Birmingham Sci-Fi, Comic & Card Fair by Paul H Birch
I met up with Stoke-on-Trent artist Shane Oakley (Albion, The Sandman Gallery, Zombie Tales etc) a couple of weeks back. Officially he came down to Brum to discuss a book we're collaborating on for an American publisher, but the excuse to get him down here rather than me be forced to eat oatcakes up in Staffordshire, was that there was a comic mart on.
There have been various comic marts in Birmingham's city centre over the years. Many remember when Carrs Lane was a regular venue. In recent years Golden Orbit has been the organiser and they were holding them bi-monthly on Sundays at the Novotel on Broad Street. This year they've moved to a more convenient Saturday and take place from midday until 4pm, for only a pound entrance.
Now I know all that because I checked it on Golden Orbit's website the day before. But when we strode up to the Novotel they hadn't a clue what we were on about!
Being the perfect host, and making sure the Stoke guy got his comics fix, I took him back into town to Nostalgia & Comics. Picking up a copy of trade paper Comics International the lanky so-and-so took great delight in showing me a UK events listing proclaiming that the Birmingham Sci-Fi, Comic & Card Fair took place on the 21st of the month. I protested for about half an hour that the website must have got it wrong and was still doing so on our way out as I caught sight of a leaflet proclaiming the event was still on that day but at the Birmingham & Midland Institute Conference Centre, on Margaret Street!?
Arguing as far as Great Charles Street we made it to the Fair. It was a small but friendly event with some choice rare and obscure comics for sale, and at really decent prices. I do recommend that those looking for a bargain pop along to the next one - in fact Golden Orbit regularly run these shows up and down the country.
Future dates for the Birmingham Sci-Fi, Comic & Card Fair are July 5th, September 20th and October 25th.
However, I also have two conflicting leaflets picked up from the event. One claims that in July the fair will again take place at the Institute, while another states it will take place at the Nautical Club on Bishopsgate Street (That's off Broad Street if you're coming from the city centre or round the back of Five Ways Island if you're hitting it from that direction).
I've checked with the website and it is also now stating it will be at the Nautical Club but don't take my word for it check with Golden Orbit's website as we near July, in fact email them! It would be a shame if bargain hunters missed out because they weren't sure about the time and place.
The city's major comics event will this year again take place at the Thinktank, Millennium Point, down Curzon Street. The Birmingham International Comics Show 2008 (BICS) is scheduled for Saturday 4th - Sunday 5th October.
Mike Golden is one of the star guests scheduled to fly in from the United States. Golden is the co-creator of The X-Men's Rogue, Bucky O'Hare (the comic book version was reprinted in the UK by D.C. Thomson of all companies!) and The 'Nam, artist on some classic Batman and Dr Strange comics and a major influence on many current artists. He has recently been contributing covers to a number of popular titles, and BICS 2008 will be his UK debut.
Other sources, outside the organisers' official website have announced that DC Comics editor and artist Mark Chiarello will also be attending. Look for official conformation on this and other stars from the world of comics attending via official sources soon.
During the interim the West Midland comics community will be continuing its monthly gatherings at assorted Birmingham city centre drinking establishments!
This year also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the very first UK comics convention that was put on in Birmingham by Phil Clarke - Look for a stroll down memory lane with Phil at Speech Balloons in the future.
There might even be more on Shane Oakley... If we're still talking!
Related websites:
Shane Oakley: www.shaneoakley.blogspot.com
Comics International: www.comics-international.co.uk
Birmingham Sci-Fi, Comic & Card Fairs: www.goldenorbit.co.uk
Birmingham International Comics: www.thecomicsshow.co.uk
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The great thing about comic marts are the bargains and the ability to find obscure comics.
In the last 1980âÂÂs and early 1990âÂÂs I was trying desperately hard to track down copies of Jon Sable, Freelance, by Mike Grell. It only really sold in the American market so I got loads of blank looks from dealers as I hauled around my wants list of missing titles. This was before the days of the ebay and the internet so it was very much a case of sending of lists and requesting dealer catalogues. Come marts were a must for tracking down all those hard to find issues.
