Quite a busy weekend for comics-related group activities: FallCon, Mid-Ohio, and the Birmingham International Comics Show all took place, in addition to SPX.

§ In the UK, this year’s BICS sounds like it was bigger than ever:

About 3,000 fans, artists, writers, publishers and comic dealers were treated to exhibitions, demonstrations, workshops and discussions involving some of the comic world’s greatest names.

Co-organiser James Hodgkins said: “It’s getting bigger every year. We’ve got a great guest list. A bigger theatre and more exhibitors than before.”

He added that the show is now established as a part of the national comic industry calendar.

Biggest draws included a theatre presentation by leading British artist Dave Gibbons whose Watchman pipped Japanese classic Akira to be voted the greatest graphic novel of all time by convention goers.


Based on various emails, Twitters, and text message received by Future Mr. Beat, it also seems that great deals of alcohol were consumed at the show. Tony Lee has more on the show as a whole, not just the drinking.

§ As for Mid-Ohio, moved to the early October time slot by new owners after a long run as the post-Thanksgiving con, it went well, Mark Evanier reports:

Everyone seems to have had a good time at this year’s Mid-Ohio Con here in Columbus, Ohio…which is where I’m blogging from as we speak. This has always been one of the friendliest comic/s-f/media conventions around and its new proprietors are continuing that tradition. I didn’t hear a bit of industry news here — it’s not that kind of convention — but I sure got to see and talk with a lot of great people…especially yesterday when I interviewed the great Joe Kubert for an hour. Joe has been drawing comics since John McCain was in knee pants and it’s warming to hear that he still enjoys doing it. I did Joe the great favor of not giving him the big hug and a kiss that Sergio sent for him.

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Lurid.com has a Mid-Ohio Con photo gallery, most centered around artist P. Craig Russell, such as the above shot of him and Chris Claremont.

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§ Meanwhile, FallCon was also fun, based on a few online reports we glanced at. We randomly chose Matt Schuler’s blog to quote, and he got his picture taken with Alex Niño.

Fall-con is finished, and it was another fun one to attend. I got to meet a ton of new people, and got to catch up with some that I have talked to before. One of the ‘great’ moments of the convention was the talk I had with Alex Nino, who is pictured above.

1 COMMENT

  1. Brum was fantastic. I didn’t make it to any events/bars – I didn’t leave my table ‘cept to go home – but the crowd was up for every little bit of madness I could shove under their noses, even if they didn’t buy anything.

    We sold a magnificent number of Bostin Heroes comics (thanks to all the cards handed out by our favrit shoppies at Nostalgia & Comics and Another World, Wolverhampton), as well as seventy-odd copies of my solo small-press books. I shifted twenty-three copies of my new Trixie Biker comic, Attack of the Sixty-Inch Pixie, which was about twice as many as I anticipated. All in all, my sales were well up on last year.

    My highlights included:
    – all the people who let me deface the front of their books with my UV security pen
    – the girl who stood patiently and watched while I drew a life-size, if somewhat demented red squirrel
    – the cosplayers who stood patiently while I drew one of them in the guise of Cheetara out of the Thundercats and tried not to make the chest logo look too much like Eraserhead
    – the moment when my best friend turned up with his wife and kids, as if making some kind of Peréz-esque cameo (Sonia Leong? They loved your sketch best)
    – the guy who worked out who the mad hermit from my new Trixie Biker comic was based on in three seconds flat
    – and the lady who came back after last year’s show for hugs, more comics, and to give me a cushion with a picture of my dog on it.

    OH, YES.

    So, yes. Birmingham was fucking amazing. AMAZING. Much kudos to Shane and all the organisers. You should all come over next year. Next stop: Leeds. LEEEEEDSSS.

    //Oo/\

  2. I just found this posting and was surprised to see my photo up here! It seems as if I’ll never completely figure out exactly who goes to my blog or not.
    I do enjoy FallCon and this past year’s was pretty packed! It’s always great to see Alex, and I do so love talking to him…

    -matt