The next
Southern Contingent Gathering will be at the
FCBD event at
Orbital Comics. This is on the
7th of May at
14:00 and as is our normal tradition, we shall meet up a little earlier than the signing for chat and laughs, from
13:00.
The local public house for the gathering is the
Crown and Anchor in Neal Street, so if you miss us at the event, you'll find us in there!
Don't be shy, come and say hello, as we're a friendly bunch and make all feel welcome and anyway, you can't stay in the signing queue all day ;)
As for the signing, well this is from Orbital itself.
QuoteEverybody loves free comics, right? Well, this year Orbital is proud to not only be participating in the annual Free Comic Book Day, but also to be hosting a massive 2000AD mega-signing session with a number of the creators featured in their Free Comic Book Day issue.
You heard us! Not only can you get a free copy of 2000AD's FCBD Special (and other awesome comics) ... you can also get it signed by the creators involved, including Hannah Berry, Henry Flint, Alec Worley, Matt 'Tharg' Smith, and special guest Dani (who's flying in from Greece for the day) – with more to be announced over the coming weeks.
But wait – that's not all ... On top of free comics and a 2000AD mega-signing, we'll also have original art from the issue on display in the Orbital Gallery. We have Dani's complete story (as part of a wider exhibition) plus Rufus Dayglo & Jim McCarthy's art from Bad Company!
Doors open at 10:30am for Free Comic Book Day, then the signing will commence at 2pm. This is our biggest and most ambitious FCBD signing EVER, so we hope you'll join us in celebrating the enduring thrill-power of 2000AD as they blaze ahead in 2016. Zarjaz!
Fingers crossed I can actually make this!
One question Judge Burdis, are there usually plenty of FCBD 2000ad's at this sort of event? Not remotely interested in all that DC/Marvel crap? :)
At Forbidden Planet there were always loads, with plenty left over. I'm sure Orbital will be the same!
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 14 March, 2016, 09:32:33 PM
At Forbidden Planet there were always loads, with plenty left over. I'm sure Orbital will be the same!
Good man!
Cheers! ;)
Gutted I won't be able to make it this year. :(
Going to have to find a way to get my mitts on the 2000AD FCBD special.
If anyone would be kind enough to pick one up for me I'd really appreciate it.
I know the deal is to get into a comic shop and do some spending. I'll just have to do that on another day on my lonesome.
Guess I'll see the Southers at the next gathering.
This Northerner will be popping down to swell the ranks.
A grand day last year, so keen for another helping. Staying over this time, so that I'm not having to rush off to catch the last train.
As a relatively newer boarder (is that the term?) I have never been to a Southern Contingent gathering. I will now be able to pop along to Orbital in the morning when the doors open to get my FCBD 2000AD but won't be able to hang around for the signing. I know it says to meet at 1pm but will anyone else be around from 10.30am?
I'm not sure that anyone will be there that early as that's pretty hardcore to start drinking then ;)
Doubt I'll be there before mid-day, sorry, Magnetica.
One more day!
It's gonna be a HOT one :'(
I'll be bringing Sam and we'll both be wearing our tops. Caz will join us later, after she's had a day out in the V&A. See you all there :wave:
Glad you two are covering up, no mention of Caz tho'.... :-X
We're so decadent down here :lol:
Will have my top on too, see you all later
Just cooking some breakfast to fuel up for the day. Well the first half anyway.
Running a bit late so probably won't be there at 1pm but should be on time for the queue and can meet after!
Just got back home from my first FCBD. Queued up for half an hour to get into Orbital, which was ok, and then like queuing up for a ride in a theme park you see the queue is the same again once inside. But actually it was fine.
A chap behind me in the queue viewed 2000 AD as "a bit dated"...oh well each to their own, but he seemed nice enough. A chap dressed up a Daredevil asked me "who is that on your T-Shirt? Conan?". When I told him it was Slaine, at least he seemed to know who that was. :lol:
Anyway great event by Orbital - you get to choose the 5 comics you want, where as at FP they hand you a random grab bag (but there was no queue).
Glad I made sure I got my 2000AD at Orbital, as despite what I was told by someone in the queue at Orbital, the FP grab bag does not necessarily include 2000AD. I did though by happy chance get the other comics I would have got if not limited to 5 at Orbital (and only one duplicate).
Sorry not to be able to meet you guys in the pub later - hope you have a good day.
Quote from: Magnetica on 07 May, 2016, 01:19:26 PM
Anyway great event by Orbital - you get to choose the 5 comics you want, where as at FP they hand you a random grab bag (but there was no queue).
That's a bit crap - FP in Manchester lets you choose any eight from the selection (only one of each but I managed to blag an extra prog as there was only two other titles I hadn't picked up at Traveling Man). TM is pretty strict on the one copy only rule, but you can have one of everything if you wish - and they give out free juice and sweeties! Humungous queue at FP (30+ mins), much faster at TM as they pile them all on a central table and everybody just circulates.
