drink back then (people would get on the phone after and compare how long it took for the alcohol poisoning to leave their body) so they attended, which meant fans came.
The first couple of conventions, operating under assorted names, were hosted by Kev F Sutherland, a cartoonist himself by profession, and that helped expand UK comic conventions’ remit by attempting to embrace the fact so many tried to avoid – that comics were primarily for kids, especially in the UK. With Bristol kids dressed as Dennis the Menace and Minnie the Minx in evidence he’d also initiated a public relations drive to include Joe Public and family (way before Birmingham’s Memorabilia shows lead to the MCM Comic-Cons of this world being able to prosper). Truth be told; it was cosy, they were not massive events; that would begin to change as Mike Allwood and his team took over.
Moving from The Watershed arts and crafts centre to Bristol Temple Meads’ former railway shed then expanding to include events at hotels too, Bristol became the place to be with the likes of Jim Lee, Mike Ploog and others being among the diverse range of guests who attended. Under this regime small press comics began to take hold as lower printing costs resulted in what once might have been stripzines being upgraded and their creators taking up ever increasing stand space as its community grew. The main thing that worked for the Bristol Comics Expo was that the organisers seemed to want to put on a good weekend, and treated guests and fans with respect rather than business commodities. The convention grew accordingly.
The Bristol Comics Expo ruled UK comicdom’s waves, while inland others began to take note. Birmingham’s Memorabilia Show went through a few new owners until MCM who had begun creating similar shows and using the American terminology of comic cons began to expand, BICS also took off in the second city, then Thought Bubble funded by the Leeds Film Festival up north. Slowly shows of all kinds were developing. At which point, I believe I am correct in stating and not speaking out of turn; Allwood decided he could do with a rest after having established something to be proud of that had lead the torch for those who were following in his organisational path, and concluded his involvement with the Bristol Comic Expo.
A hazy, barely remembered, and by all accounts best forgotten, two years followed whereby new organisers took over running the event in Bristol. Apparently advice given after bad decisions and even worse attitude during the first year were not taken and people voted with their wallet by not attending. The Bristol Comics Expo ended, but by then every mouse hole up and down the country was running one. Some have been fun, some just embarrassing.
However, on Saturday 6th August at the Double Tree Hotel in Bristol the Comics Expo was reborn. Mike Allwood had returned, along with David Morris and Iz McAuliffe, and as noted earlier the sun came out to ensure nothing could rain on their parade.
On entering the first floor of the hotel by a short lift ride or stairs one was greeted to a bar at one end and the expo to the other. A handful of exhibit tables sat back from the main ticket entry point then you moved left and right to go on to other areas.
The largest room was primarily given over to small press publishers and creators. Spacious, air conditioned, with lots of bright banners promoting the titles on sale. Some publishers claimed to be very happy with sales; some others looked blankly out at people passing them by. Creating the comics is one thing, playing the whole media whore game to even get someone to talk to you let along buy your non-Marvel comic can be soul-destroying. With a steady flow of potential customer traffic walking throughout all day, I hope no one really lost out, and I don’t think they did there was obviously a sense of community spirit between them rather than competition as they chatted to each other as time allowed.
Cosplayers were thin on the ground, a young lad dressed as Captain America drew sweet “Ahhs” from those who saw him, A Batman, a Dr Who, a grown up Cap, and a lady whose guise I didn’t know register in my memory. Out the room and back in the other direction saw dealers along a hallway with fantastic bargains on old comics looking as if they were doing good business, although they shut up shop relatively early. To the right of them was another room with more dealers and publishers, and further along the hallway, after you passed by the toilets, at the end where the guest creators. This area could have done with better signposting because if you didn’t know you might have not gone that far, presuming the expo didn’t go up that far.
Regardless, the creator room - while not overflowing - was briskly busy with generally two people always standing talking and having sketches done by the likes of Alan Davis, John M Burns, Lew Stringer and Rob Williams, and you often had to look over their shoulders to work out who the guest was.
Bristol Comics Expo 2016 was rather low key in approach, despite the fact that you saw the organisers running round trying to ensure things ran smoothly, but a pleasant, relaxing experience regardless. If we’re being critical, a large comic mart with guests could be one way to describe the day. But it was a good one for me, and it was definitely comics orientated and the ethos appeared to about creating a relaxing ambiance to enjoy this hobby.
With goodwill continuing to be proffered and those whose sales were brisk passing on positive waves through the grapevine I trust the event will return, tweaking matters where it feels appropriate, not over extend itself but continue to have its own identity and become a firm fixture on the comics fans’ calendar -Moving with the times does not mean one has to forgo one's principles.
Sponsored by Target Media.
