Basement X

So, I've just got back and I've been meaning to ask you guys something ever since going...


... when the fuck are you guys going to hurry up and get something signed by Warren Ellis?

I've got the following signed already:
- Gravel #1
- Freakangels vol 1 (signed by Paul Duffield, too)
- Freakangels vol 3 (signed by Paul Duffield and Kate Brown, too)
- The Authority vol 1
- Fell vol 1 (signed by Ben Temple Smith, too)


Nah, but, sorry if you did want to get something signed by him. If I had known earlier than last week that it was on and that I was going, I probably would have offered.

I don't know if Ellis was a bit sauced, when he turned up, but on the table where he was signing, he had a small bottle of Jack Daniels, two thirds empty. Keeping up a sterotype for reputations sake? I don't know. What did make me laugh though was the way he would break out the anti-bacterial soap after every handshake.

Also got:
- An Elephant Man sketchbook signed by Rob Starkings
- An Elephant Man Covers book sighed by Starkings and Boo Cook
- Wolves signed by Beck Cloonan with head sketch (one for Arn too)
- Knights of Pendragon signed by Gary Erskine
- Hitman JLA #1 and 2 of 2, signed by John McCrea (and Ennis in NY)
- Blood of the Demon (Hitman first appearance) signed by McCrea
- Lovecraft Anthology, signed by various contributors

Also bought:
- Wizard of Oz book by Shanowar and Young
- Bullet Proof Coffin, by Hine and Kane

Oh and here's some karma for me...
I turn up at the event centre around 10:40. I go to the comic 'village' area. I find out that a very late addition was added to the signing booth: Frank Quitely!
How annoying!
I'll bring some stuff for him tomorrow, on the off chance he'll be there. I think
chances are quite slim though. I saw some people with stuff for him to sign. Don't know when they found out he was going?! The MCM expo is generally good, but it's organisation can be quite poor. As a secondary example, why have a LondonExpo and a MCMBuzz website and cause yourself problems of having to update both sites? Not too bad if you update one site with all the info and the other site with links back, but it's all a bit of a mess. As a third example of poor organisation/web design, it shouldn't take a customer too long to figure out how to buy a ticket.

I have BulletProof Coffin for David Hine tomorrow and that's pretty much it. His signing overlaps with a panel with Gillen, Cloonan and Viecelli, "How to Break into Comics". Could be interesting. Plus there's always Writers vs. Artists, a game of Pictionary between the talent, on stage. Usually amusing.


Too many cosplayers though. The humanity.

Glad you had fun and again thank you, thank you, thank you for the Becky Cloonan book and sketch.

Your swag is mighty impressive, I'm quite jealous of your Elephantmen stuff. Hopefully, you'll corner Quitely tomorrow!
And hopefully, we'll do MCM together with Simon in tow very soon!!

Stocky Boy wrote:So, I've just got back and I've been meaning to ask you guys something ever since going...


... when the fuck are you guys going to hurry up and get something signed by Warren Ellis?

I fucking hate you. I have 8, maybe 10 comics I want to get signed by him, that have already been signed by the artists.

Transmetropolitan
Gravel
FreakAngels
Nextwave
Red
Strange Kiss
Just off the top of my head!

Was it fun?

On a more friendly note, since that was kind of harsh, sounds liek it's an awesome show, and I hope you have a ton of fun.

If you see Quitely tomorrow, think of me fondly if you see an x-men comic in the dollar bin!

I don't like getting my trades signed, maybe that'll change but I'd still like to get something signed by Ellis

If you had a chance to speak to him what was he like? Was extra boisterous? Did he constantly go off on tangents and despite having a nearly empty bottle of liquor with him, did he really seem drunk?

The McCrea & Cloonan stuff was great though and try with all your might to get Quitley's signature, not just for you but for all of us!.

Lastly, while your signed swag is impressive did you do any shopping for loose books & trades or other memorabilia?

Have fun tomorrow

"People realising that, despite hardly any publicity, Frank Quitely was there and doing exquisitely detailed sketches for free."

Did you get one? Tell me you got one!!!!

Wally, I bought Bulletproof Coffin, the Shanowar Oz book and the HP Lovecraft comic anthology.
Bought some american candy as well. Naturally very expensive due to import etc. Baby Ruths' are great. Paydays... can't make my mind up. I don't not like them, but jeez! a stick of caramel coated in peanuts is a bit peanut intense. Salted peanuts as well.

No Quitely on the sunday and no dollar bins anyway.

Where's the quote from Arn? I didn't get anything I'm afraid. I probably should have, because there really was bugger all of a queue for him. I remember saying to one of the guys waiting in line with me that if this was a bigger, comic dedicated convention with Quitely properly advertised there would have been a way more respectable queue. But, tiny queue and consequently poor return on customers plodding into the comic voillage is what you get when you fail to advertise a star attraction.

Quote is from Bleeding Cool report of MCM.

Check the following out from a website I guess I should consult more often than the londonexpo or mcmbuzz websites, when I want to know something about the MCM London Expo...

http://www.hypergeek.ca/2011/05/london- ... ayglo.html

Hypergeek knew on Wednesday that Frank Quitely was a late addition to the expo. The official websites (website"s" because you need two after all) didn't update anywhere to indicate the new addition. Hypergeek also helpfully direct you to the page where you can buy tickets. Try finding this page from either of the official sites.

All this makes me want to do a con again as soon as possible. Grow up, Simon!

Well, I just checked "Paris Comic Con" and they have Lee Bermejo, Steve McNiven, Sal Larroca, David Aja, Pasqual Ferry and... Brian Azzarello!!!
Boy, I can only imagine the look on Azz's face if I were to show up there!!!
Also, J. Scott Campbell but I don't give a damn about him.

When is this?

From June 30th to July 3rd.
If I go, it'll be just for the day as Paris is only 2h train ride away from Lyon and the first train is at 6am, the last one at 9pm, it's totaly doable.

Hrm hrm... Do me a website? Sounds like a good day of fun. If you decide to go on the Saturday, I just might join up. Or not, because it's a bit further for me. But maybe.

http://www.comic-con-france.com/en/

When I go will depend on the scheduling of the guests. I'd get a kick out of seeing Azz in France but the main goal would be to try and get sketches from the artists.

True. Too bad the schedule is still empty.

In that case, it's often to find the creators websites and ask them directly when they'll be there. I'll try to get to that this weekend.

I saw on your bookface that Allred is going to be at Lille. It's quite interesting how France gets some unique creators. England/UK gets all the British guys - because they live there - but you get people like Allred. I'm guessing Bermejo lives in Italy and I know Azz was in France last year. Do Allred and Azz stuff sell well in France or something? I can kind of imagine 100 Bullets selling well in France's BD hardcover format.

I dont know how well 100 Bullets sells in France. I suppose it's doing ok enough for them to publish the entire thing.

Allred at Lille is a rumour because the official website says nothing of it yet.

Got a mail from David Aja, confirming he'll be there and sketching for free!!