Peter Gigg reports on the London Super Comic Convention 2013....
Batman sneaking a crafty fag by the back door … Boba Fett and Judge Dredd chatting over styrofoam coffee … a buxom Deadpool slipping on polished floor tiles...
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For the uninitiated, the London Super Comic Convention can be a terrifying place. Enormous men bristling in body armour swagger through the crowds, zombies prowl the entrance, and teenagers exercise their right to carry worryingly-authentic-looking firearms. If the San Diego Comic Con is famed for its super-slick exposition of pop-culture, then its London equivalent is better know for these charming super-incongruities, as hordes of be-spandexed comic fans crowd the DLR and head to the ExCel Centre for the largest comic event in the UK...
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Now in its second year, the London Super Comic Con plays host to thousands of fans in a 100,000 square-foot venue. Eschewing the multi-media attractions of its American cousins, the LSCC proudly chooses to focus on comics alone, marketing itself as a haven for the expert-enthusiast rather than the casual reader. After last year's Stan Lee-shaped coup, the organisers have opted for a greater emphasis on creator content, still backed with appearances from industry legends and cult heroes.
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Even with my admittedly patchy knowledge of comic lore, it works. The event teems with an infectious good nature, with everyone happy to stop and chat and sign almost anything. The queues may have snaked out the door for Dan Slott, but it was great to see the more indie-spirited Artist Alley giving equal prominence to smaller artists. Jeremy Bastain stood out with his ridiculously beautiful Cursed Pirate Girl (he optimistically brought 10 copies with him, only for them to sell out in 20 minutes) and I was minorly starstruck when I turned and noticed David Lloyd, quietly sitting a few feet away … before I remembered that I still hadn't got round to reading V for Vendetta...
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At midday, it was time for LSCC's first panel (and the only one I managed to squeeze into), Celebrating 50 Years of Marvel's Greatest Characters. With Roy Thomas, Herbe Trimp and Frazer Irving, the panel promised to “reveal the behind the scenes evolution of the characters.” In actuality, the panel was a bit of a damp squib, with a woolly concept prompting little real insight other than how great it was to get paid to make comic books. Trimpe touched on something interesting in extolling comics' role as mythology for a disenfranchised American society … before wittering on about airfix models and his fondness for Nazi uniforms. There was an inevitable focus on movie adaptations as Marvel's future, with the unprecedented success of The Avengers movie and its numerous off-shoots. Audience questions were mostly of the banal “What advice would you give to an aspiring...?” variety, although, when pressed on the future of comic books, Irving stressed the need for greater creator control and copyright ownership – the only point which dared stray from a fawning appreciation of Marvel's influence.
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After a strictly uninspiring lunch, there was still plenty of time to peruse the Artist Alley and endless vendor stalls, offering everything from mint-condition 1930s Detective Comics Batman to the newest Superior Spider-Man. Unforgivably I missed the start of the famed cosplay competition, and could only loiter around the entrance, apologetically snapping pictures on my iPhone like the world's most self-loathing paparazzo. It's a shame, because the costumes were mostly brilliant, making up for the odd 'slutty Darth Vader' (I have never been so confused and ashamed) with boundless enthusiasm and ramshackle charm. My unquestionable highlight was the portly gentleman sweating inside a beautifully homespun Beast costume - complete with furry arms and feline prosthetics – while sporting an expression that can only be described as “kill me now.”
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It was a suitably ludicrous end to a baffling, yet undeniably compelling day. I left confused and entranced … and in need of a cup of tea and a lie down in a darkened room.
Many thanks to Ladbrokes Casino for supplying us with the tickets to the London Super Comic Convention. Be sure to check out their fantastic new Battlestar Galactica game at Ladbrokes Casino.
Peter Gigg
Batman sneaking a crafty fag by the back door … Boba Fett and Judge Dredd chatting over styrofoam coffee … a buxom Deadpool slipping on polished floor tiles...
For the uninitiated, the London Super Comic Convention can be a terrifying place. Enormous men bristling in body armour swagger through the crowds, zombies prowl the entrance, and teenagers exercise their right to carry worryingly-authentic-looking firearms. If the San Diego Comic Con is famed for its super-slick exposition of pop-culture, then its London equivalent is better know for these charming super-incongruities, as hordes of be-spandexed comic fans crowd the DLR and head to the ExCel Centre for the largest comic event in the UK...
Now in its second year, the London Super Comic Con plays host to thousands of fans in a 100,000 square-foot venue. Eschewing the multi-media attractions of its American cousins, the LSCC proudly chooses to focus on comics alone, marketing itself as a haven for the expert-enthusiast rather than the casual reader. After last year's Stan Lee-shaped coup, the organisers have opted for a greater emphasis on creator content, still backed with appearances from industry legends and cult heroes.
Even with my admittedly patchy knowledge of comic lore, it works. The event teems with an infectious good nature, with everyone happy to stop and chat and sign almost anything. The queues may have snaked out the door for Dan Slott, but it was great to see the more indie-spirited Artist Alley giving equal prominence to smaller artists. Jeremy Bastain stood out with his ridiculously beautiful Cursed Pirate Girl (he optimistically brought 10 copies with him, only for them to sell out in 20 minutes) and I was minorly starstruck when I turned and noticed David Lloyd, quietly sitting a few feet away … before I remembered that I still hadn't got round to reading V for Vendetta...
At midday, it was time for LSCC's first panel (and the only one I managed to squeeze into), Celebrating 50 Years of Marvel's Greatest Characters. With Roy Thomas, Herbe Trimp and Frazer Irving, the panel promised to “reveal the behind the scenes evolution of the characters.” In actuality, the panel was a bit of a damp squib, with a woolly concept prompting little real insight other than how great it was to get paid to make comic books. Trimpe touched on something interesting in extolling comics' role as mythology for a disenfranchised American society … before wittering on about airfix models and his fondness for Nazi uniforms. There was an inevitable focus on movie adaptations as Marvel's future, with the unprecedented success of The Avengers movie and its numerous off-shoots. Audience questions were mostly of the banal “What advice would you give to an aspiring...?” variety, although, when pressed on the future of comic books, Irving stressed the need for greater creator control and copyright ownership – the only point which dared stray from a fawning appreciation of Marvel's influence.
After a strictly uninspiring lunch, there was still plenty of time to peruse the Artist Alley and endless vendor stalls, offering everything from mint-condition 1930s Detective Comics Batman to the newest Superior Spider-Man. Unforgivably I missed the start of the famed cosplay competition, and could only loiter around the entrance, apologetically snapping pictures on my iPhone like the world's most self-loathing paparazzo. It's a shame, because the costumes were mostly brilliant, making up for the odd 'slutty Darth Vader' (I have never been so confused and ashamed) with boundless enthusiasm and ramshackle charm. My unquestionable highlight was the portly gentleman sweating inside a beautifully homespun Beast costume - complete with furry arms and feline prosthetics – while sporting an expression that can only be described as “kill me now.”
It was a suitably ludicrous end to a baffling, yet undeniably compelling day. I left confused and entranced … and in need of a cup of tea and a lie down in a darkened room.
Many thanks to Ladbrokes Casino for supplying us with the tickets to the London Super Comic Convention. Be sure to check out their fantastic new Battlestar Galactica game at Ladbrokes Casino.
Peter Gigg