Gets a new venue, a new month and an extra day. See you next august 25/26/27
http://www.londonsupercomicconvention.com/
It'll be like Kapow all over again...
I like the Business Design Centre as a venue, more than ExCel anyway.
Quote from: Steve Green on 11 October, 2016, 10:22:24 AM
It'll be like Kapow all over again...
I like the Business Design Centre as a venue, more than ExCel anyway.
That the one in Islington? Great - much easier for us to get to than Excel!
Yeah it is. Was the venue for Kapow.
School holidays, bank holiday and Notting Hill Carnival weekend.
I see this has had an unfortunate knock-on effect already - Northhampton''s NICE con, which runs in late August/early September has now been cancelled indefinitely, because the rescheduled LSCC is too much competition.
That's another 'proper' comic con - you know, the ones that are actually about comics and not film & TV celebrities - gone.
Very unfortunate indeed. I've really enjoyed both of the NICEcons I've been to.
The organiser Jeff Chahal has posted on Facebook that they are going to take a year off and look at 2018. I know he has previously posted that the convention is a passion project that does not break even.
Tough times for comic conventions.
Yeah, I went to NICE for the first time this year, and chatted with Jeff - it's a real shame.
I think the timing was already precarious, it was the week before ICE in Birmingham and I couldn't do both.
ICE, NICE, The Lakes and Thought Bubble have all felt a bit more personal - LFCC, LSCC and MCM just feel like anonymous money making machines.
Down the tubes on the cancellation
http://downthetubes.net/?p=34386
Just read that it's Thought Bubble moving to end of September.
I know we bitch about LFCC, MCM etc - but if you've got the 'proper' comic cons all bunching together...
Blimey, that part of the calendar is getting crowded.
The 40th birthday party has a clear run at the start of the year. :)
Quote from: Steve Green on 13 October, 2016, 10:01:09 AM
Just read that it's Thought Bubble moving to end of September.
I know we bitch about LFCC, MCM etc - but if you've got the 'proper' comic cons all bunching together...
I was going to ponder why they're all at the same time - but then I realised that if they have to move from the pre-arranged time they have to settle for whatever's available at suitable venues...
I don't know why they shifted - I also read that the Islington location wasn't permanent either.
I can go to this if I have the money up by then & a passport to leave my country.
Not long now until LSCC.
I think I'm exhibiting under the Massacre For Boys banner. Although we're not actually listed on the website. Still, the organisers took the table money, and kept it, so presumably we will be there.
Groupon is doing a £9 for the Friday deal. Set your location to London and search comic
Yeah, will be there on the Friday for the Strontium Dog showing and panel, and do the rounds on the Sunday.
Not going to make this one as the trains aren't running again
I am listed, I was just looking in the wrong place:
http://londonsupercomicconvention.com/creators.php
What's this about trains?
Normal bank holiday works so trains are pretty knackered at least in Essex into London
Ah yes, although that only seems to be on the Sunday:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/166034.aspx
We also have the Waterloo farrago to contend with, not to mention a host of other events across the capital. Travel to and from LSCC should be.... interesting.
Quote from: matty_ae on 12 August, 2017, 12:42:54 PM
Groupon is doing a £9 for the Friday deal. Set your location to London and search comic
Thanks Matty. That was the deciding factor for me going this year!
Hopefully the trains won't affect me Friday from Dartford. If they do, there are usually bus connections this way, although it'll be a slog! All part of the fun, though.
Glad you can make it.
There are oddly no droids signing at the 2000ad stand. Got confirmation in a tweet.
Still as they pointed out a number of 2000ad creators in attendance.
Nearly every time I have gone to a event in London on a weekend coming from Essex I ended up having disruptions & ending up on a bus or taking a long detour to get into London, so I now travel up by coach It works out cheaper & is only slightly longer than the train if your get off at Stratford instead of Victoria station as it can take nearly a hour to get through London. also most of the venues are on direct lines on the tube from there as well
Cheers rogue69, might still make it for Sunday but would drive to Newbury Park as can get the underground from there
If anyone's planning to get anything signed by Dave Gibbons, he's just tweeted that he can only do Sunday.
Hi,
I just found out I'm working Friday so I won't be able to attend LSCC after all. (Or I could but it probably wouldn't be worth it for an hour or two as my shift finishes at 6pm and I have to get there, etc.)
Anyway, there's now a ticket up for grabs! £6.00 first come first serve. That's £3.00 cheaper than I paid.
If Planet Replicas have their selection of pin badges there I'd appreciate you getting one for me, and I'd refund the price and postage, but if that's too much hassle, no worries. You're still welcome to buy the ticket.
If you PM me we can exchange email addresses for paypal payment and I'll send a PDF of the voucher.
Hi,
Planet Replicas aren't at this one.
Cheers
Steve
Ah, okay, thanks Steve. Thought it worth mentioning in case there were some pieces available at the 2000 AD stand.