Last year at FP, I think they gave out a grab bag,(I can't remember if I picked it up!) but we could pick up the FCBD prog as well.
That being said they had a group of 2000ad droids signing so I'm not sure that is normal.
On the train now to Charing Cross. I hope they're not all gone! Heh.
That being said if a large proportion who get hem are new folk who don't usually get 2000ad, that's not a bad sacrifice.
Another super day with friends and creators, which add to more wonderful memories.
I finished work then grabbed 3 hours sleep before driving up to the secret car park in London and for the third time in a row, we didn't have to pay. Great start to the day!
The family jumped on the tube and me and Sam headed to the Crown and Anchor while Carolyn went to the V & A.
We arrived and it wasn't long before fellow members turned up and then it was off to the signing at Orbital. It was very cramped, as the 2000AD creators were in demand and luckily for the insane collectors, there were a few US sized FCBD Progs available. I managed to grab a quick chat with Alec about his Anderson enovels and lets just say, [spoiler]What's said at a signing, stays at the signing[/spoiler] :D
I moved down the guests as they signed my books and when it came to Peter Milligan I mentioned about not signing on the logo, so he did, I basically encouraged him. I saw Tharg do a wee smile, which made me laugh and then I handed him my Dredd Year One comics, which for some reason I forgot the last time, so I'm happy now that those are done. I also handed over my 'Official Squaxx Dek Thargo' card and he signed that. Then it was last by no means least Henry and then I took a couple of pictures.
Let's not forget that Dani and Hannah Berry were, who were also a delight but you know what it's like as you try not to take up too much time.
SIGNING = Alec, Dani, Peter, Hannah, Tharg & Henry
(http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af293/judgedredd67/2000%20AD%20site/IMAG2220_zpsdzirsdiw.jpg) (http://s1017.photobucket.com/user/judgedredd67/media/2000%20AD%20site/IMAG2220_zpsdzirsdiw.jpg.html)
After that me and Sam had a little wander about and popped into Forbidden Planet and then when we were heading back to the pub, Steve Green texted to say he was in another pub, with a few droids (ones who were not at the signing) and so we turned right and headed to that. We had a pint of coke in there and chatted to Keith about numerous things and had a laugh. Then Carolyn texted to say where was I, as she was in the correct pub, with everyone else. I quickly managed to grab a photo and we headed off. We were rumbled!
Back row = Rob, Steve, Samuel, me & Simon. Front Row = Laurence & Ben
(http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af293/judgedredd67/2000%20AD%20site/IMAG2226_zpsdo2eq3wa.jpg) (http://s1017.photobucket.com/user/judgedredd67/media/2000%20AD%20site/IMAG2226_zpsdo2eq3wa.jpg.html)
Then it was full on contingent chat with an excellent turnout on a lovely day. Many things talked about, laughs galore and a few drinks quaffed before some of us went for a meal, as mentioned above by Mardroid at a Chinese restaurant, in you guessed it, China Town.
Here's the group shot and NO I won't list everyone :lol:
(http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af293/judgedredd67/2000%20AD%20site/IMAG2229_zps7nuia2qr.jpg) (http://s1017.photobucket.com/user/judgedredd67/media/2000%20AD%20site/IMAG2229_zps7nuia2qr.jpg.html)
I must say a BIG thanks to all who made it, as it would be nothing without everyone coming along for the fun. One day we will take over the pub completely!
If you ever feel like coming to one of the gatherings, then do it. All are welcome and we're a friendly bunch who are there to socialise, as there's only so much you can do on the forum and it's just nice to put faces to names and enjoy a few days together a year doing this.
I look forward to the next one, when we choose the date :wave:
Great day with an impressive and incredibly friendly turn out from the Southers. When did we become a movement instead of a contingent BTW?
As ever thanks to Judge Burdis for organising, even if he did break ranks and drift off into the officers' club where the 2000AD droids were being oiled for a short while.
My various signed items from yesterday and from Brumcon 2w ago are all up on eBay for the usual charity auctions for cancer research uk. Check them out here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/medic_ut/m.html
cheers
See you at Lawgiver
What a great turnout!
I'd like to thank everyone for making the day so enjoyable and it was great putting more faces to their forum aliases!
Big thanks to Mr Burdis for organising such a great event!
Drokk on!
Dweezil! :)
Annoyed I had to miss this one! Looks like a superb turn-out.
I'll catch you all at the next one though!
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 08 May, 2016, 02:36:10 AM
If you ever feel like coming to one of the gatherings, then do it. All are welcome and we're a friendly bunch who are there to socialise, as there's only so much you can do on the forum and it's just nice to put faces to names and enjoy a few days together a year doing this.
I look forward to the next one, when we choose the date :wave:[/color]
Judge Burdis is spot on here. These are really friendly events which give us a chance to get beyond the anonymity of our forum personas and to have fun discussing the galaxy's greatest comic that we all love plus anything else that takes our fancy. Great stuff