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Comix Thing 2010 Report

I went to the UK Web & Mini Comix Thing this Saturday (March 27th). I visited it last year and it was a lot of fun but this is the first time I have exhibited a comic anywhere. It was quieter this year (I suspect because of the constant rain) but traffic picked up around lunch-time and there was a steady flow of people thereafter. Quite a lot of my online friends turned up and said hi, amongst them prestwick creator of Hard Graft and fellow member of the Webcomic Planet Collective. It was great to meeting people in the real world.

There were also a lot of people who read Epic Fail online, which suprised me, because my UK readership is comparatively small. Still I guess a lot of my readers are comics lovers and just the sort of person who would go to a comics convention! So many thanks to all the readers who came and visited my table, it was extremely gratifying. At only one year old Epic Fail is doing extremely well and that’s down to you guys.

Everyone was extremely complimentary about Epic Fail and my artwork in general (I was selling prints and hand-made jewelry as well as the comics). The comic book is very beautifully printed and has a gloss effect which made it the shiniest comic at the Thing! Several people asked me where I got it printed and it was from Pulse Print.

Now I hate travelling in London, but thankfully JJ (aka Martin in real-life) was there to guide me through the Underground and helped me at my table throughout the day. I shared my table with Rob Cureton of Orful Comics who is an awesome guy and had cake which he used to spell out the name of his comic. Later these started to get eaten which lead them turning into ‘U ROLO SCUM!’ I couldn’t get away from my table much to meet the other exhibitors, so I made my flyers into paper aeroplanes and delivered them to everyone within range.

Overall a really fun day and I hope to be back next year.

Waiting for the Coach on my way home a lady asked my why I was wearing the pointed ears and face paint. I said I had been to my first ever Comics Convention and wanted to stand out. She told me I was very brave and she didn’t know how anyone could stand in front of a whole bunch of people and tell jokes like that.

webcomic planet teaser

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Comix Thing 2009 Report

On Saturday the 28th March I went to the UK web & Mini Comix Thing. It took me around 3 and a half hours to get there. This was the first one I had ever been to and I wasn’t sure if it would be worth it. (I find travelling on the London Tube, with its crushing crowds and labyrinthine passages, pretty harrowing). On arriving in the morning I remember thinking it looked small, about the same size as a Freshers Fair.

Seven hours later, with a bulging bag of comic-books and the show about to close, I visited the last table. There is a chance I missed one; I kept thinking I had done it all then spotting something new. I’d had a great day, meeting tons of friendly artists who were happy to talk to me and seeing many beautiful creations. There was such an enormous variety there it kept me entertained the whole way through.

I was wearing fairy wings (so I might be recognised) and I did not feel out of place! No one else was wearing them, but there was an eclectic mix of dress, everyone was different. I was rather impressed that out of all these creative types not one of us had had the same idea. We stood out… and fitted in. Apparently dressing memorably is all a part of the self-promotion.

I gathered plenty of advice about web and small-press comics along with a lot of contacts. I went to one of the talks they held throughout the day which was on ‘Breaking into the Mainstream.’ The panel advocated getting yourself out there and doing plenty of legwork: no one is going to ‘discover’ you; you have to tell them you‘re out there!

I think these talks could have been publicised better – sure they were announced but if you weren’t standing right next to the announcer your chances of hearing it were slim! A big time-table stuck up at the entrance and beside the staging area where the talks were held would have been useful. Of course, if I had gone to more talks I would never have had time to get around the whole Thing, so overall I’m glad it worked out the way it did.

I will definitely be going again next year and would like to exhibit Epic Fail there sometime in the future in the future.  It was enjoyable and inspiring.

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See you at the Thing!

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The Thing is a web & mini comics convention that happens every year in the UK – and it’s on tomorrow, Saturday the 28th of March at 10am – 5pm in London.

You are going right?  This will be my first ever comics convention and I’m really excited!

I know a few of the people attending from online but nothing beats meeting someone face-to-face.  I haven’t got a booth – to be honest I wouldn’t know what to do with one – so I’ll be the person floating around with a sketchbook randomly molesting artists.  To make myself recognisable to anyone specifically seeking me out I will be wearing fairy wings.  Got that?  Yes, it’s random and not related to Epic Fail in the least, but they are really easy to spot!  So no excuses for not saying hello!

I’m going to set up twitter on my phone and send updates of what I’m doing throughout the day. I’m hoping to have lots of fun!

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The UK Web & Mini Comix Thing 2009

image008As a UK web comic creator I have decided I am duty-bound to go to The Thing this year.  It is the only major exhibition in England for small-press and web comic artists and takes place on the 28th of March at Queen Mary University in London.

It will be my first time attending and I will not be exhibiting, however I may consider doing so in the future.  Aside from the many stalls there will be drawing and reading spaces, so I will be bringing my sketchbook.

If you are going and would like to meet up please let me know. I’m eager  to meet other artists and comic-lovers.  It may seem too early to think about, but you can save a lot of money by booking both tickets and travel in advance.  I hope to see lots of people there.