Ticket offer still available. :lol:
I found out today I'll probably be leaving work earlier than I thought so I'll likely use the ticket after all. (I won't be on time, but I should be there long enough for it be worthwhile. Nobody has expressed an interest int he ticket, anyway, which makes sense as those of you who are going would likely have purchased yours already.)
Anyway, I'm glad. I was rather disappointed at the thought of missing it.
Mini-Southern Contingent Gathering at the Steam Passage Tavern on Upper Street (the closest pub to LSCC) - meet up at seven on the Saturday!
Relevant thread on facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/groups/493524564052158/permalink/1755382027866399/) though I'm sure Eamonn will create an event soon.
Quote from: sheridan on 25 August, 2017, 11:02:01 AM
Mini-Southern Contingent Gathering at the Steam Passage Tavern on Upper Street (the closest pub to LSCC) - meet up at seven on the Saturday!
Relevant thread on facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/groups/493524564052158/permalink/1755382027866399/) though I'm sure Eamonn will create an event soon.
Facebook event here (https://www.facebook.com/events/1288303467948559/).
Nice one. See some of you chaps tomorrow.
I finished work pretty early so managed to attend at least 3 hours of the convention in the end, which was enough.
I was able to buy issue 1 of the Ultimate 2000AD collection and a Dredd pin badge from the 2000AD store. I also attended Search Destroy. I've seen the film several times already, as well as at the 2000AD anniversary event, but it was nice to see the final version of the film on the big screen. They also had a panel after with the creators and Matthews Simpson, the actor who plays Johnny Alpha, which was very nice to see.
I attended another event after which dealt with transition of comics to film. I confess my tiredness (early mornings with not enough sleep in between) caught up with me then and I kept nodding off.
The LSSC Friday was a rather subdued event overall. Outside the panel rooms events it was essentially lots of comic shops (not a bad thing to be fair) and a few cosplayers, some pretty impressive. Of course it might pick up a bit more tomorrow.
I'm Im at a local pub, The Fox on the Green now. I didn't want to go straight home as I was feeling thirsty. It also gave me an opportunity to check out the new volume, of The Horned God. It is rather nice.
Haul:
Slaine//The Horned God
Dredd pin badge
Strontium Dog pin badge (Free for attendees of the FILM. Thanks guys, it's lovely. )
Not a massive haul, but that's not the point.
Have had a stinking cold all week, but had committed to the Q+A.
It was pretty quiet, not surprising considering it's the Friday opening, going on until 8pm.
I had planned to go straight back to bed after the Q+A, but Philip Vaughan had said he was meeting Steve Macmanus for a few pints, so we did that and it was lovely to have a chat with TMO.
He mentioned that he'd chatted to Doug Church, who I'd love to hear interviewed for a thrillcast...
Anyway skipping LSCC today, and heading back on Sunday.
Curious to hear reports back, all the cards seem to have been thrown up in the air with a few cons this year.
- Steve
Simon and I are in Camden head across the road. We have a corner table.
Quote from: Mardroid on 25 August, 2017, 08:51:55 PM
The LSSC Friday was a rather subdued event overall. Outside the panel rooms events it was essentially lots of comic shops (not a bad thing to be fair) and a few cosplayers, some pretty impressive. Of course it might pick up a bit more tomorrow.
There were also 120 tables in artists alley, which was at points quite lonely. I suspect if show attendees didn't know we were there, that might help to explain the tumbleweeds. Things picked up a bit today.
It took me a little while to find the panel rooms, artist alley.* The floor plan in the leaflet gave a rough idea, but the fact the panel rooms were a floor higher than the main floor wasn't too clear. (Or maybe I'm just rubbish at reading maps!)
*I didn't attend the latter in the end. I'd run out of time, and I couldn't afford any art.
Skipped the Saturday to get a bit of rest, tried again today.
It was OK, I've never really been a fan of the ExCel as a venue.
The Business Design Centre is a bit more varied - althought the main hall was very warm, the artists alley was squirreled away in a thankfully cooler bit of the building, although that was split on 2 floors so not sure how accessible it was for people struggling with stairs.
Caught the Comics in Education panel with Dan Slott, Mike Collins, Dave Gibbons and Erica Schultz, which was very entertaining with untold stories of Ren and Stimpy, Dave not getting to wear his cape as Poet Laureate, and his establishing the non-existence of God.
Also caught up with Eamonn, Iz and Stace amongst others.
It was very 2000 AD light in guests (no related panels either that I could see), but we've got TB next month for that.
Perplexing day today. Main exhibition closed at 2pm (at least two hours too early, really). This in theory should have pushed more people jump to the artists alley as that was allowed to carry on until 3:30. In practice, it looked to me as if people just left, feeling a bit aggrieved.
Overall, I think I agree with Steve. The show was okay, but not great. Hope they go back to the same venue next year, but find a better way to integrate the exhibitors with the artists, skip the Friday and run a full Sunday.
Yeah, I never really get the Friday preview things - and the decision to close half the exhibition that early today is pretty baffling.
