BICS comes back to Birmingham!

BICS THE popular UK comic book event is scheduled to return to Birmingham over the weekend of October 3rd-4th.

(Above: Comics International Editor Mike Conroy interviewing international star guest and creator of Hellboy Michael Mignola at BICS 2007).

Formerly known as the Birmingham International Comics Show, the BICS acronym remains, but the event will now operate as the British International Comics Show.

The name change no doubt reflects the fact that as of last year the show took up more floor space than any other comics event in the UK, and with this year's Bristol Comics Expo being temporarily downsized, thus the Birmingham-based event has become Great Britain's primary comics event.

Furthermore, retaining the goodwill of the BICS name as a franchise, but giving it national focus affords greater international attention on the show. This should attract foreign star guests, to whom Birmingham may be far less familiar a city name than London, who would be more content knowing they're flying half way across the world to a nation's main event. Likewise, those wishing to attend the show as visitors from abroad should find it easier to locate for information via the internet etc.

While the business world of the city of Birmingham can happily rejoice in the fact that it holds one of the nation's premier events again this year, that hotels, restaurants, pubs and clubs, and public transport will again be getting an influx of capital coming to a credit-crunch hit second city; one does have to stop and think. Operating under a new name as the British International Comics Show means that, theoretically, in the future the show could take place anywhere!

It is not cheap to put on an event of the size of BICS in a city like Birmingham, and the organisers will continue to be applauded for putting their hands in their pockets and having done so. Despite excellent coverage given the show over the years by all areas of the West Midlands media, and great local interest by the public, BICS has not been afforded any form of assistance by the city's council while other less popular events apparently do. If it came to it, and I hope not, who could blame the British International Comics Show if, one day, it decided to up sticks and take this national event to another town or city.

(Above: Lawrence (Lorenzo) Etherington at the BlinkTwice Comics table during BICS 2007).

I trust this totally speculative scenario on my part never has to be played out. We should remember that Birmingham was the place where the first comics convention in the UK took place, and no doubt one of the first in Europe, and that was back in 1968. It is about time we acknowledged this proud heritage and celebrated the fact, and there can be no better way than by attending BICS 2009 this October.

BICS 2009 will again take place within the city centre, at the Think Tank in Millennium Point. Guests are yet to be revealed but the show promises that it will celebrate: "The best in comics from all sectors of the industry including manga, web comics, pop culture, and the indy press."

For more information on BICS 2009 visit: www.thecomicsshow.co.uk

For information on the Bristol Comics Expo visit: www.fantasyevents.org

The BICS 2007 photos used in this article were supplied via: www.comicshopvoice.co.uk

(Below: BICS receives international recognition, as noted by coverage of the 2007 show in the American publication Wizard).