I remember trekking through to Leeds for Golden Orbits mart in a hotel round the corner from the train station. A big group of us would meet on York station and make a day of it, usually ending up in a pub at some point to compare purchases and pass on tips about good dealers (and a couple of rogues who have thankfully long since disappeared.).
One of my lasting memories is going to the bar in the Griffin hotel, partaking of a couple of ciders only to be told a dealer had a copy of Daredevil #1. An hour later I had it in my bag shaking from the shock of 1) finding a copy 2) paying a stupidly low amount for it. Five years later when I sold it to fund a project I was involved in I was still thanking the Leeds Comic Mart.
Marts are also a good place to get recommendations from dealers. I have often asked for a particular title because I like and artist or writer and the dealer will recommend an old comic that was by the same person, and if they havenâÂÂt got it I have been recommended another dealer who might.
My advice to anybody who is interested in comics is to go alone to their local mart, they arenâÂÂt expensive and you can pick up some great tips and bargains. There are loads around and with a little detective work you will often find one close to you (ask in your local comic shop, they will know.).
- J.
TRUE STORIES by Phillip Marsden
12th September - 28th November 2009
Riverside Gallery, Richmond
True Stories by Phillip Marsden brings together the artistâÂÂs complete cartoon and comic book works from the last five years.
Lo-fi, DIY and genre defying, MarsdenâÂÂs alternative âÂÂcomixâ have been popping up in art galleries and bookshops across the UK since 2004. Following in the great tradition of âÂÂzine culture and 60s underground comics, the work is largely self-published, and thus usually seen only by a select audience. This exhibition throws open the comic book pages to a wider public, in a traditional gallery setting. Original pen and ink drawings hang alongside digitally enhanced images, finished comic books, and attendant publicity material, to reveal something of the creative process.
Marsden is an emerging artist and illustrator currently based in Liverpool. He has collaborated with artists, writers, photographers and musicians on a huge array of projects including zines, comics, childrenâÂÂs books, prints, public sculpture and more. As an extension of his own artistic practice, he began creating and self-publishing small-press comics in 2004. These are published in the UK by Compromise Comics Enterprise, named after a character in an as-yet unfinished graphic novel, The Wizard of Eternal Compromise. His influences range from boyhood favourites the Beano and Dandy, to the 60s underground comix of Robert Crumb, to contemporary comics artists such as Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware and Anders Nilsen.
His first production, the quirky Clam & Elgar etc, whose eponymous heroes host a TV chat show, satirised everything from fitness fads to daytime TV. Since then subjects have ranged from ambiguous moral tales (AesopâÂÂs Fables) to lewd juvenilia (Blackout); from cautionary fairy tales (The Princess With Many Shoes) to style mag satire (Get The Look: Fashion Supplement); and from biography (Noteworthy) to autobiography (True Stories, from which the show takes its title)
True Stories chronicles unusual happenings from the artistâÂÂs daily life, typically with a surreal twist. Appearing in various comics, anthologies and zines over the years, but for the most part unpublished, this long-running series is collected here in its entirety for the first time. A specially commissioned book will be published to coincide with the exhibition and available to buy from the gallery shop as well as PhillipâÂÂs website - www.phillipmarsden.com .
Gallery curator Mark De Novellis stated "Marsden has participated in three successful open exhibitions at the Riverside Gallery, including the popular Liveline comics open exhibition in 2008, which was voted critic's pick of the week by artforum. The gallery is committed to showcasing work by marginalised creative practitioners and we hope that Marsden's first retrospective will bring his work to a wider audience and raise awareness of the vibrant UK small press comics scene."
Riverside Gallery, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond
Gallery open: Mon, Thur & Fri 10-6; Tues & Sat 10-5, Wed 10-8, closed Sun.
Adm ission is free
website: www.richmond.gov.uk
email: artsinfo@richmond.gov.uk
Notes for editors:
Phillip is currently a studio member of cutting-edge collective The Royal Standard, based in Liverpool. He has exhibited widely in the UK including at Collective Gallery, Edinburgh, FACT, Liverpool, and most recently as printmaker in residence at the Bluecoat, Liverpool.
Phillip also illustrated the childrenâÂÂs book, Betty the Butterfly, and has worked as a freelance illustrator for clients such as Liverpool Biennial and musician Beccy Owen.
ArtistâÂÂs website www.phillipmarsden.com