The Drink Tank

Thought Bubble, Leeds; named after some distant historical of The Pops are also burnt memories. Waiting in line, tail-end Knight or Lord and as I walked into the In this atrium, I collected my ticket, Charlie. atrium, I realised that it was in actual thought about a coffee and wandered fact named after broadcaster, TV into the large hall. This nicely By personality and charity Fund Raiser, apportioned hall is some 1260 square James Bacon Sir Jimmy Savile, not only a knight of metres in size, a rectangle from what I the realm, but also a knight of the Holy could see, with five aisles, tables either It was a very crisp and fresh See, and his pictures in massive forms side of the aisle down the length of morning, the sun was slicing into the adorned the walls of the reception the hall. The far left back corner was room, and I knew I was already a bit area. This was the man, who Fix’d It curtained off, for a decent seating area late. The evening before hand was all for kids when I was a kid on the BBC. of about 100 or so people, with staging, a maelstrom of brilliant madness, but My favourite must have been the two then the area next to this auditorium I was in Leeds and as I awoke, not seater Spitfire jaunt a youngster got to was a signing area, with space for so much fresh as invigorated from a go on, although his mad intros on Top queues wonderful slumber, I knew I was late. As part of helping with the I had a superb breakfast, with my publicity efforts of next year’s room sharer, Emma King, and once Eastercon, LX 2009 in Bradford, of fed and watered, we split and I left on which I am a committee member, we foot for Saville Hall where Thought decided that we would have a table Bubble, a weeklong comic festival, at Thought Bubble. We are going would be having its big Saturday event. around conventions, and events, giving The walk was fresh, it wasn’t cold, it away free books to all and sundry, in was November, and along the river the hope that book readers, may find Aire, which was gurgling very gently, the book conventions that we run fishermen patiently waited for their interesting, and come along, it’s an catch, doted about on this Saturday outreach effort, something untried, and morn, a strange prophecy for my own we have seen members join following forthcoming day. such efforts. I crossed over the river, just after Thought Bubble, though is in the weir, where once industrial wharfs Leeds, which sets it apart from the are now all cultural and residential, other events we have worked hard at so and a busy inland dock land is now a far. Leeds is next to Bradford, from city redevelopment of the greatest scale. centre to city centre is ten miles, and I rounded the Royal Armouries, a about a twenty minute drive. The same modern building design built museum, by train. So this is our neighbourhood, into armouries square and there was James Bacon with Barry Kitson. Leeds science fiction readers are on the Savile Hall. doorstep of the convention, so we need I had somehow imagined it was Photo by Emma King to let them know about our weekend. at Octocon in 2009 in Dublin. That’s ‘Bradford’ that got people interested. So we were there, handing out flyers. two national conventions in quick We don’t want to blindside anyone, so Peter Harrow my Co-Chair and Dave succession. Peter spoke about his Felix it’s important they understand what were present since earlier, they had Castor Novels, and I produced some sort of convention we are, although laid out the table, set up some posters, comics, a Hellblazer and a manga all are welcome, it is the national put up the book shelves, and were comic he did with his daughter Louise SF convention and therefore, not distributing flyers, leaflets and books called Confessions of a Blabbermouth. specifically about comics. by the time arrived. They reported Mike is one of those authors whose Of course, most Eastercon considerable queues at the beginning bibliography just goes on and on, I regulars know, we have many comic of the day outside the hall. once totted up all the individual comics panels, one of our Guests of Honour We worked the table, and it his stories have appeared in and it’s is comic artist David Lloyd, and we was very good. Then Emma met us, well over 250. Whether it is 2000 AD already have two other comic artists she had come in my car and we had issues, or the full run of Lucifer, which and another writer coming along, but arranged she would park it, which ran for an impressive 75 issues, he just we must be fair. Eastercon is about would be our transportation from the has a stunning bibliography. Next up science fiction in all its forms, and festival to Novacon, in Walsall, the in December will be his comic adaption books are the main focus. Emma was annual convention of the Birmingham of Orson Scott Card’s Ender's Shadow especially good with the younger than Science Fiction Group, which was our for Marvel Comics. He was in good me people, and also many girls, who next destination that night. Emma form, and he spoke about how seeing got talking about all sorts of things, was a bit of a star. She is 30, a friend his name as a for way too long now, and a regular guest of honour on at fun cons. She runs her own Live the Odyssey poster Action Role Playing Games and is still gave him an really terribly smart, and wears rock amazing feeling. chick gear, and is very approachable. We So as Peter went around every dealer continued to greet introducing himself and getting folk, and what acquainted with those selling at the was interesting festival, extending the web of contact this time doing and promotion, Emma, Dave and outreach, was that myself talked up the con. people were not Mike Carey came up to the as interested in table. His writing workshop was the books, in fairness, talk of the con, having being totally we are running booked out, and we chatted about low of decent cons. Mike is the Guest of Honour at ones, but even so Odyssey the 2010 Eastercon, and also it was the word James and Barry in the distance photo by Emma King such as Dragons of on as he drew, and then and very American, it makes me think Pern. Peter and I have a skilfully shaded in the of the movie screen shot I recently saw bit of charm, and Peter art with a selection of of Miss Jupiter on a YouTube trailer, definitely has the ‘worth spirit based letterset adorning the side of a B-29 bomber, a double take’ element markers, which blend as nose art, Miss Jupiter being Sally about his attire, but the colours, allowing Jupiter from the comic Watchmen. I Emma fitted in with infinite amounts of also purchased a page of artwork from the younger crowd. colour mixing. Dean, at a really very reasonable price. Her new rock boots, I also had the He was selling artwork from a number combats and goth metal graphic novel to get of comics and I picked up a page of DC t-shirt and long woollen signed, and then Vertigo Northlanders, this is an ongoing fingerless sleeves, that crossed the aisle title, which is about Vikings, its bloody rolled up, drew other and waited for Dean good as well, and written by another girls, perhaps less Ormston, another favourite writer, Brian Wood, who is confident, even though great 2000 AD artist. also working on DMZ. I love comic book in bizarre costume, and He worked on Raptur, artwork, and Ormston’s neat line work good chat flowed, no Judge Death by Peter Doherty an awesome story in was really clean in the uncoloured raw, doubt about cosmology from Rebellion Developments the Dredd universe, and I had no hesitation buying one, of quantum mechanics. and also Judgement just deciding. In due course, after Peter had Day, again written by Garth Ennis, My Judge Dredd completed, and done his rounds, and tea breaks a man who can match John Wagner it is a well inked one at that, I moved were had, I got the OK to head off for tongue in cheek humour. Dean on, not even halfway down the first for a bit myself. As a comic fan, I also worked on Sandman, aisle and waited at the table immediately went to the aisle with amongst many other of Matt Brooker, a science comic artists. First I went to Peter comics, so I was torn, but fiction fan and Eastercon Doherty. He has worked on a number I opted for a Dredd. As he attendee, although usually of my favourite Judge Dredd stories, drew, his wife was next to clandestine, as his comic for weekly anthology comic 2000 AD. him, and I commented on non de guerre is D’Israeli. He drew the story, Young Death, which her artistic style. Another Judge Dredd is an incredible biography of one of Fiona Stephenson is regular, he has worked the comics greatest villains. He also a tribute artist, she does oil on Batman as well. I was worked on the Justice One story line, on canvas reproductions after his Scarlett Traces written by Garth Ennis, as well as The of Gil Elvegren classic pin graphic novel.

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