I'd avoid having these events at bank holidays as well, it's notorious now for engineering works, just seems a way of restricting attendees/guests unnecessarily.
I didn't see any other panels, but the one I mentioned didn't have a mod as such. I think it was *supposed* to be Dan, at least that what he said, but it tended to drift more towards Erica.
Felt a bit different anyway.
Bendis was a on great form and an amazing guest so was Terry Dodson.
Not thrilled to turn up at the start of the day and be told all the Bendis signature tickets had been handed out - presumably the day before.
Bendis agreed to do an additional signing anyway so left very happy
Really odd stopping the vendors at 2PM - only opened to the public at 10.30 so hey a 3.5 hour con.
Got lovely sketch from DANI, chatted to Chris Weston. And the 2000ad had a bit of a fire sale so bought loads of Books and the full Boo Cook print heavily discounted.
Thanks to Simon for getting my Rogue Trooper signed. Eamon and Steve Green also good to meet up with especially as Eamon presented me with a Mega City Book Club coaster. He won't read this until midnight as I'm sure he'll be uploading a lot of signed charity items to eBay for which he is a legend.
Slightly odd convention for me but very nice to meet up with Simon, Steve, Rachael, Sheridan, Pete, Chris, Stacey, Iz, Matthew and Rob.
The ebay links are go!
http://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=44744.0
One week on and just checking in to say the event seemed rather... flat. Can't put my finger on it. Might be to do with the feeling that it didn't seem that busy, or because creators were situated on different floors to the main area. Maybe it was the lack of familiar faces from the forum. Not quite sure.
I didn't buy much. A Case Files, the last issue of Rok of the Reds and Massacre for Boys.
I met up with a couple of guys from where I work. Both US comic fans. I noticed I had been given the 2000AD Free Comic Book Day prog which I offered to the work colleagues to try and convert them. No chance. They weren't interested. But on the plus side, on my recommendation, one of them did buy the Dredd Mars Attacks book.
Pleasure as always to meet up with the Southers in the evening.
Yeah, was hard for me to judge as I was feeling pretty dreadful with a cold.
The decision to shut the main hall at around 2, 2:30 seemed to catch people by surprise.
Thought the lack of updates to the guest list was poor - Greg Staples had cancelled and the page still had him down as attending.
Main Hall was hot and stuffy, artists alley seemed much better, although it felt like the artists were sidelined/squirrelled away at a dedicated comics event.
Enjoyed the panel which Dave Gibbons was on though.
Not sure about the decision to shift it to a bank holiday weekend - think it suffered from the traditional engineering works combined with saturation in cons generally.
Going to be interested to see how TB turns out, another one with a shift of location and date - I think that's going to suffer a little bit as well.
I've had a think about it.
I think the Super Convention was a bit flat because... the Comic Industry (mainly DC & Marvel) just haven't given the mainstream anything to get really excited for quite a number of years.
Saga is probably the last really 100% hot release I can think of.
Marvel have failed to get any benefit from the movies (no real way 'in' there - no movie comic series) and DC have now rebooted twice and the boost that gives comes with a bust.
I think at the heart the mainstream product has just been too weak for too long. And I hate the Watchmen riffs coming now.
The London Film and Comic Con in late July attracts a lot of celebrities and Movie stars plus quite a few Comic artists. We're in a grim period economic wise, and Comics always tend to suffer from a lacklustre economy so if you're a Comic Production Company who might have attended 2 or more comic cons a year it makes economic sense to choose just one venue to visit. LFCC is the biggest in Britain with big names attracting large audiences, and that's why I think any other Con is going to seem an inadequate investment in comparison. I think it's right to say the Comic Book Industry is in the doldrums though I can't think of anything [except Future Quake/DogBreath!] that's got a lot of peoples attention. Perhaps Marvels Cinematic success means Comics are now second in the larger scale of things.
Quote from: IAMTHESYSTEM on 06 September, 2017, 10:35:28 AM
Perhaps Marvels Cinematic success means Comics are now second in the larger scale of things.
Completely agree. I love the MCU. It's got everything I want. I'm interested in whether RDJ will stay on as Iron Man. No comic can give me that but I used to get it from both 616 and Ultimate Universe in the Bendis run up to Secret Invasion.
DC I love Snyder but blimey they pumped him for events. And the Frank Miller stuff is just so retro-duff.
There's definitely a saturation of cons, and yeah people are being more choosy.
I think the sidelining of comics at the media cons, and the resulting sniffiness towards cosplayers/celebs signing/photoshoots that comes from the purist comic cons doesn't help.
The comics side of things could do with being a bit more showy/media savvy, and the media cons need to stop treating comics as the poor relation while simultaneously giving comics equal billing in the show titles.
It's a matter of balance.
No idea how true it is, but I've read the shift to the Business Design Centre is because MCM signed an exclusive with the ExCel.
I've seen some other rumours on Bleeding Cool about it being merged into LFCC or MCMExpo, but they were shot down on facebook as just that.