Bristol Comic Expo 2012

Richmond Clements · 14 May, 2012, 04:34:27 PM

Tim's a good man and I'm quite sure he did not make that post lightly.
Personally, I had a great weekend as it's always nice to catch up with everyone. Sales were slower all round, or at least from most people I spoke to. But I think the figure of 300 is very off. There were a lot more people than that through the hall over the weekend.

Large48 · 14 May, 2012, 05:46:19 PM

Def way down on numbers this year (well on Sat when I was there anyway) compared to when it was in the railway shed before and I'm sure Exeter / Cardiff / other local ones and then other major ones about the same time e.g. Kapow.

For example Planet Replicas will be at Kapow due to the footfall last year (mental numbers, huge queue and punters actually spending money) and we didn't want to do two in two weekends.

Generally it seems this year that people are wondering round the cons but aren't spending very much, not really surprising as we are in the middle of a recession and comics aren't exactly a necessity.

But much better Bristol being in the hall again as opposed to being in corridors in the hotel.

Richmond Clements · 14 May, 2012, 07:12:10 PM

QuoteGenerally it seems this year that people are wondering round the cons but aren't spending very much, not really surprising as we are in the middle of a recession and comics aren't exactly a necessity.

Yup.

HOO-HAA · 14 May, 2012, 07:27:01 PM

This was my first Bristol comic con.

The social side of it was great - nice to meet boarders such as Foxy for the first time and to catch up with others I've known for a while now, such as Rich and Vicky etc.

The panel we ran was great too, with some wonderful audience participation and a great discussion on the future of horror. Although, it really felt like what was going on at the Ramada had nothing to do with the main con: it might have been good to do a few reminders over the tannoy to alert people to the fact that panels were happening. Numbers speaking, the same panel at Cardiff drew three times the audience.

Sales were very poor for me too. I shifted 13 books all weekend, compared to over double that in Cardiff, where I was relegated to the small room upstairs. The main difference for me -and the stumbling block in terms of thinking about returning next year - is the stall price: Cardiff cost me £25 for a table. Bristol was something like £80. Profile raising and social side of things aside, I really don't think I can justify a return next year unless the stall price is seriously reduced.

pauljholden · 14 May, 2012, 07:48:07 PM

I think we're moving towards (if we haven't arrived already) two types of cons: the big professional organised ones which attract publishers (and, consequently, draw in comic pros from around the UK, but where the line between fan and pro is both obvious and pronounced) and the smaller regional cons which are great fun for people visiting but really, for a working pro are often expensive (in fact, factoring transport costs are often prohibitively expensive) but where you can see the pros sitting back and having a good time with the fans. They will usually attract local creators (or, at least, those that don't have to travel far) but the days of a con where the entire fan community and entire UK pro contingent intermingle in the bar may well be over.

When I was transitioning from a proper day job to working in comics, I'd've gone to any con (though there were far less of them about). Day job paid for me to take holidays and my chasing a comics career justified the trip to the con. Now though, with two kids, no day job and every weekend is a working one, I have to really think about what I want from a comic con (and I'm not alone, there are many comic pros like me). The biggest thing that'll draw me (and many pros) to a comic con is publishers.

-pj

matty_ae · 14 May, 2012, 08:48:30 PM

I had a great Bristol

The 2000ad panel had more relevant current creators than I've ever seen before
And the room was full.

The 80s had Bolland / Gibson we have Wilsher / Flint and both were there in fantastic generous form. Add to that boo cook, John burns, al Ewing.

So as a 2000ad fan the Bristol Con could not have been better. I got 6 sketches (kapow 2 lscc 1)

I know you guys talk of dredd con of old but frankly for me last weekend was it.

This was a 2000ad hot bed of talent. I don't really care for the big 2 or frankly if the dealers made a profit. They unfortunately brought the same copies of Diamond overprint crap in bulk. They should have shown more imagination. And the zarjaz guys were really entertaining, so bristol 2012 was one for us.

HOO-HAA · 14 May, 2012, 09:01:46 PM

Quote from: matty_ae on 14 May, 2012, 08:48:30 PM
I don't really care for the big 2 or frankly if the dealers made a profit. They unfortunately brought the same copies of Diamond overprint crap in bulk. They should have shown more imagination.

Dude, the dealers make a con. If there were no dealers, the room would be empty. And the vast, vast majority of Bristol dealers were indie creators selling their own stuff across the table, not big bucks publishers or traders.

Ironically, the only real business I saw being done all weekend was at the 50p boxes of comics brought by some of the local shops. So I'm not convinced whether imagination - or the lack of it - was a factor...

Either way, I don't like to moan. Sure, Bristol wasn't quite the experience I expected but if other folks got lots out of it, brilliant! And maybe that's a point worth considering: attending the con as a fan as opposed to trader might be the way forward. At leas then I'd get more time to hang out and have a laugh.

strontium71 · 14 May, 2012, 09:08:21 PM

...and I still didn't get to see you

One day , Wayne , one day!

matty_ae · 14 May, 2012, 09:34:14 PM

When I mean dealers I don't mean small press / home made / one man bands. I wish all those guys the best.

I'd love to have seen pj Holden there so has anyone got a better model where we support the appearance of our favourite artists?

Richmond Clements · 14 May, 2012, 09:50:06 PM

Quotehas anyone got a better model where we support the appearance of our favourite artists?

If they have I'd like to hear it.
Dealers pay for tables, and people buy tickets and that pays for the venue. If you're lucky you'll have some left over to help out the guests. If you're lucky.

If it's some sort of bizzaro world, there might even be money left over after that for the organisers to pay themselves some sort of minimum wage for the hundreds of unpaid hours of work they put in to getting the thing together (NB:There will not be enough left for this)

W. R. Logan · 14 May, 2012, 10:05:06 PM

Quote from: Richmond Clements on 14 May, 2012, 09:50:06 PM
Quote(NB:There will not be enough left for this)

It's a good job the post wasn't geotagged as we'd see it was from Rich's Gold Palace on the moon 8-)

pauljholden · 14 May, 2012, 10:08:28 PM

Quote from: matty_ae on 14 May, 2012, 09:34:14 PM
When I mean dealers I don't mean small press / home made / one man bands. I wish all those guys the best.

I'd love to have seen pj Holden there so has anyone got a better model where we support the appearance of our favourite artists?

I'll be at 2D in Derry, but that's (relatively) local to me

-pj

HOO-HAA · 15 May, 2012, 07:20:25 PM

Quote from: pauljholden on 14 May, 2012, 10:08:28 PM
Quote from: matty_ae on 14 May, 2012, 09:34:14 PM
When I mean dealers I don't mean small press / home made / one man bands. I wish all those guys the best.

I'd love to have seen pj Holden there so has anyone got a better model where we support the appearance of our favourite artists?

I'll be at 2D in Derry, but that's (relatively) local to me

-pj

Derry's a GREAT con! And free dealer's tables! Free, I say! Sadly, being in exile at present, I'll not make this one. Hope you have a good one, PJ